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Very nice Ajax! Looks sharp buddy!
Upsizing tires on factory rims
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Thanks Scottie :thumb:
I think it looks a little better with the 20 mm wider tire, there is zero rubbing turning even lock to lock. I believe the tires are slightly heavier than the stock ones (I think 2 lbs) and I'm told this will decrease acceleration slightly but I haven't noticed anything. I also like the way they look on the rim, they're a bit beefier and stick out just a bit.
I think you can also go with 245/65 and have the same basic rolling diameter if you want. Anything over 255 will have some rubbing, so I've heard.
I think it looks a little better with the 20 mm wider tire, there is zero rubbing turning even lock to lock. I believe the tires are slightly heavier than the stock ones (I think 2 lbs) and I'm told this will decrease acceleration slightly but I haven't noticed anything. I also like the way they look on the rim, they're a bit beefier and stick out just a bit.
I think you can also go with 245/65 and have the same basic rolling diameter if you want. Anything over 255 will have some rubbing, so I've heard.
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Considering I just bought new tires...I don't think that is feasible right now at all lol
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Ahh get over yourself 
How did the tires work out for you? When you mentioned added traction with a wider tire I was wondering if that would truly work - generally speaking my experience has been the opposite ... I lost traction going to a wider tire. Like going down a snow-covered hill with skis vs. a snowboard trying to manuever through gates.
I moved to a wider tire when I had our Tahoe - more for the aggressive look than anything - and my traction suffered a bit. Nothing major, but it was noticeable. Also the wider tire translated back through the steering system over bumps, etc. because you were moving a much wider object over the obstacle.
I was just curious to see what your experiences have been and wondering if any traction gains were the result of a better tire rather than the width.
Thanks for the info.
BJ
I moved to a wider tire when I had our Tahoe - more for the aggressive look than anything - and my traction suffered a bit. Nothing major, but it was noticeable. Also the wider tire translated back through the steering system over bumps, etc. because you were moving a much wider object over the obstacle.
I was just curious to see what your experiences have been and wondering if any traction gains were the result of a better tire rather than the width.
Thanks for the info.
BJ
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These tires have been a huge upgrade over the factory Goodyear Wrangler SR-As. Now that was a highway tire (ie. high mileage generic style) while this is a street sport tire (low mileage high traction) so my traction on both wet and dry are vastly improved. What I've heard about going with wider tires usually applies to snow (like your analogy) but I don't plan on going anywhere near it down here in Florida, and will be cautious if I come across it. I don't get any "bump steer" or tramming from ruts or bumps like you mentioned either. The only effect I noticed was (and I was told about this before, so it may be psychosomatic) the percieved loss of torque- it seems to take a tick longer to get up to speed. But I can't really tell without having timed it before and after.
So I don't know if the width has anything effect performance wise, since it was a complete 180 on the design itself. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat, it looks great and has virtually no negatives, IMO.
So I don't know if the width has anything effect performance wise, since it was a complete 180 on the design itself. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat, it looks great and has virtually no negatives, IMO.
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I have an XCal II which can change your tire size if you do up the size and it will keep your speedo correct AND give you more power, better shift points, better throttle response. Let me know if you want it...its for sale!
Let me know if you want it...its for sale!Ajax I was looking at your pics - you could have your tires 'static' balanced (mount the weights on the back side of the rim) and get those ugly wheel weights off of the front of your rims. Over time they'll corrode the coating on the wheel. Just a thought. Look good though.
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Standard wheel weights won't corrode the wheel if the right type is used. The shop should know not to use ones designed for steel wheels - the right ones have a coating on them and look 'plastic'.
A static or dynamic balance has little to do with where weights are placed and more to do with how you determine where to place those weights. A static balancer uses a bubble scale which weighs where the heavy spot in a tire is. Very few shops use them anymore, and they're mostly in home garages as a cheap alternative to a dynamic balancer. Every shop I have been in uses a dynamic balancer, which will spin the tire to find the heavy spot. If you don't want to see outboard wheel weights, you can use sticky-backed weights on 16" wheels for the Escape. There is not enough caliper clearance for 15" wheels. Another alternative to standard wheel weights is what I use - balancing beads. You just pour three or four ounces of these glass beads and dessicant into the tire and they will stay at the bottom of the tire as it rotates, keeping the heavy spot there and firmly planted on the ground.
A static or dynamic balance has little to do with where weights are placed and more to do with how you determine where to place those weights. A static balancer uses a bubble scale which weighs where the heavy spot in a tire is. Very few shops use them anymore, and they're mostly in home garages as a cheap alternative to a dynamic balancer. Every shop I have been in uses a dynamic balancer, which will spin the tire to find the heavy spot. If you don't want to see outboard wheel weights, you can use sticky-backed weights on 16" wheels for the Escape. There is not enough caliper clearance for 15" wheels. Another alternative to standard wheel weights is what I use - balancing beads. You just pour three or four ounces of these glass beads and dessicant into the tire and they will stay at the bottom of the tire as it rotates, keeping the heavy spot there and firmly planted on the ground.
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Truckers discovered this problem - moisture from air compressors would eventually build up and form water droplets inside the tire, which would then cause the beads to stick to the tire instead of rolling around at the bottom. The desiccant is actually built into some of the beads - white ones are just glass, but about half of them are blue beads which turn white when they absorb moisture.
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