The Case for Pizza Cutter Tires: Why Tall and Skinny Wins for Overlanding
Updated: Sep 21
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By Muddy Ruttzz
⚡ TL;DR: The Quick Breakdown
Traction Physics Over Looks: Tall, narrow "pizza cutter" tires bite down to firm ground through mud, loose gravel, and snow by concentrating vehicle downforce, rather than hydroplaning or floating over loose top layers.
Zero Poke & Protected Bodywork: Narrower profiles tuck cleanly inside stock fenders on factory 17" x 7.5" wheels—eliminating tire scrub, steering geometry issues, and mud caked along the doors without needing wheel spacers.
The Optimal Spec: A 285/75R17 in Load Range C (Toyo Open Country M/T) delivers 33.5" of true rolling height with compliant trail flex at 18 PSI, avoiding the harsh ride and bead-break risks of heavy E-rated tires.
Efficiency Intact: Paired with rugged factory Mopar steel wheels, this setup preserves 22.5–23.5 highway MPG on long backcountry highway transits with zero trail flats over years of testing.
What You Will Learn in This Post
Selecting tires for a dual-purpose rig is easily the most critical—and expensive—decision in an overland build. In this guide, you will discover the exact engineering and trail criteria used to size tires for a daily-driven, trail-ready Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel. We will break down why stepping away from the popular 12.5-inch wide tire trend in favor of a tall, narrow pizza cutter profile yields real-world mechanical advantages for long-distance travel.
Next, you will see a direct side-by-side comparison of the top tire contenders, complete with mounted diameters, load ratings, and why matching a Load Range C carcass to a midsize 4x4 provides better trail compliance and bead security than standard heavy-duty E-rated options. You will also learn how factory 17" x 7.5" Mopar steel wheels (“steelies”) were adapted to create a durable, budget-conscious wheel package that avoids fender poke and protects delicate steering geometry.
Finally, we share multi-year field results from thousands of highway transit miles and rugged trails like the Bradshaw Trail. You will get the exact tire pressure numbers run on the street (37 PSI) versus off-road (18 PSI), long-term wear patterns, fuel economy impacts, and how this initial setup paved the way for our heavy-duty Rubicon trail build.
The Toughest Decision on This Jeep Build
Tires are the single most effective upgrade for 4x4 trail performance. Taller rubber immediately raises differential clearance and improves your approach, breakover, and departure angles. What are Breakover & Departure Angles?
To create room for larger rubber without body rubbing, I started with a factory-engineered 2-inch Mopar Lift Kit tuned specifically for the 3.0L EcoDiesel spring rates and axle weights, installed at 4x4 And More in Scotts Valley, California.
The harder decision wasn't the lift—it was tire geometry.
Mopar Lift Kit Comes In Awesome Wood Box And Engineered For The Ecodiesel. I had mine installed in Scotts Valley CA at 4x4AndMore.
Mopar 2" Lift & New Track Bar Large Diameter Fox Shocks Fox Shocks and Track Bar Coil Springs Controlling Arms
When it came time to install a lift on my Gladiator I DIYed it, here is that story:👇
A lifted Jeep with stock tires looks silly!
Making the Jeep aesthetically pleasing (unless your building a mall crawler) should be the last reason for mods. That being said, the way your Jeep makes you feel when you see it in the driveway is important.
My lifted vehicle needed taller tires for better off-road performance. Fitting up taller tires is the only way to lift those differentials that need protecting. Diffs should be armored up too. It's a easy & inexpensive upgrade. I have DIY guide:
Photos Show Stock Tires With Lift And Upgraded Tires With Lift On Right
Lifted Jeep Stock Tires Lifted With Larger Tire Size
Tire Selection Criteria for a Daily Driver and Overland Rig
What did I expect my Jeep to do? It would be Purpose Built For Overlanding And A Everyday Driver. Tires should maintain some vehicle characteristics and enhance others. This knowledge would help me create a tire choice criteria. Here's a few items from the list:
Maintain fuel mileage. Pick a smaller tire with less rolling mass
Maintain stock wheels. Fit on the Jeeps stock 17" X 7.5" wheels.
No Poke! Keep tires inside the fender guards. No Wheel Spacers! Keep mud off the side of the vehicle.
Maintain traction. Willys Wrangler stock tire was Mud Terrain. New tires have to be M/T.
Made in USA. I like to buy US made whenever possible.
Quality. Tires should be well known as good tires.
Expense. Quality tires get more expensive as they get bigger. Try to stay in budget.
On road/off-road. New tires need to work very well off-road and pretty good on road. (I'm not driving a sports car.)
C Rated Tire - I felt like a C rated tire would be ride more comfortable on road. Off-road I would not have to air down as low as a E rated tire. Less chance of the bead breaking loose.
Click here for interesting Road and Track all terrain tire information.
The Contenders
Tire Spec | Model | Diameter (Mounted) | Width | Load Rating | Notes |
255/75R17 (Stock) | Firestone Destination M/T | ~31.0" | 8.5" | C | Factory baseline; lacked ground clearance after lift. |
35x10.50R17 | Kenda Klever M/T | ~34.5" | 10.5" | D | True tall/skinny proportions; non-US production. |
285/75R17 (Selected) | Toyo Open Country M/T | ~33.5" | 9.0" | C | High build quality, USA-made, fits 7.5" rim widths perfectly. |
Toyo Open Country M/T Toyos, Steelies On Wrangler Toyo Open Country and Steelie
The Chosen Tire
The Toyo Open Country M/T (285/75R17, Load Range C) hit the target balance. It measures 34.1" unmounted, settling to an actual 33.5" road diameter under vehicle weight. Combined with the 2-inch Mopar suspension lift, this setup delivered an honest 3.25 to 3.5 inches of total ride height increase over stock.
5 Mopar Steelies In Boxes Mopar 17"x7.5" Steel Wheel Mopar Center Cap For Steelies Lug Nuts Needed To Install Lug Nuts And Center Caps New Lug Nuts Needed
Picked Up Some Mopar Steelies Along The Way
New wheels were not part of my plan or my budget. Then I saw a new Ford Bronco rolling down the highway sporting black steelies. It looked so good decided to put them on my Wrangler. The spare tire on our Gladiator is mounted to one. Steelie is good for off-road. It gets dented you can potentially dolly it out. Aluminum wheels break. I wanted to add center caps and needed new lug nuts to install them.
All the Steelie details including part numbers and links are available in my deep dive Steel Wheel Setup Article:
Multiple Year Trail Retrospective
After a years tackling rocky trails—including the Bradshaw Trail in Southern California—and logging thousands of interstate transit miles, this tire and wheel combination has performed reliably:
Tread Life & Noise: Wear has remained even and predictable. Pavement noise is notably low for an aggressive mud terrain.
Zero Flats: Zero punctures, trail slices, or bead slips.
Efficiency: Highway fuel economy consistently holds between 22.5 and 23.5 MPG on long-distance transits.
Real-World Pressures: Street and Trail
Because the 285/75R17 Toyos match the factory Load Range C carcass spec, calculating inflation pressures remained straightforward:
Highway Driving: Maintained the door jamb spec of 37 PSI. After thousands of mixed highway and dirt miles, tread wear has remained completely flat across the contact patch.
Off-Road / Trail Air-Down: 18 PSI. Airing down to 18 PSI widens the front-to-back footprint substantially, dampens rough washboard vibration, and provides confident traction over slickrock without placing undue lateral shear stress on the inner bead seat.
Conclusion: Considering All The Tire And Wheel Options Available, I Believe I Made a Good Choice
I will declare the Wrangler JL Willys Ecodiesel with 285/75R/17 Open Country M/T a worthy vehicle for driving everyday and hitting the trail on tough Overlanding Tracks. Tire choice is a big part of its success. Don't want to Jinx myself but I have not had any flats. Looking forward to wearing these out on future adventures!
Huge Jeep Wrangler Willys Ecodiesel Update 2026
After 6 years owning the Willys I decided to show it some love. I dedicated a $15K Budget to upgrading it's capabilities so I will be able to tackle the toughest trails like the Rubicon. There are several videos in the Playlist (see below.)
Youtube Playlist - Willys Ecodiesel Evolution: The Rubicon Conquering Build
2026 Willys EcoDiesel Evolution
I can't pack all the information I want into the videors so I create these deep dive articles on The Muddy Ruttzz Gazette fill in the details. Below is a list of articles for the Rubicon Coquering Build Videos:
Unleashing My Jeep: The Ultimate Willys EcoDiesel Build for the Rubicon Trail
Proven Setup for 35 Inch Pizza Cutter Tires (EcoDiesel Jeep Wrangler)
Bombproof Jeep Spare Tire Bump Stop Install for Oversized Tires
Jeep Wrangler JL & Gladiator: Upgrading to Synergy Ball Joints and Knuckles
The Ultimate Heavy Jeep Brake Setup: Why Solid Rotors Beat Drilled Off-Road
About the Author
Muddy Ruttzz is a digital creator, overlander, and DIY builder documenting rugged vehicle builds and outdoor adventures. Backed by a career in industrial sheet metal fabrication, heavy infrastructure construction, and mechanical maintenance, he provides practical, trade-tested technical guides for real-world off-road performance.
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