I need advice on TIRE sizes.

I'm in the market to buy new MUD/SNOW tires for my 97' Country XJ. A friend and I seem to have a difference of opion. One of us think that a wider tire (32x12.5) will help you stay on top of mud & snow better while the other thinks that a narrow tire (32x10.5) will cut through the mud & snow and give you better traction on a more solid surface. I already have a brand picked (Parnelly Jones) with an aggresive side wall. I just want to know your opinion of what would help me the most on snow covered trails with mud holes. What kind of difference does 2" make?

Well - wider tires will lessen ground pressure, give you more floatation. Narrower tires do increase ground pressure. Thats kinda why you never see narrow tires on golf course equipment.

What will geve you the best traction - The packed surface of the snow (ice) or what is under the snow?? The surface of the mud or "bedrock"?

Ice racers will use the narrowest tire they can (plus studs of course) and mud bogging stratagies vary but they use the power to make the tread clear the track ahead of the wheels.

Just the way I understand it.

Oh ya - 2 inches makes a lot of difference under some circumstances. LOL

JD

agreeing with JD

Fat tires are good for mud because it has no bottom, or really deep hard pack snow(flotation is a good thing)

Skinny tires are good for snow covered streets cut through the snow with less resistance

usually its a trade off
I run 35x10.50 on my cherokee to keep the tires under the fenders and to clear the rear leaf springs
But if I air down I can still maintain flotation on deep hard pack snow or deep mud

http://www.irongaming.com/albums/Toys/IMGP0460.jpg
http://www.irongaming.com/uploads/trace/uploadFiles/images/dirty_jeep1.jpg