235/85/16 Nankang on fj62

[Morgan Evans]

Choosing wheels and tires was a lot more stressful than I thought. Since I'm not really a fan of the 15" stock chromers, I had to make some big decisions. Thanks to mud, I had a lot to go on.

16x7 tacoma steel wheels $221 from Wheels Tires and More.

1.25" spacers $80 (Note: the TRD hub centric spaceres work on the rear but don't fit over the front hubs, have to use none hub centric spacers up front). Torque spacers to 90ftlbs.

235/85/16 Nankang n889 Mudstar tires $500 from simple tire. gonna try these out, I really love the look of them. I will review these in some time.

Mount and balance $80.

Barely clears the TR but does!

 

[BaileyCatDaddy]

They look good. A bit narrower than I expected, though! I run an all season lanvigator in the same size and I think it’s a really good size for a 60. I’m tempted to go with a 7.50r16 next but I hear mixed information about true sizing.

 

[Morgan Evans]

I second narrow. My wife says "looks like a big beast with chicken legs". I do like the tall skinny look on land rovers and 40's, but the 60 has a modern grunt to it that seems to accept fatter tires. Unfortunately, It burns to drop another $700 on tires...so I'll rock these for a while.

On to the tires themselves. The Nankangs are impressive. I took them on a 250 mile highway trip cruising 70-75 and they worked great. Can't hear them at all, but then again the 60 isn't quiet at 70mph. I'm impressed with how well they balanced out. Even with spacers I felt no noticeable vibration. I gotta say, for the price, it's a fantastic mud tire. I like the old school agresive look w/out the ugly sidewalls of moderns mudders. The ride is just fine, I notice no differnece over my A/T tires on the stock 15's. They are set at 38psi which seems perfect.

 

[BaileyCatDaddy]

I second narrow. My wife says "looks like a big beast with chicken legs". I do like the tall skinny look on land rovers and 40's, but the 60 has a modern grunt to it that seems to accept fatter tires. Unfortunately, It burns to drop another $700 on tires...so I'll rock these for a while.

On to the tires themselves. The Nankangs are impressive. I took them on a 250 mile highway trip cruising 70-75 and they worked great. Can't hear them at all, but then again the 60 isn't quiet at 70mph. I'm impressed with how well they balanced out. Even with spacers I felt no noticeable vibration. I gotta say, for the price, it's a fantastic mud tire. I like the old school agresive look w/out the ugly sidewalls of moderns mudders. The ride is just fine, I notice no differnece over my A/T tires on the stock 15's. They are set at 38psi which seems perfect.

That’s great to hear!
I’ve had them in my shopping cart on flea bay for a while. And I totally get no reason to buy anything else just because they are a little skinny. No doubt that skinny is better than wide in almost every situation anyway

If you wouldn’t mind, could you measure the true height?

 

[duke01]

Tire looks good, though I'm curious about their sidewall strength.

 

[Morgan Evans]

They are 10 ply E rated w/3 ply sidewall in this size.

 

[andrewkimball]

Looks good. Could you measure to the top of the tire, and actual tread width and post the numbers? Just trying to get a real read on their size.
Andrew

 

[Morgan Evans]

Sorry have been meaning to do this. Tread width is 7.5", overall width is 9", height is 31.25" on 16x7 rims @ 38psi.

 

[andrewkimball]

Thanks!

 

[ticci]

Could you take couple more photos of the rig and the tires? Hows the fuel economy with these tyres compared to stock/something you run previosly? Thinking of putting similiar tyres on my other hj60, currently running 33x12,5 on both cruisers but i'd like to try narrower tyres.

 

[Morgan Evans]

I don't have enough miles too give any fuel economy numbers yet as i have only filled up once. I was running 30x9.5x15 and was getting around 16 on the highway. However, I have added an arb bumper and winch since putting the 235s on and haven't got it running until today (coolant hose replacement). I too like the narrow tires, wife doesn't but it's my cruiser soooo.... . They have very little road noise considering and seem to be fine at 70mph.

 

[ylexot]

Just this week I said I'd never run 235s on my 62. I may have to eat those words.

How do you like them after a few more weeks of driving? Though I understand the grain of sand needed for ARB, et al, any insight to MPG? What tires were you running before?

 

[Morgan Evans]

I've gotten lots of compliments on the tires and i think they look prefect on the 62, very Australian looking. Mpgs seem to be down, but i don't have any numbers to give. The arb with winch adds at least 200lbs. If i could guess I'd say 11-14 highway. I was running 30x9.5x15 A/T tires before and was getting close to 16.

Get them, you won't be disappointed and they look really aggressive.

 

[ravenplague]

Big thanks to @Morgan Evans for the pics and the push to get them. They look great and weren't too expensive.
I also got the 235/85 on summit 16s . The summit wheels have the correct spacing so they bolt right up. My fj60 has 2" iron Man lift with SOR shackles

 

[Morgan Evans]

@ravenplague Really glad you like them! I've got about 1,000 miles on them now and they look new. Not a bad tire and I think they match the 60 perfectly. Looks good with a 2" lift too, I don't think it looks small (some said a 235/85/16 would look too small after a lift). Report back after you get some miles on them!

 

[Greek Cruiserhead]

I like too the "old school aggresive look w/out the ugly sidewalls of moderns mudders"!
Any report after two years of use?

My brother is considering them for his HJ61...