Are 44" tires too big for rockcrawling? [Archive]

1TONTJ

03-07-2002, 12:07 PM

I have a chance to trade my five like new 38x14.5" SX's for a set of like new 44x18.5" TSL bias plys.

What competitions would that exclude me from?

I am hoping to compete in the North East this year, and after that hopefully more.

This will be going on my Jeep with a D60/Corp14

Thanks,
Phil

KYODER

03-07-2002, 12:13 PM

I'd say it depends on the course. If it is big boulder crawling the the 44s are the bomb. As long as you axles hold up. The stuff in Az tends to lean more torwards 37s due to off camber stuff and get it on style wheelin. The tall tires lean more in the sidewall. I just went to 42's and I notice a difference between my old 39.5's

03-07-2002, 12:20 PM

Don't know what your wheel base is, but if it's under 100 inches 44's are going to look funny on your jeep. (IMHO)
I'd stay with the SXs

aaronlosey

03-07-2002, 12:23 PM

doesn't arca have a 42 inch limit? i think the warn ones are anything goes. i have seen some competitions ramesy with mud courses that people use farm tires on.

cool ramsey video (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey07_sm.mpg)

1TONTJ

03-07-2002, 12:24 PM

Wheel base is currently 95", but I plan to increase to > 100"

Phil

KYODER

03-07-2002, 12:31 PM

Arca's limit is 40". I can't say I like my 42's yet. I have about 1 hours wheeling time and 2 rolls.

Rerard

03-07-2002, 12:44 PM

You mean a tire can be TOO big?

JackA

03-07-2002, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by KYODER
I'd say it depends on the course. If it is big boulder crawling the the 44s are the bomb. As long as you axles hold up. The stuff in Az tends to lean more torwards 37s due to off camber stuff and get it on style wheelin. The tall tires lean more in the sidewall. I just went to 42's and I notice a difference between my old 39.5's

The stuff in AZ tends to lead more towards 37's? What are you smoking? It most be pretty good. All the top dogs in AZ run 38'' and larger tires. The local guys that run in ARCA all run 44's when not in comps. I have 38's and there great. If I had some beefier axles, I would run 44's for sure. Bottom line....big tires make small rocks. ;)

03-07-2002, 01:23 PM

Curries seem to do okay with 37s along with a bunch of the top guys.
Jason Pauly runs 39.5 TSLs. He tried 42s but thought they were too big. (according to one of his team mates)

Big tires are great for the rocks no doubt, but when going to places like Moab there's charm in having smaller tires with a more sports car,less tractor feeling. (once again, IMHO)

I run 42s but the hammers are in my backyard. :smokin:

four_by_ken

03-08-2002, 05:54 AM

Originally posted by aaronlosey
doesn't arca have a 42 inch limit? i think the warn ones are anything goes. i have seen some competitions ramesy with mud courses that people use farm tires on.

cool ramsey video (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey07_sm.mpg)

Damn, you can see that sucker sparking around the first corner.
Are there more videos like that one somewhere?

Ken H.

Belly Dragger

03-08-2002, 06:00 AM

Originally posted by KYODER
Arca's limit is 40". I can't say I like my 42's yet. I have about 1 hours wheeling time and 2 rolls. :eek: So 1/2 a mile per roll. :eek: Too much sidewall flex??

Lowrangerider

03-08-2002, 07:35 AM

Originally posted by aaronlosey
doesn't arca have a 42 inch limit? i think the warn ones are anything goes. i have seen some competitions ramesy with mud courses that people use farm tires on.

cool ramsey video (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey07_sm.mpg)

What type of suspension is that Jeep in the video running?

aaronlosey

03-08-2002, 08:34 AM

cool video 1 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey01_sm.mpg)
cool video 2 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey02_sm.mpg)
cool video 3 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey03_sm.mpg)
cool video 4 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey04_sm.mpg)
cool video 5 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey05_sm.mpg)
cool video 6 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey06_sm.mpg)
cool video 7 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey07_sm.mpg) cool video 8 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey08_sm.mpg)
cool video 9 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey09_sm.mpg)
cool video 10 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey10_sm.mpg)
cool video 11 (http://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey11_sm.mpg)
cool 12 (hhttp://4wdandsportutility.com/archives/videos/ramsey12_sm.mpg)

badassjeepguy

03-08-2002, 09:21 AM

not sure if id like 44's i went from 38 12.50 to 39.5 x 15 and i feel more stable with the 39's

Alaskan Assassin

03-08-2002, 09:51 AM

Hey aaron VERY nice videos!!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek:

60seriesguy

03-08-2002, 09:59 AM

What the hell where those sparks under the jeep in the first video (cool video 7)???

four_by_ken

03-08-2002, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by 60seriesguy
What the hell where those sparks under the jeep in the first video (cool video 7)???

I am thinking maybe the front shaft hitting somehitng or the fan making contact.

Ken H.

skinny

03-08-2002, 12:13 PM

the black jeep in the first video is owned by a guy in oklahoma he wheels in disney all the time, his brother has a white one just like it, they get it awnn, i think 44s work good for down south and east where theres a lot of big ledges covered in mud, but no so good out west thats just my opinion
adam:)

Supergper

03-08-2002, 01:52 PM

If it is a straight across trade I say do it and see if you likethem...if not then I am sure you could sell them for enough to get atleast the same tire you had if not a 39.5??? JMHO

Jayrockn7

03-08-2002, 03:42 PM

Well my opinion is based on wheeling down here in the south so, go with the 44's! we have large boulders with mud all over them late take a lot of clearance to stay off of when your sliding around with your tires spinning at 5000 rpm's, 42's are really a must if you have a 14 bolt down here or your going to drag it on everything. I also agree that you need to lengthen your wheelbase, more like around 105 or 110.

WooWoo

03-08-2002, 04:09 PM

Hiya! :)

Max tire size for ProROCK Modified Stock is 35". There is NO max tire size limit in the Trophy Class.

"Trophy Class is intended for vehicles with very few limits on modifications. The only limitiation is that the vehicle propulsion must be by 4 tires only. Trophy Class vehicles do not need to be street legal."

The next ProROCK event is the BFG NM State Championship in Farmington, April 27-28.

;)
-Andi

brutus

03-08-2002, 04:13 PM

NOOOO:D :D :D

coyote

03-08-2002, 07:58 PM

44's just seem to narrow on a 10" rim....a tire this big means wide wheels....39.5 or 42's are in my future....just gotta save up the cash and get the Alcan's on the truck......need a good wheelin trip Jack in about 2 weeks!

Originally posted by JackA

The stuff in AZ tends to lead more towards 37's? What are you smoking? It most be pretty good. All the top dogs in AZ run 38'' and larger tires. The local guys that run in ARCA all run 44's when not in comps. I have 38's and there great. If I had some beefier axles, I would run 44's for sure. Bottom line....big tires make small rocks. ;)

elf_cruiser

03-09-2002, 12:36 AM

Are 44" tires too big for rockcrawling?

NO.
No.
nO.
no.

TEAM X-TREME

03-09-2002, 02:11 AM

I have 44s on mine and thay kick ass. big tires make small rocks. I have them on ten inch rims and there boggers. thay are nice on ten inch rims because thay wont come off the rim since there is so much side wall pressure on the rims. No need for beed locks. I had 39.5 but I drug the big axles on rocks at rubicon everywere and got tired of that. The 44s took care of that.

brutus

03-09-2002, 01:10 PM

I have 44's on my new rig and never even came close to rolling over on them, A friend of mine Robert drove my new rig in the back yard and he couldn't get it to roll over either.And he hammered it down. Ran 48's and can not feel no differnce dont seem to get as good of traction as the 44's. But I did not feel like I was going to roll over any easier.. Broke an axle with them though:eek: :D

Bert

03-09-2002, 01:53 PM

Phil, my 0.02 is that 44's are a bit too much for a TJ.

How heavy is your TJ? Can you get any sidewall flex out of a 44, with the light weight of a TJ? Or does your TJ weigh alot?

Just more to think about.

elf_cruiser

03-09-2002, 03:00 PM

Brutus:
Ran 48's and can not feel no differnce dont seem to get as good of traction as the 44's

do you mean to say that the 44" TSL have more traction than the 48" mich's. I am considering both of these tires, as i have mini-boggers now. Would you go back to the 44" TSL's, or does the height of the 48" make up for its narrow contact patch, and hard compound??

I am VERY interested to hear your opinion, since you have run both of these tires on my axles...

Station

03-09-2002, 04:42 PM

I think the Michelin XL's that Brutus has are not the best tires for traction on a light vehicle. If you don't mind losing just 2" in height, then I think the Michelin XML's (395/85R20) are a better choice. They are just about 2" shorter than the XL's but also almost 2" wider.

The XML's also have a more wide open tread.

The biggest difference though is the difference in rubber compound, and sidewall stiffness. The XML's have a softer compound, and the lower load rating of the XML's(Load rating G) compared to the XL's(Load range J) points to the difference in sidewall flexibility.

XML's appear to flex really well, which is apparent in pictures of the light wight Assasin making them buldge. In all of the pictures I have seen of Brutus' rig with the XL's on it, the tires looked rock hard.

You can check out some the .PDF files that show the specs of the tires here..
Michelin XL (http://www.michelin-us.com/us/eng/tire/truck/tires/pdf/xl.pdf)
Michelin XML (http://www.michelin-us.com/us/eng/tire/truck/tires/pdf/xml.pdf)

Sean

brutus

03-09-2002, 07:22 PM

Yes the height of the tires makes up for the loss of traction. I like the TSL's in the snow. I have gone to the 395/85/20 tires and will see how these do too. They are wider and do seem softer than the the 48's. I am putting them on tubless rims and am making bead locks for them... :smokin: :smokin: :smokin: