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jay-rod427

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Mind you, my ideal tire would be a 35x11.5... but they just don't exist. I have 285/75r17s on my wrangler now, but there's only a couple to choose from and they are all like Load E.

Really, the only reason why I don't like the Sas, and haven't gone 315s on my Jeep, is because they are so wide, and with the wider flares, kind of make me think the vehicles look a little goofy...

But yeah, I'm trying to decide whether I'd be happier with a good width but wishing they were taller, or having a good height and wishing their were narrower... and I think I'm leaning towards the latter.
Yes they do. Nitto has the ridge grappler in 285/75/18
True "35" @ 35.08 X 11.26 when on an 18x8. 8.5" wheel would get it pretty much spot on 35x11.5
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Yes they do. Nitto has the ridge grappler in 285/75/18
True "35" @ 35.08 X 11.26 when on an 18x8. 8.5" wheel would get it pretty much spot on 35x11.5
Great info, but... it's an 18" tire, most of us want 17" tires for the additional sidewall height they provide.
 

jay-rod427

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Great info, but... it's an 18" tire, most of us want 17" tires for the additional sidewall height they provide.
Well Zach didn't mention wheel size stipulations LOL;) Sidewall height in this instance would be the same as 285/75/17, just benefit overall more diameter.
 

ZackDanger

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Yes they do. Nitto has the ridge grappler in 285/75/18
True "35" @ 35.08 X 11.26 when on an 18x8. 8.5" wheel would get it pretty much spot on 35x11.5
You're absolutely correct... I was thinking about 17" wheels...

...but actually there are these now, and I'm seriously considering them. Just want to hear some more reviews *and* for someone else to do all the work on what wheel offset combos with them look the best on the Bronco.

Toyo Open Country AT3 35x11.5r17
 

jay-rod427

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You're absolutely correct... I was thinking about 17" wheels...

...but actually there are these now, and I'm seriously considering them. Just want to hear some more reviews *and* for someone else to do all the work on what wheel offset combos with them look the best on the Bronco.

Toyo Open Country AT3 35x11.5r17
I'm planning on 18x9.0+30 with those 285/75/18 RG. BL Sans-squatch with crash bars removed. I think the not quite so wide 35" will fit with ease on the BL suspension. Width is the worse factor between height and width. Also why offset is so important when pushing the width.
 

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North7

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When you say go fast what do you mean? A lift kit is to allow bigger tires, which can help in more extreme terrain like really big mud or much bigger rocks. Go fast Baja style really doesn't require bigger tires, and so really doesn't require a bigger lift. BTW, I'm a KOH racer, and I own a shop, so I have a bit of experience with your question. I have raced both 4400 Unlimited and 4600 Stock class (and have a series championship).

Also, what is your goal for your Bronco and what is your budget? The Bronco as it comes, if you get SAS or if you get Badlands, already comes with internal position sensitive shocks, which are going to work very well in the go fast stuff. You'll see desert and KOH cars with bypass shocks, and that is essentially what the Bronco comes with in the SAS pkg and Badlands. It is possible to go down in shock capability by switching to a lift kit with different shocks. BTW, the Bronco comes with coilovers, which means a coil mounted over the shock, the coil is not mounted to the frame anywhere. So, just going to coilovers doesn't mean anything, it already has coilovers, and very well tuned ones at that. As an example, I won't get a Bronco without getting the position sensitive shocks, so either Badlands or SAS. I will go fast in that thing, and I don't plan to modify it at all, no need to. I will not do big rocks with it, since I already have a rock buggy to scratch that itch. So, I don't need bigger tires, and so don't need a taller lift.

Also, more lift raises the center of gravity, making the car not handle so well in the go fast stuff and less stable on the rougher trail stuff. Just enough lift to get the job done makes a better performing car. Same with tires, bigger tires raise the center of gravity so no point in getting them unless you want them to go over bigger and more extreme terrain. And bigger tires decrease braking force if you want to go fast, so again you need a good reason to go to bigger tires, it is not automatically a benefit. Well, unless you're a mall crawler, then bigger lift and bigger tires are always cool! 😁

Back to budget. And back to how fast you want to go, and for how long do you want to do it. Stock with the good shocks is going to be very capable to go fast. Now, how much faster do you want to go, and how much money are you willing to spend to do it. What to do, and what will be best to do, depends on your answer to those two questions.
Your post, from another thread gives great insight. We would all appreciate your added insight to this thread as well, thank you.
 

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Coming from sports car world, I don't understand how the Sasquatch can safely run a 315 tire on an 8.5" wide wheel? That is a crazy wide tire for that rim. With my experience on cars/not SUV's, no one would dream of putting a 315 tire on a 8.5 wheel. I currently run a 315 on an 11" wheel on my 911. Are the off roading tires built for a smaller rim width?
Sorry if this has been answered already, I'm coming to the party sort of late and reading through this thread. In the big tire Jeeping and rock buggy world we like 8" wide rims (9" is OK) because it helps the tire bead stay on the rim. On a Jeep, a 10" wide rim is for a mall crawler. In the real world a 10" rim allows the bead to unseat with low air pressure too easily. Myself, and all my friends with big Jeeps and rock buggies, run 40's on 8-8.5" beadlock rims. We want the bulge of the tire sidewall to put pressure against the bead. I also track race, so understand where you're coming from. Off road is different. Performance car we want stiff and stable sidewall, off road we want flexible sidewall. We also want a tall sidewall, to allow the ability to run lower pressures creating a bigger foot print, and also less likely to pinch a sidewall and cut the tire.

Also, while the cross section of tire might be wider, the tread width might not be wider. For example, at the Moab Off Roadeo I was able to measure the exact tread width of the 285/70 17 on a non-SAS BL and compare it to the 315/70 17 Territory on a SAS Bronco, and both actual tread widths were the same 9.5". BTW, I was there early, just happened to drive by, and they gave me a tour and let me crawl all over the Broncos.
 

Razorbak86

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Sorry if this has been answered already, I'm coming to the party sort of late and reading through this thread. In the big tire Jeeping and rock buggy world we like 8" wide rims (9" is OK) because it helps the tire bead stay on the rim. On a Jeep, a 10" wide rim is for a mall crawler. In the real world a 10" rim allows the bead to unseat with low air pressure too easily. Myself, and all my friends with big Jeeps and rock buggies, run 40's on 8-8.5" beadlock rims. We want the bulge of the tire sidewall to put pressure against the bead. I also track race, so understand where you're coming from. Off road is different. Performance car we want stiff and stable sidewall, off road we want flexible sidewall. We also want a tall sidewall, to allow the ability to run lower pressures creating a bigger foot print, and also less likely to pinch a sidewall and cut the tire.

Also, while the cross section of tire might be wider, the tread width might not be wider. For example, at the Moab Off Roadeo I was able to measure the exact tread width of the 285/70 17 on a non-SAS BL and compare it to the 315/70 17 Territory on a SAS Bronco, and both actual tread widths were the same 9.5". BTW, I was there early, just happened to drive by, and they gave me a tour and let me crawl all over the Broncos.
This is awesome, real-world commentary about off-road concerns. Please keep commenting on anything you come across as you make your way through the thread. 👍
 

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Are you staying non-squatch on the BL? I know it's a personal question... Also, how much wheeling do you plan on doing? I'm still undecided. Looks aside, obviously.

EVERYBODY will do more wheeling than they are currently thinking they will do (well, those who think they won't do much). In the 30 years I've been involved in off road I wish I had 10 bucks from everyone who I've heard say that they will hardly wheel and then only very mild stuff, and then..... :giggle:

It takes exposure, and once you are exposed through places like this forum, and meeting real people who go wheeling and then going with them, the odds are VERY HIGH that folks with little previous experience will do more than they are thinking. Besides, it's fun, and you meet and make friends with cool people.
 

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Have you ever met a Wrangler/Gen1 Bronco/FJ etc owner who wished their vehicle was a "little lower"? I never have....everyone I have come across seems to always wish it were "a little taller"....so I'd hedge in that direction....
Ha! Nope, and I've out wheeled most of them with a lower vehicle and smaller tires. 😁 :ROFLMAO:
(not trying to be a total wise ass, just a little :giggle:)

Bigger tires are cool, and in the right hands more capable most of the time. But, capability is relative. Doing steep slickrock climbs in Moab? The smaller tired vehicles can do better because of lower center of gravity (less weight transfer to the rear) and less sidewall flex and bounce in the tires. I've seen a Jeep on 31's climb something another on 35's was denied.

I have a saying. "New folks talk about how much lift and how much flex. Experienced folks talk about how little lift and how much stability."

Smaller tires mean picking a better line so you don't hit the vehicle on rocks and get hung up. If you don't get hung up, and have lockers, tire size alone rarely provides more traction. Even a bigger foot print isn't necessarily more traction, since contact pressure increases with a smaller foot print.

Articulation can be overblown also, because just enough is all you need. With lockers, articulation is not for traction, it is for stability. For example, with only 3 tires on the ground the contact pressure of the 3 on the ground goes up so there is plenty of traction. But, if the tire off the ground makes the vehicle tend to pivot or rock then the risk of tipping increases, and it can feel shitty. The examples that have been shown, and some have experienced, of the factory disco sway bar being released when a tire is off the ground and the Bronco is tippy, and then the car settles down when the sway bar is disconnected, shows that stability and not traction is the issue. The Bronco had the traction to complete the obstacle, but the stability was dramatically improved when the sway bar was disconnected and the car felt and was safer.

Don't mean to over react to the poster who I quoted, just saw an opportunity to post a bit. BTW, really appreciate the tech in this thread. It's refreshing. 🙂
 

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Ha! Nope, and I've out wheeled most of them with a lower vehicle and smaller tires. 😁 :ROFLMAO:
(not trying to be a total wise ass, just a little :giggle:)

Bigger tires are cool, and in the right hands more capable most of the time. But, capability is relative. Doing steep slickrock climbs in Moab? The smaller tired vehicles can do better because of lower center of gravity (less weight transfer to the rear) and less sidewall flex and bounce in the tires. I've seen a Jeep on 31's climb something another on 35's was denied.

I have a saying. "New folks talk about how much lift and how much flex. Experienced folks talk about how little lift and how much stability."

Smaller tires mean picking a better line so you don't hit the vehicle on rocks and get hung up. If you don't get hung up, and have lockers, tire size alone rarely provides more traction. Even a bigger foot print isn't necessarily more traction, since contact pressure increases with a smaller foot print.

Articulation can be overblown also, because just enough is all you need. With lockers, articulation is not for traction, it is for stability. For example, with only 3 tires on the ground the contact pressure of the 3 on the ground goes up so there is plenty of traction. But, if the tire off the ground makes the vehicle tend to pivot or rock then the risk of tipping increases, and it can feel shitty. The examples that have been shown, and some have experienced, of the factory disco sway bar being released when a tire is off the ground and the Bronco is tippy, and then the car settles down when the sway bar is disconnected, shows that stability and not traction is the issue. The Bronco had the traction to complete the obstacle, but the stability was dramatically improved when the sway bar was disconnected and the car felt and was safer.

Don't mean to over react to the poster who I quoted, just saw an opportunity to post a bit. BTW, really appreciate the tech in this thread. It's refreshing. 🙂
Thanks for the wisdom and sharing your experience! You’re encouraging me that I’ll actually be just fine in my non-SAS BL on order.
 

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Thanks for the wisdom and sharing your experience! You’re encouraging me that I’ll actually be just fine in my non-SAS BL on order.

I'm very tempted to get a Badlands without SAS. I saw two of them side by side, and the non-SAS Badlands looked great with 33's. Tire diameter difference is only 1.5" and tread width is 9.5" for both. The disco sway bar is a big deal. To be determined is whether the aftermarket can come up with easy to use quick sway bar disconnects, and will 4WP's actually come out with their auto sway bar disconnect for the Bronco, which they have for Jeeps (Ryan says they will), which will help if we don't get a Badlands. For a daily driver and very capable off road car without doing any modifications the non-SAS Badlands will be awesome!
 

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the exact tread width of the 285/70 17 on a non-SAS BL and compare it to the 315/70 17 Territory on a SAS Bronco, and both actual tread widths were the same 9.5".
I'm surprised that hasn't been mentioned more.
Thanks for these last few posts! Early on I decided to go with a non-Sas BL, but recently I'd been starting to debate that decision a bit. You gave me what I needed to feel confident I made the right decision.
 

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Please forgive me if this was already covered in the 15 pages herein.

Once it's released from Dirt Mountain, I'll have a 2-Door Black Diamond. I'm planning to shod it with either LT285/70R17s or LT33x12.50R17s soon after I take delivery. Based on early reports, either should fit fine when mounted on my 17x8.5 +35 wheels.

However, I'd like a little more lift and more importantly more wheel travel. Sounds like I can get there by simply replacing the BD shocks with BL shocks (keeping the BD specific coils)--essentially upgrading my BD suspension to that of a BL. Is it that easy or am I missing something? What about the rear track bar; will 0.67" lift noticeably shift the rear axle to the left?
 
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Please forgive me if this was already covered in the 15 pages herein.

Once it's released from Dirt Mountain, I'll have a 2-Door Black Diamond. I'm planning to shod it with either LT285/70R17s or LT33x12.50R17s soon after I take delivery. Based on early reports, either should fit fine when mounted on my 17x8.5 +35 wheels.

However, I'd like a little more lift and more importantly more wheel travel. Sounds like I can get there by simply replacing the BD shocks with BL shocks (keeping the BD specific coils)--essentially upgrading my BD suspension to that of a BL. Is it that easy or am I missing something? What about the rear track bar; will 0.67" lift noticeably shift the rear axle to the left?
That should work fine. The rear track bar is pretty darn level, and Ford engineers made it very long, so I think it would not be an issue at all. Also, since both BD and BL have all the skid plates and bumpers and same interiors if there is a difference in spring length with the BL shocks, I'd use the BL springs.
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