265, 275, or 285?

[hawyanryan]

i'm going to be picking up some new treads for my '00 LX at the end of the week. since it seems the selection is rather limited for the stock 275/70/16s and for the 285/70/16s, i'll be going to either the 265/75s or the 285/75s, since i'm told they'll both fit into the spare spot, and since many mfrs make 'em in those sizes.

is going narrower with taller sidewall (265s) detrimental to the handling? i know our trucks are heavy, so i'm wondering if going skinnier is less safe in emergency maneuvers vs 275 or 285. i know the 285s look cooler, since they'll fill the wells better, being slightly taller and all.

if the handling is all the same with the three (265, 275, 285), will the mileage/power be all that different given the slight increases in diameter and weight as i go up in size?

thanks!

 

[Mean Green]

There wont be a real difference in stability going from a 31 to a 33. The biggest difference will be the increased diameter. You will notice a slightly slower acceleration and slightly off speedo, but you will also increase your ground clearance. Oh yea, and your mileage numbers wont take a huge hit, but they wont get any better.

 

[Brock]

I prefer the tall skinnies and what you are able to get wont be extreme like the old Jeep tires in WWII....

Tall skinny gives you needed height and sidewall...while reducing overall footprint. Good for mud, trails, and highway driving.

If you are in DEEP snow or sand a lot then would go with wider footprint for more flotation. Deep is in over hubs where riding on top would be more successful than plowing through it as the tall skinnies will dig down until they reach firm surface or your rig bottoms out.

I had tall skinnies on FJ60 and loved them... The numbers you listed are for overall diameter of tire in metrics...not width...then the ratio is 65-70-75 etc....for sidewall and such. Stick the full numbers in a converter online to figure out total tire width for comparison.

 

[2000UZJ]

Those tires sizes will fit. 35's will fit without the hitch, so a 33 will fit fine in the spare location. It will hang down a little more, obviously.

 

[OregonLC]

Go with 34's and you won't be disappointed! 295/70R18.

 

[BigBlue99]

I went with 265/75R16 and I have been very happy with them (Revo IIs). I went in asking for 275 and my tire guy told me I might be dealing with limited selection but that at the 265/75 size my options increased. I do mostly highway driving and expect these to do well in the snow and ice we get in Chicago.

The pic gives you an idea of how well they fill out the wheel well. I have not adjusted the T-bars.

 

[hawyanryan]

hey, you guys are all great!

thanks for the help!

ry.

 

[gotmud]

I went with 265/75R16 and I have been very happy with them (Revo IIs). I went in asking for 275 and my tire guy told me I might be dealing with limited selection but that at the 265/75 size my options increased. I do mostly highway driving and expect these to do well in the snow and ice we get in Chicago.

The pic gives you an idea of how well they fill out the wheel well. I have not adjusted the T-bars.

I hope that picture is from LAST year!

 

[e9999]

happy with our 265s.
I think the handling is better than with the old 285s.

 

[BigBlue99]

I hope that picture is from LAST year!

It is, but the forecast for this week is showing lows in the 30s so snow is not that far off. Put the seat heaters on last night for the first time this Fall.

Here's a front-on shot of the 265 tire-width:

 

[patrickfinley]

Hey BigBlue99, am I crazy or do your rear tires look smaller than your front tires?

 

[patrickfinley]

I've heard that in moderate snow that skinnier tires are better. The weight is not distributed as much and the thinner tires sink down to the pavement better where they will have better traction. The wider tires float more and won't sink to the pavement. Can anyone confirm this?

However, once you hit 12" inches of snow the more floatation the better.

 

[patrickfinley]

Here are some interesting excerpts from Expeditions West:

A tall, narrow tire is a better choice for all off-highway surface conditions with the exception of soft sand, snow and soft mud that's depth exceeds 110% of the vehicles minimum ground clearance

Section Width- A narrow tire will provide superior performance to a wide one. Wide tires are not appropriate for use on an expedition vehicle, unless they are crossing the Gobi. Contact pressure and its affect on adhesion, deformation and mechanical keying are the critical components of traction on rugged terrain.

Expeditions West: Tire Selection for Expedition Travel

 

[BigBlue99]

Hey BigBlue99, am I crazy or do your rear tires look smaller than your front tires?

Do they look smaller in that pic? Yeah, they really do which is weird. Are they smaller? I'll let you know when my wife parks it and I check. Thanks for making me endure a few paranoid hours... ha.

 

[patrickfinley]

I didn't know if perhaps you photographed it half way through your upgrade. Must be an optical illusion.

 

[hawyanryan]

I was looking at the revo 2s and the terra grapplers. Ended up figuring on a 5-tire rotation, so cost became an issue. Those Revos are about $50 more per. Due to backorders, I ended up with the terra grapplers in 285s at $177 per from my local Allen Tire. I get them on Friday. Thanks for all your help from this newb!

 

[FullyLitLED]

Not a bad price, I got my 305's for about 185 a piece. Also nitto tg. The 285's were abt $15 cheaper so I decided, why not 305's. Of course less mpg=the 305's definitely cost more now haha

 

[OregonLC]

Not a bad price, I got my 305's for about 185 a piece. Also nitto tg. The 285's were abt $15 cheaper so I decided, why not 305's. Of course less mpg=the 305's definitely cost more now haha

Dang, 18's are a lot more! Mine were like $260! But I sure like 'em!

 

[FullyLitLED]

I know! It's one of the reasons why I'm trading my tundra alloys when I'm back in town lol Theoretically, shouldnt 18s be cheaper cos there is less rubber for a tire with the same diameter but in a 16" wheel? lol just my opinion but idk

 

[OregonLC]

I know! It's one of the reasons why I'm trading my tundra alloys when I'm back in town lol Theoretically, shouldnt 18s be cheaper cos there is less rubber for a tire with the same diameter but in a 16" wheel? lol just my opinion but idk

I had the same theory in my mind. Might be supply/demand? I think LCPhil used to work for one of the brands, maybe he can chime in?