I've got a 2wd 2001 SR5 that is bone stock. I have 17 inch tundra wheels inbound, and am looking at tire options. Intended purpose is running back and forth the 15 miles to town (2.5 miles of dirt road) with my kids on trips to the lumberyard, etc. Got six kids, and they all wanna go! So, this is not a crawler/offroader, just a fun way to be able to haul kids with me when I'm not at work. Nevertheless, I want it to look good, so I was planning on some BFGoodrich All Terrains in 245/75r17. That would be about a 30x9.50 compared to the approx. 28x8.50 size of the stock tire. Wouldn't have to lift it, nor would it kill my performance or turn radius. But, in that size, the AT is a 10ply! This little truck would be fine with 4ply or 6 at most!

What are your recommendations for good lookin', quality tires in the 30x9.50 or barely bigger size tires that are available in low ply numbers?

It has 6ply Michelin LTX MS on it right now, in the stock size.

Thanks!

Why are you going to 17's? If you don't want to go to a bigger tire, that is going to limit your tire options, especially if you are not willing to take a load range E.

You can look up easily at tirerack.com. Click "tires by size", then click the little link that says "show all available sizes" You can click through all the sizes you are willing to take, and see if they have any load range C tires. I just clicked through a bunch of them for 17" and found very very few range C tires available.

If you go back to 15 or 16 inch rims, then you get tons of options for load range C.

Well, I feel a bit behind the 8 ball saying this since most of you guys are purists and even I usually adhere to the "form follows function" mantra.....but the reason I'm going with the 17 inch tundra wheel is as follows:

It's the best looking factory wheel ever created by ANY auto company until the recent GM Camaro SS wheel, in my opinion! And I want it on my 4runner!

I see, now, that it does limit my tire choices, though.

However, I just spoke with a rep at the Discount Tire store, and he informed me that he has 265/65R17 BFG AT in 4ply! That works out to a recommended tire size for the 4runner (probably a later year model than mine) of 30.6 by 10.4. That seems like it might be my answer.