small tires vs bigger tires on boat ramps?

[bluebombersfan]

Im just curios about this. My old 2.3 Ranger had 14' wheels and small tires and my current 06 Ranger Sport has 15inch p235's. On a slippery boat ramp what kind of tire size helps more small or bigger?
I learned very quickly this winter that my sport had less traction in the snow/ice because bigger tires tend to "float" on the snow where smaller skinny ones dig into the ground better for more traction. With this truck I put winter tires and did the trick.
Now my question is on boat ramps in the summer which is better? to have bigger tires or smaller ones?
I know the Sport is heavier obviously so that will help it but I just want to know the answer regarding which tire size has the advantage on a boat ramp.

 

[4.0B2]

tire size shouldn't matter PROVIDING you have the proper gear ratio to handle them

 

[bluebombersfan]

well tire size makes a difference in winter anyways. Usually winter tires are slightly more narrower.

 

[4.0B2]

That idk.... I live in Mississippi. We don't have that kind of winter.

on a boat ramp, as long as you don't have enough air to float your truck (with the trailer), tire size shouldn't matter. It'd take a good bit of air to float a truck and trailer.

 

[Snoranger]

Tread pattern and tire compound will make more of a difference then a few MM in width.

 

[bluebombersfan]

Tires are mud and snow. Probably better then all season on a boat ramp I would think.
Personally I don't think they should call tires mud and snow, because where there is snow there is probably ice, and M+S r then useless. They should really call them just mud tires.

 

[1994_4x4]

Im just curios about this. My old 2.3 Ranger had 14' wheels and small tires and my current 06 Ranger Sport has 15inch p235's. On a slippery boat ramp what kind of tire size helps more small or bigger?
I learned very quickly this winter that my sport had less traction in the snow/ice because bigger tires tend to "float" on the snow where smaller skinny ones dig into the ground better for more traction. With this truck I put winter tires and did the trick.
Now my question is on boat ramps in the summer which is better? to have bigger tires or smaller ones?
I know the Sport is heavier obviously so that will help it but I just want to know the answer regarding which tire size has the advantage on a boat ramp.

My experience with boat ramps is limited..

Traction on snow, ice, dirt, mud, slippery boat ramps, gravel, etc. all different. I would run a 205/75/15 General Grabber AT2 on a boat ramp. And air them down for the ramp. If you are set on a larger I don't know what I'd recommend but, look for something with plenty of "sipes"

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Tires are mud and snow. Probably better then all season on a boat ramp I would think.
Personally I don't think they should call tires mud and snow, because where there is snow there is probably ice, and M+S r then useless. They should really call them just mud tires.

Pretty much anything that isn't a car tire has the "M+S" stamped on them. I am not really for sure what it takes to earn that stamp but to me it doesn't really mean anything. They usually look nothing like either mud tires or snow tires.

235's are still a fairly small tire, you don't really have to sink through anything to bite. So I guess I would look at as you have more surface area to grip the ramp.

 

[Frank The Tank]

A crappy tire 7in wide wont dig better than a quality tire 12in wide on a wet slippery boat ramp.

To answer your question the narrower tire will get you up the ramp easier.... But you still have to pull the thing down the road and want the stability. Unless your sole job is to sit at a boat ramp 12 hrs a day and back people's boats in the water I wouldn't worry about it anymore than making sure I have some decent meats on there.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Personally, I don't care about the tires.

Drop it down in 4low, and ease the clutch in 1st. Crawls right out every time.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[adsm08]

well tire size makes a difference in winter anyways. Usually winter tires are slightly more narrower.

Because a narrow tire will dig in to snow better than a wide one.

You won't get that effect on cement.

 

[brokemechanic3000]

A narrow tire is good for light trucks that need more contact pressure or big trucks that need to dig to the bottom of a mud hole. wide tires are good for flotation in sand or mud.
235-75-R15 tires should be good on the boat ramp but if they are bald nothing will grip, Almost everyone I know that uses a boat puts their truck in 4wd when pulling a boat out of the water. I would recommend Hankook Dynapro A/T tires for this case.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Its more about weight a smaller tire has more weight per square inch just as a snow and mud tire has less rubber where the rubber meets the road. Throw some weight in the bed and you will get more traction especially on a slippery ramp. If you have a open rear carrier make sure you pull your boat out with some other vehicles around in case you need a tug.