Lift..Check, wheels...check, tires...HELP

In looking at some 285/70/R17 E load range good year ultra terrain AT take offs that have only been ran for one week and I’d be getting a smoking deal on them for $168/tire for 5 of em. In a first time taco owner, 2018 TRD OR DCLB, 3” fox DCS up front, 2” Icon RXT in back. Lift just showed up and sourcing tires and wheels, I think I’m gonna go SCS Ray 10 17’s and fro. My research 285/70/17 or 255/80/17. I’m nervous about going load range E’s and going blind looking at tires, and weights, and mileage. Truck will see lots of off roads use, heavy snow, mud, rocks and will be primarily my exploring and hunting rig and I struggle making it vet thing a priority a)flat resistance b)mileage c)tread life d)safety on ice are at the tip of my list but no tire seems to have it all. The tires I’ve looked at that seems to have what I want are only in load E and are at the heavier side of E at 60+ lbs. any suggestions? I do not want duratracs again as I have had lots of flats in an SL and D load on previous trucks and very poor tread wear despite constant rotation. ST Maxx seem perfect but so heavy and do I need an E or C? KO2 are overrated it seems but also harsh ride especially in E. The C’s are the lightest I’ve found at 51# though? Falken at3w seem awesome but 63# in a C even, GoodYear Ultraterrain still heavy at 58# and again, do I need an E? Toyo AT3 can get lighter at about 53-55# but are they going to resist puncture like e toyo MT? Paying for the name? My head is spinning and maybe somebody needs to tell me to go C or E and whether I should be concerned with the weight being that I’m getting ultralight wheels?? Any input would be great!

 

That is a wall of questions and hard to read.

Pretty much everyone with 33s on up runs load Range Es. Pretty much everyone with Jeeps on oversize tires run load range Es. The key to Es, is to run the tires around 28-30psi cold (unloaded); if you don't want to take my word, do a chalk test and you'll arrive around 28-30psi for Load Es or go on some jeep forums to verify (roughly same curb weight as taco). The ride is fine as long as you keep the tire pressure lower. If you do keep the tires over 35 psi, your ride will definitely stiffen up. I can personally confirm this on multiple tires. I really didn't like Load Es at 35 psi +, not to mention about 20% of the tread on sides of the tires' tread isn't contacting the ground at higher psi (you have to think what happens here, the tires are rated to like 3,000 lb/ea, so they aren't meant to flatten out on the road unless they are loaded to 3,000 lbs at 80psi).

I personally couldn't tell when I went from stockers to load range E 33s as far as braking/acceleration and performance regarding weight. The cool factor goes up so much you don't even notice it. However, after the cool factor, I couldn't tell a dramatic shift. I think I lost 1-2 mpg which was expected.

 

The ST Maxx are good, some guys like the STT Pro more. Toyo MT or Yoko MT are good. All the tires your looking at are good.
If you are really going to be in heavy snow and mud, rocks a lot you’ll do well with a MT tire.
I have the KO2 285 70 17 in C, I really like them. 51 lbs so power and mpg/range is good. They are a great AT but they aren't a MT tire, they have pulled me through any situation so far - I would buy them again no problem. C load comes on the Raptor, Rubicon so plenty strong. I picked up the KO2s from a guy with a new Rubicon, all 5 for $900 CDN/$700US.
If I was going to try a tire after these it would probably be the 255 80 17 ST Maxx.

 

You're over thinking things here, I don't really blame you though it's a decent size investment.

If you plan on off-roading get the E-loads they have tougher side walls and carcasses which hold up better on the trail and handle the load of gear and armor down the road better.

Definitely chalk test, with full steel armor all the way around I run my E-load Cooper ST Maxx at 32psi cold. I love my Coopers best tire I have had on the truck.

I HATED my KO2's and I used to be a die hard BFG fanboy. Worst tire I have tried on the truck on amd off-road and they kinda sucked in the little bit of snow and ice too.

The added weight of a E load affects suspension cycle more than anything, the impulse will be slow and delayed but that's about all I have noticed. If you're not in stop and go traffic day to day the extra weight of E load isn't going to affect milage as much as most say, not really any more than just going larger tires would. Expect 2±1mpg less when stepping up to a 285, this has more to do with rolling and wind resistance than weight.

"Off-road" tires are typically going to have less life than a purely street tire due to their tread compound and pattern.

"Off-road" tires are great in snow but suck in ice, the only thing good in ice is an ice tire.

You are correct there's no such thing as a do everything perfectly tired, every tire has a compromise somewhere. a lot of people that live in climates that sea ice have a set of winter tires and wheels and then tires and wheels for the rest of the year.

Also if you go 285's you're going to need to pound your pinch weld get upper control arms and do a cab mount chop.

SCS are great wheels I love my Stealth 6's but I wouldn't call them ultra light.

The only ultra light wheels for our trucks I know of are TE37 Rays but they're not worth the expense especially if you're going to tear them up off-road.

If you need someone to just say it then here:

Buy E-Loads. Buy Coopers. Stop overthinking. Be happy.



And break up your text wall posts into paragraphs and clear concerns.

 

Haha, you and I are in the same line of thinking as the one tire I “think” would do everything I need and the only sacrifice is the weight is a 285/70R17 ST Maxx E load but I just wasn’t sure on the load and 60+ lbs. I see a lot of posts saying that I won’t have to mess with the CMC and an equal amount that say I do? I want to crank the foxes up to exactly 3” actual lift (unless that’s a bad idea) and I guess need to know what offset would provide me the best chance of no interference. Will the -10mm of a ray 10 17x8.5 be about right? I have read that 0 offset is ideal but heck I’m new! And I do have Camburg X joint UCAs. Thanks for your time and all the info!

 

My buddy runs 255/85/16 Toyo MT on stock rims on his gen 2 and man I really like both the performance and the look of them, they don’t look narrow at all to me. But then I looked at a set of 255/80/r17 ST Maxx in the tire shop this week and they looked ridiculous skinny to me almost like a motorcycle tire! Haha. While the section width is likely very similar the tread width was super skinny compared to a Toyo Mt skinny and that really turned me off to them idk

 

I know, it depends on the day and the tire. I really like the 285s, they look good everyday!
Any 33 or 34 x 10.5 x 17s you like?

 

The only 33x10.50x17 I could find was kenda klevers and super swampers lol. Thought about the Kendas but for how heavy they are I’d rather go ST maxx

 

The Kendas get good reviews and are 58lbs?? same as the Maxx, both good choices. I'd go Maxx as well.
You have probably seen this puncture test video already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kz8mmLkeks

 

Yup, that video was likely the deciding factor IF I ever end up deciding lol. Now I’m between falkens (mild) and St Maxx (wild) options at full price or jumping on the deal on some Wrangler UT AT. All in 285/70/17.