When Did You Swap Out Your OEM Tires and Why?

Hi everyone;
I’m currently running OEM 255/75/17 tires - Goodyear White Letter Wranglers - mainly because they came on some Jeep OEM wheels, and were the same as free. I have to say, they’re not as bad as I thought they would be, to my surprise. Sure, they look pretty anemic, but they only have about 15k km on them, and my Jeep is primarily a mall crawler anyway, lol.
But I’m kind of wondering how many Jeep owners actually run the OEM tires that come on their Jeeps, or are they the first thing that is changed? Do the OEM car tires that come on Jeeps have any redeeming qualities on an off road vehicle?
I’d love to hear your comments and experiences - especially if you have tried to use the OEM Jeep tires off road.
Thanks!

 

On FB market, CL, Offerup etc there are some jeepers out there that want to sell the OEM wheels and tires in their quest for larger 35s-37s. Sometimes these OEM tire combos can be found with extremely low mileage in sets of five for less than the price of 4 new tires. Do this transaction a few times and you may never need to buy new OEM-sized tires ever again. All mounted, balanced and ready to roll....LOL

 

Yes, but do they work off road even a little bit? Is this practice just for the looks of a luggy tire?

 

YMMV but a quick CL check in my area:
---Jeep Wheels & Tires.. like new - $300: Wrangler SR-A x 5 (found on Sport)
---Jeep Wrangler 17 inch wheels and almost new tires - $600: Bridgestone Dueler AT x 5

Take your time and something should pop up in your area. Once they make the switch to 33s>35s>37s the small 32s (big for you) will just be in the way and unloading them is a win for everybody.... LOL

 

I agree, @aggrex - I see the same ads in my area. Are guys switching these out though, because they don’t do the job, or is it mainly looks? Do you think these OEM brands get a bad rap just because they look like car tires? Do they have any practical utility off road at all?

 

Tried OEM tires at Uwharrie offroad trails. Didn't work, wouldn't get axles up high enough. So that's basically it, to get axles up higher, which required a lift for bigger tires.

 

Agreed...if you @Justanotherjeeper plan on doing some adventurous wheeling bigger aggressive tires will help a bunch but theres that rabbit hole as bigger could mean a lift (not that theres anything wrong with it). Know your limitations as you have no locker or traction aids, drive wisely, winch up, max trax, recovery gear and don't go alone etc.

 

My JK came with 32” KO2s as the OEM tire thus other than size they perform well on the trails. When it’s time I’ll be looking at 35s KO2 or an equally aggressive AT. The standard Wrangler SR-A are basically all season and will limit your capability on tougher trails but will be fine as a m crawler but your Jeep will look much better with some aggressive AT and the 32s won’t require a lift. Mines the black one

 

It might be fun to try the OEM tires on a trail, with rescuers close at hand, just to see how far you can really push them. I get it, I have K02s on my 4 Runner. But I see Jeeps that never go off road, like my little JK grocery getter running tires which I assume are for style. And that’s ok too, hey everyone likes to look cool. But in terms of functionality, will those OEM tires handle mild trails, and some wet ground? Has anyone ever tried them, or are they just the first things to go from the dealership because they don’t look right, lol? That’s my question.

 

OEM Wrangler SR-A are basically all season tires. No aggressive lugs or tread and more vulnerable to punctures depending upon where you trail. Light duty well traveled dirt roads should be fine but your Jeep may have to work harder and smarter so ymmv