3" Lift Tire/Wheel lift options.

As always, I searched but can't find the answer I am looking for!!!
There are to many threads and they are all conflicting!
I have decided to buy the 3" ready lift kit. I know a spacer lift OMG WTF BLAH BLAH BLAH. The only Off-Roading I do is on the beach and that does not count. I have a real tight budget that is why I am going with the spacer lift so PLEASE no comments of my lift choice!
I am looking for a black / machined rims with an AT tire. Can anyone tell me what size tire I can fit that won't require trimming or very very minor trimming? Also what backspacing do I need?

 

If avoiding trimming is your prime consideration, I'd probably go 265/75R16 or 265/70R17, which is the same width, but one inch taller than the factory tires.

You might even keep your front mudflaps at that size.

If you want a little larger, lose the front mudflaps, and are willing to consider *maybe* doing a little trimming if necessary, try 275/70R17.

285/75R16 is pretty much guaranteed to get out the knife for heavy plastic cutting, and then a body-mount chop and pinch weld hammer if you wheel it.

 

Backspacing is 4.5 for an 8" wide rim, 4.75 for a 9" rim, but I'd recommend keeping it to an 8" wide rim if you're going with the tire size I recommended above.

 

I am looking for a little bigger tire a wider stance. The truck as it sits, is not proportionate IMO.
I would like it to sit like this:

or

 

The more you're willing to cut, the bigger the tire you can run.

Conversely, you can run a huge tire if you never turn, or go over bumps.

 

Here's a thread where I took a lot of pics of the trimming a dealer made in order to run a 285/70R17 tire.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/113529-wheelwell-trim-fit-lt285-70r17.html

 

they trimmed the inner fender wells way more than they needed to. especially the front.

 

Maybe. The OP said he wants a tire with NO trimming or VERY MINOR trimming. No prob - lots of folks are reluctant to take a knife to their shiny new truck.

But, every tire/rim combination is a little different, and every lift sits a little different.

So if you want to avoid trimming, you have to play it safe on the size. How many threads have you seen where someone ran a 285/75R16 and had to cut back way more than they expected, or damaged their fenders while wheeling?

Which one is you:

"I don't want to cut my truck - I'm playing it safe" then go: 265/75R16.

"I have a look/stance in mind, and I'm willing to either cut whatever it takes until the tires fit, or take the tires off and mount a smaller tire if/when they rub too much" then go: 285/75R16.

Middle ground: try 275/70R17.

No guarantees. Every tire & wheel is different. Every lift is a little different too. And taco owners vary wildly in their ability to notice/tolerate "a little bit" of rubbing.
That's why search returns such widely varying results. Pay your money, take your chances. No whining.

 

Thanks for the info!
I would not mind triming the inner wheel well but i am not a fan of trimming any body parts!!!

 

I really like the 285 width. I also have the spidertrax spacers. I bought them in preparation for the tire switch. To the OP: consider adding the spacers. It will help mitigate the extent of the trimming needed.

I have 17" rims, and am not sure what I'll get when the time comes. 70% or 75%.
I'm trying to arrange for a test fitting of same sized tires they have in stock. Maybe you can ask a friendly shop if they'd do that for you.

 

I am going to buy a rims too. so instead of spacers can't i get a differnt backspacing?
what i am looking for is the bigest tire wheel combo I can fit with a 3" lift with out major trimming.

 

Yes, you can get rims that will help you avoid trimming. Good luck

 

if you want to go with 285's, i would recommend going with 285/75/16 on 16x8 rims with 4.5 offest. this will keep the wheel\tire tucked a bit more in the fender and will make less of a rotational distance when turning and therefore cause less rubbing.

you will need to do some minor trimming on the inner plastic fender well, but its no big deal. if you are not doing any serious off roading then you could get away without having to chop the body mount.

 

Any suggestions on how much height could I get away with on the stock 17" rims using Spidertrax? 285/70 or 285/75?

Love you avatar by the way

 

285/75R17 would be a *huge* 34" tire - and a quick search couldn't even find that such a tire exists.

At the 17" rim size for a 285 width, you'd want 285/70R17.

If you *really* want to push the envelope, you could try 295/70R17 (Nitto Terra Grappler in that size) or 305/70R17

 

are the wheel spacers 1" thick? with the stock 17x7 rims (3.5 backspace), i think the total "backspace" would be equivalent to 4.5" (someone correct me if i am wrong).

285/70/17 should be the max for you. like someone said, i dont even think they make a 285/75/17

 

That would make it easy Yeah, the adapters are 1.25" thick.
Thanks.

 

Measure the actual width and backspacing when you've got the wheel off and the tire unmounted, to see if you need those spacers or not.

When I looked up the TRD specs on the TRD racing website, the backspacing for TRD wheels was more than 3.5"

http://www.trdusa.com/partscatalog.cfm?view=detail&subcategory=19&vehicle=tacoma

the PTR20-34070 TRD wheel is 16x8 with 1mm offset.