AT Tires to fit GX with Radflo lift (what will fit, best tire?) (1 Viewer)

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Another tire thread... I know, but I do appreciate any recommendations anyone can help with.

I have had my siped 265/70/R17 Toyo AT IIs (stock wheels on some spider trax spacers) for a while now and really like them, they have been quiet and perform well on the highway (dry and in rain), get decent mileage (around 19 mpg) got me through mud, ice, snow climbed over rocks and on most fishing trails without missing a beat...but I want something a little bigger. Part of me wants to buy the next size up (285s) of Toyo AT II, the only shortcomings I have with these tires are...

Just seems I need a little bigger tire to look better (my opinion)
These tires are kind of heavy (this size is E rated and I can really feel it in braking)
they can lose grip and spin in deeper snow
lug spacing is a little close
but mostly they are great and I just think the GX will look better with a little more tire with the space created with the Radflo lift

So...I went to my local Les Schwab and looked at the 285s and then they looked at my tires... He said your tires are still pretty good and I thought "dang it"...but then he added some key words, "...but they ARE showing some wear and you might want to start thinking about replacing them in the next year or so". So you can probably picture me silently saying "Yesss!"

My ask to everyone is/are two questions...

1) Is the 285/70/70 size a good fit for the GX with a 2.5" lift? (and question 1B...how much cutting and heat gun work is involved for dealing with rubbing)

2) I do like the Toyo AT IIs, but are there others that are worthy of considering (I have thought about the Wranglers or the BF Goodrich KOs) (question 2B might be what are your top three AT Tire choices)

and C) Are there any other recommendations (or issues with the larger tires) I should be thinking about?

Of course I will analyze this way more than I should and take too long to make my decision, but thank you for any help as I start in on my quest for the perfect tire for me,

Bob
 
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Best is always subjective to each person and the terrain so there are really almost impossible to recommend best.
What is your most important factor?
  1. looks?
  2. Tread life
  3. Cost
  4. Noise
  5. Dry traction
  6. Wet traction
  7. Snow traction
  8. Mud traction
  9. Size fitment
  10. How much less power can you tolerate.
  11. How willing are to cut fender, bumper and body mount?
  12. Are you willing to change gearing.
Tire Rack have pretty good method to point you to the right decision. Too bad it's only for tire available for sale by them.

To have best you would need a semi load of all different tires just like a World Rally Championship team. As you need to change tires every time the terrain and weather changes.

Optimal compromise to fit your use and wallet are probably the only thing we should aim for normal driver.

I have 255/89R17 Toyo Open County II and like it because it fits my relatively stock height vehicle, good price, tread wear and noise. But I with it have better mud and wet traction. I wish I know Nitto ridge grappler was available in same size at that time. It's a bit more aggressive for better mud traction.

I really hate the slowness of the truck and could not wait to get my 4.3 final drive installed.
 
I have 285/70/17 KO2s and and I love them. Excellent all around tire that is actually snow rated.

I have a 2.5" Icon lift and the rear required no trimming. The front required the bottom inner corner of the bumper to be trimmed as well as some of the wheel well inner plastic trim. Nothing significant.

I did a body mount chop about 3 months after I did my lift and wheels because I was doing one for a buddy and had the pieces so I figured, why not. It was not necessary though.
 
275/70r17 and 255/75r17 are some other sizes that are 32" tall and fit nice with 2.5" lift, with no major surgery required. These days, you can find them in both in P and C, so considerably less weight then your E's...

I have 275/70r17 Hankook AT's and they are awesome tires; however, they are E-rated and 58 lbs ea. I'm going back to 255/75r17 in C - likely the new Dueler Revo 3's which weigh 41 lbs ea.

If you "need" 285's, get them. otherwise, look at alternative sizes....
 
thank you for the answers already... love to see a picture of the 285s on a GX. Also thanks for the description of the trimming BrnArSnpr.

I was just looking at the Toyo site and I see the comparison in weight between the 265s that I have now and the 285s (in both LT and P rated). Weights are 49 lbs for what I have now and for the 285s the weights would be 44 lbs for the P rated and 56 lbs for the E rated. Also the tread depth for P rated is only 13/32" while the E rated is 16/32". Maybe I should consider the P rated version (but not sure if it is a less aggressive tread or the thinner ply sidewalls would be not so good in cornering).

I will keep trying to figure it out and still considering other tires too...decisions, decisions right?
 
Check out these posts that talk about wheels and tires. The first one has tons of pictures for various wheel/tire combos:

1. GX470 Wheel/Tire/Lift Picture Combination Thread
2. Spare Tire Issue under GX470
3. mods:wheelstires [GX Offroad]
4. GX470 Primer for the Ideal Mild-Build for Under $3000

On stock oem wheels like yours with the +25 offset, I would strongly consider going with the skinny tall tires (32.1" tall x 10" wide = 255/75R17s) to avoid all kinds of rubbing and to better fit in the spare location. I use a tire calculator to convert tire sizes to inches to help me compare.

Tire Size Calculator

Edit: I just realized that you cannot fit 285s on stock oem wheels with the +25 offset. You will need spacers or new wheels with -12 or -10 offset depending on the tire width.
 
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I will give up the savings in weight to get home from the roads I drive on. I have already seen rocks go through the center of a "P" rated tire & had the fun of changing it on a mountain forest road, no thank you.
 
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I just put on an OME 2.5" lift, So I'm going through the same thing. I'm leaving on my stock painted rims for now, I'm thinking true pizza cutters 235/80 17's. If the 80 is to tall for the spare I'll go lower but what do you all think? I've been through all the threads but I haven't seen a definite answer, If there is one.
 
235/80R17 is 31.8" x 9.3" and recommended wheel width is 6" to 7.5" wide. If you ever need to air down, then you might be pushing the width of the wheel and tire might pop out. The 255/75R17 (32.1" x 10") with a recommended wheel width from 6.5" to 8.5", so it seems like the 255/75R17 is better suited for the 17x7.5" stock oem wheels on the GX470.

And 32.1" is near the maximum size the spare location can take fully inflated.
 
what about recommendations for best AT tires for a combo of highway, (rain, snow, ice) and the occasional dirt/offroad conditions...? Maybe a perfect all around tire is a unicorn, but I am considering the toyos AT 2s, but keep looking at the BFG KO2s, the Wrangler Duratracs, and the Ridge Grapplers.
 
I have ridge grapplers and couldn't be happier. 2 1/2 cross country round trips, all weather conditions, moab (2), Ouray (3) ,SE trails, and the Rubicon (1) and still going strong
 
I bought 4 285/70/17 Nitto ridge grappler and put 10 k on them and they still look brand new they look so aggressive and tough yet very quiet and make the GX look awesome
I highly recommend them
 
Really like the looks of those ridge grapplers. I’m adding those to my short list
 
I had the old BFG KOs on three Jeeps and loved them. I hear the KO2s are even better. I agree that the Duratracs are too soft. I had C rated 265 Duratracs on my Tacoma and they felt like marshmallows.
 
I bought 4 285/70/17 Nitto ridge grappler and put 10 k on them and they still look brand new they look so aggressive and tough yet very quiet and make the GX look awesome
I highly recommend them
Do you have any pictures of the ridge grapplers on your GX that you can share?
 
So... I went down to discount tire and looked at some ridge grapplers. They would have to order some inthe285s but they look good. He also mentioned that the goodyear has a new AT tire called the ultrterrain that he really liked (but I had not heard about this one).
So I guess I am narrowing down to the bf Goodrich KOs, the ridge grapplers and will try to find out more on the ultraterrains.
I would say I would give up some comfort or noise for wet, snow and icy highway conditions (winter trips over the pass) or Offroad manners.
 

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