The reason 15" rims are better for wheeling versus 16" rims is simply "the bead", or the lack of the bead on the 16" rim! The 16" rim has no bead! So airing down becomes very dangerous! That is why wheeling on 15" rims are better!!

 

For "die-hard" wheelers anyway, for me it would be the price difference between the the two tires. I don't wheel enough or hit enough extreme terrain to require an air down to, say, 5-10 psi so it makes no diffence to me.

 

are you sure? i think you're getting 16.5" mixed up with 16". the 16.5" don't have a bead lip so airing down can be dangerous. 15" and 16" have a bead and can be air down fine.

in terms of off-roading, 15" are better because you have more tire bulge when you air down. and most of the time, 15" tires have less thick sidewalls so they will "fold" around objects better.

in terms of off-roading, 16" can be better because of the thicker sidewalls eventhough they won't bulge as much as a 15".

in terms of on-road, 16" have a greater load range and suppose to handle better on the road since the sidewall normal has a smaller profile than a similar size 15" wheel.

btw, nice 4runner.

 

nice flex pics. i'm in the same boat, i got about 2.5" of lift and haven't decided if i'm going to 265/75R16 or 285/75R16 due to rubbing. i really like to avoid a body lift unless i plan to do alot of trimming to clear 315/70R16.

 

if youre referring to Tech 1 wheels youre totally wrong. i can think of 5 guys who run these without spacers.

 

I thought the same, could have sworn I saw a bead on mine before the guys mounted them.

 

The reason 15" rims are better for wheeling versus 16" rims is simply "the bead", or the lack of the bead on the 16" rim! The 16" rim has no bead! So airing down becomes very dangerous! That is why wheeling on 15" rims are better!!

Wrong.

15, 16, and 17 inch rims have the same safety bead.

16.5" do not.

Wouldn't you think that if 16" rims had no bead that all of the people who wheel their 3rd Gens with 16's would be hunting for beadlocks?

 

I'm glad you guys could straighten that out for me, it just didn't make sense that a rim offered by Toyota wouldn't have a beadlock!

 

mertztr, did you mean to say "beads?" "beadlocks" are the ones that have screws holding the tire.

 

Oops, yes you're right. I meant to say beads. Lemme go get that cup of coffee now...