Anyone Downsize Tires For Better Performance?

[Snoopy]

So my '95 is rolling on 33x12.50x15s but it has manual steering and I'm wondering has anyone downsized tires and been happier with their rig?

It also has the 2.5L, but on our little island the max speed limit is 50, so thats not really a big issue.

I'm looking at either just going narrower (33x10.50) or going down to a 31x10.50. Just seeing what folks have done and if you've been happy with it. Mahalo!

 

[Gilaguy23]

Cant say Ive done this on my current jeep, but others, yes. 33x10.50's IMO wont do it, the 31's will help which is what Im running on my 91 now.

 

[Snoopy]

Cant say Ive done this on my current jeep, but others, yes. 33x10.50's IMO wont do it, the 31's will help which is what Im running on my 91 now.

Thats what I was thinking, but I like the way the 33s look. Ha

I feel like the narrower 33s would still help with steering, but I don't really know.

 

[Stoopid Jeep]

My jeep also has a 2.5L, I have a set of 33x12.50s and a set of 31x10.50s.
Even with the 4.88 gears, there is a noticeable improvement in performance with the 31s.
It is probably noteworthy that the 31s weigh 60lbs each, and the 33s weigh 100lbs each.
The 33s look way better and do better off road, I rarely put the 31s on anymore.

 

[DOWNS]

I used to be in the lift, big tires and sawsall crowd. As the years went on, I realized that my mostly stock sized Jeeps with maybe a locker in one end could get me all the places I wanted to go and then some. The advantage of this is greater overall performance, better gas mileage, less parts wear/breakage, and in the end more mileage long term out of the vehicle as a whole.
To me, a stock 4cyl YJ or TJ just harkens back to the old days when all Jeeps were lucky to have 60 or 70 horsepower but still did lots of work and went lots of places.
Too much emphasis is placed on mechanical mods when really what most Jeeps need is a "driver mod". People get sucked into the "mod cascade" and before you know it, there's not much Jeep left lol.

The last few Jeeps I've had have been an exercise in reversing a lot of previous owner "good ideas". Most notable of which on both a CJ5 and YJ were bumpers WELDED TO THE FRAME. Like people get a welder and that becomes the go too attachment for anything.

 

[TRevs]

I got my YJ last fall and the first thing I did was go from 33” all-terrains with an aggressive tread to 30” AT with a mild tread and couldn’t be happier.

My ‘06 LJ is the off-road rig, and I wanted the YJ to be a street-friendly near-stock ride.

I immediately noticed more torque and acceleration, and a large reduction in road noise.

There is also less wandering at hwy speeds.

As always, it depends on how you want to use your rig.

 

[Snoopy]

I got my YJ last fall and the first thing I did was go from 33” all-terrains with an aggressive tread to 30” AT with a mild tread and couldn’t be happier.

My ‘06 LJ is the off-road rig, and I wanted the YJ to be a street-friendly near-stock ride.

I immediately noticed more torque and acceleration, and a large reduction in road noise.

There is also less wandering at hwy speeds.

As always, it depends on how you want to use your rig.

Thanks. Yeah, I use it mostly on road, but work on a farm so end up off the beaten path at times. Im super curious if anyone with a manual steering box and has experience with different size and width tires.

 

[machoheadgames]

I used to be in the lift, big tires and sawsall crowd. As the years went on, I realized that my mostly stock sized Jeeps with maybe a locker in one end could get me all the places I wanted to go and then some. The advantage of this is greater overall performance, better gas mileage, less parts wear/breakage, and in the end more mileage long term out of the vehicle as a whole.
To me, a stock 4cyl YJ or TJ just harkens back to the old days when all Jeeps were lucky to have 60 or 70 horsepower but still did lots of work and went lots of places.
Too much emphasis is placed on mechanical mods when really what most Jeeps need is a "driver mod". People get sucked into the "mod cascade" and before you know it, there's not much Jeep left lol.

The last few Jeeps I've had have been an exercise in reversing a lot of previous owner "good ideas". Most notable of which on both a CJ5 and YJ were bumpers WELDED TO THE FRAME. Like people get a welder and that becomes the go too attachment for anything.

I honestly couldn’t agree more. When I bought my YJ, it was mostly bone stock, except for a set of 31” ATs on a set of chrome steelies. It had a few things like wider fender flares, spare tire cover, and a few other small easily reversible things that the PO had done. My grandpa got it like that, then he died and later I got it.

My mod cascade started from the 31’s. Stock height had no clearance, so soon came a lift, SYE & DC shaft, bumpers, yada yada. Eventual plans to lift more, 35’s, etc. None of that ever panned out and I settled on 33’s as my happy forever size, until eventually I didn’t want those either.

At this point I just want it stock (plus functional add-ons). There is no cascade of mods when it’s stock and you appreciate it that way. I have since collected a set of 5 stock alloy wheels, that I hope to refinish. I’m geared to 4.88 so I don’t want tiny tires, but I may end up going back to 29-30” tires and re-regear myself. Honestly, a set of 235/75R15s would do it for me. I’d like stock suspension to go with that but I’m having trouble finding anything.

If only I knew then (10 years ago), what I know now…

Also, your video is hilarious. Reminds me of an 82 CJ7 we acquired when I was in high school. That thing had been molested in every way imaginable. I’d have to write a novel with everything the PO had messed up on it. Such a shame.

 

[machoheadgames]

In my opinion, putting around town is the perfect reason to downsize tires for the better city performance. It’s not fun driving in the city when it feels like a dog 24/7. Simply going to 10.5 won’t do it. I’d go down to 30’s unless it has a lot of lift. Hell, even on 30’s, that will be significantly worse than stock would have been, as stock ran a set of very small 27” tires.

 

[Snoopy]

I've always loved lifted Jeeps, but there seems to be something charming about a stock height older CJ or YJ.

 

[machoheadgames]

I've always loved lifted Jeeps, but there seems to be something charming about a stock height older CJ or YJ.

I think what it is, at least for me, is that practically every old Jeep still on the road is modified in some unappealing way, that makes it visibly different from stock. The ones that are bone stock stock are far between and usually in good shape. Considering how rare it is to see one, it makes me want that more. Plus I’m just tired of the mod wormhole itself.

 

[TRevs]

Thanks. Yeah, I use it mostly on road, but work on a farm so end up off the beaten path at times. Im super curious if anyone with a manual steering box and has experience with different size and width tires.

I can’t speak to an manual steering setup, but intuitively a smaller tire would be easier to steer. Less mass, less surface area and therefore friction at the contact patch.

I think almost any tire would do fine on your dirt roads and farm fields. Going from 33” to 30”, you’re losing no more than 1.5” of ground clearance.

I’ve been very pleased with the 30x9.5’s on 2.5” spring lift that I have now. It’s lifted enough to get good visibility, but low enough to be responsive (for a YJ). It’s easy to get in and out of, but isn’t dwarfed by every Tacoma or Explorer. It looks very proportional to me.

 

[machoheadgames]

I can’t speak to an manual steering setup, but intuitively a smaller tire would be easier to steer. Less mass, less surface area and therefore friction at the contact patch.

It can be a bit trickier than that. Taller tires lessen the scrub radius, changing where the kingpin axis hits the ground relative to the tire. Less scrub radius equals easier to turn. Of course, width of tire and type of tire also play in. A highway tread 9.5” wide tire that’s smaller and leads to higher scrub radius would still steer easier than a 12.5” wide mud terrain that’s taller. I only mention all this to say that it’s not quite as simple as smaller tire = easier steering.

The worst offender of any of this though is the wheel backspacing. Downsizing to smaller tires on low backspaced wheels will not handle great.

 

[Sunsport]

When I bought my 89 (4.2), it was manual steering with 32 inch tires and a body lift. Stock gearing. Within the first 5 minutes of driving it, I knew these mods were not for me. I swapped out the tires for 235/75/15 and am running them on TJ Alcoa wheels. I can't emphasize how much better it was to drive (power/handling/noise) and much easier to maneuver with the manual steering. Still goes everywhere I need it to. I also removed the body lift and then later retrofitted power steering (highly recommend) robbing everything from a YJ at the u-pick wreckers except I went with all new lines (dirt cheap - not worth using used ones unless really nice). Since then I also fitted some Bilstein B6 shocks (don't need the 5100 - no lift) and replaced any worn bushings/etc. and this thing actually drives and handles wonderfully on and off road. I'm still running sway bars and track bars btw.

I enjoy driving it so much after these things that I tend to take it more than my other vehicles even to run errands around town.

 

[machoheadgames]

When I bought my 89 (4.2), it was manual steering with 32 inch tires and a body lift. Stock gearing. Within the first 5 minutes of driving it, I knew these mods were not for me. I swapped out the tires for 235/75/15 and am running them on TJ Alcoa wheels. I can't emphasize how much better it was to drive (power/handling/noise) and much easier to maneuver with the manual steering. Still goes everywhere I need it to. I also removed the body lift and then later retrofitted power steering (highly recommend) robbing everything from a YJ at the u-pick wreckers except I went with all new lines (dirt cheap - not worth using used ones unless really nice). Since then I also fitted some Bilstein B6 shocks (don't need the 5100 - no lift) and replaced any worn bushings/etc. and this thing actually drives and handles wonderfully on and off road. I'm still running sway bars and track bars btw.

I enjoy driving it so much after these things that I tend to take it more than my other vehicles even to run errands around town.

Your experience is similar to what I would like to experience.

Is your current profile picture with the 235s? Looks a bit larger than that. Also, with the Alcoas, are the tires fully under the fender flares?

 

[Sunsport]

Your experience is similar to what I would like to experience.

Is your current profile picture with the 235s? Looks a bit larger than that. Also, with the Alcoas, are the tires fully under the fender flares?

My current profile picture is with the 235s and yup, the offset of the TJ Alcoas is perfect - fully under the flairs. Mine are the 15 inch version from a Rocky Mountain Edition. There was also a 16 inch version from the Tomb Raider models.

For reference - 1st picture is when I bought it and it was being shipped to me - had the 32s/body lift

2nd picture - present - stock height with the 235s.

 

[machoheadgames]

My current profile picture is with the 235s and yup, the offset of the TJ Alcoas is perfect - fully under the flairs. Mine are the 15 inch version from a Rocky Mountain Edition. There was also a 16 inch version from the Tomb Raider models.

For reference - 1st picture is when I bought it and it was being shipped to me - had the 32s/body lift

2nd picture - present - stock height with the 235s.

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Looks perfect! I got the stock wheels I want, I just need to lower the Jeep. I'd like to get back to stockish height, I am thinking Crown springs and the same shocks as you would do it.

 

[Sunsport]

Looks perfect! I got the stock wheels I want, I just need to lower the Jeep. I'd like to get back to stockish height, I am thinking Crown springs and the same shocks as you would do it.

I can't say enough good things about the Bilstein HD B6s. They really made a difference over the stock shocks (which were still functioning correctly). The ride is much more controlled - far easier to drink a coffee even under bumpy circumstances - they seem to pair really well with the stock leaf springs.

 

[machoheadgames]

I can't say enough good things about the Bilstein HD B6s. They really made a difference over the stock shocks (which were still functioning correctly). The ride is much more controlled - far easier to drink a coffee even under bumpy circumstances - they seem to pair really well with the stock leaf springs.

Good deal. I think I’m going to follow that plan. Looks great, functional, handles well. Not over the top. A good quality shock in stock length will definitely be welcomed. That was one of the hindrances to me going back to stock height. My stock shocks were still functional when I removed them 10 years ago but man they did not ride well.

 

[E-Rock]

I swapped from 33x12.5x15 to 33x10x15 the last time I needed rubber and I would never go back! The narrower tire handles better on the pavement, are more responsive on the gravel/dirt, and don't "float" in the mud.