Educate me. Pizza cutter vs Sasquach style. Pros and cons.

[5280Bronco]

As the thread title indicates, im just trying to learn more about both styles/trends or trains of thought when it comes to wheel/tire combinations. Pizza cutter vs Sasquach (as an example, but it could be just any larger wheel/tire combo with large width as well as height). Prod and cons of each. I haven't done much off road driving which is also why i have this question.

I know a lot of people are in the go big or go home croud, but some also seem to be in the more original bronco/more rare camp of going with the pizza cutters on their broncos. Please tell me why you would go with either option, and let's try to keep style as much on the back burner as possible. I'm trying to learn about the functional differences and why you would choose one or the other.

I figure sasquach style is much better for offroad, while pizza cutter is better for less noise and maybe cutting through slush/snow? Thanks for all the insight! Pictures are encouraged too, especially if some pizza cutter setups.

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[Mopar2Bronco2021]

Honestly other than snow and rain, I have no idea what pizza cutters excel in vs beefy tires. I’m interested in this as well.

 

[Incognito]

Pizza cutters track better ( don't pull towards ruts and road grooves) than fatter tires.

They also air down better in sand and mud, for a given diameter, than fat tires. Due to less "plowing" as you drive through the soft stuff.

This is why *most* military vehicles have pizza cutters.


Fat tires are better for rock crawling, gravel roads, high speed dirt and other places where the fatter tire will give more traction due to the greater rubber contact patch for a given deflation hight.

 

[5280Bronco]

Thanks @Incognito. I'm still kinda torn on what direction to go especially since mine will be a daily driver that also needs to handle snow, etc plus some basic trails.

I had a 76 F250 4x4 over ten years ago that had a very pizza cutter like wheel and tire setup and i kinda liked it. It also handled snow with zero issues due to the more narrow tire. Just trying to get some information together.

 

[hemiblas]

As the thread title indicates, im just trying to learn more about both styles/trends or trains of thought when it comes to wheel/tire combinations. Pizza cutter vs Sasquach (as an example, but it could be just any larger wheel/tire combo with large width as well as height). Prod and cons of each. I haven't done much off road driving which is also why i have this question.

I know a lot of people are in the go big or go home croud, but some also seem to be in the more original bronco/more rare camp of going with the pizza cutters on their broncos. Please tell me why you would go with either option, and let's try to keep style as much on the back burner as possible. I'm trying to learn about the functional differences and why you would choose one or the other.

I figure sasquach style is much better for offroad, while pizza cutter is better for less noise and maybe cutting through slush/snow? Thanks for all the insight! Pictures are encouraged too, especially if some pizza cutter setups.

Its funny, but I looked at where you live to try and answer your question better.....I'm in the same state...Get the 35s. I've been stuck with 32s and with 35s. We get snow drifts in my neighborhood and even with 35s its a challenge. You are looking at two things....You need clearance off the ground and you need to slice through the snow. The 35s that the Sasquatch packages comes with will give you clearance. Pizza cutters as has been mentioned are skinnier....The weight of the vehicle will push down on them to make better contact with the road and help you "cut" through the snow better. With the wider tires of the Sasquatch 35s you will be floating on the snow since the weight of the vehicle is spread out over more surface area. There is more of a chance of sliding with 35s. I think overall you'll be happier with the 35s.

 

[Scott R Nelson]

Fat tires are better for rock crawling, gravel roads, high speed dirt and other places where the fatter tire will give more traction due to the greater rubber contact patch for a given deflation height.

This is why I'll be ordering the Sasquatch option. I want to spend a lot of time off road, just like I do with my motorcycles now. Plus, having more ground clearance is a big plus for me.

I seriously don't care how it behaves on paved roads.

 

[Rough Rider]

https://www.fourwheeler.com/features/1811-skinny-vs-wide-tires-versus/

Arguments on both sides.

I am a Pizza Cutter guy. Makes for a much more enjoyable street driving experience and gives up little in the offroading I enjoy, which is dirt to rock...no mud. People think when you air down most of the footprint gain is side to side, but really its front to back. So Pizza Cutters are good there.

I also like the weight advantage moving them around, as they do get heavy, especially if you run a load E tire.

My offroad truck runs a 235/85 R16...basically a 32X9 vs the 35x12.5 that the bronco will run. a 235 85 r17 would be tempting on the stock wheels at 33X9...if they make it.

 

[FJ 432]

It's also a preference or look that people are trying to achieve.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Biggest issue i see with really fat tires is them getting caught in the plowed (heavy)snow on the sides of a road, which tends to grab the whole truck then.

The tracking issue is a solid point.

Not sure I agree with the sand comment though, a bigger foot print always wins if floatation is the goal.
I may have misunderstood the comment .

I've had 33's on my 69 Bronco, no issues there, I'm really interested to drive the 35's. I don't really foresee any issues though.

 

[hemiblas]

255/75-17	315/70-17	Difference
Diameter inches (mm)	32.06 (814.3)	34.36 (872.8)	2.3 (58.5) 7.2%
Width inches (mm)	10.04 (255)	12.4 (315)	2.36 (60) 23.5%
Circum. inches (mm)	100.72 (2558.2)	107.95 (2741.98)	7.24 (183.78) 7.2%
Sidewall Height inches (mm)	7.53 (191.25)	8.68 (220.5)	1.15 (29.25) 15.3%
Revolutions per mile (km)	629.09 (390.9)	586.93 (364.7)

Here is a good example. The 2015 rubicon came with 255/75/17 mud terrains. No siping. I thought they were going to be horrible in the snow. It was the opposite. They were great. I didnt understand why I had so much control over the vehicle on the roads. Its because they are pizza cutters...

 

[MHand52]

Hey @5280Bronco, I'm from Springs so I have a good grasp on the kind of weather you'll see. I'm running 32x11.5s on my lifted QX4 right now. I can tell you that in deep snow on the road, like when we had the bomb cyclone last year, the wider tires are a bit of a handful. All the taller patches of snow pull you right into the pile off the road if you catch it. If rolling first tracks on unplowed snow, they are a beast, and I will say that the extra width is awesome off road. But if I were to give 1 negative to the tires at all, it would be that the 11.5" wide are difficult in patchy snow. 12.5" would be even worse, but I wouldn't personally desire to go wider than 11.5".

 

[Bronco4lyfe85]

Am I the only one that has never heard someone refer to tires as pizza cutters?

 

[ZackDanger]

Am I the only one that has never heard someone refer to tires as pizza cutters?

I thought "pizza cutter" was a pretty well known term for tall and skinny off-road tires.

 

[FourHorses]

This is interesting to me. I have been a life long off roader, but on smaller machines. Primarily Dirt Bikes and ATV's. Why is this relevant? Because Dirt Bikes have Pizza Cutters and ATV's have vary fat tires in comparison. I have always felt it is harder to hold my line and avoid the ruts on a bikes with the skinny tires than it is with an ATV. ATV's are prone to bottom out on deep ruts, or three wheel especially ones with solid rear axels, but to navigate through a tracked out strip I definitely think it is easier on an ATV.

 

[Cheshire]

As the thread title indicates, im just trying to learn more about both styles/trends or trains of thought when it comes to wheel/tire combinations. Pizza cutter vs Sasquach (as an example, but it could be just any larger wheel/tire combo with large width as well as height). Prod and cons of each. I haven't done much off road driving which is also why i have this question.

I know a lot of people are in the go big or go home croud, but some also seem to be in the more original bronco/more rare camp of going with the pizza cutters on their broncos. Please tell me why you would go with either option, and let's try to keep style as much on the back burner as possible. I'm trying to learn about the functional differences and why you would choose one or the other.

I figure sasquach style is much better for offroad, while pizza cutter is better for less noise and maybe cutting through slush/snow? Thanks for all the insight! Pictures are encouraged too, especially if some pizza cutter setups.

Go with 32" tires if you haven't done much off-roading. The 32s on the Bronco will be VERY capable off road, especially if you have at least the rear diff locker (offered on All trims except Base). Your on-road driving will be affected negatively more than you might think with 35s. They require a LOT more breaking distance and won't accelerate as fast. I am leaning towards the Badlands with 33s which also sacrifice some on-road performance. I've done a decent amount of off-roading and Badlands is way overkill for what I'll do with it.

Sasquatch 35" tires look cool and everyone wants the 'look'. Rock crawling in 35s can't be beat, but you can still rip it up pretty good with 32s on a Black Diamond. I would say cut your teeth on something like that and in a year or two if you feel you are being held back by 32s, then get bigger. That day may never come.

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