19.5 DRW Upgrade

[ADA6969]

Hello,

Any body upgrade from 17" to 19.5 tire/ wheel on a DRW 4WD.

Any input

Thank you, Andy

[ADA6969]

PS. NRALIFR Just read you profile. AMEN!! Your one of us. Very cool

[ADA6969]

NRALIFR,

This is why I was thinking 19.5's Most off road is just dirt graded type road were a 2wd car can go. Mostly want for better handling on road also.

Thank you for input. It was helpful.

[NRALIFR]

Andy, all I’m going to say is that the 19.5’s are one of the main reasons I’ve chosen two F450 pickups over an F350 to haul my camper. I need the “bulletproof” qualities that Gritdog spoke of. My off pavement driving includes the risk of damaging a tire when we are far from help. The 19.5 steel belted tread and sidewalls can take a lot more abuse than the average radial tire. That sidewall stiffness also contributes to more stable handling.

As you said, nobody is going to be doing any rock-crawling or even very serious off-roading with a camper this size in the bed. When the camper starts getting tossed around to point that I have to worry about the tiedowns getting ripped out, that’s when I’m looking for a place to turn around. But if you’ve ever had a tire sidewall get “chunked” by a sharp rock, yet continue to hold air because the steel belts saved you, that’s when you know the 19.5’s were worth it.

:):)

[ADA6969]

What facts? My rig is 14k lbs what is the problem with going to a 19.5

So you think any body with a 4500 F450 or larger truck that comes stock with 19.5 should take them off due to they have no traction. Again what in the world are you talking about.

[Grit_dog]

jimh425 wrote:
Seems like a lot of people who don’t use 19.5s don’t know much about them. Go figure.

I've run enough trucks with 19.5s to know that unless they were needed for load capacity, I wouldn't run them on a personal rig for appearance or durability sake. Appearance is so limited with wheel styles, it's not even a consideration really, and durability (unless load capacity is needed), unless one is really packing on the miles, won't pencil out financially, ever.
Of course if you own a $150k brodozer jeep then $4k on truck wheels is probably not even a consideration, so go for it!

By the time one spends $4k+ to upgrade, with top quality tires, you could buy 3+ sets of LT tires. You can get new tires before winter before the old ones are completely wore out, vs keeping a marginal set of 19.5s thru the winter because they cost twice as much or more pre tire.

Just my opinion, not meant to be argumentative.

[ADA6969]

Not sure but i think it is a good upgrade. But is it worth $4000.00 I like the BFG KO2 I HAVE NOW. Leaving for Moab in 3 weeks we will see how the truck will handle the larger camper. Thank you, for the input, Andy

[jimh406]

ADA6969 wrote:
Sorry,

Why again will I have no traction?

You’ll have plenty of traction.

[zb39]

I have no dog in this. But the same weight truck will put more pressure per square inch on the ground with a skinny tire VS a fat one. I have very aggressive tread on my Ram 5500 tires. They came from the factory.
Continantals I think.

[ADA6969]

Sorry,

Why again will I have no traction?

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:
What's the advantage of less flex, when you have no traction?

Kind of a nonsense argument. It only takes a bit of a search to find plenty of 19.5s that have great traction.

[Kayteg1]

ADA6969 wrote:
Keyteg1

Has more to due with then just load. Helps with side wall flex on cornering.

What's the advantage of less flex, when you have no traction?

[Grit_dog]

ADA6969 wrote:
Keyteg1

Has more to due with then just load. Helps with side wall flex on cornering.

I suppose if hauling the camper is the primary use then it could make sense, for the heavier duty front tires, mostly. (Because duallies are always about maxxed out on OE pizza cutter LT tires up front.)
But I don't see it helping much if any in back.
If you have 17" wheels, you're stuck with a chitty selection of low load index tires (cant get over a 121 load index in 17s).
Upgrading to 18s or 20s will be similar cost, though, to 19.5s, but your selection of styles and tire/rim sizes and treads will be vastly greater than 19.5s.
That said, 19.5s are the bulletproof answer, so you don't really have a question for the group. It's whether you "want" choices or the bulletproof option.

[ADA6969]

Keyteg1

Has more to due with then just load. Helps with side wall flex on cornering.

[ADA6969]

Jimh425
Thank you for the great response. I am looking to make it better then what i have. I have no problems at all.. I did just put a 1150 camper on it and had an old 990 before and 30k miles handled great. Looking at the Roadmaster on/off road tires

PS. I really don't care about Billy Big Rigger and 22.5"