Sponsored

Why go with 17" wheels over factory 18" wheels?

Striker53

TRD Off-Road Premium
Member
First Name
Sean Ruth
Joined
Nov 22, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Location
Prince George
Vehicle(s)
2025 off road Premium
Just wondering why everyone seems to go to 17" rims rather than the 18" that come with it?
Sponsored

 

Backcountry1

TRD Off-Road Premium
Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2025
Threads
2
Messages
6
Reaction score
6
Location
Kelowna
Vehicle(s)
mazda6
From my limited knowledge I would say 17’s are better for off road as you can get more sidewall. Example a 34” tire on a 17” rim has more sidewall than on an 18” rim. Also, it seems easier to find C rated all terrain tires which offer better ride. Like I said this is just my take on what 17’s offer over 18’s.
 

Mad Ghost

TRD Off-Road Premium
Well-known member
First Name
Justin
Joined
Jan 31, 2025
Threads
17
Messages
360
Reaction score
347
Location
Wylie Texas
Vehicle(s)
4Runner ORP and Avalon
Tire availability. Not sure about other brands but the 5th gen ran 17’s and there are 15 years and 100 of thousands of them on the road for each year. So lots of customers. First year on a new size and so far only a few thousand sold. I’m sure over time we will see more options for the 18
 

HedgeHog

Platinum
Member
First Name
Rob
Joined
Sep 24, 2025
Threads
2
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Location
Georgetown, Ontario
Vehicle(s)
Toyota 4Runner
My 4Runner came with 20”, winters are in 18”, to compensate, the aspect ratio is adjusted so you get the same rolling circumference for accurate miles/hour. As previously mentioned, you get a softer ride because the sidewall/bead size increase but also… its generally cheaper for the cost of the tires as well.
 

odins_beer'd

SR5
Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2025
Threads
3
Messages
72
Reaction score
92
Location
21230
Vehicle(s)
2025 4Runner SR5
From my limited knowledge I would say 17’s are better for off road as you can get more sidewall. Example a 34” tire on a 17” rim has more sidewall than on an 18” rim. Also, it seems easier to find C rated all terrain tires which offer better ride. Like I said this is just my take on what 17’s offer over 18’s.
Right on the money, that’s why I find it so funny the off-road higher trims have bigger wheels. Then again the vast majority of people buying them will never use them heavily off-road if at all. Which is okay too.
 

Joe Dirt

TRD Off-Road Premium
Well-known member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Sep 24, 2025
Threads
6
Messages
177
Reaction score
71
Location
SoCal
Vehicle(s)
25 ORP
That's my take exactly,
my fifth gen came at 17.
I went with Nitto Tires and Method Wheels only to find that the wider wheel squatted the tire down about an inch so i actually lost ground clearance by going with methods and Nitto Tires of the same Factory size.

Now fast forward to my 6th generation 4Runner it came with 18 inch wheels with 265 70s,
I will go 275 70 18 and a bilstein 6110 leveling kit all the way around and leave it at that.
Just my two cents.
Sponsored

 
 







Top