Terrible tires for a Wrangler

I always keep my eye out for interesting—or alarming—vehicles. Recently, while waiting to pick up some steel in Tucson to weld gates for our new place, I noticed this Wrangler mounted with what looked like an  . . . let’s just say impractical . . . combination of large-diameter wheels and low-profile mud terrain tires.

Sure enough, the aftermarket wheels were 20 inches in diameter—at least two inches too large for a Wrangler (the Rubicon comes with 17-inch wheels)—and mounted with Gladiator Comp mud-terrain tires in size 35 x 12.50. That tire has an aspect ratio of 60—that is, the sidewall is only 60 percent as tall as the width of the tire—which leaves insufficient sidewall (in my opinion) to allow adequate airing down while leaving enough sidewall height to protect the rim. My preferred minimum aspect ratio is at least 70, and both our Land Cruisers are mounted with tires that have an aspect ratio of 85. If the owner had wanted 35-inch-tall tires for his Wrangler he could have found the same diameter tire to fit a far more practical 17-inch-diameter wheel.

These wheels—complete with the obligatory faux beadlock bolts—were also quite wide for the tire, further inviting damage and also making re-seating a bead in the field difficult if it becomes necessary.

That is, if this vehicle is actually used on trails. Perhaps it is, and the owner is simply unfamiliar with the advisable ratio of sidewall to tread, and was seduced by the large-diameter rims. But it’s also possible the vehicle never sees a dirt trail and the rims are all for show—in which case suffering the noise and ride of a mud-terrain tire makes zero sense.

That, however, wasn’t the worst part. While snapping a photo of the tire size I noticed the tire’s load range.

Wait. What? Load range F ???!!!

Load range F refers to a tire with a 12-ply rating, substantially more heavy duty than the load range E tires found on most 3/4 and even 1-ton trucks. A load range F tire has a load index of 125, meaning it’s rated to carry 3,638 pounds. Per tire. At a recommended 80 psi. This set of tires could carry this Wrangler with another two Wranglers stacked on top of it.

Such a tire is absurdly, comically Too Much Tire for a Jeep Wrangler. I can’t even imagine what the ride is like in this thing—compounded by the fact that a Gladiator Comp tire in this size weighs 75 pounds each, not including the rim.

I hope the owner realizes soon that this was an unwise combination that severely hampers the capability and comfort of his otherwise excellent Wrangler, and gets some advice from a knowledgeable tire shop.

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