Tire Size Comparison

[TurbineTester]

So I was going through the FAQ and looking for information on tires. I found a set of used but like new 275/65r18 BFGoodrich Rugged Trail A/T for $296 mounted balanced and installed. I was hoping there was a link to help me understand the effects of a non OEM tire size. The link in the FAQ for "Tire Size Calculator" was dead for me. I found another link that worked for me and could possibly be added to the FAQ to replace the dead one...

Tire Size Comparison

So other than a slight inaccuracy in the speedometer, are there any concerns going with a 275/65gr8 vs the OEM 275/60r18?

 

[Bomar]

Google tire size calculator there are a bazillion.

You can go up to 275.70.18

 

[n55luvr]

I run 275/65 BFG KO2s. About an inch bigger (32") than stock but same width. I am happy with them. I'd love 33" but since I daily drive this thing the 33" are a bit of overkill.

 

[lead62]

I recently put on 285/75/16 Coopers on my 98 Land Cruiser. They measure out just over 33" and I have had no ill effects. The vehicle rides smoother than ever. The highway RPMs dropped for me which is a big deal for my 4spd transmission. I did not notice anything bad with acceleration. I would think if you have a later model with the 5spd you wouldn't notice too much of a difference unless you tow a lot.

 

[costalcat]

I have been running BFG 285/65r18 KO's just blew out a tire on Friday so I moved up to the new KO2's
No issues with about 50,000 miles on the KO's I expect the same from the KO2's. The tread is beefier than the original KO's. No increased tire noise that I can tell.

 

[Haring Bagsik]

I have been running BFG 285/65r18 KO's just blew out a tire on Friday so I moved up to the new KO2's
No issues with about 50,000 miles on the KO's I expect the same from the KO2's. The tread is beefier than the original KO's. No increased tire noise that I can tell.

View attachment 1255593

Is this tire quiet on pavement and smooth? How does it compare to the Toyo Open Country AT II?

 

[costalcat]

Is this tire quiet on pavement and smooth? How does it compare to the Toyo Open Country AT II?

I can't say how it compares to the Toyo as I have never run them. The KO2's have only been on since Friday but the seem as smooth and as noise free as the KO's. I can say that I don't notice any major tire noise and they run very smooth. I do a lot of highway travel in them and find them a great all around tire. Snow, sand, even lite mud they hold up well. My understanding is that the KO2 improve upon everything without additional tire noise and I can confirm that at least... I tow a boat and 26 ft trailer and the tires have done fine with that as well...
More importantly my wife has never complained about the ride or tire noise to date and she has before with the mud's I had on my syncro for awhile ....

 

[Haring Bagsik]

I can't say how it compares to the Toyo as I have never run them. The KO2's have only been on since Friday but the seem as smooth and as noise free as the KO's. I can say that I don't notice any major tire noise and they run very smooth. I do a lot of highway travel in them and find them a great all around tire. Snow, sand, even lite mud they hold up well. My understanding is that the KO2 improve upon everything without additional tire noise and I can confirm that at least... I tow a boat and 26 ft trailer and the tires have done fine with that as well...
More importantly my wife has never complained about the ride or tire noise to date and she has before with the mud's I had on my syncro for awhile ....

I'm really curious how the KO2 and Toyo ATII performs after a couple of thousand miles on them. Just like when my MT's on my 80, so quiet and smooth when brand new and now a total opposite after a couple thousand miles. I'm in the market for new wheels and tires for my 100 and since my wife will be driving it, she wants it quiet and smooth.

 

[costalcat]

I'm really curious how the KO2 and Toyo ATII performs after a couple of thousand miles on them. Just like when my MT's on my 80, so quiet and smooth when brand new and now a total opposite after a couple thousand miles. I'm in the market for new wheels and tires for my 100 and since my wife will be driving it, she wants it quiet and smooth.

Happy to post once I get some travel on them. My KO's had about @ 50,000 and never a complaint. BUT a new tire could change that after awhile. If it were me, and I wasn't going to off road it much and it was my wife's DD I would throw some Michelins LTX on there. I doubt you get a smoother or quieter ride...

 

[aging fleet]

So other than a slight inaccuracy in the speedometer, are there any concerns going with a 275/65gr8 vs the OEM 275/60r18?

I run a 275/65/18. Regarding effects, I've noticed 2.

1) your Cruiser will look better (but not as good as it would with a 33" tire
2) slight speedo discrepancy

Go for it if the tires aren't clapped out

 

[jemsec]

Try this and see if it helps.

Visual Tyre Size Calculator | Kouki Tech

 

[costalcat]

Try this and see if it helps.

Visual Tyre Size Calculator | Kouki Tech

Cool visual on that link @jemsec

 

[sean2202]

Happy to post once I get some travel on them. My KO's had about @ 50,000 and never a complaint. BUT a new tire could change that after awhile. If it were me, and I wasn't going to off road it much and it was my wife's DD I would throw some Michelins LTX on there. I doubt you get a smoother or quieter ride...

Wow 50,000 never got that much out of mine and have been running for 10 years plus on all types of vehicles. Usually 40k for me but I don't rotate that often. The new KO2 has much greater sidewall protection than the older style. I agree with the
Michelin ltx as a better ride as I swapped out for bfg KO and it is slightly harsher.

 

[costalcat]

Wow 50,000 never got that much out of mine and have been running for 10 years plus on all types of vehicles. Usually 40k for me but I don't rotate that often. The new KO2 has much greater sidewall protection than the older style. I agree with the Michelin ltx as a better ride as I swapped out for bfg KO and it is slightly harsher.

I do rotate every 3,500. Either in my driveway or at the shop. One thing that might be a difference is that I force balance the tires on day one and then probably once or twice more during the lifetime. They were certainly getting ready for replacement and the sidewalls are starting to show some little cracks but I figured I would get the summer before the replacement. They looked worse than I thought sitting next to the new tires for sure! I'm hoping the KO2s do me just as well. I was really going to move from BFG but since it was decided for me I like the look of the new style so I dont feel so bad...

 

[Haring Bagsik]

Happy to post once I get some travel on them. My KO's had about @ 50,000 and never a complaint. BUT a new tire could change that after awhile. If it were me, and I wasn't going to off road it much and it was my wife's DD I would throw some Michelins LTX on there. I doubt you get a smoother or quieter ride...

For the wheel and tire replacement, I'm thinking of getting the Mickey Thompson Deegan 38 Pro 2. Love the looks of the KO2 but I know I won't like the ride, hate the look of the Michelin LTX but will love the ride....I wish there was something in between for the tires...Have the looks of the KO2 and ride of the LTX

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels

 

[sean2202]

@costalcat force balance? Can you enlighten me on this? Do you use any conditioners on the sidewalls at all? I have a set of BFG KO with date code of 06 on my work truck that I spray with tire wet and sidewalls still look good.
@Haring Bagsik when you find those magic tires in between the ko2 and ltx please let me know as I totally agree with you

 

[costalcat]

@costalcat force balance? Can you enlighten me on this? Do you use any conditioners on the sidewalls at all? I have a set of BFG KO with date code of 06 on my work truck that I spray with tire wet and sidewalls still look good.
@Haring Bagsik when you find those magic tires in between the ko2 and ltx please let me know as I totally agree with you

@sean2202 Sure it is called Road-Force balancing. It is a special machine that certain tire shops have. Typically a balancer will spin your wheel absent of any pressure being applied to the tire. You know how sometimes you get a shimmy at 60 Mph but not at 65 or 55?? That is what a Force Balance can solve. The machine has a set of rollers on it that will apply "Force" to the tire simulating road pressure, around 1200 lbs. This allows one to better balance the tire while simulating it going down the road. For instance, I had a brand new set of tires, one of the four could not be forced balanced without an ungodly amount of weights. Shop determined the tire was not within spec and was able to swap it out before it even rode a mile on the LC. Then after about 25,000 miles I rotated the tires and was getting a pretty bad shimmy around 68mph. So I took the truck back in had a force balance done again, shimmy gone and tires were happy until this recent change. I had the same issue on my wife's X5. Just a crazy shimmy / shake at 70 in her ride. Finally got it over to my tire shop and away from the BMW dealer and they found two tires that were a problem but able to fix with a force balance. $80 later and I have never had another issue. Not cheap it can run 20-40 $$ a tire, but I am convinced you get your money out of it with extended tire life.

Hunter makes the most common. Ask your tire shop if they have one, it is certainly worth it when doing any brand new tires...

On the sidewall, I use a Griots Garage Rubber conditioner but on the BFG I have noticed that as they get near the end of life these little sidewall cracks start showing up. Same thing happened with my other BFG's but maybe the conditioner is the problem not the tire??

 

[Haring Bagsik]

@sean2202 Sure it is called Road-Force balancing. It is a special machine that certain tire shops have. Typically a balancer will spin your wheel absent of any pressure being applied to the tire. You know how sometimes you get a shimmy at 60 Mph but not at 65 or 55?? That is what a Force Balance can solve. The machine has a set of rollers on it that will apply "Force" to the tire simulating road pressure, around 1200 lbs. This allows one to better balance the tire while simulating it going down the road. For instance, I had a brand new set of tires, one of the four could not be forced balanced without an ungodly amount of weights. Shop determined the tire was not within spec and was able to swap it out before it even rode a mile on the LC. Then after about 25,000 miles I rotated the tires and was getting a pretty bad shimmy around 68mph. So I took the truck back in had a force balance done again, shimmy gone and tires were happy until this recent change. I had the same issue on my wife's X5. Just a crazy shimmy / shake at 70 in her ride. Finally got it over to my tire shop and away from the BMW dealer and they found two tires that were a problem but able to fix with a force balance. $80 later and I have never had another issue. Not cheap it can run 20-40 $$ a tire, but I am convinced you get your money out of it with extended tire life.

Hunter makes the most common. Ask your tire shop if they have one, it is certainly worth it when doing any brand new tires...

On the sidewall, I use a Griots Garage Rubber conditioner but on the BFG I have noticed that as they get near the end of life these little sidewall cracks start showing up. Same thing happened with my other BFG's but maybe the conditioner is the problem not the tire??

I believe the machine is the DSP 9000 last time I checked for that type of balancing...maybe newer ones out there

 

[sean2202]

@costalcat thanks for the info. I'll check around and have my bfg's checked as always had a minor shim in steering wheel (Michelin ltx was smooth as silk)

 

[Placemotorsports]

I've had these for a little over a week now and so far they are great. Low road noise and good in the rain. It's been downpouring here for a week.