[Ford4x4Chik27]

I was gonna post this in Newbie, but I want as many of you guys to put in your $0.02 as possible....

I have been "discussing" (more like arguing my point) with my mom's fiancee, what tire width is better to use on her '53 Jeep for best traction in the mud. My mom's fiancee insists that the skinnier the tire the better traction, and the less apt you are to dig into the mud. However, I feel that the wider the tire the better traction and the less apt you are to dig into the mud and get stuck.

My mom is serious in finding some "dirt bike width" tires for her jeep cuz she wants the "best traction". Uhmmmmm....I disagree....

What do you guys think??

Thanks
~Justina~

 

[Hef]

Wider tires mean bigger contact patch, so more traction.

Bigger contact patch means less contact pressure, so less traction.

Wider tires have more lugs than do skinny tires, so more bite into mud and therefore more traction.

I don't know.

 

[Bgcj5]

I personaly prefer a wider tire, they offer more floatation, and generaly dont dig as hard. They work great for seamingly bottomless pits, a narrow tire will tend to keep on digging down untill it reaches a bottom and typicaly around here that doesnt happen, or it will just dig untill u are high centered. A wide tire will still do that but it is far less prone to. I also prefer a wider tire in the stabilitly it offers. There is a reason why u never see a real mud truck sitting on 44's with a 10 wide tire.

 

[Ford4x4Chik27]

Good point.......


anyone else??

 

[jstandle]

Thats somewhat of a "depends" question, at least in my experiences (which are limited). In some situations you you'll want your tire to dig down and get traction (like in snow), where a skinnier tire will do better because a wider tire will some times ride a top the snow and not bite.

Other times just having more tire on the ground will be your best bet, and I feel would be the case in most situations.

Personally I've been a skinny tire man and have had great luck with them around the ranch, and in fact just last weekend my XJ was going MANY more places with 32x9.50 TSL's than my friends XJ with 32x11.50 BFG mud terrains in 1 ft snow + 3+ ft drifts. That might have been a more TSL vs BFG's, but still my tires are much skinnier than his.

I think the way your thinking makes the best argument.

Edit: Here's a little blurb from www.off-road.com that might help add to the discussion

"Aggressive tires are a must if you love the mud. There are two theories to mud tires; tall skinny tires can dig through the slippery surface to find traction at the bottom, wide tires can stay on top of the mud with the wide footprint providing traction."

Jordan

 

[vb]

i deep mud wider tires push more which means more resistance
wider tire can "float" some but then you could have less control
thin in co can find bottom. thin in the south east where there is no bottom=?
wide gives alittle more stability /wider trac
6 of one half dozen of the other. wide has been my choice

 

[Ford4x4Chik27]

Well, this is the scenario that she'll be wheelin. If any of you know about Frank Raines park, she's 1.5 miles from there, with that similar terrain. Any of you that don't know what Frank Raines is, it's steep hills, with that thin red mud....

 

[Tbam]

In the mud here in Tn, wider is a definite advantage.

 

[Ford4x4Chik27]

....and she don't have snow so we don't have to worry bout getting thru that

 

[jstandle]

I personaly prefer a wider tire, they offer more floatation, and generaly dont dig as hard. They work great for seamingly bottomless pits, a narrow tire will tend to keep on digging down untill it reaches a bottom and typicaly around here that doesnt happen, or it will just dig untill u are high centered. A wide tire will still do that but it is far less prone to. I also prefer a wider tire in the stabilitly it offers. There is a reason why u never see a real mud truck sitting on 44's with a 10 wide tire.

Yes BUT what about tractors and other field machinery that trench through deep, muddy fields? Usually they run on a VERY tall, skinny aggressive tire. I know this throws it out of the realm we're talking about, but in reality there are arguments to benefit each side. Also though, tractors have skinnier tires to help cut down on the amount of crop damage caused when out in the field.

just my .02

Jordan

 

[Erik D_lux]

There is a reason why u never see a real mud truck sitting on 44's with a 10 wide tire.

Yeah because they dont make a 44x10 :flipoff2:

 

[NCxj]

I myself think skinny tires do better in mud. Look at all the military rigs (tall and skinny).

There are pros and cons of each....neither have a true advantage.

 

[ISUZUROVER]

Like others have said, in mud it depends on whether there is a hard bottom below all the slush - then skinny tyres. Or if there is nothing but slush and you want flotation so you sit on top of the mud - then wide tyres.

And one of the most important factors with any mud tyre is self cleaning ability - that is why v-tread tractor tyres work so well - just don't try reversing with them though.

 

[Mutt]

Yes BUT what about tractors and other field machinery that trench through deep, muddy fields? Usually they run on a VERY tall, skinny aggressive tire. I know this throws it out of the realm we're talking about, but in reality there are arguments to benefit each side. Also though, tractors have skinnier tires to help cut down on the amount of crop damage caused when out in the field.

just my .02

Jordan

The use skinny tires to keep from fawking up the crops...Whens the last time you walked down a row of beans/corn, not too much damn room between the rows for what they run, let alone a big ole floater

 

[Old Scout]

Personally I've been a skinny tire man and have had great luck with them around the ranch, and in fact just last weekend my XJ was going MANY more places with 32x9.50 TSL's than my friends XJ with 32x11.50 BFG mud terrains in 1 ft snow + 3+ ft drifts. That might have been a more TSL vs BFG's, but still my tires are much skinnier than his.



Jordan

You call those skinny? I run a 32x7.25 on my DD!

 

[bgreen]

Both skinny and wide have their place in mud. It just depends on the application. Neither is better all the time, but IMHO the best compromise is to run the widest tire with the least ammount of tread.

Wide to get the flotation, and less tread to get the higher contact pressure and better cleaning.

One other factor that plays greatly into the debate is HP. Low HP rigs will do better thick mud if they run less agressive, narrower tires. If the same low HP rig is running mostly in swampy, thin mud where the tires easily clean, they are better off with wider and more agressive tires.


Clear as mud? :flipoff2:

 

[GRMhick]

In california, the mud isnt THAT thick and deep, for the most part.
Saying that, I think she would be fine with either tire, but the skinny would prob do slightly better because, less mud, means that it isnt that deep.

 

[NCxj]

You call those skinny? I run a 32x7.25 on my DD!

235/85's?

 

[Ford4x4Chik27]

I am going to have to have my mom read this whole thread.....

 

[bgreen]

Have her read these threads as well, they definately support the wider tire side of the debate.

Tire Discussion 2

Tire Discussion 1