Greg D

I have a 2003 crew cab frontier.
What size wheel can I put on this vehicle, (I'm thinking 17")
and
Is it worth it to put on larger wheels?
smoother ride? more clearance?

If it makes sense, what is the recommended brand. Mostly on road driving with a bit of off road during hunting season.

Thanks

SPEEDO

I went one size up (14" to 15",I have a hardbody) expect longer braking distances, faster wear on the pads, speedo slightly off, on the plus side.. its nice to have that extra height when your off road or a flooded street, oh I almost forgot, check the clearance between tire and fender, I have seen a few trucks with bowed fenders because they put on bigger wheels/tires and when they hit a bump it sent the tire into the fender (I put a little body lift on mine to prevent this) maybe something to think about anyway

jerryp58

You'd typically want to keep the overall diameter the same. You do that by using a lower profile tire. For example, a 265/60-17 tire/wheel combo is the same as a 265/70-15 tire wheel combo. The 17" wheel diameter is 2" bigger, but the tire sidewall is 1" shorter for 2" overall shorter with the net effect being the same height at the 15" wheel/tire combo. Make sense?

Usually, you get better handling on-road with a lower profile tire; I have no idea if it would be helpful or troublesome off-road. I would think it'd hurt rock crawling a little. Also, the lower profile tire will likely have a stiffer/bumpier ride.

If the wheel's offset is correct, clearance shouldn't be a problem. There should be more room for brake caliper and suspension components, but you should check out a site like www.tirerack.com, they have lots of info there.

__________________

Jerry
2004 Frontier, King Cab, XE, 4x1, 4-cyl, 5-spd

Greg D

Appreciate the help.
I'll check the site out.