255/85 how much lift?

[sportscarfan]

I've had Duratrac 285/75-16's on my '97 for 3.5 years with a 1" BL and '99 springs. We were just in the Colorado State Forest a couple weeks ago making our annual Yurt trip. Lots of mileage on old logging roads. Some that are way too gnarly/rocky/steep for stock trucks. Anyone who's been - head up to Montgomery Pass or the Ruby Jewell trailhead (1.5 miles past the car corral) I'm not saying my setup will survive Rubicon, Moab, etc., but it sounds to me like the OP isn't going anywhere more difficult than I've been in our very mild rig.
My only reservation with the 255's would be the larger rollout at steering lock or front wheels turned with some front articulation is going to rub more often and sooner than the 285. My fronts get into the mudflap with one "stuffed" at certain steering angles. They also rub the frame at near full lock. I drive around both problems.

 

[BoostedRNR]

Yea, I'm not sure how someone would get these to fit on stock suspension.



I still have slight rubbage when I stuff at high speeds. I bet when I throw on my new set, I'll have a lot more rubbing going on. I am running the Light Racing upper control arms, and aligned it myself, pushing the wheel as far forward as I could. I'm running spacers too.

 

[Shanegpoe]

I have seen the. 4runner he is referring to. The build thread is on ArkansasCrawlers

Thanks Hurt4x, Ive been looking through arkansascrawlers and cant find the dudes build thread.
I remember him saying he pulled them off his blazer just to see and they fit. I can see the picture posted with it in my head and everything n=but cant remember the dudes name of anything.

 

[hurt4x]

That would be awesome. I've seen them with 35s but they had a3 inch lift and other mods to make it work. Did he have a body lift or coil spacers?

OK ill admit i was wrong...





The build thread was on pirate not ArkansasCrawlers. here ya go
"Petey" Frontier 4x4's 3rd Gen 4Runner - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

looks like 3in spacer lift. no body lift and 36's. at one point 37's. I myself have no clue how it was done.

 

[thardy]

yup just as I suspected. Yes you can fit them under, but if you want to use it you are going to have to lift it, clearance the firewall, and obviously he had wheels with less backspacing to clearance the UCA.

The key was the fire wall clearance. I've seen it done to fit 35s and i'm sure if you just took a little more you could clear 36s and even 37s. That is a lot of work though and you need a welder and a fire extinguisher!!

If I were doing it again I would run a more aggressive 265/75r16. I was happy with them until I lifted it then I went 285/75r16. Even with being able to fit bigger tires the thing you have to consider it what you are going to break. Our stock rigs aren't built to run 35/36/37 inch tires. You will break cv axles left and right. You will break rear axle shafts, and ring and pinions. Ask me how I know!! Even with my SAS I won't wheel over a 36" tire. I have 39's on now but that's just for show. As for now (until I go 1 ton axles) I will stick to a good set of 315/75r16s. Wheel the S*** out of them and call it good.

 

[thardy]

For you entertainment.

265/75r16

285/75r16

315/75r16

37/13.5r15

39.5/14.5/15

 

[BrandonF]

For you entertainment.

265/75r16

**SNIP**

285/75r16
**SNIP**

315/75r16

**SNIP**

37/13.5r15

**SNIP**

39.5/14.5/15

**SNIP**

Awesome runner. My 265/75/16 MTR knock offs (aka Treadwrights) are getting pretty worn now and I'm looking to upsize to a 285 with a 3.5" backspacing wheel, then clearancing the shit out of the fire wall. I may even lower my front struts down a notch while I'm at it to get about 2.25-2.5" of lift over stock. I don't mind going to town on that firewall. I have plate bumpers so the only troublesome spot should be the firewall. However, I feel like with stock gears, 265's are probably just as capable as 285's offroad. I can't help but want to upsize though.

Can you expand on why you'd stick with the 265? With less than 2.5" of front lift and the fact that my front diff is still open, I can't see my front end complaining too too much?

 

[KidVermicious]

Can you expand on why you'd stick with the 265? With less than 2.5" of front lift and the fact that my front diff is still open, I can't see my front end complaining too too much?

I'm not Ty, but 265s are a great size. They're big enough for anything short of serious rock crawling, but not so big that you take a huge hit to mileage and gearing. You'll definitely notice 285s on the freeway, and offroad I don't think they bring enough extra clearance over the 265s to justify themselves.

 

[BrandonF]

I'm not Ty, but 265s are a great size. They're big enough for anything short of serious rock crawling, but not so big that you take a huge hit to mileage and gearing. You'll definitely notice 285s on the freeway, and offroad I don't think they bring enough extra clearance over the 265s to justify themselves.

Yeah I know I'll become pretty familiar with 4th gear highway cruising...

It's not so bad. Dropping to 3rd gear is what sucks though. I can always go back down to 265's if I really can't stand it.

 

[thardy]

Awesome runner. My 265/75/16 MTR knock offs (aka Treadwrights) are getting pretty worn now and I'm looking to upsize to a 285 with a 3.5" backspacing wheel, then clearancing the shit out of the fire wall. I may even lower my front struts down a notch while I'm at it to get about 2.25-2.5" of lift over stock. I don't mind going to town on that firewall. I have plate bumpers so the only troublesome spot should be the firewall. However, I feel like with stock gears, 265's are probably just as capable as 285's offroad. I can't help but want to upsize though.

Can you expand on why you'd stick with the 265? With less than 2.5" of front lift and the fact that my front diff is still open, I can't see my front end complaining too too much?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about bigger tires. I would run 285's on a 2" lift. I just feel that, like KidV said there is nothing wrong with 265's I ran them for 10 years before I decided it was time to go big. IMHO I don't love it when the tire stuffs the fender on flat ground. I feel that you can have to much tire. That is why I plan to run 315s on my 10ish inch lift. You can tuck farther if you have the clearance to do so.

 

[thardy]

I'm not Ty, but 265s are a great size. They're big enough for anything short of serious rock crawling, but not so big that you take a huge hit to mileage and gearing. You'll definitely notice 285s on the freeway, and offroad I don't think they bring enough extra clearance over the 265s to justify themselves.

No your not me, but you are almost as cool!! I 100% agree with this post. 265's were perfect with no lift. 285's were great with 3" lift. You don't need big tires to wheel. The only place KidV and I disagree as far as tires is for wheeling I prefer wide he prefers skinnies. To each his own!!

 

[KidVermicious]

The only place KidV and I disagree as far as tires is for wheeling I prefer wide he prefers skinnies. I like being wrong!!

ftfy

 

[BrandonF]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about bigger tires. I would run 285's on a 2" lift. I just feel that, like KidV said there is nothing wrong with 265's I ran them for 10 years before I decided it was time to go big. IMHO I don't love it when the tire stuffs the fender on flat ground. I feel that you can have to much tire. That is why I plan to run 315s on my 10ish inch lift. You can tuck farther if you have the clearance to do so.

Thanks for the input! I appreciate hearing from people that have a lot more wheeling experience than I do.

I just want to keep things low and wide. IMO, more lift and a higher COG are one thing on a truck with an SAS that has the articulation to keep things level. However, with IFS, it's way too easy to lift tires. I have lifted tires on some steep inclines with large ruts on side and it's scary. I'd rather have a low truck than a truck on its side.

I realize that the 285's will give me another .5" of lift over my 265's, but the additional weight and wider track of 285's on 3.5" BS wheels will give some great stability.