there is a definite advantage. the same advantage that is witnessed by any other automobile with lower profile tires and bigger diameter wheels. perhaps the sizes changed to accommodate the appeal of the majority as much as anything, but the advantages are still there.
track performance, road performance. same thing. lateral deflection is still an issue in a truck. if you want a sturdy feeling vehicle on the road then stiffer is better. the suspension is supposed to do the work, not the tires. if the tires are adding an effect of suspension to the equation you cant build a suspension to do what it is supposed to. while maybe not a large issue on a truck whose suspension is supposed carry a load primarily and not take corners like a freight train the benefit is still there. letting the suspension do the work is best for road feel and handling.
i converted my 1972 chevy to use the front brakes from a '03+ dodge. physically i cannot use a wheel less than 17" because of the added brake diameter. so regardless of any argument, the bigger wheels are a performance enhancement requirement. i get a much more updated brake package and a firmer wheel and tire. win win. i dont particularly like the 22" wheel look on a 4x4 either but a 33 on a 17 does not look out of place. 18s are fine too. step up to a 35 with a truck that needs to haul some weight and i wont consider a 15. way to much sidewall to hold the momentum in corners and to much sidewall to flex under load. flexing a tire like that at road speed is a great way to prematurely age the carcass of the tire and i dont want blow outs when i have a trailer hooked up or the bed full of sand.
personally i like a certain amount of sidewall for a truck. to much and it gets ugly and sloppy. to little and it is hard and not appealing visually. i really want to increase the wheel diameter on my jeep. it has 40s on 16.5s. i feel those things flex on the road and on the trail. i dont want to eliminate to much sidewall to protect the wheel as Tim said, but to much flex is no help to me either.
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Originally Posted by special-K
Look to trucks for what's best for trucks. What do you see on heavy duty trucks?
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i see a certain amount of sidewall. not to much not to little. some of the medium duty trucks running 19.5s have way less sidewall than the average pick up truck. the carcass of an OTR truck tire is way way stiffer than the normal c rated light truck tire, so its a little like apples to watermelons in comparison. the amount of sidewall in a 35" on a 15" compared to a peterbuilt on 22.5s may not be all that different with a tape measure, but the tire is a hell of a lot different.
this is one of those questions where personal preference plays as much into the answer as performance. you want the absolute best performance? get the tire and wheel combo with the least sidewall you can safely run and use that. the rest of the choice is about your preference. you like less sidewall, run a bigger wheel. more sidewall? run the old skool sizes.
for me, if budget allows it i will have nothing less than 17s on any truck. compatibility with the rest of the fleet is one consideration and i like the look better.