Gotta Ask... 2 inch lift with 255/85r16

[SnowLizard]

so I have to ask, cause I just can't find it... I have searched everywhere and am just giving up looking for the answer... here's hoping someone has the experience.

I'll be getting tires soon, or soon enough...

I'm split between the 'guaranteed' 285/70r16 Nitto fit and the 'I think it'll fit' 255/85r16 Toyo tire MT...

285/70r16 = 31.89 x11.5 r16 Nitto Trail Grappler MT
255/85r16 = 33.50 x10 r16 Toyo Open Country MT

I have my 2inch lift on, 5100 bilsteins...

I want 285/75r16 BUT I know I'm not going to like it when I add armor/F-Bumper/sliders cause it'll squat back down from weight... and rub and I'll have to BFH the crap out of it or lift it another inch...

SO... the wide 32 nitto's or the Skinny 33 toyo's..

Will the skinny's fit? and after my armor?

 

[Lefty JD]

My 97 does fine with about 2.75-3" and 255/85's. Before i upgraded, it had about 2" worth of cheapie spacer lift. It rubbed some if I was turning and compressed, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would. Rears would rub upon full compression, actually worse than the fronts. I did about 10 minutes of big hammer smacks to the firewall pinch welds, but thats about it. I had previously removed the SR5 chrome fender trim pieces. Once I put extended bump stops on it, no problems with rub front or rear.

It was completely livable for street driving, i think i only rubbed once or twice ever, and that would've been turning into a parking lot too fast or similar corner loading. The first time I went wheeling after there bigger tires was a "oh man I need more bumpstop and a bit more lift" day.

 

[volkinator]

why not 265/75r16? Compromise that's just below the 285/70's, probably cheaper and more readily available too.

 

[HuntG212]

[/URL]~original[/IMG]

255/85

This is with Tacoma progressive springs with 5100 on middle perch.
FJ coils in the rear.

A little hammering and cutting on the front pinch weld never hurt anybody.

 

[jgd99]

Wait, am i reading this wrong or are you running the stock shocks with the 5100s for the 2in lift?

 

[SnowLizard]

I thought of 265/75r16... yes I could and not worry...

I want bigger... I love the wide, but know the skinny will be better... so it's the choice between the two... I've narrowed it, and just don't know how good the 255/85 will fit on a 2inch lift.

I'm running stock 99 talls up front on 5100 tundra bil's on 3rd perch... 2 inch lift... swaped to 5100 tundra bil's out back with 902 springs, about 1.5-1.75 inch lift... all 4 corners are 36 (2/8ths to 3/8ths) inch level LINK

the back I'm not worried about, I've heard most of the rubbing is the rear bumper anyways, which I replaced...

the front is my main concern, I'm keeping the flares, I might have to modify them a little... but they 'should' tuck in some...

even with a 3inch lift, the geometry of the tires are the same, I'm just 'flexed' more often than a 3 inch lift.

 

[Toy2play]

I thought of 265/75r16... yes I could and not worry...

I want bigger... I love the wide, but know the skinny will be better... so it's the choice between the two... I've narrowed it, and just don't know how good the 255/85 will fit on a 2inch lift.

I'm running stock 99 talls up front on 5100 tundra bil's on 3rd perch... 2 inch lift... swaped to 5100 tundra bil's out back with 902 springs, about 1.5-1.75 inch lift... all 4 corners are 36 (2/8ths to 3/8ths) inch level LINK

the back I'm not worried about, I've heard most of the rubbing is the rear bumper anyways, which I replaced...

the front is my main concern, I'm keeping the flares, I might have to modify them a little... but they 'should' tuck in some...

even with a 3inch lift, the geometry of the tires are the same, I'm just 'flexed' more often than a 3 inch lift.

I'm going to say no way, unless you bang out or cut the pinch weld in the rear of the front tire, and even then I don't know if it would work. Maybe on street you'll be fine, but sway bar disconnected off-road flex will rub, I don't like the sound of fender catching on tire. I have about 2.75 inch lift and I would rub when turned coming out of the driveway. Off-road was worse. I have trimmed and added a half inch body lift since then. Doesnt rub on street, but haven't tried off-road yet. I can't imagine having a smaller lift with my 255/85/16 BFG KM2. You might get it to work if you trimmed the front. I haven't had any issues in the rear, but I have aftermarket bumper and extended bumpstops.

Maybe you can invest into a 1 inch body lift.

 

[HuntG212]

Wait, am i reading this wrong or are you running the stock shocks with the 5100s for the 2in lift?

In the rear? Doetsch 2.0 custom valved, factory length.

Total lift is only about 1.5"

 

[SnowLizard]

My 97 does fine with about 2.75-3" and 255/85's. Before i upgraded, it had about 2" worth of cheapie spacer lift. It rubbed some if I was turning and compressed, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would. Rears would rub upon full compression, actually worse than the fronts. I did about 10 minutes of big hammer smacks to the firewall pinch welds, but thats about it. I had previously removed the SR5 chrome fender trim pieces. Once I put extended bump stops on it, no problems with rub front or rear.

It was completely livable for street driving, i think i only rubbed once or twice ever, and that would've been turning into a parking lot too fast or similar corner loading. The first time I went wheeling after there bigger tires was a "oh man I need more bumpstop and a bit more lift" day.

I'm looking to off road with 255/85's... alot, I'm not going more lift, I want more tire if possible...

do you think more BFH would have helped for off-roading?

From the comments, it sounds like I'll be better with the smaller tire... Why can't they make a 32.5inch tire for my 16inch rims!!

 

[volkinator]

I'm looking to off road with 255/85's... alot, I'm not going more lift, I want more tire if possible...

do you think more BFH would have helped for off-roading?

From the comments, it sounds like I'll be better with the smaller tire... Why can't they make a 32.5inch tire for my 16inch rims!!

We need a 275/75r16...

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I'm running 255/80/17 (same as 255/85/16) BFG KM2 with 40% tread, and have my SAW's set to 2" up front. I rub on the rear of the fender at the pinch weld and if these tires were brand new I would have already pounded it flat to avoid chewing up the tires. I barely slide by without hammering it down. I've been wheeling in Big Bear a couple times this summer so this is what you're realistically looking at if you run a 33x10 mud tire on the trails. I'm also running Spidertrax too, for reference.

Notice the splash guard/ liner missing a fastener. I used countersunk screws in place of the hex head bolts holding on the fender flare. Mandatory replacement fastener with anything larger than 265/75/16, IMO.

I had previously trimmed the inside of the front bumper flare and still have some rubbing, so I need to get in there with the Dremel again. Sorry, not great pics of the bumper flare but you can make out where it's still rubbing in the bottom right hand side.

Here's the top of the wheel well arch on the fender flare. It rubs just a little, and when I eventually switch to a 285/70/17 (so I can run BFG KO2's), I will probably be performing surgery on this section to avoid any bad contact.

Basically I would recommend avoiding 255/85/16 or 285/75/16 unless you're prepared to do some clearance work on the front end plastic and pinch weld. 285/70/16 are a rare breed but judging from the combined width and height I'd probably lump them in with the sizes above as far as trimming goes.

 

[HuntG212]

I'm running 255/80/17 (same as 255/85/16) BFG KM2 with 40% tread, and have my SAW's set to 2" up front. I rub on the rear of the fender at the pinch weld and if these tires were brand new I would have already pounded it flat to avoid chewing up the tires. I barely slide by without hammering it down. I've been wheeling in Big Bear a couple times this summer so this is what you're realistically looking at if you run a 33x10 mud tire on the trails. I'm also running Spidertrax too, for reference.

Notice the splash guard/ liner missing a fastener. I used countersunk screws in place of the hex head bolts holding on the fender flare. Mandatory replacement fastener with anything larger than 265/75/16, IMO.

I had previously trimmed the inside of the front bumper flare and still have some rubbing, so I need to get in there with the Dremel again. Sorry, not great pics of the bumper flare but you can make out where it's still rubbing in the bottom right hand side.

Here's the top of the wheel well arch on the fender flare. It rubs just a little, and when I eventually switch to a 285/70/17 (so I can run BFG KO2's), I will probably be performing surgery on this section to avoid any bad contact.

Basically I would recommend avoiding 255/85/16 or 285/75/16 unless you're prepared to do some clearance work on the front end plastic and pinch weld. 285/70/16 are a rare breed but judging from the combined width and height I'd probably lump them in with the sizes above as far as trimming goes.

Don't forget your wheel spacers are causing more scrubbing. Depending on your spacer size you are running a tire equivalent to a 33 x 11.5- 12.5 inch tire.

255's are basically only 2" taller and .5" narrower than factory. It's not that hard at all to make them fit with factory wheels and no wheel spacers. You will end up doing a lot less modifications to make them fit on stock wheels, compared to running wheel spacers.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Don't forget your wheel spacers are causing more scrubbing. Depending on your spacer size you are running a tire equivalent to a 33 x 11.5- 12.5 inch tire.

255's are basically only 2" taller and .5" narrower than factory. It's not that hard at all to make them fit with factory wheels and no wheel spacers. You will end up doing a lot less modifications to make them fit on stock wheels, compared to running wheel spacers.

This is true. I will be running a wider tire in the future so aftermarket wheels with less backspacing or wheel spacers will be required so I'm set for that upgrade when it happens. I think the backside of the wheel well (pinch weld) will be an issue with or without spacers, even on the skinnies but maybe someone not running spacers with this tire size can verify.

 

[HuntG212]

I am running them. Only about 2" lift, maybe less. Pound/cut the pinch weld and good to go.

 

[SnowLizard]

whoa... lightbulb...

are you sayn' that without spacers, I should be able to run 255/85

I do have spacers, HuntG212 do you run spacers?

obviously pound/cut and massage...

 

[88Cleve4runner]

I ran 255/85s on my last 97 with 0". I beat the pinch welds and only rubbed at full turn and with the suspension compressed.

After that I had about a 2" lift on the front and a 3" on the back and never rubbed again. You should be fine, and I'd recommend the 255s over anything else.

 

[BrandonF]

Tire width causes more rubbing issues than the height. 255's on stock wheels should be easy to clear

 

[SnowLizard]

And with spacers?

Yes I'll bfh... Just won't cut/weld

 

[HuntG212]

No spacers.

Honestly, I'm not sure why more people don't run this setup more often.

I know the general consensus on the forum and FAQ is that you have to have at least a 3" lift to fit 33's. That is simply not true.

You start needing more lift to run 33's when you add wheel spacers and wider tires into the mix.

 

[Lefty JD]

whoa... lightbulb...

are you sayn' that without spacers, I should be able to run 255/85

I do have spacers, HuntG212 do you run spacers?

obviously pound/cut and massage...

FWIW i don't run spacers. I just smacked the pinch welds flat. The reality is you can only have so much up travel and so much tire before you run outta real estate. For me, the big difference came when I put in the extended bumps. Wheelers offroad super bumps in front, Sonoran steel extensions in back. Been rub free ever since. Even the brand new DC extreme country's 255/85/16 didn't rub. Still have decent (for IFS) up travel, bumps stop it just shy of contact at the firewall with the farthest back edge of tire. Rears stop just before the top of tire hits.
No body lift btw.
Every truck is a bit different, maybe I just got luckier than others?