The tale of two 33’s - 20” vs 17”

4banger · March 28, 2023

well almost a year on this but most importantly a full hunting and ice fishing season, did late September and late November hunting trips into backcountry, towed trailer in for both weeks, mud, snow/ice, regular winter driving family duty, and then 10 weekends towing trailer for ice fishing from x-mas break until now, a couple things of note for those who could care less about looks and prefer function and efficiency over all things;

1. This tire size and combo is amazing, the traction for the forestry stuff mud or snow/ice plus the ice fishing stuff and winter driving is best I've had, so confidence inspiring that you just don't even think about it when the really bad stuff blows in...just another regular day.

2. I had to chain up the front end for one ice fishing trip with trailer on as a warm spell came to the area just before we got there with rain and was a skating rink for 30 miles, the first hill in a provincial park towing trailer forced us to chain up or live in the ditch for awhile, anyone that may have come to get us would have simply slid right down into us so chains were only answer, and we had to go a few miles through that park with several more hills and valleys to get to the ice, left chains on all weekend as we had to get out of there as well and needed them until well outside of that park and into the nearby town. So there's great clearance for v-bar cam style chains with this combo, probably wouldn't even need a lift to clear them even on front.

this 33x10 will remain my favourite half ton wheel/tire size for potentially rest of my days, on mid-size I'd be all about the 235 80r17 (32x9) to have the same effect, room for chains, no negative handling or mpg effects, if anything benefits due to less rolling resistance and lighter combo, increased sidewall for maintaining ride while going up to e-rated near flat proof tires with LT depth treads for long wear, clearance for chains, and the only reason I ran fatter stuff before was appearance based...what a silly reason to choose lol, pizza cutters for the win