Tires v. Wheels

The process of selecting off-road wheels and tires seems simple -- get the biggest size available. That notion is a deceptive one, however. Choosing the proper wheels and tires for an off-road adventure is about knowing what tires can and should do.

Large tires

It may seem very obvious, but tires are not the best thing for increasing traction. Buying big tires pales in comparison to a well-tuned set of traction differential lockers. In fact, the main reason to get large truck tires is to increase the vehicle's ground clearance. Large tires work well for off-roading where the driver encounters a lot of rocks, shrubbery and other obstacles that pass underneath the body of the truck and risk damaging the undercarriage. Proper off-road tires do certainly help with traction, however. They are designed differently to tarmac tires and better grip the varied terrain.

Upgrading to taller tires

If an upgrade to larger tires does seem like a good idea, there are a few other upgrades which one should make as well in order to get the most benefit from this conversion. The added ground clearance means raising the truck's body in order to keep the tires from rubbing against the fenders. This is something people often forget when buying large tires. A simple body or suspension lift helps with this. Although a body lift may seem like the obvious choice, a suspension lift is often better and comes with the added benefit of an increase in stability.

A proper set of off-road wheels and tires can make the difference between a fun, exciting trip into the wilderness and getting stuck in the mud and having to wait, embarrassed,for a tow truck to come by. It is a hefty purchase, but one that is sure to pay for itself.