Swapping wheels for trips?

[mybabydaddy]

Alright guys... as my first real thread, I’m trying to pick a topic which I think most you would actually respect. A buddy of mine just posted his pics (Jeep guy unfortunately) of his Ouray trip with some buddies... And as I was making a comment and asking a question, something dawned on me...

As some of you have heard me say a few times already, my kids are finally getting to the age where I can get them out for the weekend, taking some small trips camping, etc. I REALLY want to start doing this... and hitting some trails too. As well, the truck has finally got some good miles on her (read = I won’t be freaking out when I do minor damage to her off-road). One of my worries has always been my P-Metric tires, since I drive her avg 65 miles a day on pavement.

When I bought my FN Wheels, I just assumed I’d sell my stock TE rims... It never really occurred to me to just keep them and use them as my off-road wheels.

So here’s my question.... What’s the consensus on doing just that? Does it make more sense to just bite the bullet and switch out my current tires to different ply, more suitable for off-pavement and take the hit on mpg for DD (thereby not needing to wheel swap)? Or should I utilize my stock TE rims that are just laying around collecting dust, throw some decent AT tires on them, and swap ‘em out when I want to take a trip and hit the trails. How many of you actually wheel swap before hitting the trails, etc?

 

[philsey]

What you propose makes a lot of sense to me, especially since you already have good wheels, and even more so if you can DIY. I see no sense in running ATs all the time if you rarely need them ... but many just like 'the look'.

If you can't DIY, it changes the equation when you have to pay for the swap ... you also need the space to store 4 tires. Also, you'll probably not have TPMS on one set, unless you have a Techstream.

 

[Runn4est]

We currently have our 4 LE rims/tires in our garage attic. They were supposed to be our summer tires...yeah...not gonna happen. Turns out, as Philsey mentioned, people like the look. I got the TE rims and AT tires, and my wife loved it -- didn't want to swap them back in the summer. MPG hit was minimal because we kept stock size.

As background, we do have access to a lift, so it's actually pretty easy to do a swap, too. We just don't care to.

 

[wfo9]

Yes, it is a great idea.

If you are running stock tires size... Search CL for some jeep rubicon MT take-offs (tons of them out there in new condition...) Throw those on your stock rims and you will have a great adventure setup.

Oh, and if you can't DIY a wheel swap... I question if you should be going off-road in the first place. Just my opinion... I think people need to be somewhat self sufficient. You don't need to be a master tech... but at least be able to swap a tire and do basic 101 stuff.

But like others mentioned. Its hard to go back to stock once you have bigger/ more agressive tires... on. Just hard to look at it in the same way again.

 

[mybabydaddy]

Yeah - currently running stock Nitto TG G2s on my FN wheels for daily driving. I only did a small lift, so stock size looks okay/fits the bill.

These are good points/questions I was waiting to ask...

1. TPMS... does it matter? I don’t have to run them in the TE rims do I? All it’s going to do is trigger an annoying light on the dash, correct? Or am I missing something...?

2. Tires for the TE rims... if I did use the TE for swapping/off-road, what makes the most sense for tire size? Stick with stock? Or make the move to 285s?

I dunno... I wouldn’t call it a huge PITA for me to DIY. I have plenty of room for the extra tires/wheels... A floor jack... jack stands, etc. The only issue would be time (tho if I bought an impact wrench, that would knock off some minutes), and the physical labor. I’m an “old” 41, with a bad back... so throwing around 60-70lbs worth of tire/wheels isn’t great for me... but it’s doable if only a few times a year. There’s no way I’d haul and pay for it... after doing that much work, I’d just as soon do it myself.

 

[JohnTheLuck]

It all depends on your mileage between your off-road trips. I keep my KO2 275/70R17 on my 4R all the time since I am not commuting everyday with it. My rigs is mostly for trips during which I might go off-road sometimes, but I never know in advance.

 

[mybabydaddy]

Yes, it is a great idea.

Oh, and if you can't DIY a wheel swap... I question if you should be going off-road in the first place. Just my opinion... I think people need to be somewhat self sufficient. You don't need to be a master tech... but at least be able to swap a tire and do basic 101 stuff.

really good point that’s crossed my mind... I’m in good shape, and mechanically qualified (meaning that I’ve done my fair share of tearing down cars and motorcycles over the past 25 years), so I’m comfortable (and even giddy) when it comes to doing basic shiote. My wife still stares in disbelief when I start tearing stuff apart these days because it’s so few and far between... she wasn’t around in the glory days of me & friends bikes & cars, so she doesn’t know what my “past life” was like... lol. BUT - having young kiddos and a 17 year old back injury, I try to limit my exposure to “pushing my limit”... and I wonder about the off-roading part you mentioned. Probably why I’m inclined to keep it light/mild off the pavement... hopefully avoiding too many said “maintenance adventures”.

 

[jdtaylor42]

I would also say it will depend a lot on how often you plan to go adventure. I try to get out there and do something every weekend and even though it only takes 15mins, its a pain in the butt to pull my spare tire out from under the truck and mount it on the roof rack for wheeling. I would get sick of changing out all four tires every time I wanted to go out wheeling. But if you are only going out once a month it would probably be worth the time to save on your daily commute mpg's.

 

[4FL]

There is no way I would ever do that.

The tires are not that much different regarding street manners. I would understand if they were some street unfriendly tires, like what some mud trucks run, but the tires everyone is running on their 4r are street friendly, very street friendly.

It just seems like an unnecessary hassle. Good in theory though.

If it was a seasonal thing, I could see it, like what people do with snow tires.

 

[philsey]

Yeah - currently running stock Nitto TG G2s on my FN wheels for daily driving. I only did a small lift, so stock size looks okay/fits the bill.

These are good points/questions I was waiting to ask...

1. TPMS... does it matter?

* Only to you. Just depends on which driving conditions you want them.

I don’t have to run them in the TE rims do I?

* You don't HAVE to run them anywhere.

All it’s going to do is trigger an annoying light on the dash, correct?

* Yup. It blinks a little while, then turns solid, easy to ignore. If the 4R is in the same garage as the other wheels, the light will reset each time you park.

Or am I missing something...?

nope.

EDIT: I should say, as @4FL points out, that my opinions are formed from a once-annual snow tire swap. Swapping a p-metric road set with an AT set would be too much hassle more than 2X a year IMO. Also depends on what your daily commute is like, eg lots of highway, and just how aggressive your ATs need to be.

 

[renau001]

If I had the storage room and 2 good sets of wheels and a good jack, I'd definitely do this. With no lift I'd probably find a set of 255/75r17 MTs taken off a wrangler rubicon or 275/70r17 cooper st maxx depending on what you're doing with them. With a lift I'd go 285/70r17. The only down side I could see is potentially not getting all the life out of your "fun" tires before they get too old, depending on how much you use them.

 

[jwkilgore]

Doing this with AT tires and street tires may not be worth the trouble. You really don't take much of a mileage hit with decent AT tires. If going the 2-set route look at full MT or rock tires for your off-roading set.

Get a good floor jack, a cheap electric impact wrench, a deep-well 21mm socket, and a little stool to sit on to help your back. The stool helps both with removing/installing the lug nuts and with mounting the tire (while seated, put your feet on either side of the tire, wiggle the bottom under the hub, then pick the tire up with your toes while tilting the tire back onto the lugs). A full swap should take less than 20 minutes.

The TPMS light will come on while the extras are mounted, but that's it. No other effect. It'll go back out when you re-mount the regular tires.

Don't forget your spare, though. If you're back in the woods and have a flat, if your spare is the stock street tire you'll have a harder time getting back out.

 

[skratchd]

Just get some Cooper STT's and be done with it! Had over 55,000 miles on mine when I sold my Tacoma and never had to plan ahead to switch tires for a trip.

Sent from my SM-G360T using Tapatalk

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I have been swapping back and forth several times a year between the stock 20s and 275/70/17 KO2 tires for 2 years now. I am just about tired of it. The stock tires can not be beat for highway use but are way to weak for me off road. I am getting tired of the performance loss and rough ride with the load range E KO2 tires. You do not realize how much power is lost until you go back to stock. I am thinking about selling all the wheels and tires and starting over. It will most likely be trail wheels with stock size Load range c KO2 tires.

 

[Jeremy556]

I've been debating getting a set of 34x10.5 KO2s mounted on my stock TE wheels for winter/travel use as an option instead of my 305 MTRs

 

[renau001]

And don't forget to plan a trip around tire rotation time, taking wheels off anyway, might as well get something for it.