Goodrich 285/75/R16's. Same question for the 100th time......

I know. The same old question. But I wanted fresh answers. These are relatively new tires to the market, so I want new opinions. I'm about to pull the trigger on new rubber for the Tacoma. I am considering Goodyear Duratrac's, but while shopping them at a tire store near the house yesterday, I got a killer offer on 4 new KO2 Goodrich 285/75/R16's, mounted, balanced, front end alignment, lifetime rotation, and a road hazard warranty, all for $917,33. That's WAY cheaper than I've been able to find anything comparable. I've owned Goodrich Mud Terrain's in the past and have a good opinion of the brand.

So here's my question(s); How good of a tire are they? What sort of road manners do they have? (I've already got a handle on the off road performance) Compared to 265/75/R16 "highway tread" tires, how much will they kill gas mileage? What about clearance issues? (2011 Tacoma, 3-1/2" lift, stock Off Road wheels, plastic trimmed. Will install tires with 1.25" Spidertrack spacers) I understand not EVERY 285/75/R16 has the same characteristics as far as clearance.....

So...If you own a set of these tires, I'd like your personal observations. I'll take anecdotal comments from those who DON'T own a set with a grain of salt....I will take "I own a set and here's what I think...." comments a lot more seriously.

 

I can not chime in on that particular tire from personal experience however I have heard great things about them. What I can tell you from my own experience is that's with my 69 pound general grabbers (285/75/16) I get the same gas milage by simply slowing down 10 mph on the highway and accelerating slower in the city. I can also tell you wheel spacers will make clearing harder and I even rubbed once or twice with my 245's with spidertrax spacers back when I was on 4" of lift.

 

Realistically your looking at a minor mpg hit and some louder humming. Other than that you should be okay with clearance with minor trimming probably need aftermarket uca. Milage on these tires range greatly just like the first KOs. Some go 30k miles and some all the way up to 50/60k I'm sure more will chime in as its a very popular tire choice on here. Seems like even some of the highway commuters have been satisfied with its on road characteristics. I have had the first KOs for 3 years now and have 40k miles on them and still 5/16 tread left.

 

I'm hearing much the same thing about wheel spacers.....I like the stock rims and would like to stay with them. However, from reliable sources, 285's rub the upper control arms without using spacers. It's either different rims, different UCA's, or smaller tires......or get used to tires rubbing.

Everyone tells me I'm on the verge of being a hypermiler as it is....Or, as many put it, I "drive like a grampa".....I can't help it. I like gas mileage! That's one of the key reasons why I went back to a Tacoma from the Dodge 3/4-ton hemi/auto gas guzzler I WAS driving. (That, and I LOVE driving Tacoma's....I'm on #4)

I'll do some off roading. Nothing too wild any more, but I don't want to give up too much off road capability. But, I want good on highway manners, decent mileage, and good wear characteristics. My choices are narrowed down to the Duratracs, the KO2's and a more aggressive tire, the Mastercraft MXT, which is a Cooper product and very much a "mud tire" compared to the other 2.

 

Hey we have a lot in common . I recently installed a 3 inch lift on my 2014 TRD and am running 265/75-16s with stock rims. I am wanting to run 285/75 . But like you I can't get a ( for sure) answer . Do I need spacers ? Or not ? Good luck. And please let me know what you find out. Oh yeah I'm in KY also !

 

What's your suspension set up/config? Also, are you ok with trimming some plastics, CMC, etc.

(I'm running 285/75/16's btw)

 

All stock , other than the 3" lift
And I'm not really sure of what part , and how much trimming . I don't really want to take complete inner fender out.

 

I'm seeing about 5/8ths of an inch clearance between the end of the upper control arm and the sidewall of the 265/75/R16 Yokohama Geolander's on my Tacoma at the moment. Specs from most of the tire companies tell me a 285 is just about an inch wider section width than a 265. That said, the sidewall (in static position) would be about 1/8th of an inch away from the UCA. It wouldn't take a lot to make the sidewall get into to UCA. Using spacers makes the arc of the tire change when turning. That may put the tread into a fender well/cab mount/etc....The only way to know for sure is to try it.....and that MAY be an expensive (but still failed) experiment.

 

Do you have aftermarket UCAs? Would like more details on your lift...

Definitely the lower inner fender plastic but its not that much at all. Remove the mudflaps, and likely a cab mount chop. You won't have to remove the inner fender plastics unless you want 35's

 

Yes , your in the VERY same situation I'm in .

 

Oh. Stock control arms. The lit only included the spacer put on top of coil spring and I'll have to look under my truck and see the areas you are referring to to trim. Thanks

 

There are dozens of threads on here covering the plastic needed to be trimmed, the pinch weld that needs to be flattened, and the "cab mount chop". I'm hoping to avoid the last one!

 

I flattened my pinch weld because flex

 

I don't mind doing that. Doesn't sound too drastic. But I'm having a tough time getting on board with the cab mount chop.....I had a Jeep back in the '80's that I did some minor alterations to the body mounts and never did get that to stay welded and together. I'm just a little more than hesitant about taking a sawzall to the cab of my Tacoma.

 

Luckily I had someone local who has done it over a dozen times so he chopped it, made a cardboard template, cut the steel, welded it and hit it with a can of spray. Done. Can't even tell it was done.

 

Know where your coming from!

 

Sweet