Can Bigger Jeep Tires Make My Ride Slow?

Bigger Jeep tires are what every Jeep owner is thinking about. So you finally pull the trigger and order up a set online from XT, you get those puppies installed, and now all of sudden, it feels like your Jeep might be slower... What's the deal?

Can Bigger Jeep Tires Make My Ride Slow?

Bigger tires can affect the way your Jeep drives. First of all, they will naturally come with more weight and mass. You've suddenly given your Jeep a larger object it has to rotate on the end of an axle. At slow speeds, you have to use more torque to get those monsters to start rotating. If you're driving a manual transmission, you may have also noticed that your clutch technique has had to change from what you're used to. It's not likely you'll be spinning the larger tires right away or smokin' them off like you could with the stock, skinny tires.

More Power and Torque for Bigger Tires

If you're running a 4-cylinder engine, or maybe just a tired high mileage engine, you may need to upgrade to some more power. Some options you can consider are an exhaust header or pipe system to get the free flowing gases moving, a performance chip from Jet, or a Hypertech Programmer. There are also new air intakes from AFE and Airaid, which are popular ways of getting you clean, cool air. Either way, you can't beat adding some horsepower and torque to your Jeep to make the most of those larger tires. Whether it's slow trail crawling, or having to hit the highway to the next fishing spot, think about the power you need and how you can use it.

Off-Road Gearing for Jeeps

Another thing to consider with Jeep tire upgrades is the gearing you're working with. Not only could your speedometer be reading wrong, but you could end up with your Jeep not working in the most optimal setup for gas mileage, or torque and power, for that matter. We have a handy chart that can help you discover what the best tire and gear ratio options might be, depending on your modifications. Check it out and see if there's a better setup than what you currently have in place. If you need to change the gears in the differentials, we carry products from the best brands in the world. From Ring & Pinion setups to complete rear end overhauls, we have you covered. With top brands like Yukon, Mopar, Precision Gear and Alloy USA, we can get you the best setup for your tire size. You might think your Jeep has gotten slower after adding new, larger tires. It might just feel that way, but it could actually be a gearing issue, or you just don't have the horsepower you need to wrangle those big rubber donuts down the road.

Don't Forget:

Don’t forget about adding a programmer to change shift points and letting the computer know that you’ve installed larger tires.  On a JK or TJ Rubicon, you have to program the new tire size (and gear ratio, if that’s been changed) so the computer knows when to tell the transmission to shift and to correct the speedometer/odometer. Has your Jeep ever felt slower as a result of changing the tire size? What did you do to remedy the situation? Tell us about it.