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Old 11-17-2017, 01:10 PM   #11
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The 295s will also require less trimming if that makes much of a difference to you. With the 295s you might also have just enough room to use chains when the going gets tough.

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Old 11-17-2017, 01:26 PM   #12
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Of course, too early in the morning for me to think clearly at this old age.
Careful with the old comments. The last time I checked, we were both in the same camp on that issue!
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Old 11-17-2017, 02:33 PM   #13
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It sucks getting old but the alternative is far worse.
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Old 11-17-2017, 05:23 PM   #14
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It sucks getting old but the alternative is far worse.
To a point. I have had relatives reach their late 90s who came to disagree with that part about the alternative. When you're almost blind, almost deaf, walk with severe arthritic pain, can't control bladder or bowels any more, unable to be intimate with a spouse or have lost a spouse to long excruciating battles with cancer, well.......I've seen a lot of loved ones become ready for that alternative.

Me......I'm now too old to backpack, climb, run whitewater, and ski like a bat out of hell any more, but I'm gettin' my SMB and still going into my beloved mountains while I can still do that. I'm gonna live it up while I can and hope to go out with a smile on my face!
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Old 11-22-2017, 09:15 AM   #15
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Fitz,

BFG KO2 295/75R16. I want the spare on a door mounted rear carrier, not a swing arm, as I am down to inches in fitting the rig in my new driveway without overhanging the sidewalk and being in HOA/CC&R trouble. I'm still looking for a wheel that fits both the tire and the Sprinter, preferably Method, maybe ROAMBUILT.

We moved to WA this week, and of course it has rained most of the time we've been here. Those 315s are 12.7" wide and I'm a little cautious about hydroplaning. The 295 is 11.6", which seems a good use compromise between the hydroplaning problem and having better aired-down flotation than the 10.7" 265 when we are in sand. The 295 diameter is 33.3" while the 315 is 34.5", so I would have only 1" less clearance.

This is a good KO2 tire comparison chart, while this is the page for the specific tire.

BTW, I'm wide open to suggestions on both the tire and wheel.
There are two tire sizes that are considered '35s' - a 315/70/17 and a 35/12.5/17. The 315s and the 35s are a flotation tire available in a D2 and E2 rating - this has the net effect of lowering the max psi to 50 and 65psi respectively. The load ratings remain relatively static however. The Duratracs come in a 315 / D2 and 35/E2 both rated 121Q/3195#. Kind of weird. I opted for the E2 rated tire. Running Methods with Agile spacers and VC lift. This will be installed in December by VC.

The width you are referring to is the section width, not the actual tread width. The actual tread width is somewhere around 10.5" for a 12.5" tire. Also note the tire datasheet vs actual dimensions vary quite a bit. BFGs tend to run smaller than Duratracs...Toyos, Nittos, Cooper's tend to run much closer to spec.

The datasheet for the 315 suggests it should be smaller/wider than a 35. In practice, they are pretty damn close. Some 35s are smaller than the 315s and vice versa.

In my experience, tire tread depth, design, void ratio, and compound have more to do with hydroplaning then an extra tread width.

Neighbor runs factory tires on her Jeep JKU - about 1.5" skinnier than my Jeep JKU. She complains about hydroplaning in mild rain. I run Duratrac 285/70/17 ... rarely hydroplane and I'm approaching 80k miles (on 2nd set). I flogged that tire both on and off road. We've crossed the US about 10 times in the winter on the northern, southern, and central routes..and hit some pretty severe conditions both on and off roads. Handled everything with aplomb. Wears faster than others, but I'm ok with that tradeoff. I see them on everything from First Responder vehicles to public utility trucks to oil patch/fleet trucks.

Similar hydroplaning experience in our suburban - except I ran everything from a 9.75" to a 12.5" wide tire from various mfrs. Width seems not to be as big a factor with wet weather performance as the other factors I mentioned. I've run 3 sets of BFG ATs (two first gen ATs and 1 KO) on that heavy truck - and I am not convinced the KO2 has changed enough to overcome it's lesser performance in snow (and less important for the van, deep mud). (Recall the BFG AT has been through 3 generations: AT, KO, KO2). Also note there are many many fans of the BFG AT KO2s - for my use case, it sacrifices too much ice, snow & mud performance for highway manners. I found that its tread packed snow & mud far too easily for my preference. At the end of the day, both are great tires.
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Old 11-27-2017, 08:26 AM   #16
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I'm with you Rob. Thanks Bianca, much appreciated.



No doubt, however I prefer to run an E-rated tire with an 80 PSI rating even though I run them much lower day-to-day. Having the option is crucial. A 65 PSI max tire on these heavy things just seems too light duty for me.

On E-rated I typically run 50 front, 55-60 rear.

E-Rating is a synonym for max load (in the US) if I am correct. BUT max tire load directly depends on PSI! So if its rated for e.g. 1 ton @ 80 PSI it will NOT hold that at 50 PSI.
plus it all depends on speed as well. Though in the US with speed limits this doesn´t matter much.

btw: I researched myself, because I got my new tires on and am not sure which pressure I do need (not want):

This is in German - but I think everyone gets the idea. For me: 315/75-16 AT2 > @ 2.0 bar just ober 2 tons, so this just fits the front load. Speed up to 160 km/h aka 100 miles/h. @ 2,5 bar I get 2,5 tons load, 160km/h. @ 2,9 bar the max of 1450 kg.
http://www.derjackistweg.de/wp-conte...-2017-data.pdf
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Old 11-27-2017, 08:36 AM   #17
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a Sprinter is a total different animal! You cannot compare this to an E350 - if its a sportsmobile or not.

A truck with solid axles front and rear will ALWAYS run different. You will never get that (axle) articulation from independent suspension. This makes a huge difference off-road.

This does NOT necessary mean that a sprinter cannot follow - but in a different way: electronic diffs need speed and momentum. You got to drive a sprinter (e.g.) more aggressively, this can be tough for material.

A sprinter is centuries more advanced in many ways:
- lighter
- faster
- better mpg
- high roof + in general lower floor and therefore lower. COG way lower.
- way better on street (corners, Serpentines etc)
- quieter with a diesel engine




I personally drive a E350 in GERMANY, no Sprinter.
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Old 11-28-2017, 08:56 AM   #18
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I'm with you Rob. Thanks Bianca, much appreciated.



No doubt, however I prefer to run an E-rated tire with an 80 PSI rating even though I run them much lower day-to-day. Having the option is crucial. A 65 PSI max tire on these heavy things just seems too light duty for me.

On E-rated I typically run 50 front, 55-60 rear.

Any truck tire 305mm (11.5") or wider is considered a "flotation" tire and will have a C2, D2 or E2 load range. *These tires have a max inflation less than the C, D or E range tires. *In the case of the E vs E2 it's 80 vs 65 psi. *

Load INDEX is equally important in determining weight capacity as load RANGE. *For instance, a load range E, load index 121 tire at 50 psi can carry 2470lbs, whereas a load range E2, load index 121 tire at 50 psi can handle 2755lbs. *However, either tire at max pressure, 80 psi and 65 psi respectively, can carry 3195lbs. *


Load range is based on an older measurement called “ply ratings.” All tires are constructed of rubber and cord layers referred to as “plies.” Historically, more plies gave a tire a larger load carrying capacity, so manufacturers would count a tire’s plies and use this number to denote carrying capacity.*

However, a modern tire’s construction uses fewer, stronger plies. Therefore, load range simply defines the tire’s toughness and maximum allowable air pressure, as opposed to specific information about its composition. For example, a “C” load range indicates that a tire is equivalent to a 6-ply construction tire. This tire isn’t actually built of 6 plies, but rather one or two plies of equivalent strength.



BTW - all this info is straight from Discount Tire documents
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Old 11-28-2017, 09:46 AM   #19
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When one puts large tires onto the vehicle this change the effective gearing. My understanding of our sprinters is that we don't have lots of options to re-adjust our gearing ratios.

You all that are going for such large tires. How does/will this effect you?
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Old 11-28-2017, 10:28 AM   #20
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Yea, I saw that same rig close to a year ago. Gonna have them do most of those upgrades to my rig after I receive it in the spring. Those 315 tires only inflate to 65 psi. I'm getting 295s that will go to 80.
I never run mine over 50 - 55. On a SMB E-350 4x4.
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