PHOTO Request - LC100s running BFG K02s in 285/75-16 or 295/75-16... !! NEW PICS !! (1 Viewer)

[GregLCA]

2016.09.09 - !!! UPDATE !!!

For anyone who still cares about this thread, I thought I'd post an incremental update.

I had pretty much decided that I was going to make 2 changes at once... the first was to add a set of BORA 1.25" wheel spacers to widen the wheel track and push the stock size tires out more "FLUSH"






I lucked out, because I found a complete set of "takeoff" wheels/tires from a 2000 Land Cruiser that gave me the opportunity to pull my current wheels/tires off the truck and get them checked for runout, then powdercoated prior to installing the new K02s....

These photos don't really do justice to the effect that wheel spacers make.... Even with the puny 275/70-16 (31") tires, the truck looks more purposeful and beefy. I think with the new 285/75-16s (33") tires the whole effect will be even nicer!






So.... the wheels will be checked for runout on Monday, then sent to the powdercoaters for stripping and refinishing. Hopefully we can find a good silver to match the factory color.... That should be completed by Friday (9/16). BFG is having another sale right now, so I need to purchase the tires before that promotion expires (next Tues 9/13 IIRC).

I want to buy 5 tires so that I have a matched spare....and I think I remember reading that the 285s will still fit underneath the truck in the stock location??? Can anyone confirm? Do I need to modify that bar that the tire wedges underneath?



-G

 

[GregLCA]

2016.09.22 - UPDATE!!!


Well the process is now complete.

I'd made the commitment to install 1.25" wheel spacers and got that done a couple weeks back. Then I found a set of Craigslist wheels/tires that worked well enough that I could take my original wheels off the truck (including the spare).....remove the tires and send the wheels off to the local powdercoating shop for restoration work.

There was no exact powder match for the factory silver... some were lighter and some were darker, so I went about 1/2 shade darker to give the truck a more contemporary look:



Then I had a set of 5 new BFG K02's installed and road-force balanced. I went with the 285s... and I'm glad I did.

Here's the BEFORE shot (stock Michelin LTXs, stock ride height, 1.25" BORA Spacers):




Here's the AFTER shot (new 285's, 1.25" BORA spacers, Refinished Wheels... and stock ride height):




The new tires are awesome. I guess it never occurred to me that although Michelin makes a nice tire.... the factory "LTX" is in-fact at least a 15-year-old design. It was probably considered "state of the art" at the time (early 2000s) but technology has gotten SO much better than the new K02 is more aggressive, but it's every bit as quiet (if not quieter) and give a much more comfortable ride as well. That was a very pleasant surprise.

The only downside so far is that my speedometer is off by 7% (as expected) due to the larger tire diameter, and therefore my odometer will now also read low by 7%.... so it will take a bit more effort to calculate my ACTUAL fuel mileage from now on.

Since I have no interest in adding a suspension lift to this truck, the clearance of the tires was a concern.... not many people on this forum run larger tires with NO lift. I found there is one spot where I get some rubbing... even during normal street driving. There is a small "bump" in the factory splash shields at the very bottom that touches when I take sharp turns.



I'd rather not hack off this plastic, so maybe there is a way to use a heatgun to warm and reshape it???


Beyond those minor quibbles... I am super stoked about the changes!!! The truck looks so much more purposeful and muscular compared to the stock setup, and I can't wait for the snow to fly this winter so that I can do explore the unplowed roads and see if these tires are as good as everyone says they are in the white stuff!!!!


-G

 

[randomquickness]

^ looks awesome. Can you post pics showing the view from front and back? I'm picking up my same size ko2's this weekend but I wasn't planning on running spacers if I went with this tire size.

 

[GregLCA]

^ looks awesome. Can you post pics showing the view from front and back? I'm picking up my same size ko2's this weekend but I wasn't planning on running spacers if I went with this tire size.

Here you go!








The photos really don't do justice to the visual improvement of a 1.25" wheel spacer. Even before I swapped the stock tires off the truck, the spacers really improved the look of the truck a lot. The stock setup just puts the tires TOO far underneath the truck and exaggerates the "smallness" of the tires by tucking them so far underneath.

I'm sure that the truck would still look good either way, but IMHO... the spacers really complete the whole effect and make it look awesome.


I never thought I'd be so excited about a 15-year old truck.... or that this one simple change could make such a dramatic improvement in it's appearance, and make it seem "fresh" and new to me.



-G

 

[ukaviator]

Man that looks sweet! Ive got some BFG AT's 275/65/18 that came with the truck with lots of meat left on them.
I'd like to keep them on there for now and have been thinking about running spacers to bring them more in line with the wheel well.
Can you post a link of where you got the spacers and how you like them?
Got any pics with the spacers and 275's on the truck?

 

[LTrain0800]

No one's running whites out?!

 

[randomquickness]

Thanks Greg! looks awesome!

 

[GregLCA]

No one's running whites out?!

Ha! Not since 1976.... Disco-era baby!!!


-G

 

[GregLCA]

Man that looks sweet! Ive got some BFG AT's 275/65/18 that came with the truck with lots of meat left on them.
I'd like to keep them on there for now and have been thinking about running spacers to bring them more in line with the wheel well.
Can you post a link of where you got the spacers and how you like them?
Got any pics with the spacers and 275's on the truck?

Top post on this page shows the spacers and how they make stock tires look....

IMHO: You can't lose by installing spacers now while you wait to buy tires. The nice thing about BORA spacers is that they are black anodized (vs. blue or silver) so they blend right in and are nice and discreet.

Even with stock tires, a 1.25" (30mm) spacer gives the truck a more aggressive and purposeful look.


-G

 

[tacoduck]

pic from previous owner on install...

 

[nzeighty]

Ha! Not since 1976.... Disco-era baby!!!


-G

If you got a white hundy on white wheel looks sweet

 

[Cruzer_89]

KO 2's no lift..

 

[ITRJ]

285's

 

[randomquickness]

One more, hard parked on 285's

 

[Greenbean]

If you got a white hundy on white wheel looks sweet

What wheels are those bro?

Offset?

 

[Landen]

Here you go!








The photos really don't do justice to the visual improvement of a 1.25" wheel spacer. Even before I swapped the stock tires off the truck, the spacers really improved the look of the truck a lot. The stock setup just puts the tires TOO far underneath the truck and exaggerates the "smallness" of the tires by tucking them so far underneath.

I'm sure that the truck would still look good either way, but IMHO... the spacers really complete the whole effect and make it look awesome.


I never thought I'd be so excited about a 15-year old truck.... or that this one simple change could make such a dramatic improvement in it's appearance, and make it seem "fresh" and new to me.



-G

Are they right in line with the fender? I was thinking about getting 1.5 bora spacers.

 

[GregLCA]

Are they right in line with the fender? I was thinking about getting 1.5 bora spacers.

The 1.25" (30mm) is the most common and popular spacer for these trucks. Pushes the tires right to the fender edges... is there a specific reason you want to do an oddball spacer size?


-G

 

[Jfcol]

Here you go!








The photos really don't do justice to the visual improvement of a 1.25" wheel spacer. Even before I swapped the stock tires off the truck, the spacers really improved the look of the truck a lot. The stock setup just puts the tires TOO far underneath the truck and exaggerates the "smallness" of the tires by tucking them so far underneath.

I'm sure that the truck would still look good either way, but IMHO... the spacers really complete the whole effect and make it look awesome.


I never thought I'd be so excited about a 15-year old truck.... or that this one simple change could make such a dramatic improvement in it's appearance, and make it seem "fresh" and new to me.



-G

Your truck looks amazing. I'm also am going for a "beefier" look on the '05 I just bought. I've taken off the running boards, which helps. But my wife is already compaining about it. So if I can get the look I want without a lift, it would be great. The previous owner put a new set of Yoko Geolanders on mine, which are an all terrain tire with a more rugged look than the stock Michelins. So I won't be changing those out to a larger size anytime soon. I did need to have the tires rebalanced a few times to get rid of a shimmy at around 60mph. Do the spacers make it harder to keep your tires in balance? I've had that trouble in the past on other vehicles. Thanks.

 

[Landen]

The 1.25" (30mm) is the most common and popular spacer for these trucks. Pushes the tires right to the fender edges... is there a specific reason you want to do an oddball spacer size?


-G

And I'm trying to decide between 285/75/16 or 305/70/16 what tire size should I go with?

 

[LXG8R]

@GregLCA Where are you finding the 305's? I've been looking for some as an option, but will probably go with the 285's