[mdavis]

Sorry if this is a repeat, I tried to find any postings on this this subject of 18 and 20 inch wheels and tires.

Thank you in advance for any help you can send my way. My question is, is there any reason you can't run the following setups, after a 3" lift on an 08 Xterra OR?

The 285/55R-20, tire & wheel combination is only .69 taller, and .79 inches wider than stock on an OR.

The 285/65R-18, is also only .94 taller, and .79 wider than stock on an OR.

If you compare that to a 285/75R-16, which is 1.18 taller, and .79 wider than the stock wheel on an OR.

Is there something I'm missing, as to why you could not run a 20" or 18" wheel and tire combination? Would it have anything to do with the rim being 8.5" wide?

Again, thanks.
Matthew

 

[mike100]

285/75-16 is a common size and available in many flavors at normal prices. taller tires will work better aired down in the sand too.

The biggest single reason to get the 16" tires is because you wouldn't have to buy new wheels.

 

[d-rap]

The biggest single reason to get the 16" tires is because you wouldn't have to buy new wheels.

Although all the tire companies and many pros recommend 8" wheels with 285s.

I run 285s with new wheels and spacers because I don't want a low profile tire. I need lots of sidewall for offroad driving.

 

[Gerdo]

Bigger wheels w/smaller sidewalls will handle better. They also ride rougher. You also can't air down as low or you will loose a bead.

Smaller wheels w/bigger sidewalls have a softer ride. More tires available. If you offroad you can air down alot lower then a small sidewall. The taller sidewall will give alot more and be more flexable. A taller sidewall will also help keep you from damaging a wheel on a rock from an impact.

It is very strange that the new Jeep Rubicon has 32" tires on 17" wheels and the Sahara is offered with a 255/70R18. What are they thinking. Oh yeah, most Jeeps are only driven on road!

You don't see rock crawlers with 20s.

 

[brutus_skx]

simply put, the bigger the rim you have the smaller the sidewall of your tire needs to be, making it a crappy tire for off road. Any truck that goes off road should never have a 20inch wheel. it wasn't too long ago that most wheels were 15 inches for off road. I personally think that 18" wheels are to big for of road.

 

[d-rap]

Any truck that goes off road should never have a 20inch wheel. s for off road. I personally think that 18" wheels are to big for of road.

Agreed--for trucks anything like ours. Once you pair 18s or 20s with 40+ inch tires on a custom-built rig, it's a different story. You're seeing that sort of thing in some dedicated rock crawlers.

And beadlocks usually come in 15s and 17s--like Walker Evans. IMO, 17s are too big for optimal wheeling in an X. but with really big meats, different story.

 

[brutus_skx]

Any truck that goes off road should never have a 20inch wheel. s for off road. I personally think that 18" wheels are to big for of road.

Agreed--for trucks anything like ours. Once you pair 18s or 20s with 40+ inch tires on a custom-built rig, it's a different story. You're seeing that sort of thing in some dedicated rock crawlers.

And beadlocks usually come in 15s and 17s--like Walker Evans. IMO, 17s are too big for optimal wheeling in an X. but with really big meats, different story.

X2

i was leaving off serious rock crawler vehicles from that statement.

 

[Mark]

My dealer told me a wheel much bigger than 16 inches would void warrenty.

 

[Muzikman]

Mark, that really makes no sense since there is nothing that a larger wheel would do to the driveline.

15" was the normal...then 16" became the new 15"....and now 17" is the new 16. It really depends on the tire size. Not too long ago a 33" tire use to be BIG and 35's were REALLY big. Now 33" is looked at as being small and 35's are becoming the norm with 39.5" tires now being really big.

Heck, Interco came out with 54" Boggers. Could you imagine running 15" wheels on them?

A 17" wheel on a 33" tire makes for a good amount of sidewall flex when aired down, but enough rigidity when aired up to not get too much sidewall roll.

Oh, and back to the anything larger than 16" voiding warranty. My Nissan dealer sells an 18" NISMO wheel for the X.

 

[Mark]

Jason, im obviously relaying the messege. I was told if i put like an 18 or 22 inch wheel, something huge on it, it would void the warrenty. If you have issue with it i guess you can call tri city nissan. But i could care less since they dont care about any mods ive done in relation to my warrenty.

 

[Muzikman]

I don't disagree that they would say that. But I find it stupid if they would. more so than them claiming larger tires would void the warranty.

 

[Mark]

So your saying its like them saying we are voiding your warrenty because of the stickers on the windows?

 

[Muzikman]

Yeah, pretty much.

I can't think of a logical reason why it would cause any more harm. it's not like if you put 20" wheels on it that you can fit any larger tires on that we already are.

Also, if you take two tires the same size, one a 16" wheel, the other a 20" wheel, I bet the total weight of wheel and tires is less with the 20" wheel than the 16". The additional metal making up the 20" wheel in most cases will weigh less than the additional rubber in the 16" tire. Make sense?

 

[Mark]

Yes, makes sense.

 

[d-rap]

My wheels weigh 24 lbs (Pro Comp forged alloys); my tires 58 lbs.

And as I've posted several times before, I didn't get Toyos for my X because the 285 75 R16s are 68 lbs.

This warranty stuff in an infuriating racket. It varies so much by dealer, and relies on customer ignorance and complacency.

 

[Gerdo]

It may sound crazy but larger wheels put more weight further out from the hub and do take more power to turn them and more to stop them. This is a true fact. This is for the same size outside diameter tires.

 

[sikX]

my tires are pretty big

 

[mdavis]

Wow, thanks for the advise. All the feedback is great, and I get why 20" or even 18" might not be the right deal.

Thanks,
Matthew