305/65/18s on +20mm Success!!!

[alta]

I have received a number of PMs asking about my tires, so I thought it beneficial to post a non-buried account of my findings.

I am not the first to run this size tire, but there has been much debate if a +20mm wheel would work without a lot of modification. Well I am happy to announce that I recently put 305/65r18s WildPeak AT3Ws on my 2010 LC w Fuel Vector +20mm wheels. Prior to this, I had 275/70r18 KO2s on the same wheels. I love KO2s, but I never loved the look of my overweight lady on skinny legs, so I made the change.

I have just under 2" of lift, removed the front mud flaps and pushed the front of the wheel liner forward about 1.5" (trick I learned on T4R). I promised a couple people I would post more on the mods and give details on the exactly clearances, so stay tuned.

 

[Union]

Nice work! So did you heat up the front fender liner to move it or just did some aggressive massaging...?

 

[lilenday]

Looks badass man! Cant wait for my set to come

 

[cc1999]

Nice ! Looks great!
I love Fuel wheels. I have the black trophy +20s on both my LCs.

I never would have thought 33.5 tall tire at 305 wide would have fit. I just ordered that exact size and offset with some black fuel Anza rims for my Ram 2500 4x4, that tire is an inch wider and half inch taller then stock for a RAM HD.

I hope to have them later this week for the RAM.

I really appreciate you sharing these pics of the mounted +20 fuel wheel with that tire size .
I hadn't been able to find pic of that exact setup mounted. I went with 305/65/18 Cooper's new AT3 XLT tires for my Ram.

 

[alta]

I took off the front mud flaps and pushed the front of the front-fender liner forward about 1.5"-2". I did this same modification on a '17 4Runner I had and it was much easier. Here is a link to someone else's writeup on T4R.

285’s on a 2016 4Runner Trail - Fender Liner Mod - Toyota 4Runner Forum - Largest 4Runner Forum

The idea is to remove 1 or 2 of the existing coarse-thread screws, push the liner forward and then use the same screws to hold the liner in a more forward location. The 4Runner is definitely easier because the plastic on the LC is thicker, and the shape is not as conducive to simply sliding forward. Here are some pics of my fender lining mods:

For orientation, the front of the bumper is up in the picture (above)
For next 2, front of bumper is to the right (below)

Post Mod (below)

All the critical components (body mounts and sway bars) are clearing without issue, but I did end up smacking the rear inner corner of the back side of the front wheel well with a hammer. I did this for my prior tires (275/70r18) before my lift, so this might not be been needed with the new UCAs (bringing the wheels forward slightly in the wheel well).

 

[TeCKis300]

Excellent! This tire size has been way under-represented on these boards. Too many naysayers declaring it won't fit. Sure, technically it doesn't fit out of the box, but with just a little work, it adds some serious BEEF the overall look. And protects the rim off road. I get the narrow tire movement, but it's just not for me. Like a hippo with dainty feet, when it should be Land Bruiser.

The 17" wheel crowd can use this guide too. A 305/70R17 is very similar in overall dimensions, a tad more aggressive - 305/70/17 (33.8" x 12.25") vs. 305/65/18 (33.6" x 12.0") Note the popular rock warrior wheel starts at 50 offset. So a .75" spacer would be ideal.

For the LX crowd, this thread is just as applicable to those wanting to run a 305 on 20s. It's very similar in overall dimension to a 305/55/20, which is actually a tad wider but a tad shorter: 305/55/20 (33.2" x 12.3") vs. 305/65/18 (33.6" x 12.0"). No KDSS bar to worry about. Run the same 1" spacer as the stock 18" wheel guys (All OE wheels are 60mm offset).

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Any rubbing on full flex?

 

[alta]

Any rubbing on full flex?

Not so far, but I will certainly keep everyone informed if I encounter any rubbing.

 

[JayTortugaTee]

@alta - looks great and thinking of doing the same with my truck.
Did you notice a difference in ride quality moving to the F rated tire?

 

[alta]

@alta - looks great and thinking of doing the same with my truck.
Did you notice a difference in ride quality moving to the F rated tire?

Thank you! The 305/65r18 WildPeaks are an E rated tire. I haven't seen an F rated, but I would definitely stay away from F-rated tires on the LC (likely too stiff). I am still working out the small details of my suspension (working with the builder to back off the fast-speed compression of the rear shocks), but once i got the tire pressure correct (~35psi), the ride quality is actually improved over my previous 275/70 KO2s (also E-rated). The WPs seem to roll smoother than the KO2s. The wider tread patch feels the road more, but the tire itself seems to soak up a bit more of the road.

It is hard for me to say how the WPs would compare coming from a stock setup, because the overall ride quality of my rig is now very different than stock (which is what I wanted), so it is hard to say how the tires alone affected things. Suffice it to say, I am close to being very satisfied with the overall package. It is exactly what I hoped it would be when I upgraded from the '17 TRD Offroad 4runner (had it 9 months; bought it, because at the time I couldn't find a suitable 200). The truck feels planted. The ride is firm with very little body roll or wallowing over larger bumps, but smooth and not harsh. The Fox suspension and WP tire combo seem to ease up the sharp, jarring bumps I experienced with the Icon setup I had on my 4Runner.

 

[Rigger]

Love the look, man! Thanks for posting.

 

[alta]

Yesterday morning I spent some time under my vehicle, watching the full arc of the wheels as my 11yo son slowly moved the steering wheel from left to right and back. I tried to visualize how the spacing would change as the suspension cycled up and down.

I wanted to get a better idea of clearances and also investigate a minor rubbing sound I experienced twice this week, while turning to the extreme right, going from reverse to forward. I discovered my right wheel was touching the remote shock reservoir.

I moved the reservoir body to the rear about 1/2" (to clear the KDSS bracket) and pushed the whole assembly inboard, toward the middle of the vehicle. I had it further out to clear the KDSS Piston mount and give easy access to the compression knobs. Now the knobs are a little more fiddly to adjust, but not terrible.

I also noticed evidence of very slight rubbing at the outside front corner of the front wheel wells. It is so minor that I have not done anything about this. It does not touch when I watch the tire arch, so it must happen as the suspension cycles up or down. This can also be handled with the wheel-well tuck mod I posted above.

The major areas of concern all seem to be fine: body mounts, KDSS linkage, upper control arm. When turned hard, all the way to the right, the tire is close to (~1/2") to the KDSS arm. However, it does clear it and the distance immediately increases (>1") as the wheel is moved slightly toward center. The pic (below) makes it seem closer than it really is and the bolt is further away and not a concern.

There is more than enough room around all the other steering components.

Fitment summary
Body Mounts - cleared fine, not close enough to worry to much (>3/4")
KDSS Link Arm - potential concern: clearance of ~1/2" when turned all the way to the right, but it immediately gets better if backed off slightly
Front Wheel Wells (front edge) - slight rubbing at some point in the swing, likely when the suspension cycles (too slight to hear or feel)
Front Wheel Wells (back edge) - removal of mud flaps is obvious, but the inner corner needs to be trimmed and possibly pushed toward rear of vehicle
Shock remote reservoirs (mounts needed to be pushed inboard about an inch, but this was user error; I had bent the mounts out to give better access to the knobs)
Stuffing the Tires - The outside edge of the fender could be a concern, but I have not had issues yet. (I'll post an update if I have issues)

Please remember, all of these clearances were a result of aftermarket (Total Chaos) UCAs, brought within factory alignment specs, and nothing "creative" (from an alignment perspective) was done to make them fit (very centered in the well). While my experience has been good, I can see how the alignment could make or break this tire size from working (The SPC arms are very adjustable, which can work for or against you). For example, if the alignment pushed the wheels further forward in the well, it would require further rework of the wheel well and might have issues with the KDSS link arm. If 200s are similar to 5th Gen 4runners, factory UCAs will keep the tires too far back in the well, guaranteeing body-mount interference.

Overall I am happy with the fit, the ride and I love the look. Sure there is a bit of massaging to do, but my adjustments have been fairly minor.

 

[lrowe_csp]

Great write up, following your path with some Nitto RidgeGrappler 305 65 18's.

 

[Naylor]

@alta first, thanks so much for this write up!

I'm getting ready to decide between your original size of 275/70/18 or go bigger with the 305 for my lx570 on Ray 10's and curious how this size is holding up. Any issues stuffing the tire yet?

@lrowe_csp did you end up with the RG's in the same size? (based on your sig you did i know these tires tend to run a little larger, curious to your experience with them on fitment and performance.

 

[19LC200]

@alta first, thanks so much for this write up!

I'm getting ready to decide between your original size of 275/70/18 or go bigger with the 305 for my lx570 on Ray 10's and curious how this size is holding up. Any issues stuffing the tire yet?

@lrowe_csp did you end up with the RG's in the same size? (based on your sig you did i know these tires tend to run a little larger, curious to your experience with them on fitment and performance.

Here is my 2019 LC with 305/65/18 BFG's on Ray 10's to give you an idea of the look. You will have to adjust the front fender liner at a minimum. When going to that size a knowledgeable alignment tech is a MUST!

 

[Naylor]

ha! you're pic is what put me over the edge on going with Ray10's thanks

 

[19LC200]

ha! you're pic is what put me over the edge on going with Ray10's thanks

Pics do NOT do the wheels justice!! You will absolutely love them!

 

[Naylor]

they arrive today, i almost went with gold on my silver LX (bit of an ode to subie days)...but went matte black.

 

[jefo13]

How would they fit on a stock wheel?

 

[lrowe_csp]

@alta first, thanks so much for this write up!

I'm getting ready to decide between your original size of 275/70/18 or go bigger with the 305 for my lx570 on Ray 10's and curious how this size is holding up. Any issues stuffing the tire yet?

@lrowe_csp did you end up with the RG's in the same size? (based on your sig you did i know these tires tend to run a little larger, curious to your experience with them on fitment and performance.

I did go with the Nitto RidgeGrappler 305 65 18's. Very smooth ride, and no problem balancing. I ran them in the light snow we have had this year in Virginia, and they were as good as, or better, than the KO2's I had on the 200 previously.