11x20 VS 395 offroad performance

[DanMartin]

you have to get you a tan cargo cover that just doesnt look right on there

Already done...those pics are a bit old.

 

[DanMartin]

OK.....oh my..........where can I find 14.5 tires at a good price!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man, those look awesome and exactly like what I am looking for.
Height of the 11.00x20 but with more width. But not as big as the
395s.....

I got mine from Berg tire (BergTires.com Home Page - Thousands of Used Tires - Military, Industrial, Large Truck, Heavy Equipment) I think I paid $100 each, but that was a few years ago.

Note that the 11.00s and the 14.50s are almost exactly the same diameter (within a 1/4" or less). You can run two 14.50s on the fronts, and still run duals out back if you want to keep the DRW look. I've seen at least one done up like this and it was awesome! He ran Michelin XLs all around, 8x11.00 out back on stock A2 rims and 2x14.50 up front on 2 stock A3 rims. It was bad-ass!

 

[Recovry4x4]

I had some -A3 wheels almost within my grasp and they just slipped away. One day I will find 2 and do the duals in the back and 14.5s on the front. Already have some 14.5s in the yard.

 

[DanMartin]

OK, I found the post of that truck I was referring to earlier:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-...ing/14745-lil-ruthie-gets-some-new-shoes.html

It's Readyman's old deuce...I believe he's sold it, but man is that sexy or what?

 

[tm america]

ya i like the look of your truck way better than that setup .i was looking for 14.5s a while ago and they seemed to be the hardest size military tire to fine the only ones i found were so far away the shipping would have been way more than the tires

 

[tm america]

not t mention having to carried two different spares or have it look al crazy when you get a flat

 

[donkdonk]

they are around 5 inches wider tread than the 11.00s and both 11.00s and 14.5s should use different rims than the 9.00s both both have been mounted on stock rims without any problems.

I was under the impression that the stock 5 ton wheels are the same width as the deuce wheels??

 

[tm america]

5ton rims are the same width as m135 or m34 rims but the rims used on the m35 are narrower than those

 

[donkdonk]

5ton rims are the same width as m135 or m34 rims but the rims used on the m35 are narrower than those

If they are wider, it's not by much, 1" max. Or at least I think so...

 

[DanMartin]

Here's the datasheet for the Michelin XL tires (as an example):

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PDFs/Michelin XL.pdf

As you can see, the 11.00R20s will fit on a 7.5-8" wide wheel. Stock A2 wheels will work fine for them.

 

[tm america]

ya they are only like an inch wider. you can fit 11.00s 14.00s 15.5s and 395s on stock rims i have my 15.5s on stock rims but they are not rated for it and it should be done only at your own risk .there are alot of guys doing this without any problems

 

[DanMartin]

Well, the 14.50s use a different bead than the 9.00s 11.00s, so while it may "work", it's not really making full contact on the bead putting them on a stock A2 rim and in my opinion is unsafe. See post #10 in this thread for the poop on this:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-...72-15-50-14-50-xl-tires-stock-deuce-rims.html

Gringeltaube knows what he's talking about....

11.00s are safe though...they are the correct bead and the stock A2 rims are in the recommended size range.

 

[tm america]

right they do have different beads but the way the sidewall hits the bead and lock ring there is no way it can go anwhere .but like i said they arent rated for those rims and do so at your own risk but it is done all the time .and i havent heard of anyone having a problem doing so.i have put several thousand miles on mine aired down.heavily loaded and high speeds with no problems

 

[donkdonk]

I am no expert on tires, but the comparisons going on here are not really clear. A deep sticky mud hole is not the same as driving on a dirt trail after 3 days of rain. Also, mud in Wisconsin is not the same as swamp mud in FL, or red clay mud in OK, etc.

The other thing is that you can't just compare skinny to wide, 44" to 46". The NDCC tires are bias ply and the tread pattern is totally different. The 395's are radials with a deep aggressive tread pattern.

What some of the people saying here really makes no sense to me. I have put several sets of 395's (46" tall x 17" wide) on stock rims and never had any problems. The only time you rub is full lock, and it is barely rubbing. I have put 2 sets of 14.00's on stock wheels and they rub a lot more, but on road it is not too bad. I have put several sets of 14.00's (49" x 17") on the custom wheels that I make and there is zero rubbing, cruise at 70mph easily, and they look great.

In my experience there is no comparison at all to a stock deuce with stock 9.00's dualed and a singled deuce with 395's, 14.00's, 15.50's, 14.50's, etc. In all the driving I have done the larger tires are 10x better. I don't really see how anyone that has experience with both could say anything different.

On a trip to the river we had a bobbed deuce gasser and a singled 6 wheel multifuel both riding on 395's on stock rims. We spent all day driving in various mud pits, sand pits, water, muddy trails, snow, pavement, etc and we got the 6 wheeled truck stuck once in a mud hole when it sunk to the frame and the bobber got stuck in the same hole. The same day a buddy's stock truck got stuck trying to go down the muddy trail to GET to the river. IMO the stock tires just immediately fill with mud and become smooth.

In my opinion the only thing the stock tires do better is turn while sitting still. So if you spend a lot of time turning around in small spaces, bigger tires without air assist is not for you. Normal driving is fine, much much better than many non power steering cars that I have driven.

The jist of my long winded post is that IMO a Deuce looks better and drives better with the bigger radial tires that they do with the stock 9.00 NDCC tires, and IMHO the 11.00's are not much of a step up in looks or performance and unless you have some already or they are really cheap and you don't want to spend more, I would skip them.

 

[tm america]

donk donk i agree 100%.15.5s or 395s are 10 times better in every situation mud,snow sand dirt rain and everything else i have drivin my truck in .the only way to compare tires is to compare the same size tires same truck same driver same hole.other than that there is to many veriables.until you put them on your truck in place of the stock ndts you wont know what we are talking about .

 

[Recovry4x4]

10 times better is just a bit hard for me to swallow.

 

[baxter]

Not to get off subject but I have some 395's comming and will use my stock rims what is the best size tube I should use and do I use stock flaps. Thanks guys and this is a great thread for those of us deciding what tireews to go with.

Vaughn

 

[rebel_raider]

I'll chime in on this, too. I'm not trying to be argumentative, just trying to get a good grip on tire abilities. Now, I agree that the 395/15.5 tire set-up does look sweet. Three more inches of ground clearance never hurt, either. However, how many of you that don't like the 9.00s have aired them down to spec when going through the mud. I've still got 9.00s on mine, but I've never had it in the mud. I don't plan to have it in the mud, but there is always the exception to the rule.

P.S. I like the 14.5 the best as they are bigger than stock, but not too big. Plus, its "authentic" for the deuce.

 

[tm america]

in order to compare tires you have to do so at the same pressure to.anytime else and you are comparing apples to oranges.the 14.5s are a good choice they do give you a tire that was run on the trucks while in service.i would use a 12.00 20 tube in them some guys run 14.00 tubes in them .but i think the 14.00 tubes are a little to big since they might end up folded on the inside ,as far as 9.00s go they are ok they are better than running slicks in the mud .but do i want to get out air down ten tires to go through some mud or snow then air back up to drive at high way speed.oh wait highway speed is only 56 with 9.00s but it is 69 with 395s or 15.5s .when the 15.5s and 395s perform better aired up than 9.00s do aired down.for me airing down is not an option most of the time my truck is ussually way overloaded and 9.00 didnt hold up even at 50psi so running them down to 15 would only make them blow out sooner.i need a tire that can take 10000lb load and still do good in mud snow and rain

 

[tm america]

i think for most guys the 14.5s would be best .but for the guys that want to do some serious offroading the 15.5s or 395s are best .it.s all about getting what suits you and how you use your truck