Impending lift/wheel/tire upgrades :)

[KellyJ]

Ditto to above, stick with 285's for like 90% of most off roading expeditions. Not too many people run huge 35's, since they really throw your speedo off, rob power without changing ratios, rub to all hell (except when added to a truck with at least 4" of overall lift and a 1"+ BL. 17" rims look nice, but remember that the cost of a tire for a 17" rim is gonna be a lot more expensive compared to a 16" tire price. Just a couple things to keep in mind.

 

[brycejaq]

Don't get 305/70/16s. They are too wide for just a 3" lift and will rub a lot more than 285s. You can make anything work of course, but you will have to cut and pound a lot more with 305s. I ran them a couple years ago and hated them. I could probably fit them now, but I am running more lift than you and trimmed my fenders a lot. Stay with 285s (or 255/85/16s).

I now see the big picture...definitely won't be getting 35's...

2X on this, my spacer lift barely cleared my 285's when I mounted those up, and I had to trim my plastic bumper valance and remove my mudguards on the front.........

From what I can tell, most people have 33's and they fill up a 2.5" lift quite nicely...

Ditto to above, stick with 285's for like 90% of most off roading expeditions. Not too many people run huge 35's, since they really throw your speedo off, rob power without changing ratios, rub to all hell (except when added to a truck with at least 4" of overall lift and a 1"+ BL. 17" rims look nice, but remember that the cost of a tire for a 17" rim is gonna be a lot more expensive compared to a 16" tire price. Just a couple things to keep in mind.

All this said, I'm definitely going with 33's, eventually. I think for now (or at least once I get home), I'll do the 2.5" lift and run my stock 265/70R16's, since they still have a good 60-70% treadlife left on them (this is just a guestimate, based on reviews of my tires on tirerack.com).

My current tires are Pirelli Scorpion ATR's that I've had for maybe a little over 2 years now and they wear incredibly well. Some people have reported getting upwards of 70k miles on a set, so I'll probably be keeping these ones for a little whilke longer...or maybe I'll sell them on cl for a couple hundred bucks and work on my 33's.

I definitely appreciate all the insights that you all have been giving me, and by all means, if you have more experience to share with me I'd be more than happy to take it all in.

Thanks again guys (and gals),
Bryce

 

[brian2sun]

Just an FYI..
305/70/16s are 33s. 315/75/16 are 35s. 305s are just a 12" wide 33 instead of an 11" wide 33 (285/75/16), but that extra 1" of width makes them rub a lot more. Just wanted to make that clear, it sounded as if some thought 305s were 35s.?

 

[hungwin jza80]

Will a 16x8.0" 3.5" backspace wheel help matters at all with 305/70R16s or will it just move the problems outboard, i.e., towards the fender flares?

It seems most people are running in the neighborhood of 4.0-4.5" backspacing on their wheels.

FWIW, I'm lifted on ToyTec Ultimate with 890s out back.