17" wheels - maintenance reality check after 2 years of hard use

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Maria
Maria Original Poster
Post #1
Maria
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Joined:Oct 23, 2024
Location:San Diego, CA

I've been running 17x8.5 Method 701s with BFG KO2s in 265/70R17 for about two years now, hitting everything from the Rubicon to desert washes in Moab. Figured I'd share some real-world maintenance observations since everyone talks about the theoretical benefits of 17s but not the day-to-day reality.

The good stuff:

  • Sidewall flexibility is legit - I've bounced off rocks that would've bent 18s or 20s
  • Tire rotations are cheaper and faster (local shop charges $40 vs $65 for my buddy's 18s)
  • When I finally wore out the KO2s at 55k miles, replacements were $200 each vs $280+ for equivalent 18" rubber

The reality check:

  • More sidewall = more places for cuts and punctures. I've patched three sidewall nicks that probably wouldn't have happened with shorter sidewalls
  • Wheel weights come off constantly on rough trails - I'm re-balancing every 8-10k miles instead of the usual 15k
  • The extra sidewall flex means more frequent pressure checks. I'm topping off weekly vs monthly with my old 18s

Don't get me wrong, I'd still choose 17s again for serious trail work, but the maintenance schedule is definitely more demanding than my old street setup. Anyone else notice similar patterns?

Posted: Mar 26, 2026 01:17 UTC 0
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Brandon
Post #2

This is super helpful perspective. I'm planning a wheel/tire upgrade and keep hearing "17s are better for offroad" but nobody talks about the maintenance side. Quick question - are you running beadlock wheels or standard? I'm wondering if beadlocks would help with some of those balance issues since you can air down further without worrying about the bead.

Also curious about your pressure monitoring setup. Are you using a TPMS system or just checking manually? With weekly top-offs, seems like a good TPMS would be worth the investment.

Posted: Mar 28, 2026 17:17 UTC 0
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Ryan F.
Post #3

Spot on about the sidewall damage. I run 17x9 Icon Rebound wheels with Duratracs and I've had two sidewall repairs in 18 months of desert running. Both were small rock punctures that went through the sidewall about 2 inches up from the bead - exactly the area that's protected on shorter sidewalls.

One thing I learned: invest in a good plug kit and learn to do sidewall repairs yourself. Paying a shop $35-50 every time gets expensive fast. I picked up a decent plug kit from ARB and watched some YouTube tutorials. Saved me probably $200 last year alone.

The balance issue is real too, but I found switching to internal balancing beads instead of wheel weights helped a lot. Haven't lost balance on rough trails since making that switch about 6 months ago.

Posted: Mar 27, 2026 23:17 UTC 0
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