18 vs. 20 inch - Any advantage to either wheel size?

Comes down to personal preference. I tow and 99% of the year I am on a paved road. Have these beauties on them and to me the truck looks great. I have them paired with a set of BFG's Allterrains, no complaints here. If you are set up for primarily offroading then yes I would probably agree 18" would be better.

 

Tires are bald. Time for some new ones, these don't look as aggressive as a fresh set.

 

This thread really helped me decide on what to do with my future wheel purchase, thanks!

 

Aren't we just looking at longer spokes here. I am going to guess that rubber may weigh more than aluminum.

 

Want to post here real quick if anyone wants a set of 18s with 35 12.5 bfgs mine will be for sale this spring wanting 600.00 for the hole set. Including tpms. Dont really want to ship. Pick up here Indiana. 6/32 left on the tires.

 

I have 20" rims. When I find there is something I can't do because of the rim size I will consider a change. Otherwise I have other things I rather spend my money on.

 

Right a buddy of mine off roads with his 22s it all depends on tire size. He is running a 37 but has no issues

 

I have 20" Asanti 807s ; they look ok- going with Methods 701 17"s very soon. Not enough sidewall on the 20s for me.

 

No. It’s not just the spokes. You’re also adding over 6” on the diameter. You know, the whole 2(pi)r thing we learned in high school.

 

My choice is 18" rims and tires , they are more stable on the highway with stronger sidewall. They handle and less slippery in snow and on ice. the wider 20" seem to push snow and you loose steering and run off the road like a snowplow effect because 20" are wider. The only good thing about 20" ride is somewhat smoother and quieter. prices are starting to drop and they were priced around $1300.00. or you can do a lift and pick a lot of choices.

 

Just split the difference and go with 19"

 

Rim diameter really has nothing to do with tire width. I am the opposite. I think 20s are more stable on the highway but do not ride as smooth and definitely not better off road.

 

I have 20s and I offroad my truck quite a bit. Here's my .02

I used to think I needed 18s instead of 20s because of offroading as well. I have a limited 4x4 so it came with 20s. I have since changed my mind on the matter. If you have 33s or larger tires I dont think it will be a huge issue. Sure I dont air down as much but I also have noticed the 20 inch tires flex more without being paired down anyway. I have been running this setup offroad long enough now that as long as 33s or larger, I wouldn't think twice about it. I never once questioned my sidewalls on my stock ford ranger in 98 and it had 235/75r15s . Those tires sidewalls are smaller than mine are now with 20s and 33s so it's all perspective. I say run the 20s until you have a reason not to, i.e. you actually bang one up offorad.

 

im running 33X12.5x20 i am thinking about going 35x20 but again i something to hit some trails so im still on the iffy side about staying in 20s but so far so good with these i cant complain

 

It was funny I had a guy at a store parking lot talking tire side wall with me. I'm going to a set of 22" wheels with 35s he had 20s with 33s and he said you wont have much side wall. ??????? Isn't it the same thing lol

6.5" sidewall?

 

@midnight

Resurrecting this thread. Did you ever do this? How did it effect your ride / power / braking / handling? I have 18" TRD OR wheels, but thinking about going the reverse direction to the 20" TSS. Can't decide between that route or getting the 18" BBS Pro Wheels.

Decisions, decisions...

 

Sorry for the late reply. I did go with the pro BBS wheels and 18s. Way better ride!!!

 

To Navi: So medic343 answered your question. In sort the 20’ inc rim has a different size tire which totals about 32 inches in height. The 18’ inc rim has a different tire size but totals 32 inches in height. Same thing no worries about changing them. Also like someone else said they put 35s and 37s and everything is fine.

Rule of thumb any thing you out on your truck that’s from the manufacturer regardless of trim level is intended for the same truck across the trims. Also, aftermarket manufacturers also do research and stuff to provide correct parts for the correct make and model, so feel confident when you make this little changes.

 

18’s on 305’s, no lift

 

Nice info on this thread.

 

I haven't been on this forum in a long time but lately I've been wondering if I should consider 20" rims on my 2018 Tundra SR5 TRD 4 x 4. Interesting to find this thread. Sounds like I should stick with my 18s. The change I did make on mine though just recently at 40k miles was to get rid of the stock Michelin tires and put on 10 ply on/ off road tires. Not the really aggressively notched kind-I dont see that much as necessary- and if the 10 plys make more noise my old way too noise damaged ears don't hear it- and I have a hell of a lot more confidence in my 10 plys from Les Schwab than I would EVER have in the stock tires. I was never impressed with the Michelins as for real, off road tires- I mean bad, sharp flint, jutted loose rock covered two track sheep camp roads - the type that I've spent many of 61 years on in the sheep n cattle business in rough soIdaho/noNevada mountain country. The 10 ply in the tires is the best assurance in my opinion that my tires won't let me down in the middle of backwater Idaho/Nevada mountain country-deflation may help but I don't see it as being nearly as critical. Have a set of 10 plus on my old 92 Trooper that have never chipped off a lug or gone flat in thousands of miles. My 2c

 

I am very late chiming in on this thread but I am considering dropping from a 20 to an 18 when I need new tires. From what I see there are very few LT tires in the 275/55R20 but loads of LT tire options for 275/65R18. For those with 20s, are any of you running LT rated tires?

 

Actually it's far more than that.
For uneven surfaces, more sidewall is safer and much more compliant to work with the suspension than an inch more of metal.
If you ever caught a wheel lip on a rock or even going over a curb just a little wrong, you will instantly hate large diameter wheels.
Pot holes love large diameter wheels.
For working class trucks smaller is better.

 

As far as comfort goes, other than having less cushion, lower profile tires usually run higher PSI. Not sure if that’s the case with the Tundra 20’s, but that may be a factor in the ride comfort.

 

But with truck tires like we run, it's common for guys to run tires on street well over 40 PSI.
We drop em down for sand running and for street, I run my Michelins around 38 psi in front and 32 in the back.

 

I think I already have my mind made up, possibly even more so based on this thread but I have the opportunity to buy a set of takeoffs 3rd gen 20' platinum wheels/tires with less than 100 miles on them for the same price or even less than I will spend putting 4 new tires on my 2nd gen 18' TRD wheels. What would you guys do, get the 3rd gen 20s and accept the downsides or pay a little more and just put new tires on my wheels? If I get the 20' platinum wheels I can sell mine and literally be out of pocket maybe $300 for new wheels and tires vs. the better part of $1000 for just new tires.

Edit: should add my use which is 90% pavement, 10% beach/off-road but no rock crawling or anything too crazy bumpy.

 

I just got a 2021 Tundra limited 4x4 with 20" rims and noticed I get car sick after driving for a bit. I was wondering if I went down to 17 or 18" rims with more tire if that would help? It seems that the small bumps in the road causes my truck to have little bounces in the ride that makes me nauseous and never had that happen in the truck before? I'm also not sure if it is the sound deadening on the inside seeing that I cannot wear noise canceling headphones because it makes me sick as well within 5 minutes. Could it be that the shocks may not be broken in yet? Thanks for your replies

 

I've always felt the design engineers know best on what works best for their products and 99 percent of the time, they are correct.
Youth being youth, they will always push the boundaries on radical mods, which are fun to see and keep the aftermarket guys in business.
But eventually, the ole hindsight thing comes in and almost all always say "I wish I'd left it alone". Not all but a great majority.
Unless you have specific needs for large wheels, I'd stay with what the factory designed it for.
I like my 18s as they do what they're supposed to do in 99% of the conditions the truck was designed for.

 

The Tundra design engineers used both 18” and 20” wheels. It is a matter of use and personal preference not youthful radical mods.
PS - this old guy’s Platinum came with 20” wheels and P tires and I just installed new OEM BBS forged wheels with AT tires.