Do bigger tires = Stiffer ride?

[Hairlessape]

ok.. first post on the forum.. have had my H3 about 2 months and I am a gearhead little brain.. in other words I know next to nothing about automechanical engineering. That being said.. i have searched extensively on this forum for answers to my questions to no avail so I am hoping someone will have mercy on my ignorant newb a$$ and just toss me a couple freebie answers.

One thing I did know when I got it was the tires were too small. so I went out and traded the 265 Wranglers for some 285 BFG T/A's now before I get flamed for not getting the 315's the reason was mainly money.. the guy gave me a deal on the 285's and would have sold me 315's for full price with no trade for my old tires.. so I took the 285's which I think still look great especially compared to the old 265's However.. I have noticed the new tires provide a bit of a stiffer ride as well as a slight loose feeling in the steering wheel. My question is.. if I was to start adjusting the torsion bars.. which I have not done... would this improve the smoothness of my ride or make it worse?... I know the torsion bars adjust the height of the vehicle but do they affect the smoothness of the ride? If not is there a way to get back to the smoother ride I had with the 265's without having to run 265's or buy new shocks or spend a whole lot of money?... I have the base package Hummer and love everything about it and can actually live with the stiffer ride.. but if something can be tweaked to get it back to what it was I would love to know...

Thanks in advance.

[Desert Dan]

What air pressure are you running around town?

That can make a difference. The BFG should ride pretty well

[The Green Lantern]

285, you don't need to adjust the torsion bar.

[H3slate]

Adjusting the torsion bar will raise the front of your H3, but will in general make for a stiffer ride.

Welcome to the forum!

[Hairlessape]

Originally Posted by Desert Dan

What air pressure are you running around town?

That can make a difference. The BFG should ride pretty well

Not sure I would have to go and check.. I'm sure the guy that mounted and balanced just cranked them up to whatever the specs were on the tire.. assuming that is the case until I can go and check the tire pressure.. how much less pressure would you recommend safely.


oh.. and thanks for all the replies.. I knew this forum would have some merciful members willing to take pity on me.

[Sewie]

Well, you are going from essentially a street tire to an offroad tire. There is going to be a difference.

The stiffer sidewall on the BFG is probably why the ride feels stiffer. And the wider, more aggressive tread (compared to the GY's) is probably why the steering feels different. Try going to some 315 MT's and then compare the difference.

And unless you want the look, don't bother raising the t-bars. It will not improve the ride.

[StarsnBars]

Sewie hit the nail on the head

[Desert Dan]

check the presure

Some tire places put in the max psi when mounting the tires?

I run about 35 psi around town and sometimes get the low tire warning when cold. When fully loaded on a trip I run 45 psi on the highway for mileage. I haven't taken the tires below 18spi yet off road. No need so far and I can still run short distances on the hwy to get to teh next dirt road

Off road a larger tire can run at a lower pressure than a smaller tire and still support the vehicle.

The lower presure off road will result in a softer ride, a larger foot print and better flex over rocks and bumps

[TxFireman]

In a nutshell, if the rim size stays that same, then often a larger tire will ride a bit softer due to the increased area of the sidewall, which will allow a bit more flex, which translates into a bit softer ride. Now, there can be exceptions, if for instance the new tire has a very thick sidewall, or a very hard compound used in it's construction.

But all things equal except for the size, the bigger tire will often ride better... or have a "seat of the pants" softer ride.

[wpage]

This ride is becoming stiffer

[usetosellhummer]

I noticed a little diffrence with the tor bar turn. I am gunning for 315's this winter