Are 285s worth it?

Running 4.88’s?

 

I'm about to put on 285s with only a front level. But I'm doing the CMC, pinch weld, and I have 0 offest wheels. We'll see how it goes.

 

I'll have to disagree with you on skinnier is better for street performance. Drag cars have skinny tires up front because they're only made to go in a straight line. Less rolling resistance up front means faster runs. Sand rails operate just on that; sand and not on pavement. And your analogy of an ice skate is for ice. Yes, narrower tires may require less effort too actually turn, but have less grip on the road.

In fact, many sports cars will come with narrower tires up front and wider tires in the back (such as 235/275) which will induce more understeer than with a squared stance like 245s all around. A car with 245s all around versus the staggered stance will have more neutral handling and more prone to oversteer.

When I switched from 255s to 285s on the road I noticed less understeer when going through quick corners and little to no fish tailing coming out of turns when it's wet.

 

285’s

 

265/75r16 rubs on mine sometimes when I have the wheel turned and stuff the wheel. It’s probably worst coming down hill when more weight is put on the front. This has more to do with my wheel offset than anything, and that I haven’t trimmed the fender liner much. If I went up another 1+” to 285/75r16 then I would have some serious clearance issues that would require substantial trimming and likely the chopping the body mount. I think about it sometimes, because 285’s look cool, but I’m not really sure it’s worth it to me for the hassle.

 

Sorry I meant spinning my wheels. Agree to disagree.

 

Lot of discussion over 20mm lol- the width of your thumb. Tire manufacturers have variation in carcass width and tread/shoulder width, so at the end of the day, it's really not even that much. 265/75s and still getting 22-23 highway MPGs. No reason to give that up for 20mm more rolling resistance.

 

you wont know till you try. you can always change sizes when a new set of tires are due.

 

People who run 255s are legit worse than CrossFitters and vegans.

You didn’t ask about them, but you’re damn sure gonna hear about them.

 

Not to threadjack. But by January I will have 4:88. Possibly 5:29

 

All I know is the very last thing on my mind when I bought an "off-road" truck was buying tires that I would later compare to ice skates. Call me a pleb. Buy 285s. If you're going to nickel and dime yourself over MPGs, buy a scooter.

 

I'll be the devils advocate and old voice of reason....and throw out some truths that are rarely considered. I've been around automotive custom fabrication, specifically off road fabrication, since the early 1980's, when lift trucks were at their hay-day particularly in AZ and CA. I worked for a few major off road companies of the day and was engaged in designing and fabbing some of the enormous lifts and cross over steering set-ups popular at the time. Chevy short beds with 8-12" spring lifts, triple + shocks per corner and cross over steering and 40-44" tires on 12-14" wide wheels were the norm. 1979-1985 Solid axle Toyota hi-lux's were in the same mix...and yes, many of those ran 44"s too....many of these rigs were daily drivers back in the day too-although they shouldn't have been. I drove mine daily. These were very different builds than dedicated off road/crawler builds that came later.

Now the truths: #1 -These rigs were for looks and cruising malls, they sucked on the highway, the weren't efficient, they handled like apple carts and took special care and extreme caution and patience to be street driven without incident, they were OK in deep mud if you didn't lay them on their side. We loved them, re-geared and being pushed by healthy v-8's or buick V-6 hi-lux conversions, at 1100' elevation in AZ they could be street driven. I made a road trip to Colorado up to 8000' elevation in a 1983 Hilux with 8" lift and 36's and puckered my fanny trying to power up the hills and nearly pooped my drawers on icy mountain highways. Point being - elevation (thin air) has a huge impact on power and drivability. So re-gearing to match the tire size and putting the truck back into factory power bands is even more critical at higher elevations. The Elevation that the vehicle sees primary usage in should be a consideration when modifying- if you wish to keep any drivability. There is also a way to produce highly drivable vehicles that are quite modified for any competitive environment (look at class 7 desert race trucks) but that doesn't mean they are ideally drivable on road even after HUGE $$$ investments.

Luckily Tacoma is a very versatile platform....and suspension design has come a very long way over the years...you can put any number of quality suspension systems together and virtually replicate stock handling and drivability...truly even improve it.....now

truth#2 Even though the suspension may now be totally dialed in to stock handling characteristics....all bets are off for "drivability" once you throw upgraded tire sizes into the mix...IE: tread width, sidewall height and stiffness(a greater variable in understeer than tread width in cornering), weight, rotational mass and circumference, all power robbing issues (greater at altitude) that impact "drivability" (acceleration/braking/cornering, etc.) this is where additional corrections (and spend) are needed: re-gearing, lighter wheels, etc. IF you wish to retain stock like drivability. We wont even put efficiency into the equation because we all understand any added weight, drag, lift, tire upgrades, will all effect component wear and/or MPG's.

Truth(s)#3:
Any lifted vehicle with increased tire size will NEVER replicate stock highway manners (wind drag, wandering, side winds, front lift at higher speeds, directional stability, ride comfort, etc.)
Never will a lifted vehicle with increased tire size replicate on road inclement weather manners (particularly ice).
A lifted vehicle with increased tire size WILL have greater OFF ROAD abilities than stock.
Highly modified vehicles are better if the "Majority" of your driving/usage of the vehicle is off road specific.
Stock or Lightly modified vehicles are better if the "Majority" of your driving/usage of the vehicle is on road/light off road.
Either way is a compromise.

To the OP's question-

Worth it? If you like the look, can justify the decreased on road drivability, highway manners, travel comfort, and are up for the expenses associated with the mod and side effects, desire the slightly increased off road capabilities, are ok with the decreased MPG's, and can accept the ownership effects short and long term, and understand and are ready to embrace the "compromise" created. Then for You (and only your deliberation should matter here) it may be worth it. If not, then an upgraded suspension with some 265/75's or similar and a more on road friendly, daily driverish version may be a better option. IMO only. FWIW. YMMV. Outlaw out.

 

If it doesn’t fit at stock ride height then it isn’t going to fit with a lift whenever you articulate through the full range of motion since that includes compressing back to and lower than stock ride height. People put the lift and go “it fits” but all they do is drive around town and never articulate. If you want to off road and compress the suspension through the whole rom then you’ll still need to do clearancing.

 

285s fit fine on a stock pro. I think other models have issues bc of wheel offset and ride height

 

I'm debating getting 285 as well, specifically the cooper stt. I have tc uca and kings along with a cmc....would spacers be necessary? I'm worried about the mileage differential on my odometer as well and it affecting the true mileage by a lot.

 

What do you think would be worse on mileage, size or weight? 275s are heavier than a C rated 285.

 

I just lifted & added 285's. What I can say is that drive ability on highway is affected significantly. I feel the transmission programming greatly impacts this. Constant shifting and holding higer gears/RPMs than what is really needed, the engine is capable of pushing this truck at highway interstate speeds in 1 of the OD gears, if the transmission would allow it. Off-road capabilities are great increased obviously. Comes down to what is important to you.

 

I was reading that 285s will rub pretty bad on a stock pro if you're actually taking it offroad. Have you had any issues with yours? I'm about to pull the trigger on some tires too and I drive as much offroad as I do on road commuting during the week so I'd rather not have any rubbing issues in the trails.

 

Haha. I only run them on wifes cuz stock suspension.

I'm the opposite. I own them but hate them. Haha.

Once lifted it will get 305s. Ran them on my 4runner and by far my favorite tire size.