Got some wheel/tire questions

Hey guys. My 13' LR4 has the common 13' model 19 inch wheel pictured below.



Some days I like it, some days I don't. Something about it looks too soccer mom-ish to me at times. For a while, I was just planning to keep them and put a Continental TerrainContact on them. But lately I'm being drawn to the one below. It's always been my favorite LR4 wheel.



Problem though is they don't make many all terrains in that standard 255/50/20 size. Continental does make the TerrainContact in a 265/50/20 though. Can that 8.5in wheel accomodate a 265? Or I could go with a 255/60/20, but obviously have a beefy sidewall. How much would that **** my fuel economy? And yes, I know I'd have to do a speedo reprogram with either of those options.

Just looking for advice.

BTW, I like the current 19's you have. They look to be a lot easier to clean because of the wider openings between spokes. I have the 10-spoke alloys and it's tedious to clean them. The 20's you're considering have some crevices but they benefit from the fact that big parts of that style are painted and would hide brake dust. Just a few practical observations FWIW.

cperez said:

BTW, I like the current 19's you have. They look to be a lot easier to clean because of the wider openings between spokes. I have the 10-spoke alloys and it's tedious to clean them. The 20's you're considering have some crevices but they benefit from the fact that big parts of that style are painted and would hide brake dust. Just a few practical observations FWIW.

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Yep, they're definitely easy to clean. My buddy thinks the 20 looks too "city" whereas the 19 is more offroad friendly. Any practical difference between the 19 or 20? For what its worth, my truck is about 90% on road, with the occasional trip to the beach, or an offroad trail or two. Would the 20 really impact that?

So you're running the stock 255/50 R20 tire and want to upgrade to the 265/50 R20 TerrainContact A/T tire? The size difference between the two is negligible. Functionally, you might notice a bit more road noise and a slight change in driving characteristics. As for MPG, you won't see a noticeable difference. Maybe -.5mpg worst case.

Talk to your tire dealer about any rim-width concerns you have but you should be fine.

Oddboy said:

So you're running the stock 255/50 R20 tire and want to upgrade to the 265/50 R20 TerrainContact A/T tire? The size difference between the two is negligible. Functionally, you might notice a bit more road noise and a slight change in driving characteristics. As for MPG, you won't see a noticeable difference. Maybe -.5mpg worst case.

Talk to your tire dealer about any rim-width concerns you have but you should be fine.

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No. I currently have 19s. I want the 20's. But the only way I can see to get an AT on that 20 is to increase the width up to 265, which Im concerned with being a 8.5in wheel. Or stick with a 255 but increase the sidewall to 60. Which is pretty aggressive.

Hmmm. I may have just found my answer. I can get the TerrainContact in a 265/50/20, and according to TireRack that will fit the 8.5in wheel perfectly. I was thinking the wheel was too small for a 265.

Justin Allen said:

Hmmm. I may have just found my answer. I can get the TerrainContact in a 265/50/20, and according to TireRack that will fit the 8.5in wheel perfectly. I was thinking the wheel was too small for a 265.

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Really the only practical (vs stylistic) difference between the 19 and the 20 is tire selection as you have seen. If you can fit TerrainContacts on the wheels you like, then given the use case you described, I think you will be very happy. I have a similar profile and I love the TerrainContacts on my 19’s. I’ve done trails that are more challenging than what you mentioned and had no problem. They have some looks to them as well.

cperez said:

Really the only practical (vs stylistic) difference between the 19 and the 20 is tire selection as you have seen. If you can fit TerrainContacts on the wheels you like, then given the use case you described, I think you will be very happy. I have a similar profile and I love the TerrainContacts on my 19’s. I’ve done trails that are more challenging than what you mentioned and had no problem. They have some looks to them as well.

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Yep. That's why I wanted to stick with the Continental. The only slight concern I have left is airing down for sand driving with the slightly lower profile on the 20. The 19 has a 5.5" whereas the 265/50 would have a 5.2". Wouldn't air it down for an offroad course but it may be necessary for some Outer Banks driving.

Psst...that wheel can run a 275 55 20. And plenty of tires in that size, A/T or not. That size is a good size, barely any rubbing and a 32in diameter with plenty of sidewall.

Justin Allen said:

Yep. That's why I wanted to stick with the Continental. The only slight concern I have left is airing down for sand driving with the slightly lower profile on the 20. The 19 has a 5.5" whereas the 265/50 would have a 5.2". Wouldn't air it down for an offroad course but it may be necessary for some Outer Banks driving.

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I understand the theoretical arguments but find it hard to believe that 0.3” difference is going to matter in the real world. Go with what looks best to your eye and tastes. Personally I think your current 19’s look more off-roady than the 20’s but that proves my point. Make it your own...or keep the 19’s and use them for snow setup.