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Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:44 am

TOOF wrote: Does anyone run ATV tires on their baja bug? Im looking for some fun dirt tires for there 14" aluminum mag wheels I have.

Was just thinking about these for assembling a set off occasional use knobby wheels/tires on some 14" 4x130 mags that I have: https://www.amazon.com/26x9R14-26x9x14-Replacement...GYSCMV2XPP

May or may not ever happen, but the ATV tire choices out there are kind of interesting.

Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:52 pm

dustymojave wrote: I'm not going to tell you an "ABSOLUTE".

The widest I go for on the front of a VW-based buggy or Baja is 7.00-15 on a 4" wide rim. And I prefer stock 3-3/4" back space for that 4" wide rim. Like a Centerline "bubble" rim.

In more common sizes in places like Nebraska, try a 215-75 x 15 tire. All-Terrain ("A/T") is good. Local Walmart had a good looking Douglas in that size a while back at a good price. So is a 6.70-15 5-rib DOT Implement tire. (Load Range B or C. NOT Load Range D or E.)

It's a buggy. NOT a lifted Chevy 4X.

Thanks man! I'll check those out.

Tue May 04, 2021 4:24 pm

Hoping to revive this board for a little help. Building a bug and currently torn on tire size and rim width. Tire height will either be 31" or 33". It will be powered by a Honda motor and supported by a built up bus transaxle, so should be able to push either size. I want to run same size tire and rim all around for ease of a carrying a spare. Looking at either a 5" or 6" wheel and was hoping to get some opinions and or pictures of similar wheels.

Sun May 09, 2021 7:59 pm

Are you going to beef up your suspension to match? Have you read all the material above before you ask this question? Pretty much answered above. I just stated above an answer to your question.

Quote: dustymojave wrote:
I'm not going to tell you an "ABSOLUTE".

The widest I go for on the front of a VW-based buggy or Baja is 7.00-15 on a 4" wide rim. And I prefer stock 3-3/4" back space for that 4" wide rim. Like a Centerline "bubble" rim.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

In more common sizes in places like Nebraska, try a 215-75 x 15 tire. All-Terrain ("A/T") is good. Local Walmart had a good looking Douglas in that size a while back at a good price. So is a 6.70-15 5-rib DOT Implement tire. (Load Range B or C. NOT Load Range D or E.)

It's a buggy. NOT a lifted Chevy 4X.

My preference for narrower tires on the front of a Baja is not about looks. It's about experience. There is more weight on the back of a Bug. Wider tires on the back affect the handling in a positive way. They reduce oversteer. Wide tires on the front lead to trouble with scrub radius. Increased steering effort. More damage to front end and steering components. Need for power steering. Need for anti sway bars all around (and nobody makes them for the back of Bugs). Trouble with tires rubbing and fender/body clearance. Vastly increased turning radius. And a number of other issues. I don't recommend it.

My Baja has 7.00-15s on the front and 30x 9.50-15s on the back and the spare is a 7.00-15. It will serve just FINE on the back if needed. Our offroad race team uses 7.00-15 spare tires for the 5/1600 Baja Bugs, 1600 Buggies and Class 9 Buggies. The 30x9.50-15s rub on the inner wheel wells in the back. Bigger tires will limit suspension travel unless you go with bigger trailing arms.

You CAN go with 33s all around. Be prepared to deal with the issues mentioned above.

Quote: It's a buggy. NOT a lifted Chevy 4X.

Sat Jul 09, 2022 9:02 am

I have 7x15 LT truck tires all round on my buggy. Would I get a smoother ride going with normal off road tires like BF Goodrich all terrain? Just thinking they may be softer rubber and sidewalls?

Sat Jun 03, 2023 10:00 am

Considering turning my 70 into a Highwheel class 11 "Style"

Been reading through, and it sounds like Bias Ply is great for the dirt, but too squirrely on the Highways.

But great for making turns in the sand/ mud.

Is that basically the difference? Bias ply are squirrely?

I'll be mostly street driving, maybe 5% forest service roads to trailheads, and once or twice a year on ocean beaches.

Seems like everything I've read a good 235 / 75- 15's radial would be my best option running stock fenders and just thing spindles with a couple of notches in the rear - all else being stock.

Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:14 pm

J-Gaz. wrote: Considering turning my 70 into a Highwheel class 11 "Style"

Been reading through, and it sounds like Bias Ply is great for the dirt, but too squirrely on the Highways.

But great for making turns in the sand/ mud.

Is that basically the difference? Bias ply are squirrely ?

I'll be mostly street driving, maybe 5% forest service roads to trailheads, and once or twice a year on ocean beaches.

Seems like everything I've read a good 235 / 75- 15's radial would be my best option running stock fenders and just thing spindles with a couple of notches in the rear - all else being stock.

My take on it is Bias tires are a little more stiff and that’s good on the front to keep you steering more directional. The 7” x 28” that is common on the bajas seemed to be mostly available as a bias ply with like a 6 or 8 ply sides. I have some Yokohama 742 that are similar but are modern radials. I think the radials are better modern choice just make sure they have a stronger side wall . I had some light truck radial tires on he front of mine and they sucked cause the steering was squishy or soft . That said The stiff tall front tires with high air pressure do track and veer making them seem squirrely I run mine as low as 18lbs on the highway

Sun Jun 11, 2023 5:44 pm

dirtkeeper wrote: J-Gaz. wrote: Considering turning my 70 into a Highwheel class 11 "Style"

Been reading through, and it sounds like Bias Ply is great for the dirt, but too squirrely on the Highways.

But great for making turns in the sand/ mud.

Is that basically the difference? Bias ply are squirrely ?

I'll be mostly street driving, maybe 5% forest service roads to trailheads, and once or twice a year on ocean beaches.

Seems like everything I've read a good 235 / 75- 15's radial would be my best option running stock fenders and just thing spindles with a couple of notches in the rear - all else being stock.

My take on it is Bias tires are a little more stiff and that’s good on the front to keep you steering more directional. The 7” x 28” that is common on the bajas seemed to be mostly available as a bias ply with like a 6 or 8 ply sides. I have some Yokohama 742 that are similar but are modern radials. I think the radials are better modern choice just make sure they have a stronger side wall . I had some light truck radial tires on he front of mine and they sucked cause the steering was squishy or soft . That said The stiff tall front tires with high air pressure do track and veer making them seem squirrely I run mine as low as 18lbs on the highway

wow - 18lbs is pretty lean.
Okay, good to know. I'll be mostly highway with some forest service roads here and there.
I always thought Bias plies were softer in general and easier to get sideways - but maybe that's a tall tale.

Fri Sep 29, 2023 6:06 pm

Does anyone have any experience with how loud the Yokohama 720's are on the street? Thanks!

Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:41 am

J-Gaz. wrote:
wow - 18lbs is pretty lean.

Not that lean, I run 18 rear, 12 front for race use on the rail, and mine is heavier than most.

Sidewalls on most off road tyres are far too hard for lightweight baja's and buggies.

Wed Dec 06, 2023 12:14 pm

Speaking of pounds. Does there exist a spreadsheet which shows tire weights?

This is my nightmare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDeNv5XcMo8
But of course the vehicle weight and specifics are pretty much as opposite as one could get versus our vehicles, so there is that.

I went with Goodyear Wrangler 235/75r15 which were about 30.5 pounds each. They seem to run around $100 to $110 each at this time.

Fri Jan 26, 2024 6:07 pm

On my Baja, I've been running Yokohama 720 7.00-15 Xtra Traction. The last set were shaved shoulders. Race car take-offs. The current ones are also race car take-offs, but Highway tread. Should last a lot better in dual purpose driving. I too run 18psi or less on those fronts. They're designed for heavy trucks, not lightweight Baja Bugs.

Actually for most mild Baja Bugs used primarily on pavement, I recommend 215-75 radial fronts with a coarse pavement tread. Possibly All Terrains. For the rears on such cars, I recommend 30x9.50-15 radials. Again Coarse pavement tread tires or All Terrains. For most purposes, Mud Terrains on a Baja Bug are all about the "Look". Some 31x10.50s will rub on the ends of the torsions and on the inner fender panel too. In fact, with stock trailing arms, tires bigger than 30x9.50s become the upper travel limiters.

Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:48 am

Looking at 235/75/17 all around for a fireroad-runner baja. Roughly 12" suspension travel.
What do you think of the size?
Running 17 x 7 wheels as it's going to be running 5x4.5 custom hubs with big brakes.
Jeff

Sat May 25, 2024 5:20 am

I recently put on Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs for the rear in 31×10.5R15 and General Grabber in 205/75/15 .

More pics here: https://robonza.com/beetle/index.php/2024/04/17/new-tires-for-the-baja/

-Joe

Fri Aug 23, 2024 7:56 am

I'm taking this to the dunes tomorrow and I'm not sure what to do with my fronts. Should I air them down? Air them up? Remove them and put my bald firestone drags back on the front? I will be in deep sand (obviously) and this is rig is on the heavy side (2Klbs). The old drags are on rims that are so thick they push the centerline out about 1.5" from the drum which is why I don't run them any more. However, that's not a big issue in sand. I've been trying to sell them but maybe I should keep them for sand if my power kings are going to suck.
Let me know what you think.

Mon Aug 26, 2024 5:08 am

After the fact, my powerkings were fine, but those rears aired down to 8psi were terrible on my my heavy rig. My engine was way too hot most of the time prompting me to go home after a few hours at the dunes. Granted it was purty hot that day feeling like close to 90 on the dunes which was amazing since it's right next to the cold lake michigan and there was a decent breeze. Orange just isn't built for the thick sand. She didn't have any problems getting up test, but the spinning and drag was too much for my cooling system. If I had paddles I think things could be a lot different. I'm just not sure I like the dunes enough to blow a grand on a paddle/rim set up. I'm just baffled by how much effort I've put into making my cooling system work and I still have problems. All I can think is the iron block of my Quad4 just isn't as efficient at cooling. I saw plenty of ecotecs out there most running the radiator configuration I originally had with it mounted on the side of the engine hugging the intake and they did fine. I should have gone ecotec in the first place. Oh well, she works good in the woods and that's what I was aiming for. So maybe I'm not giving myself enough credit. Party on.

Sat Sep 14, 2024 8:13 am

These are 29 x 10 x15 side by side tires on a customer’s rail buggy. Surprisingly they did really well on road and even had it up to 65mph on the highway. Made some howling noise but wasnt bad, no worse than any other mud tire ive run before.
Seems it’s getting easier to find side by side tires in 15’s now than LT truck tires. Nice thing about side by side tires is their half the weight of truck tires and designed for similar weight vehicles to rails but the dont have they width like we used to be able to get.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 9:47 am

^^^I was just on line looking for a set of those. ^^^ Seems everyone is out of stock, I wonder if they have been discontinued?

Sun May 04, 2025 8:13 am

oprn wrote: ^^^I was just on line looking for a set of those. ^^^ Seems everyone is out of stock, I wonder if they have been discontinued?

So the guy that owns that buggy put nearly 10k miles on it this past year, with that, some uneven tire wear due to alignment and the fact that those are a soft compound that wears fast on pavement, he wanted some new tires. I dont know if he couldnt find those same ones or not either but he decided to go with the ones in the photo below. Same size, similar tread, and cheap. He just got them this week so they should be available. Well, youd think but things are goofy these days.

Thu May 29, 2025 11:57 am

You know, even if they wear out quicker, I don't think Id mind. It's not like I put miles on my rigs anyway. $56 is aweful hard to scoff at. But I have a feeling there's a reason you see these tires come and go. I think some are fly-by-night companies so-to-speak, pushing out a cheap product and then heading for the hills about the time people start complaining.

It would be nice if they made em a little wider tho