P500 Joined the P500 nation.

[tomcj2]

Thanks, what’s the benefit with same tire all around?

Perhaps the question could be rephrased to:
What is the disadvantage with same wheel/tire all around?

 

[ehart814]

Perhaps the question could be rephrased to:
What is the disadvantage with same wheel/tire all around?

That is a good question! I never found any disadvantage, so I don't have an answer. Other advantages:
9" wide tire is cheaper than 11 or 12"
9" wide tire is lighter than 11 or 12"

Honestly I was always happy with the amount of traction I had when in 2wd.

 

[trigger]

Perhaps the question could be rephrased to:
What is the disadvantage with same wheel/tire all around?

Less flotation and ground contact, that's all i can think of using 9's. I wanted more of both so I'm running 11's on all four.

 

[Chuckie3]

I’m running 26/9x12 front 26/11x12 rear on itp 5/2 rims with bighorn 2.0 tires no spacers and have no issues with being tipsy. But I also don’t drive to fast

 

[Leep]

Thanks, I think that is the right combination. I don’t drive fast either, it’s mostly slow rocky trail crawling.

 

[monaco]

Welcome and for me the spacers gave me 100% improvement on trail ridin' tippiness. I disconnected the swaybar too, should've done it sooner!

Running 27" Black Diamonds on the stock rims, 2" spacers all around

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Less flotation and ground contact, that's all i can think of using 9's. I wanted more of both so I'm running 11's on all four.

Not at all challenging your decision on 11's - however, flotation and traction do not always go hand in hand -
I used to have a Willys M38 (last of the flat fender jeeps) that ran on 6 x 16 NDT tires (quite narrow) which seemed to serve the army quite well in WWII on the MB and in Korea with the M38.
By contrast I had a F-350, Crew cab dually diesel 2WD (serious flotation) that could get stuck going uphill on wet grass and not worth a damn in snow if the box was empty, but one hell of a truck pulling a heavy livestock trailer or 5th wheel until a Ford Taurus totaled it.

BTW @trigger, how difficult do you think steering 11's on the front would be if you didn't have EPS?
I know the going from the stock 8's to 9's were no problem, but certainly much nicer since I added EPS.

Welcome @Leep from Alabama
@tomcj2 - I am running 9 x 26 - 12 ITP Blackwater Evo's on 5+2 offset wheels on all four corners and have no complaints

 

[trigger]

BTW @trigger, how difficult do you think steering 11's on the front would be if you didn't have EPS?
I know the going from the stock 8's to 9's were no problem, but certainly much nicer since I added EPS.

I think it would suck without EPS!

 

[Slayer]

26x9 all around or some 27x9 all around will fit great. The tires you mentioned are both excellent, but if you mostly ride dry terrain and are doing a lot of rock crawling, I'd buy 27x9x12 Tusk Terrabyte tires. They will climb rocks better but I wouldn't call them a mud tire. But if you stay out of serious mud, the Terrabyte tires are excellent on hardpack, gravel, pavement, rocks, and just general trails. I'm in a muddier climate and I never had an issue with them, but I try to avoid the mud.

I ran Bearclaw HTR tires 26x9 on aftermarket wheels for about 2500 miles and then I ran 27x9 terrabytes on aftermarket with 1.5" rear wheel spacers to even the width front to back. This was on my 500 when I had it. The aftermarket wheels will give you a bit more width which helps the tippiness some.

@ehart814 I read some old posts where you had just put bearclaw htrs on your 500. I know you no longer have that but whats your overall opinion on that setup in hindsight?

 

[ehart814]

@ehart814 I read some old posts where you had just put bearclaw htrs on your 500. I know you no longer have that but whats your overall opinion on that setup in hindsight?

They were great. No complaints at all. I ran them over 2500 miles and they were still at about 65% tread or more. They were very tough, great traction all around - even mud. They also gave a comfortable ride, even though they were 8 ply. I had 26"x9" all around on aftermarket wheels. I only ever rotated them once or twice. I would buy them again but the price went way up since I bought them.