255/75/17 or 285/70/17 KO2s on 2" Lift?

[Throwback]

I should have Slee's 5th Gen "low lift" on shortly (OME 2883, 2895e, Nitros, SPC UCAS) and am going to get new tires.

I was pretty set on 255/75/17 C-Load KO2s since they're slightly taller and skinner than stock tires.

Then I started looking at 285/70/17s in C-load and considering those.

I don't want to do any chopping and want full suspension articulation. The 285s are 6lbs heavier per tire.

This is my daily driver, and family (wife and two boys) travel wagon. What would you do?

 

[Scowling Tuna]

IMO you're gonna waste more money on gas then you'll get performance out of the larger tires. Cool factor; bigger tires, always.

I'm in the same boat (kinda') where I know I can go bigger than stock 265/70R17's, but aside from snow, 98% of my driving is on pavement, and it's my DD, and I use the 3rd row seating. So really, my 4runner is just a better alternative to driving a minivan. So keeping it in the stock realm makes more sense.

[and yes, I know my limited has 20's, I'm going to 17's next month]

 

[Throwback]

The stock size KO2s (265/70/17 C) are 31.7" tall, 10.7" wide.

The 255/75/17 Cs are 32.1" tall, 10" wide.

So very close, but the 255s are slightly taller and skinnier.


Lots of guys run the 275/70/17 E, which are 32.2" tall, 11" wide. They also weigh 55lbs vs the 255s weighing 45lbs.

The 255/75 seems like a great all around tire that's slightly taller than stock, but for some reason not super popular on this forum.

 

[ahtoxa11]

OP, the tire choice depends entirely on what you want to do with it. If you're wheeling often and your terrain can benefit from the largest tire (rocks, clearance needed), then go 285s but know that you MIGHT have to chop. If you don't want to do that, go 275s or 255s like you suggested, especially if you aren't wheeling a lot.

Generally, if you're concerned with daily driving sacrifices and this a daily/trip vehicle for the entire family, then don't do the more extreme mods. All mods come with a trade off, and generally speaking when it comes to lifts and tires, there are significant tradeoffs for daily driven rigs.

 

[jbl911]

Im running a 2/1 lift and 255/80/17's on the TRD wheels. It only required the front fenders to be pushed forward, 10 minute adjustment.

 

[IanB]

I'm running 255/75/17's on my '15 Limited with 1" front spacer lift, there was zero rubbing on FJC wheels, but when I added 1.25" spacers there was some rubbing I was able to address via pushing the fender liners forward and removing the rear inner liner panels that cover the body mount. The tires are Duratracs, which only come in SL load rating in that size, they have been fine although this truck is on-road only, if I was wheeling it I'd want a stronger sidewall.

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

I should have Slee's 5th Gen "low lift" on shortly (OME 2883, 2895e, Nitros, SPC UCAS) and am going to get new tires.

I was pretty set on 255/75/17 C-Load KO2s since they're slightly taller and skinner than stock tires.

Then I started looking at 285/70/17s in C-load and considering those.

I don't want to do any chopping and want full suspension articulation. The 285s are 6lbs heavier per tire.

This is my daily driver, and family (wife and two boys) travel wagon. What would you do?

I'd go with the 255 tire. You might have to chop with 285.

 

[spartacus]

285's will fit without a chop with spc or other after market uca's. More camber moves the tire forward.

 

[Old3Tow]

Option #3, which so far has worked out fabulously for my rig I might add, are E rated 235/85/17 AT. This tire is right at or a tad below 32” and 9.5” narrow. Daily driving is great and wheeling has done all I’ve asked it to for the past 15k miles. Rocks, steeps, snow. Oh, and looks great imho. So far no regrets and I’d do it again.

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

285's will fit without a chop with spc or other after market uca's. More camber moves the tire forward.

Ya some people have got them to fit and not rub at full lock or full articulation. I want to know what kind of sorcery is involved, because for some people, no matter what they do, me included, the 285 rubbed no matter what. Soooooooo that led to the bumper chop and fender liner pushed forward and a BMC. Now I could fit 34's or maybe even 35's!

But seriously, as I stated in my last post, you MIGHT rub with 285's. I would say it's more common to rub than not to rub. SOOOOO, if you want to avoid the possibility of rubbing and cutting, between the 255 or 285, go 255. If you want to roll the dice, go 285.

Another thing to think about is that a 4runner with a lift with stock wheels and 285's already looks like it skipped a couple leg days, so 255's might look like leg day isn't even a thing. I'm sure there is a picture thread around here for 255 tires and a mild lift. Search around and see what you like. If you end up choosing 255 but want to widen the stance a bit, you can throw on some wheel spacers BUT this has been known to make tires rub due to the suspension geometry.

255 w/o spacers - will most likely fit no rub but stance might look narrow
255 w/spacers - will help widen stance but might lead to rubbing (there's probably information on this somewhere)
285 w/o spacers - might rub but will help with stance, although I still think it needs to be wider
285 w/spacers - will most likely rub but stance looks gooooooooooooooood

NOTE: This is all assuming stock wheels. This does not take into account aftermarket wheels with different offsets and backspacing. Those types of wheels basically act as spacers depending on specs.

 

[repo]

Option #3, which so far has worked out fabulously for my rig I might add, are E rated 235/85/17 AT. This tire is right at or a tad below 32” and 9.5” narrow. Daily driving is great and wheeling has done all I’ve asked it to for the past 15k miles. Rocks, steeps, snow. Oh, and looks great imho. So far no regrets and I’d do it again.

If you look at old school Land Rovers in Africa and places they all had skinny pizza cutter wheels. Military trucks too. They cut through snow better as well. It's the sensible choice but still looks weird to me.

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

If you look at old school Land Rovers in Africa and places they all had skinny pizza cutter wheels. Military trucks too. They cut through snow better as well. It's the sensible choice but still looks weird to me.

Lots of snow in Africa.....lol. Why do all the Russians put massively wide tires on their vehicles then?? Yes there is some sarcasm in my comment, but actually you're not wrong about the skinny tires cutting through snow better. Which begs the question....to cut through the snow or to float on the snow? Cut through to get to solid ground, but if the snow is too deep you're just gonna get buried above your frame and then you're not going anywhere. In which case it's better to be on top of the snow with wider tires. Same concept as snow shoes. BUT if you're on top of the snow, your traction is coming from gripping snow now so you need proper snow tires for the best traction.

 

[Sundy]

Go 255/80R17. They fit just fine (might need to slightly trim mud flap, not everyone does). They look great, I still get 19+ average running on the highway, and the ride is great.

 

[repo]

Lots of snow in Africa.....lol. Why do all the Russians put massively wide tires on their vehicles then?? Yes there is some sarcasm in my comment, but actually you're not wrong about the skinny tires cutting through snow better. Which begs the question....to cut through the snow or to float on the snow? Cut through to get to solid ground, but if the snow is too deep you're just gonna get buried above your frame and then you're not going anywhere. In which case it's better to be on top of the snow with wider tires. Same concept as snow shoes. BUT if you're on top of the snow, your traction is coming from gripping snow now so you need proper snow tires for the best traction.

Lookup "Russian UAZ" they will have skinny tires I bet. I'm aware of the floating thing and those trucks they have in Iceland but I don't think it's something most people are going to encounter. If it's that deep you'll bottom out something else anyway unless you have some truely massive tires. Winter tires don't float their benefit is mostly softer compound. Thin ones are still better to cut through. I think you actually get more tread contact deflating tall narrow tires than wide ones because you get more lengthways contact.

And a built one:

 

[Old3Tow]

^^^ Agreed x1000

 

[1jzgte]

does anyone ever complain that the 4runner's Limited trim runs a 245? It's most likely not an issue of snow worthiness but more of america's obsession with fat and wide ass tires

 

[Kamalani Mahie]

Lookup "Russian UAZ" they will have skinny tires I bet. I'm aware of the floating thing and those trucks they have in Iceland but I don't think it's something most people are going to encounter. If it's that deep you'll bottom out something else anyway unless you have some truely massive tires. Winter tires don't float their benefit is mostly softer compound. Thin ones are still better to cut through. I think you actually get more tread contact deflating tall narrow tires than wide ones because you get more lengthways contact.

You're probably right, most people will not encounter snow that deep or have the need to, so it just depends on the user's specific situation. Agreed winter tires have a softer compound so they remain flexible in the freezing temps and have specific siping for the thin layer of water created when driving over ice. And it all depends on how tall and stiff the tire is when deflating to increase the contact patch; width just adds to the surface area. I think there's a lot of good information here to help the OP to make a well informed decision on which tire to go with.

 

[SilverTEP]

Contact patch = traction, tire width = bigger contact patch, tall = more clearance... pizza cutters are a dogma. Wider is better off-road, if you can afford it.

 

[repo]

Contact patch = traction, tire width = bigger contact patch, tall = more clearance... pizza cutters are a dogma. Wider is better off-road, if you can afford it.

When you air down the contact patch increases lengthways much more than sideways. You also have more downward pressure with tall skinny so it's more usable traction.

 

[Deuxdiesel]

I just took off my Duratrac 255's on steelies and put on Yoko A/T' 265's on alloys because I am going to be doing a lot more paved road driving in the next few months. With the ToyTec 1.6" up front, the 255's were awesome looking but noisy and had a noticeable effect on acceleration and MPG's.