Hey guys, I just started off roading so I wanna do it right. I wanna get some new rims and tires for my h3 I have the base model and I wanna bump up to 17 in rims but not sure what size tire to get I really like the BFG mk2 I do mud and trails mostly I tend to shy away from sharp rocks and the like. What would you guys recommend?

Also, I want to have the tires stick out slightly from the fender would I use just an offset rim or spacers and is it safe to do it for heavy off roading? I do not have any lift on it. Thanks for any help guys!

 

there is no one right answer. obviously larger tires will give you a little more ground clearance. try looking thru some of the other threads about larger tires, lifts and such. the stock tires and rims are designed to be pretty darn good off-road to begin with but alot of off-road changes are due to personal preferences as well as the driving habits of the driver. some larger tires are wider than the stock and they can give you the offset youre looking for without spacers. the largest tires you can put on the stock H3 without rubbing are the 315's before you have to have a lift. the Goodyear Duratracs are probably one of the best tires to upgrade to.
lastly, if youre doing 'heavy' off-roading, you should get some lockers. having larger tires do not necessarily get you out of certain jams like the lockers can.
you shouldnt have any problem getting the info you need from this forum.
that said, welcome to the forum.

 

The KM2s have been good to me so far... I can air them down pretty low and they hold their head well...
Where do you live? Where do you off road? What is the terrain like? All important factors...

 

Welcome. Get under carriage protection(UCP) to help save what you have

 

I have Goodyear Duratrac's on the Hummer and on my Sport Trac.. I love em and the good thing about them other than the grip, is that for such a aggressive tire they are relatively quite on the freeway....

 

Welcome to the Forums!

The general rule of thumb for an off road tire is that the rim size should not exceed on half the tire diameter. So if you just gotta have 17s, that should pretty much mean you should mate them with 35s/315s (most of which are actually 34.4-7" in Dia.).

Rims cost $$ you could be spending on under carriage protection, rock rails, U Bolt skidz ... etc. I would not wheel without UCP, even a tree stump can trash your T Case or Tranny Pan.

No right or wrong answer, prioritize it as you see fit.

MTZs rule.

 

ATZ's do too!!!

 

From what you describe, I'd go with 315/75/16 in a mud tire. Not sure where you are or what other conditions you will need to drive in. Snow in the winter? Long commute to work? When I lived in Florida, BFG MTs were great. When I moved to UT, the MTs became a horrible option 'cause they absolutely suck on thin or compact snow that is common on the roads in winter. I'm not specifically referring to the BFG MTs, just speaking generally that mud tires may be perfect for one area and bad for another.

I'd keep the stock wheels unless you want to change them for appearance, and use that money for sliders and UCP. Hunner skids (search the forum) wouldn't be a bad idea either. I'm not convinced you'd need lockers for mud and trails like you describe, but they can make a difference. Either way, go play then decide if you want to invest in lockers.

 

Just out of curiosity, why 17" rims?

For the kind of offroad driving you mention, a solid set of tires on your existing rims will probably be a much better use of your money. BFG KM's are decent mud tires, Goodyear DuraTracs are probably a better all around tire. Unless you plan to go really big with your tires, the 16" rims will do you just fine.

As Doc Olds says, there are a lot of other things you can do with that money that will give you a lot more offroad value than new rims.

 

i wonder if Mikawave has left us and will even check this thread and all our replies?