Wheel/tire Width?

What’s your “Rule of Thumb” for rim width to tire width?
I recently bought new 15x8” wheels for new 33” tires. I’m sure it would be good with 12.5” wide tires but after reading the recent Super Swamper review I’ve been thinking more about these 9.5” wide tires.
So the real question is would 9.5” tires be fine on 8” wide wheels?

 

just because jeep doesn't off road anymore
I run 30-9.50 on a 8" rim . no spring rub

 

15 x 8 Crager wheels with 30 x 9.50 tires

 

I have 11.5" wide tires on 7" wide wheels.

 

33 x 10.50 x 15 on 7" wide wheels here.

 

33x10.5r15 on 7.5"

 

I've got the metric equivalent of 30X9.50-16's on the 16x5.5"s on my Jeep at the moment, they're just fine.

 

I’m seeing a wide variety or tire/ rim combos and Fino has the sizes I’m considering. No “ rule of thumb “ type answers so I think I’ll proceed with the 9.5” wide Swampers.

 

That's a fairly narrow tire... Which Super Swamper are you going with?

 

33x9.5 is what I was wanting. I like the narrow look.

 

If you look at the tire manufactures website they will tell you the ideal rim width for tires.
Manufactures used to tell you to actually measure the tread width and that is the maximum rim width to use.

 

I have 32x9.50 swampers on 8 1/2” wheels, and it took a lot of pyrotechnics to get them to seat. I’m hesitant to air them down and run them hard off-road out of fear of them blowing off the rim. They have the appearance of the rim being wider than the tread. I’ll measure in a bit.

 

You can see what I mean about the rim appearing wider than the tread. The sidewall bulge is met halfway by the rim.

The tread measures approximately 8 3/4” wide from the widest point of the outer lugs.

I was happiest with these tires on a 7” rim.

 

They’re actually 34x9.5 Big and Skinny

 

These are the 34x9.50 -15 Super Swampers on 7" rims from my flatfender. I wouldn't run them on anything wider than 7" rims and I think 6" rims would be better:






And compared to the 32x11.50-15s on the '71:

 

What tires are on that’71?

 

Cooper Discoverer STT 32x11.50-15. It's been superseded by the "STT Pro": https://www.amazon.com/Cooper-Discoverer-All-Terrain-Radial-Tire/dp/B017PTMV0A