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I'm been having a 2 week long argument with myself about this. I am ordering 33" Duratracs for my 12' auto, 3.73, 4dr JKU next weekend. I have a 1.5" performance spring lift, and no air dam with the Warn elite front bumper.
I'm looking at an Eaton Truetrack, install kit, lubelocker, and bombshell as we speak sitting on my workbench waiting for install. I've recently realized that for winter driving in the Upper Penninsula MI, the best limited slip is still only as good as the tires, and the stockers aren't cutting it here in MD in mild weather, on road or off.
I spend a lot of time on road here in MD, and quite a bit on the highway on it's way to the Midwest, but the Jeep gets wheeled down logging roads, through strip mine ground, deer hunted, crosses large creeks and fields in summer and snow once back in the Midwest. I'm not a rock crawler. I do also tow, right up to the 3500lb and tongue limit on occasion.
After spending a week worrying about looks, I've finally picked a wheel, MB TKO. It's just what suits my fancy. They come in 17" 4.5" bs, and 15" 3.75" bs. I'm only going to 33's, I have no desire to go bigger, as I still care a bit about gas mileage with long drives across half the country, and daily comfort to and from the grind.
The options in a Duratrac are 285/70/17 in a D-rated tire, or 33"x12.5"x15 in a C-rated tire as far as I can tell to get a 33". Money aside, I see plusses and minuses to both sides.
15's - Less faith in towing on them, and maybe more sidewall give on the highway. Should ride better being C-rated. Slightly larger tires, but weigh less due to less ply.
17's - Should be more than fine for towing, 1.2" narrower and about .3" shorter per tire. Will ride rougher on the highway, and weight ~20lbs more per corner.
I have no idea which is going to have better gas mileage out of the two, less unsprung weight vs. less rubber on pavement is a hard tradeoff. The 17's aren't much bigger than what I'm running now, 0.7" taller, and 1.2" wider. How bad would it be to tow (occasional weekend warrior) 3500lbs on the 15" C? How bad is the ride going to be when not towing in the D? What other factors am I leaving out in my ignorance? :banghead:
I'm looking at an Eaton Truetrack, install kit, lubelocker, and bombshell as we speak sitting on my workbench waiting for install. I've recently realized that for winter driving in the Upper Penninsula MI, the best limited slip is still only as good as the tires, and the stockers aren't cutting it here in MD in mild weather, on road or off.
I spend a lot of time on road here in MD, and quite a bit on the highway on it's way to the Midwest, but the Jeep gets wheeled down logging roads, through strip mine ground, deer hunted, crosses large creeks and fields in summer and snow once back in the Midwest. I'm not a rock crawler. I do also tow, right up to the 3500lb and tongue limit on occasion.
After spending a week worrying about looks, I've finally picked a wheel, MB TKO. It's just what suits my fancy. They come in 17" 4.5" bs, and 15" 3.75" bs. I'm only going to 33's, I have no desire to go bigger, as I still care a bit about gas mileage with long drives across half the country, and daily comfort to and from the grind.
The options in a Duratrac are 285/70/17 in a D-rated tire, or 33"x12.5"x15 in a C-rated tire as far as I can tell to get a 33". Money aside, I see plusses and minuses to both sides.
15's - Less faith in towing on them, and maybe more sidewall give on the highway. Should ride better being C-rated. Slightly larger tires, but weigh less due to less ply.
17's - Should be more than fine for towing, 1.2" narrower and about .3" shorter per tire. Will ride rougher on the highway, and weight ~20lbs more per corner.
I have no idea which is going to have better gas mileage out of the two, less unsprung weight vs. less rubber on pavement is a hard tradeoff. The 17's aren't much bigger than what I'm running now, 0.7" taller, and 1.2" wider. How bad would it be to tow (occasional weekend warrior) 3500lbs on the 15" C? How bad is the ride going to be when not towing in the D? What other factors am I leaving out in my ignorance? :banghead: