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22.5 vs 19.5 tires

Michigander
Explorer
Explorer
Help me out here. Our three previous coaches have had the 19.5. We are thinking of trading out of our current 2016 Winne Sunstar. We loved our 08' Sightseer 35J and that had 19.5 tires. We are looking at a 11' Sightseer 35J and it has 22.5 tires. Aside from being substantially more expensive to replace is the ride really that much better?

Other choices for the next coach are 2004 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 37PCT or a 1999 Holiday Rambler Imperial. Oddly the Imperial looks to have 15" tires and the Vacationer has 19.5.

Our 2011 Yukon XL has bigger tires than our 2000 Yukon XL did and the ride of the 2000 was much better so I must be missing something.

Thanks!
2008 Winnebago Sightseer 35J
Honda civic toad "RGOCART"

"A father measures his wealth not in his possessions, but in the happiness of his family"
18 REPLIES 18

Yellowboat_
Explorer
Explorer
I went from a 2005 Sightseer to a 2016 Sightseer. The 2005 had 19.5 tires and the 2016 has 22.5 tires. The 2016 handles so much better than the 2005. White knuckle driving has been greatly reduced. That said I have the new 2016 five speed transmission chassis so it is difficult to say how much the bigger tires help in handling.
2016 Winnebago Sightseer 33C on a 2016 Ford F53 Chassis
2009 Saturn VUE
Buddy our Bichon Frise
JD & Kathy

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
dubdub07 wrote:
Tire size is dictated by the tires size, not the rim size. A 275 is the same height regardless of rim size. A 19.5 will usually have a 245 tire and a 22.5 uses a 275. That is your difference in height. I can't see much of a difference other than your gearing is affected negatively with more diameter.

Will


Tire size specifications do not directly measuring outside diameter, nor sidewall height, though both are defined by it. A 275/80 R22.5 tire has a tread width of 275mm, an aspect ratio of 80% (the ratio of the width to the sidewall height), and an inside diameter of 22.5 inches. The overall diameter would be 22.5 inches plus twice 80% of 275mm, which works out to 39.8 inches once all the unit conversions are done. A 245/75 R19.5 would have an overall diameter of 34 inches, for comparison sake, about a 15% difference.

Tire sizes are rather strange in that they combine a metric measurement, a unitless ratio, and an imperial measure.

dubdub07
Explorer
Explorer
Tire size is dictated by the tires size, not the rim size. A 275 is the same height regardless of rim size. A 19.5 will usually have a 245 tire and a 22.5 uses a 275. That is your difference in height. I can't see much of a difference other than your gearing is affected negatively with more diameter.

Will
2013 Fleetwood Discovery 40G
TOADS: 12 Jeep JKUR Wrangler, 16 Cherokee Trailhawk, 15 Grand Cherokee, 13 RAM 1500 Longhorn (not a toad) American STEEL = American profits
RET USAF MSGT (26yrs) and still DoD ATC.
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down_home
Explorer
Explorer
You're only talking about raising coach 1.5 inches from rim height alone.
The tires will be quite a bit taller though, I think.
I would call the Factory Rep and quiz them about it.
It was an option of it doesn't change the rolling diameter too much only a speedo change might be needed. A diesel not problem gas engines?

Doc15
Explorer
Explorer
I'm with you.... The only way I would move from 22.5 would be if I could trade up to 24.5 and no typical Diesel Pusher will have that..I have 3.5 million miles on me, "that's why I look like 40 miles of bad road" and I want some meat between me and the asphalt.
William

Doc15
Explorer
Explorer
wa8yxm wrote:
As stated 19.5 you get a spare. 22.5 you don't (Generally)
Better ride, More ground clearance. HIGHER PRICE.

But I'd not want 19 inchers on my RV. I'm very happy with mny 22.5's

And as for the spare...

I helped a friend change one once. I'm a big and fairly strong dude (6;2 cand lift 250 pounds) and loading that flat into his pickup.. That was right at my limit. I'd not want one pound heavier. In fact that was like 7-9 years ago and I'm not sure I'd want to attempt it today.

So a Spare would not do me any good. Just be one more tire to replace.
William

Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Explorer II
I think any potential ride performance gain with 22.5" tires on a 22K lbs. F53 chassis will due to the lower air pressure needed for the same weight. A quick look at the inflation tables and the pressure drop could be as much as 15 PSI comparing a 22.5 to a 19.5.

If you do decide to go with the 2016 Sunstar the big gain, if the chassis has is also a 2016, will be the 6 speed transmission.
2006 Hurricane 31D built on a 2006 Ford F53

Hikerdogs
Explorer
Explorer
Our 2001 Adventurer came with 19.5" tires. Our 2013 Adventurer has 22.5" tires. The 2013 rides much better and the tires are lasting longer. Along with that there is far less road noise.

We currently have about 36,000 miles on our 2013 motorhome, and the tires still look like new. We replaced the tires on our 2001 at 47,000 miles. They probably should have been replaced a few thousand miles earlier.

As mentioned with the 22.5" tires you won't get a spare tire. We purchased a spare and leave it unmounted under the bed.
Hikerdogs
2013 Winnebago Adventurer

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
As stated 19.5 you get a spare. 22.5 you don't (Generally)
Better ride, More ground clearance. HIGHER PRICE.

But I'd not want 19 inchers on my RV. I'm very happy with mny 22.5's

And as for the spare...

I helped a friend change one once. I'm a big and fairly strong dude (6;2 cand lift 250 pounds) and loading that flat into his pickup.. That was right at my limit. I'd not want one pound heavier. In fact that was like 7-9 years ago and I'm not sure I'd want to attempt it today.

So a Spare would not do me any good. Just be one more tire to replace.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

AllegroD
Nomad
Nomad
Larger chassis size will allow more gvwr and mandate large tires.

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
ride has more to do with suspension
than it does tire size
but those 22.5 will go many miles with less wear
we went from a 95 Dp Safari with 22.5
to 97 Bounder on F53 chassis with 16" wheels

and i think the bounder rides better
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

timmac
Explorer
Explorer
Most motorhomes have room for a full 19.5 spare tire and rim, that helps with a flat issue without waiting all day for a tow service.

Chum_lee
Explorer
Explorer
Michigander wrote:
They were an option. 19.5 was standard.


Without modifying the suspension, (lowering it) as an option for a given chassis, the larger tire/wheel size will significantly raise the center of gravity versus the 19.5" tire/wheels.

Chum lee

Michigander
Explorer
Explorer
They were an option. 19.5 was standard.
2008 Winnebago Sightseer 35J
Honda civic toad "RGOCART"

"A father measures his wealth not in his possessions, but in the happiness of his family"