Narrower Tires for off-road use? Does it make a difference?

[finnman]

I have read a few posts on this and its seems to make sense, but I have no real world experience with running narrower tires for off-road purposes. I am looking at a set of MT tires and the size I want is a 245/70/17 this is almost the exact size of my stock tires(265/65/17) but I cannot get the tire I want in this stock size. So to get the tire I want it will be a bit narrower. What gains or deficits will this create for me as a I drive off and on road?

Thanks!

[92xj]

Those small of sizes you won't notice a difference. Buy what you want.

[Special T]

Yup that

[b23]

I've always liked tall and narrow.  I had these BFG KM2 Mud T/A 255/80R17 on my Jeep Wrangler and liked them really well.  The were a little taller than a 33 and about the same width, maybe a bit narrower, than a 9.50.  Even before I lifted my Wrangler I could run this tire/wheel combo and they wouldn't rub because they were narrow.

[coachcw]

all about grip , weight and tire dependent , airing down a wider tire gives great traction but is a pain that works well in mud or heavy snow , I have better luck on compact ice with narrow tires with a snow/ ice lug and siped .

[thinkingman]

You see real off-roaders running narrower tires.
Definitely better in snow, ice and rain. and airing down a narrower tire with a higher profile gives great benefits.
Also better fuel economy.
Cheaper.
Wide tires are for looks and flotation if you're a swamper.

[Mudman]

I agree, skinny.  But the weight and use type of vehicle matter as well.  Light truck/jeep then skinny always performs better.  Heavy 1 ton truck sometimes it can be good to get little wider.  I think its about the psi of the footprint.  My diesel truck is heavy and a wide tire performs well as I get a lot of weight down but a skinny tire will instantly dig a hole.  Toyota p/u with wide tire spins and slips and floats and just plain sucks.

[Alchase]

Have you ever seen a tractor with wide tires?

Tall skinny will always out perform short wide, when tires are comparable.

[baker5150]

Have you ever seen a tractor with wide tires?

Tall skinny will always out perform short wide, when tires are comparable.

Not always.  In sand a wider tire prevails.
you don't see sand rails and quads running dirt bike paddles

But you do see mud guys running skinny tractor tires on their trucks.

[JimmyHoffa]

Have you ever seen a tractor with wide tires?

Tall skinny will always out perform short wide, when tires are comparable.

kind of, saw it quite a bit when disking especially if there had been rain.  by kind of I mean, would double or triple up the tires.

[Vortectoy]

Sorry, I have to comment on the "real wheelers run narrow tires" quote. Lol. Not a chance!  More surface area on the ground means more traction.  True wheeling is nowhere near rough dirt roads. There are however a FEW exceptions....Narrow tires will bite down to the dirt when in mud, until it's deep, then wide tires will float. Same with snow and sand. For strictly offroad, wider is superior. For on road/gravel dirt roads I feel like since you are not true "wheeling," a narrower tire will work better for biting to a good surface, not hydroplaning in rain/standing water, and gas mileage. 

[Bofire]

sand needs tire width, all the rest can be done with narrow. on pavement rubber makes the traction, the grooves just move the water out of the way.
Carl

[2labs]

When I was young and abused expensive trucks, nothing beats tall Pizza cutters!

[Mudman]

Its simple guys.  Sand you need flotation=wide.  Snow you need skinny to bite until it gets too deep for your clearance, then you need wide for flotation.  Mud is the same as snow.  Every thing else is a balance of weight to width ration.  Must have weight on footprint or tire will skid easy.  In rain soaked NW roads a wide tire will always plane before a skinny.  I like a balanced tire depending on use of course.  When wheeling light Toyotas we like skinny 38-11 boggers or 9.5 swampers but in a mud bog which is bottomless a 15 wide bogger/paddle and 400hp seemed to kick azz!

[follow maggie]

The difference in width in those sizes is only 20mm. Less than an inch. Don't worry about it