235/85/16 or 255/85/16, Wear And Safety

[SpencerFitch]

Im torn between these two tires. I like the skinny tire look and would like to give it a shot, also since most of my time will be on the road a thinner tire might save me a little fuel.

BUT

1 I partially believe a thinner tire will wear faster than a thicker tire because of smaller patch and more pressure.

2 I never quite understood stopping in wet conditions and tire width. Does the lack of pressure cause the tire to skid easier or is it the excess pressure and small contact patch that causes it? I do not have ABS but Im VERY used to it and am a great driver in that respect, never been in any wrecks, never had ABS. But I did have a few scary enounters with a 1990 Nissan truck I used to drive. I never knew if it was because of the skinny tires or the truck was so light, but that thing DID NOT stop in wet conditions..

Which tire would be safer in this aspect and any truth to wider lasting longer?

 

[Rando]

I am no tire expert, but from a physics standpoint it seems that the tire contact area would be determined by the inflation pressure and the load on the the tire, not the tire width. For example if your car weighs 4000lb's and the tire is at 25 PSI, the contact area will be 4000/4/25 = 40 square inches. The shape of the contact area will change, so a skinnier tire will have a skinnier and longer contact area. But even more importantly the difference in width between a 235 and 255 tire is less than 10%, so any differences due to width would be second order compared to differences in inflation pressure, rubber compound and tread design. So unless you are comparing the same tire, with the same inflation pressure in two different sizes, I wouldn't worry about it.

Im torn between these two tires. I like the skinny tire look and would like to give it a shot, also since most of my time will be on the road a thinner tire might save me a little fuel.

BUT

1 I partially believe a thinner tire will wear faster than a thicker tire because of smaller patch and more pressure.

2 I never quite understood stopping in wet conditions and tire width. Does the lack of pressure cause the tire to skid easier or is it the excess pressure and small contact patch that causes it? I do not have ABS but Im VERY used to it and am a great driver in that respect, never been in any wrecks, never had ABS. But I did have a few scary enounters with a 1990 Nissan truck I used to drive. I never knew if it was because of the skinny tires or the truck was so light, but that thing DID NOT stop in wet conditions..

Which tire would be safer in this aspect and any truth to wider lasting longer?

 

[Desert Dan]

What vehicle are you planning on putting them on?

 

[SpencerFitch]

98 disco.

thanks for not going all discoweb on me.

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Well there's your answer.

255's on a D1?

Do you only drive down hill?

235/85's on my '94 for years now and they're just right. I can't imagine a taller tire fitting / contributing to my already just barely adequate power at any significant altitude...and yes, I did re-gear to 4.10s in the diffs years ago too.

 

[SpencerFitch]

Well there's your answer.

255's on a D1?

Do you only drive down hill?

235/85's on my '94 for years now and they're just right. I can't imagine a taller tire fitting / contributing to my already just barely adequate power at any significant altitude...and yes, I did re-gear to 4.10s in the diffs years ago too.

HAHA we dont have hills in louisiana..

Thanks for the post.

 

[mdnky]

Yeah, a rise in elevation of 10 feet is considered end of world extreme down here. :smiley_drive:

I'm running the 255/85-16 BFG KM2s on a 2dr JK and I'm extremely happy with them. Work great in the terrain down here as well as on the roads. At 35PSI they're very quiet on the road, even with the doors/top off. I usually air down to 20psi and right now the thing is bone stock with the exception of the tires. Haven't needed to disconnect the sway-bars yet, then again the terrain isn't too bad either.

No too sure how that size would work on your Disco, but had I bought one I would have used it anyway (w/ OME lift.) I'm pretty sure you have to do some minor trimming/hammering even then. If you can fit them and have the gearing necessary, go for it. Otherwise the 235 might be a better solution.

 

[SpencerFitch]

Yeah, a rise in elevation of 10 feet is considered end of world extreme down here. :smiley_drive:

I'm running the 255/85-16 BFG KM2s on a 2dr JK and I'm extremely happy with them. Work great in the terrain down here as well as on the roads. At 35PSI they're very quiet on the road, even with the doors/top off. I usually air down to 20psi and right now the thing is bone stock with the exception of the tires. Haven't needed to disconnect the sway-bars yet, then again the terrain isn't too bad either.

No too sure how that size would work on your Disco, but had I bought one I would have used it anyway (w/ OME lift.) I'm pretty sure you have to do some minor trimming/hammering even then. If you can fit them and have the gearing necessary, go for it. Otherwise the 235 might be a better solution.

Great to see someone else from Baton Rouge here!

Decided im going with a 235/85/16. Im looking to build more of a expedition vehicle and saving gas is a great thing.