what tires are people using for 4" rims

[jrp916]

Hello all,
I have 4" front rims for my off-road buggy and I see a lot of off-road rims in 4". What tires are people using? The only option I see for dirt is the Mickey thompson mini mag. Is there anything else available?


mickey thompson tire- https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mtt-2551/overview/



I feel like I've seen 215 mud-terrains on 4" wheels?

[Vanapplebomb]

Pretty much any 7.00x15 also works...29-30 inches tall and only slightly wider than the mini mags. Most are pretty tough, but a bit on the heavy side for how big they are.
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[jrp916]

Thank you, here are a couple. But ya, looks heavy-

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cok-59132/overview/

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT-7-00-15-Nylon-D503-MUD-...mp;vxp=mtr

These even looks like its for a 5" rim, but with those stiff sidewalls it'd probably be fine?

Anyone other tires anyone knows of ? Anyone ever put a 215 mud terrain on a 4" wheel?

[Brian]

I have the BFG KO2 on 215/75-15 on stock 4J rims. The BFG mud tires aren't too different so you'd be fine I'd say.
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[jrp916]

[dustymojave]

My Baja has 7.00-15s on Centerline 15 x 3.5" wheels. Works fine. A great many Bajas have a similar setup. So do most 5-1600 race Baja Bugs.

Most white spoke wheels used for fronts are 5" wide. That's what you see on the front of my Hi Jumper race car in my avatar.

And if you think offroading doesn't put a lot of side loads on a tire, you haven't been up close to a desert offroad race. Even playing can strain them pretty hard too. Driving on the street is NOTHING in comparison.

Look at this Baja I've raced in.

Or this one.

Both of those have 7.00-15s on 3.5" wide Centerlines.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[jrp916]

Thanks! Any recommendations on where to buy those tires? The ones I've seen so far look like they are more like for a jeep (tread patterns).

[dustymojave]

Many VW supply shops sell 7.00-15s. Most tire shops can get them. All Terrain or Mud Terrain tires of many brands in sizes from 215-75 x 15 to 235-75 x 15 will also work.

The tires can be 'P' - passenger series, or LT - light truck in load range B or C. The ones you see on the front of my Baja are Yokohama. The ones on my buggy are Cooper. LOTS of brands will work well. There are a huge number of options for you.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[mr_bill]

215/75R-15 BFG's on 4.5.....stock "VW" Marathon wheels....just say'n
_________________
see ya' on the trail........

"Mr Bill"
Dos Perros Motorsports
Orange, CA
1972 Class 11x/Stock Bug
'60's era "vintage" Tunnell-Buggy

"...no one here....get's out ALIVE...."

Motor = electric
Engine = internal combustion

www.facebook.com/groups/DosPerrosMotorsports
www.alrchapter132.org
www.DAV.org

[dustymojave]

Bill has a great setup there. In fact my plan for the next pair of tires for the front of my Baja is 215-75 all terrains. Which ones I choose depends on what tires are available at good deals when the time comes. My tire brand choice is not cast in stone.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[jrp916]

Thanks guys. I have decided to go with a 30" x 9.5" front tire for my rail. I can either go with a 4" or 7" btr front rim. The 4" rim will make a little more narrow tire which will make it easier to turn and also help narrow my front width (which is almost wider than the rear). I think it'll look a little better for a rail too. But the center of the tire will wear faster.

Not sure which rim to go with yet.

Also fyi 4wheelparts has a great deal on all-terrains and mud-terrains right now.

[Vanapplebomb]

Those are pretty wide tires up front there buddy. Any particular reason you are going that rout? Honestly, the buggies I have drove that drove the west were ones with skinny tires up front. Just something to think about.
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[jrp916]

[dustymojave]

The bigger the tires on the front of a buggy, the greater the forces on the suspension components.

Yes...you can put 30 x 9.50-15 tires on a 15 x 4" wheel. But you would be asking an AWFUL LOT of stock spindles, linkpins, links and kingpins. Probably be OK with Combo Links.

Lots of desert offroad racers use 33x10.50s on the front of Class 5-Open, Class 12 (any width beam front end, limited engine buggy) and Class 10. (similar to 12, but with a-arm front). But their front ends cost many thousands of dollars to build.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[jrp916]

[69 DEWD]

https://simpletire.com/jetzon-7.0015lt-aud36-tires...fgodNmkC0g
Just got these. Haven't tried them out yet but they sure look good.

[jrp916]

Here it is! 30s in the front and 33s in the back! I think it looks great but I'm a little disappointed at the width of the 10.5 km2s my old all terrains (31x10.5) were over 3/4" wider on the tread.

[jrp916]

So to provide a little more information. I did some measuring last night the 30x9.5 KM2 mud terrains on 4" rims had a 1.5" tire side bulge past the rim. The exact same amount of side bulge my old 31x10.5 all terrains had on my old centerline 5.5" wide rims. I would admit if this was a street car I would have a little too much crowning on the tire tread surface, but for dirt it seems a good fit.

The 33x10.5 km2 mud terrains on 7" BTR wheels have a 1.25" tire side bulge, I was surprised the front and rears had such a similiar bulge.

This is a picture of the front tire side bulge.

[nate3923]

I run baja pros and love them

[chappy89]

hope im not digging up to old of a thread but here is my setup, front 215/75R15, rear 30X9.5R15 Hankook Dynapro M/T