Recommendations for 15 inch tire sizes?

[Bostonian1976]

Currently running 30 x 9.5 x 15's. What's a good size to beef it up a little bit? I know 235/85/16 is a favorite for the 16's, but what about 15's?

[Jim-ME]

I really like my BFG 33X9.50X15s. You may need parabolics to make sure they don't bottom out.
Jim

[Bostonian1976]

thanks Jim! Any chance I can see what your truck looks like w/ the 33's?

[gambrinus]

wooo hoooooO!


Let's see some hard core tire pron!!!!





Hot and black baby, just the way I like it!!


RW

[smactek]

I also am interested in adding a little more clearance to the underneath of my 1970 Seies IIa 88. I am currently running 30x9.50x15's. please post a picture of the 33's if you would. Also did you make new limiting straps or omit them? thanks SMac

[Jim-ME]

Here are some pictures of 33X9.50X15 BFGs on an 88. I'm running RM parabolics FWTW.





Jim

[smactek]

Thanks Jim. Now I know what they look like. Seems like its a pretty tight fit. The rear also seems pretty far forward. With the parabolics you speak of, must keep the rear diff the same distance from the transfer case output it appears, seems like a slightly longer rear drive shaft you could pin the rear an Inch or two towards the rear. Just an observation though.

[yorker]

I had 33X9.50-15s since 1998 on one of my 88s, they worked well- essentially duplicated the size of 235-85-16s but in a load range C and allowed you to simply re-use your original 15" rims rather than buy new rims AND tires.

I thought BFG discontinued them? they were replaced for a while by 33-10.50 15's.

[Bostonian1976]

hmm that might be a little too beefy for what I'm looking for - is there a happy medium in between the 30's and 33's that people have found to work?

[yorker]

They really aren't that beefy. If you are sticking with 15" rims your choices are somewhat limited if you want a skinny 30-31" tire. You could probably get NDCC/NDT tires in 7.00-15 or 7.50 15 but honestly they suck (tread is horrible in snow and on wet pavement. They look cool though.

You could go with a 31-10.50 but to me they just look too balloon-ish on the skinny 15" rims. 33-9.50-15s are really the way to go if you aren't able to buy 16" rims AND get 7.50 16s or 235-85-16s.

[Bostonian1976]

They really aren't that beefy. If you are sticking with 15" rims your choices are somewhat limited if you want a skinny 30-31" tire. You could probably get NDCC/NDT tires in 700-15 or 7.750 15 but honestly they suck (tread is horrible in snow and on wet pavement. They look cool though.

You could go with a 31-10.50 but to me they just look too baloon-ish on the skinny 15" rims. 33-9.50-15s are really the way to go if you aren't able to buy 16" rims AND get 7.50 16s or 235-85-16s.

I can buy the 16's. Maybe I should just do that...

still kicking myself for not buying 5 D110 wheels that a guy was just looking to get rid of for 100 bucks a year ago...........ugh

[yorker]

there were 5 wolf wheels for sale in Mass for $250, maybe the guy still has them. If you have good 15s though there really isn't a good reason to swap- 33-9.50-15s aren't really 33" tall anyway. Otherwise you need to buiy new rims AND tires. Try the 33-9.50-15s if you can find them.

[Bostonian1976]

there were 5 wolf wheels for sale in Mass for $250, maybe the guy still has them. If you have good 15s though there really isn't a good reason to swap- 33-9.50-15s aren't really 33" tall anyway. Otherwise you need to buiy new rims AND tires. Try the 33-9.50-15s if you can find them.

okay. they don't look balloon-ish in person?

re: the wolf wheels - if you know the contact, I'd be interested

[yorker]

Here are pics from the ANARC ralley in '98 back when I had 31-10.50-15 Goodyear Wranglers on. Most tire places would tell you that they would be then flotation size or next progressive size up from the tires you are running now.

They worked ok- I know a bunch of LRs that use that size- but I replaced them with 33-9.50 15s because I wanted something that would approximate 235-85-16s.

[yorker]

re: the wolf wheels - if you know the contact, I'd be interested

An old listing but maybe he still has them:

http://www.discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=45644

BTW You may need longer studs to use them but they are the toughest wheels out there for a LR.

here is a pic of the 33-9.50 16s during a field repair. I've learned a lot since then and would not advise this method of jacking(Duh)- you can see how easily the truck can slip off of the jack etc. Also these pics were scanned in ages ago from 35mm pics so the quality is crap- sorry about that. But anyway the picture does show how narrow the 33 9.50 15s were.