ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: 144man on April 19, 2011, 06:25:46 PM
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My bone-stock 87 Sammy currently wears 215 70 15 tires on 15 x 5 1/4 steel rims. I'd like to go with skinny tires like my dad's old CJ3A that had military bartreads. I don't need to go THAT skinny, but I'd really like to reduce rolling resistance, since this is an on-road daily driver. I just don't need that much meat on the road. Can I get just get smaller tires or do I need to get narrower wheels? I'd like to keep the overall diameter the same, since it seems to like this ratio.
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There out there, but you will have to special order them.
Check with your tire dealer, they still make them good old bias ply "Snow Tires" 7.00x15's
and they fit that 5" rim.
Just note; they are real good "Highway Singers"!!
CAPT
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The stock tyres should be 195/15s.
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CAPT,
I went to skinny tires about a year ago and have not looked back. The first thing I noticed was higher freeway speeds because 1) a LOT
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I hit send too fast! Back to where I was.
I went to skinny tires about a year ago and have not looked back. The first thing I noticed was higher freeway speeds because 1) a LOT less rolling resistance. 2) a LOT
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I have fat dumb fingers this morning!
OK, I may be able to finish this!
You will have a LOT less rolling resistance on the highway, which equals faster speeds. You will have a LOT less frontal wind drag on the tires, yes, it makes a difference on the Sammy. They will be lighter, faster acceleration and stopping, to some degree.
Off road is the test for many. There is a whole science/debate on fat vs. skinny tires. But skinny tires will offer more pounds per square inch surface pressure and contact. You need that for tire adhesion on the road or trail surface. Good on ice. Fat tires will offer a lot less surface pressure even though it will have a larger surface area. That is opposite of what you generally need.
Aired down to about 4-5 PSI you will have a long narrow contact surface so you are not pushing the dirt, sand, mud or whatever that a fat tire would. A skinny tire will dig down in slushy or muddy conditions. All bets are off in REALY deep mud. I sank almost to the front bumper this winter in deep mud!
Skinny tires aired down will tend to wrap around rocks instead ridding on top of them, better for rocky climbs.
Last of all, almost all deep exploration vehicles use a skinny tire.
Almost last of all, they don't look all macho and bad! Your choice, look cool, or have the ability to wheel in tough conditions.
Macho tires have their pluses too, but when mine wear out I am sticking with the skinny ones.
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That was my thinking as well. Problem is I have 5 perfectly good 215-70-15s, the fronts being literally brand new to pass inspection. I don't have funds available right now to buy 5 tires, and I'm having a heck of a time finding 7.00x15s even if I did. I still wonder about the fit on 5 1/4 rims.
Thanks for the informative response.
My Sammy will probably only be off the road on a couple of occasions each year, and those will certainly not be considered extreme in any way.
I'm a firm believer in low power and skinny tires for snow, something I'll be seeing a lot of here in western PA. My '96 Saturn wagon has 175-14 all-seasons on it, and is an absolute goat in the snow.
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:) the bigest tire you can put on the stock wheel is 235 75 15. I am putting 235 85 16s on my tracker when I get gears
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Zukiman,
It might not be all your fault, my last reply ended up on a OLD Post on a different Heading!!
I'll try it again,
There are skinny Radial Tires available,
I was trying to match the tires you had mentioned earlier on an Old Jeep.
I think they are now using a Letter First system, Like G-78-15, if you are still interested in the old bias ply snow tires.
Also I DO THINK a skinny tires work well on Light Weight vehicles!!
I currently have 31x10.50x15's;
1st) I AM CHEAP!! Got a GREAT DEAL on 5 matching NEW Goodyear Wrangler Off Roads!!
2nd) Here in Deep Snow Country and Bottomless Loon Shit Bogs, "Floaters" work like Snow Shoes.
I have been accused on setting "Tiger Traps" as I scoot across, only to have them "Big Rigs" bury themselves
right behind me on the trails.
CAPT
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I also like the skinny tires. We have plenty of snow in north eastern WI, and the thinner tires work better. I'm running 225 x 75 15's now, which are just about new. But I'm considering buying new 16" wheels and putting 245 x 75 16's on my zuk.
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I am too a fan of skinny tires. For a couple years I ran 31 x 9 Super Swamper TSL Radials and they went everywhere. Noisy and they vibrated like crazy but that's just because of the tread pattern. If I could find some, I'd like to go with a 33x9.5 in a good AT or MT tire, porblem is my BFG AT's are seemingly going to last forever, they still show very little wear after 20k! Anyone want a good set of 32x11.5 BFG AT KO's? :P
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Wachelhund,
Hey Ya Hozer, Where you at of NE Wisconsin.
Trying to get some Off Roaders together the weekend B-4 Memoerial Day.
Have some guys/gals interested, going out near Tomahawk, Rhinelander, areas.
Plan to set-up a Day Camp & a "Canabal Cookout".
PS I used to have a Old set of anicent Dunlop NOS skinny Snow's on the Timber Cruiser I picked up at a auction,
and it ran great!! (I did mention I'm Cheap),
Just couldn't hear yourself think as they Sang as loud as a Jet Engine on the Highway. In time the sidewalls got so
weather checked, it was getting scary.
CAPT
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http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=133706&start=0 (http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=133706&start=0)
I like the look of the military bartread NDCC Firestones, but I can't seem to figure out if they are DOT approved. If so, that's EXACTLY what I want on my sammy.
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http://www.arrowheadtiredemo.com/Multi-Mile-Power-King-Super-Traction-LT-Tire-detail.htm?productId=7422876 (http://www.arrowheadtiredemo.com/Multi-Mile-Power-King-Super-Traction-LT-Tire-detail.htm?productId=7422876)
Here's 7.00-15's
(http://image.4wheeloffroad.com/f/9002285+w750+st0/131_0605_02_z+1953_jeep_cj83+front_view.jpg)
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DAMN,
Them's the one I had, SOB same tread Pattern......
CAPT
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Wachelhund,
Hey Ya Hozer, Where you at of NE Wisconsin. Trying to get some Off Roaders together the weekend B-4 Memoerial Day.
Have some guys/gals interested, going out near Tomahawk, Rhinelander, areas.
Plan to set-up a Day Camp & a "Canabal Cookout".
CAPT
Capt, I'm in Pelican Lake, about 25 miles east of Rhinelander.
I'm the doing the buy and had posted here earlier about a group buy of 6" wheel flairs for Samurais. I'm on the Zuwarie board most of the time. Just this E-mail from Thialand they areabout to ship the flairs.
Dear David ,
The goods now ready we packing today and will make a booking on tomorrow
when we got booking confirmation will send you. we will send you invoice and packign list first for your consideration
Regards
Tony
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p131/wachtelhund1/WheelFlairsMediumWebview.jpg)
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Neato!
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When you get back from your "Dog Trials"
Let me in on your 6" flares deal. If the price is good, and they are the style that I can still save the Rocker Trim, I'm IN!
CAPT
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Well, I found these
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p1703086.m1253&item=350453626888&viewitem= (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p1703086.m1253&item=350453626888&viewitem=)
My question is, will they work on an un-lifted Samurai with stock gearing?
I also found the Firestone NDCC (military bar-tread) but I've read that they are death on wet pavement.
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The ones on the E-Bay site listed are 8 ply tires, heavy 3/4 to 1 ton truck rating!!!
They are going to ride like Fred Flintstone Rock Hard Specials on a Sammy!!!!
CAPT