AT Tires

I've considered that, but I always come back to the TE wheel because I really like how it looks. Also, I'm not a wheel/tire expert, but from what I've read (someone correct me), the smaller wheel size would allow you to run wider tires with the same wheel width. For example a 7" wide SR5 17" wheel would fit (spec) a 275 tire. But a 20" wheel would need to be 7.5" wide in order to run a 275 (keeping it spec). In other words, the extra half inch width on the TE wheel combined with the smaller size gives you a much wider range of tire widths to choose from.

If you are going through the trouble of selling your rims and buying new ones, I'd look for something wider than the TE rims. You only get an extra half inch.
 
Did you sign a liability release or something to get DT to install the wider tires? The sales guy I met with was pretty adamant that they would not install it and did not even give me the option. He did mention that a couple of months ago they installed 275s on a LE and they had to replace all the tires afterwards on their dime. It could have been a bull story, but if that location was burned by LE 4Rs before they might be hesitant to do it again.

Discount Tire guys tend to know less than most auto enthusiasts I've come across. They are simply reading from a database. That same database tells them 2015 vehicles don't even exist yet, so I'm surprised we don't get pushback there too. :dizzy:

That said, tell them what you want and they will do it, even after their bit of caution. I just went through the same thing this weekend.

Also, I'd like to add another tire to the mix that was recently released.... the BF Goodrich A/T KO2. It's their answer to the Duratrac and seems much improved over the previous version.

I wanted to try something different after running Discoverer AT3s for a couple of years and Duratracs are backordered nationwide in the 275/55/20 size. I decided to go with the BFGs and like them so far. We'll see how they do in the elements.
 
I've never had to sign a release and I've probably gone with non-OE spec sizes on at least 4 sets over the years. They didn't even flinch this last time. I told them the size I wanted then they started explaining that their system doesn't show that the tire will work for my vehicle. I basically told them I know they will work and know others that run them without issue. Then they just proceeded and didn't mention it again.

If that Discount is balking that much, maybe it's time to find a new shop.

Also, they chipped a wheel on a brand new vehicle with 60 miles on it, so DT is in the doghouse with me until it gets replaced.

Did you sign a liability release or something to get DT to install the wider tires? The sales guy I met with was pretty adamant that they would not install it and did not even give me the option. He did mention that a couple of months ago they installed 275s on a LE and they had to replace all the tires afterwards on their dime. It could have been a bull story, but if that location was burned by LE 4Rs before they might be hesitant to do it again.
 
I've decided to keep things in spec and NOT install the 275/55/20s on my LE. I'm going to buy some 4th Gen LE wheels 18"x7.5 and get some new rubber for those. I really like the 4th Gen LE six-spoke alloy wheels and feel the 18" size is a good compromise between looks and some extra sidewall for mild-offroading (beach, trails, etc). That, plus the real benefit of getting rid of the 245 wagon wheels, bike wheels, pizza cutters or whatever you want to call them.

Now, the question is: will it rub? I'm torn between 265/65/18s and 275/65/18s. The offset on my 20" LE wheels is +12mm and I believe the 4th Gen wheels is at +25mm. I've been using this very helpful tool:

Custom rims, wheel tire packages for your ride - RIMSnTIRES.com

It models your inputs in real time showing the before and after of your setup. With the 275/65/18s it says that my setup will be 28mm closer to the suspension/brakes, will stick out 2mm farther (negligible) and will fill the wheelwells an extra 7mm than my original setup.

Are these differences within the limits of not having to trim/push liners or do any mods no matter how minor?
 
I've decided to keep things in spec and NOT install the 275/55/20s on my LE. I'm going to buy some 4th Gen LE wheels 18"x7.5 and get some new rubber for those. I really like the 4th Gen LE six-spoke alloy wheels and feel the 18" size is a good compromise between looks and some extra sidewall for mild-offroading (beach, trails, etc). That, plus the real benefit of getting rid of the 245 wagon wheels, bike wheels, pizza cutters or whatever you want to call them.

Now, the question is: will it rub? I'm torn between 265/65/18s and 275/65/18s. The offset on my 20" LE wheels is +12mm and I believe the 4th Gen wheels is at +25mm. I've been using this very helpful tool:

Custom rims, wheel tire packages for your ride - RIMSnTIRES.com

It models your inputs in real time showing the before and after of your setup. With the 275/65/18s it says that my setup will be 28mm closer to the suspension/brakes, will stick out 2mm farther (negligible) and will fill the wheelwells an extra 7mm than my original setup.

Are these differences within the limits of not having to trim/push liners or do any mods no matter how minor?

If you and your buddy both have identical 4Runners and went out and bought identical upsized tires and wheels one of you might have to mod and the other might not. Why? Because there is no such thing as identical 4Runners. His caster might be a bit different than yours. They are adjustable and have quite a wide range. There are tolerances and stack up heights too. So, you might rub in reverse at full lock and your buddy might clear by a half a millimeter. Never mind that even though both tires are the same size they actually differ dimensionally by brand and type. That's why I color coded the chart because there are gray areas.
 
I agree, and I also understand that no two setups are identical. Many factors on both the 4R, wheels and tires are going to impact the result. I guess my question was more on an order of magnitude. I have no idea if the 28mm I mentioned is way way way under what I should be worrying about or not.

If you and your buddy both have identical 4Runners and went out and bought identical upsized tires and wheels one of you might have to mod and the other might not. Why? Because there is no such thing as identical 4Runners. His caster might be a bit different than yours. They are adjustable and have quite a wide range. There are tolerances and stack up heights too. So, you might rub in reverse at full lock and your buddy might clear by a half a millimeter. Never mind that even though both tires are the same size they actually differ dimensionally by brand and type. That's why I color coded the chart because there are gray areas.
 
Not sure either, but don’t think they were released until this Fall. Also, I believe in January Nitto is releasing the G2 in more sizes.
 
I'm dropping in from the 3rd gen forum, but I wanted to say thanks to [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] and everyone else for all the great info in this thread. After reading it all, I jumped on a deal for a set of AT3s (P265/70-16) for $434 shipped after everything ($100 instant coupon, $70 rebate).

Since this is the 5th gen forum though, heads up that the 265/70-17 AT3s are even cheaper at $426 for a set.
Link to the deal with coupon code for anybody interested. Only good through tonight.
 
pizza cutters

Quick question: Why did you choose the stock size (265/70) over the skinnier 255/75? I understand you don't have plans for a lift, and the speedometer will change, but they still easily fit without much difference. I suppose the stock size is cheaper as well... My curiosity comes from reading this article. It seems as if that size would be ideal for almost every condition except for high speed cornering or super deep mud. I also recall that skinnier tires will cut through on-road snow better. Thoughts?
 
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Quick question: Why did you choose the stock size (265/70) over the skinnier 255/75? I understand you don't have plans for a lift, and the speedometer will change, but they still easily fit without much difference. I suppose the size size is cheaper as well... My curiosity comes from reading this article. It seems as if that size would be ideal for almost every condition except for high speed cornering or super deep mud. I also recall that skinnier tires will cut through on road snow better. Thoughts?

It's a position paper. I have written several covering many aspects of off highway mobile vehicles. Read the paper again while imagining the arguments against a skinny tire. Bottom line is there are roughly as many "for" points as there are "against" points. Now the clincher: You might off road on mostly dry, rocky areas. I off road on mostly muddy, soft and non rocky areas. I also drive in the snow a lot. Which tire is best for you? For me? The answer is both. Either type will suffer in specific terrain as well as excel in specific types of terrain.
 
I'm dropping in from the 3rd gen forum, but I wanted to say thanks to [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] and everyone else for all the great info in this thread. After reading it all, I jumped on a deal for a set of AT3s (P265/70-16) for $434 shipped after everything ($100 instant coupon, $70 rebate).

Since this is the 5th gen forum though, heads up that the 265/70-17 AT3s are even cheaper at $426 for a set.
Link to the deal with coupon code for anybody interested. Only good through tonight.

Wow that's a steal!

Are they warrantied through DTD the same? Even though they are purchased from ebay?
 
Wow that's a steal!

Are they warrantied through DTD the same? Even though they are purchased from ebay?
I think so. It's just DTD's eBay storefront. There are listings to buy the tires with or without the replacement certificate. (I bought without.)
 
After consulting this, and numerous other threads I pulled the trigger on Michelin LTX A/T2s (stock size) in January. Came down to them and the Coopers but a combination of price and prior positive experiences with Michelins made the difference. Positive comments on the tire from 1engineer didn't hurt either! An oil services company had just picked up a new fleet of trucks and immediately replaced the stock Michelins with an LT tire, hence the great price.

I use the truck as a daily driver, but find myself on some light trails for fishing and camping purposes regularly. The Michelins (and the Coopers) seemed to be a solid compromise for my uses. The Coopers definitely look better, but I am actually quite pleased with the look of the Michelins - a little bit more AT looking than I initially thought they would. I've also always been a sucker for the Toyota 8-hole wheel and picked up a set for a reasonable price in the fall.

Any ways, just wanted to send out a general "thanks" to everyone who posted their experiences on here that helped me with the decision!

Happy to take better pictures later for anyone who wants a better look at the tires.
 

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This belongs here!

So I've read this thread a couple times now, and [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] has been kind enough to help over in one of my threads. In the past couple weeks I've been doing lots of research looking for new treads. I've come across this article and thought it amiss that it's not in this thread!
Expedition Portal - Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Spoiler Alert: They liked the AT3 as well!
 
Cooper Discoverer RTX?

I can't find any reviews on the Cooper Discoverer RTX. These appear to be made for NTB/Merchant's stores. Right now you can get 4 with mounting and balancing & $100 rebate for $470. A few google hits show fairly positive owner experiences. Anyone have any feedback or knowledge of these?

http://www.ntb.com/tires/product-de...d3790002.p?pageName=PLP&productId=prod3790002

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFgrVe0zGy0

Also, tirecrazy.com (didn't even know that existed until this morning) is showing Hankook Dynapro ATM RF10's for $474 after rebate w/ free shipping until Saturday. I know these are well rated.

I'm looking for a AT tire that will behave on the highway. I know those two necessarily don't go together, but from my research Cooper's and Hankooks tend to come close.

These are for P rated 265/70/17.
 
1engineer, after reading through this whole thread, I gotta hand it to you: Not only have you provided sound, straightforward information, but you've also stuck with the thread for a long time. Very respectable.

I saw you've had the (presumably) older Goodyear SilentArmors, but I'm wondering if you've ever had the opportunity to try the newer Goodyear AT Adventure w/Kevlar (P rating, stock 265/70 17)? I've been on the hunt for new tires to replace the OEM tires, and it seems like I have comparable driving habits to you. I think I encounter more ice/snow/slush than you (mountain passes all around the Pacific Northwest), but still log most of my miles on wet/dry highway @70mph. Add in some mileage on decent forest service to poorly maintained access trails every other week and those are my needs for 90% of the year.

Based on the above habits/conditions, I've come down to the AT3s and the Wrangler AT Adventure w/Kevlar; both in the stock sizes/p rating. I already know price is widely different, so I'm mainly looking on folks' input on Performance; particularly highway handling/noise and snow/ice traction, but also real-world longevity between the two tires. i.e. At 10K mi, the Goodyear will be better in above characteristics, but at 30k mi the AT3 will maintain better characteristics...

Edit: I forgot to note the Cooper Discoverer ATWs as a possible candidate. I know there are few reviews out there since its such a new tire and it is mostly sold up in Canada, but I'd love to hear if anyone's been running them now that the snow/ice is gone. I know these would be the clear choice as far as snow/ice is concerned, but I'm wondering how well they handle on the highway/backroads with regard to noise and flex. Do they seem like they want to roll more in the corners, or do they stay planted like many say the AT3s do?
 
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1engineer, after reading through this whole thread, I gotta hand it to you: Not only have you provided sound, straightforward information, but you've also stuck with the thread for a long time. Very respectable.

I saw you've had the (presumably) older Goodyear SilentArmors, but I'm wondering if you've ever had the opportunity to try the newer Goodyear AT Adventure w/Kevlar (P rating, stock 265/70 17)? I've been on the hunt for new tires to replace the OEM tires, and it seems like I have comparable driving habits to you. I think I encounter more ice/snow/slush than you (mountain passes all around the Pacific Northwest), but still log most of my miles on wet/dry highway @70mph. Add in some mileage on decent forest service to poorly maintained access trails every other week and those are my needs for 90% of the year.

Based on the above habits/conditions, I've come down to the AT3s and the Wrangler AT Adventure w/Kevlar; both in the stock sizes/p rating. I already know price is widely different, so I'm mainly looking on folks' input on Performance; particularly highway handling/noise and snow/ice traction, but also real-world longevity between the two tires. i.e. At 10K mi, the Goodyear will be better in above characteristics, but at 30k mi the AT3 will maintain better characteristics...

Edit: I forgot to note the Cooper Discoverer ATWs as a possible candidate. I know there are few reviews out there since its such a new tire and it is mostly sold up in Canada, but I'd love to hear if anyone's been running them now that the snow/ice is gone. I know these would be the clear choice as far as snow/ice is concerned, but I'm wondering how well they handle on the highway/backroads with regard to noise and flex. Do they seem like they want to roll more in the corners, or do they stay planted like many say the AT3s do?

I have the Goodyear all terrain adventure tires with Kevlar on my 02' and have really liked them much more than the LTX AT2. The LTX AT2 was horrible in the snow, but amazing on and off road. The Goodyears are awesome at everything and very quiet on the freeway. I got the Goodyears for the mileage rating, it was higher than most everything out there, more than the LTX AT2s or Nittos on my TRDP. The nice thing about the Kevlar is that you can deflate the tires while off road to pretty significant low psi and have them stay on the rim. I like my Nittos on my TRDP even more than my Goodyears, despite some very faint tire noise at 70 MPH.
 
1engineer, after reading through this whole thread, I gotta hand it to you: Not only have you provided sound, straightforward information, but you've also stuck with the thread for a long time. Very respectable.

I saw you've had the (presumably) older Goodyear SilentArmors, but I'm wondering if you've ever had the opportunity to try the newer Goodyear AT Adventure w/Kevlar (P rating, stock 265/70 17)? I've been on the hunt for new tires to replace the OEM tires, and it seems like I have comparable driving habits to you. I think I encounter more ice/snow/slush than you (mountain passes all around the Pacific Northwest), but still log most of my miles on wet/dry highway @70mph. Add in some mileage on decent forest service to poorly maintained access trails every other week and those are my needs for 90% of the year.

Based on the above habits/conditions, I've come down to the AT3s and the Wrangler AT Adventure w/Kevlar; both in the stock sizes/p rating. I already know price is widely different, so I'm mainly looking on folks' input on Performance; particularly highway handling/noise and snow/ice traction, but also real-world longevity between the two tires. i.e. At 10K mi, the Goodyear will be better in above characteristics, but at 30k mi the AT3 will maintain better characteristics...

Edit: I forgot to note the Cooper Discoverer ATWs as a possible candidate. I know there are few reviews out there since its such a new tire and it is mostly sold up in Canada, but I'd love to hear if anyone's been running them now that the snow/ice is gone. I know these would be the clear choice as far as snow/ice is concerned, but I'm wondering how well they handle on the highway/backroads with regard to noise and flex. Do they seem like they want to roll more in the corners, or do they stay planted like many say the AT3s do?

Either tire would do the job just fine. I don't think there is much difference between the wear characteristics.
 

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