Better wheel size for towing

[Racing Woody]

SO I just upgraded from my 2014 5.7 1500 to a 2017 6.4 2500. I am very happy so far and enjoy the truck feel I get from the 2500. It is a Laramie with 20” rims but I need new tires. I have always been a smaller wheel, bigger tire guy on trucks, and I love my BFG’s on my AEV wheels for the 1500.

I only tow my 20’ enclosed car hauler about 6 times a year and only for a couple of hours at a time. This is more of a daily driver for work now.

Question is what is a better wheel set up for towing? Staying with my factory 20’s or switching to an 18” wheel, ( I like to Power Wagon wheels). The 20” tires are f’ing expensive. Will I lose much sidewall stiffness going from 20’s to 18”s?

Thx

 

[lpennock]

Not enough difference when towing between 18" and 20" rim in a tire with the same OD to care about.

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[Quyonmob]

Not enough difference when towing between 18" and 20" rim in a tire with the same OD to care about.

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^this. The right tire will be more difference than an 18 vs 20 wheel.

 

[Racing Woody]

Thank you.


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[RoadRamblerNJ]

My 2017 2500 6.4 CC 8' bed Tradesman came with the 18" chrome plated wheels with 275/70R18 tires. I recently replaced the tires only with 285/75R18 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W's.

The 285/75R18 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W has a diameter of 34.8", a width of 11.2", mounts on a 18" rim and has 599 revolutions per mile. It weighs 65.9 lbs, has a max load of 4080/3750 lbs, a maximum air pressure of 80 psi, a tread depth of 18/32" and should be used on a rim width of 7.5-9.5".

I'm like you, I like more tire and less wheel diameter filling the wheel wells. This did it for me without needing to buy new rims. They tow great, have all the load capacity you need and at only 11.2" wide, they don't kill your gas mileage. They work well in snow too. Wide tires suck in the snow. I'm very happy with them looks wise and performance wise. Much quieter than the M/T's I have always run, until now.
If I could put 15" rims on it, I would. Love that look. Had **** Cepek 36x15-15's on a '76 K5 Blazer and loved the big tire, bouncy look. I'm old, what can I say. I like the 70's look. My 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

My 2017 2500 6.4 CC 8' bed Tradesman came with the 18" chrome plated wheels with 275/70R18 tires. I recently replaced the tires only with 285/75R18 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W's.

The 285/75R18 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W has a diameter of 34.8", a width of 11.2", mounts on a 18" rim and has 599 revolutions per mile. It weighs 65.9 lbs, has a max load of 4080/3750 lbs, a maximum air pressure of 80 psi, a tread depth of 18/32" and should be used on a rim width of 7.5-9.5".

I'm like you, I like more tire and less wheel diameter filling the wheel wells. This did it for me without needing to buy new rims. They tow great, have all the load capacity you need and at only 11.2" wide, they don't kill your gas mileage. They work well in snow too. Wide tires suck in the snow. I'm very happy with them looks wise and performance wise. Much quieter than the M/T's I have always run, until now.
If I could put 15" rims on it, I would. Love that look. Had **** Cepek 36x15-15's on a '76 K5 Blazer and loved the big tire, bouncy look. I'm old, what can I say. I like the 70's look. My 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[Travelin Ram]

I wouldn’t recommend PW wheels for a tow rig. The 17” are better for off road but probably one of the many reasons these trucks have less tow capacity. And don’t get enamored of tall tires either, I can certainly feel an increase in side to side motion with a trailer resulting from tread flex after changing from 33” to 35”.

 

[tron67j]

Agree with the more tire, less rim. Hated my low profiles on the cars I have had (explains my lack of enthusiasm for Michelin in other posts here). I would think that if the load rating on the new tires is equivalent you would not impact towing. Any reputable tire sales store, or online retailer like Tire Rack, could confirm the traits of the package you are looking at. Good luck.

 

[Racing Woody]

Thank you all for your advice.

My truck is a work truck and I am on Job sites daily. Not off roading but not on the street and 20's with low profile tires I am afraid I am going to bend a wheel.

Low profile on my sports car is a different discussion.

The PW's factory wheel is an 18 not a 17 at least the ones I am looking at, Black with polished face. So I will probably jump to these and grab tires that handle the load I need.

Thanks again.

 

[HDGoose]

For load bearing trucks the more cushion is better. The low profile tires are designed for the race tracks where they work well. We common folk do not usually drive on roads that well maintained.

Go to the used rim places and see how many sets of three are available. They simply cannot last on real streets.

 

[Racing Woody]

Thanks. More and more I am agreeing with getting rid of my 20’s.


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[Racing Woody]

I wouldn’t recommend PW wheels for a tow rig. The 17” are better for off road but probably one of the many reasons these trucks have less tow capacity. And don’t get enamored of tall tires either, I can certainly feel an increase in side to side motion with a trailer resulting from tread flex after changing from 33” to 35”.

Didn’t realize in my original response to this. The older PW wheels are 17”. The 2019-2020 PW wheels are 18”. Both are black with polished lips.

Just to clarify.

Thx


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[Travelin Ram]

Didn’t realize in my original response to this. The older PW wheels are 17”. The 2019-2020 PW wheels are 18”. Both are black with polished lips.

Just to clarify.

Thx


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Woody, I don’t know where you’re sourcing that information but as the owner of a 2019 PW that I purchased new, someone is steering you wrong.

 

[Firebird]

I thought all PW wheels were 17"?

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

PS: Forgot to mention the gearing penalty by switching tire sizes, In my case, going from 275/70R18 to 285/75R18.
The taller 75 series has a larger circumference that changes my 4.10:1 axles to approximately a 3.83:1. In laymans terms, at 70 mph, my speedo now reads 67. Not a big deal, especially if you aren't towing heavy and often.

 

[Racing Woody]

Woody, I don’t know where you’re sourcing that information but as the owner of a 2019 PW that I purchased new, someone is steering you wrong.

Again, in my haste to make wheel decisions I am scrolling to fast and not reading everything properly when looking through eBay listings.

The wheels I have been looking at I swore were labeled as 18” wheels. But yes they are 17”.




I guess there is a newer version of the PW’s, or again maybe these are not true PW’s that are 18”.



Either way for now I am sticking with the current 20’s. Thank you for checking me, as I would have probably moved forward buying the PW’s that I thought were 18’s. Not interested in going down to 17’s.

Thank you.


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[Racing Woody]

I had also scrolled pass these quickly and didn’t realize they were not PW wheels.




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[joesstripclub]

Make sure you check the wheel weight rating if you do swap wheels. I read a thread on here one day where a guy's 1500 only had like 800 lb payload and it was due to a special wheel on whatever edition truck he had.

 

[Skrap]

Here is my setup and i love it. Cooper ST MAXX 295/70/18. Great ride good in wet weather and great in the snow. Off road is good for where i've taken them. Stock Laramie Wheels.