The SKINNY on skinny tires

I went from 265/75R16 Wildpeak AT3W to 255/85R16 Yohokama Geolandar G003. Love the size. Love the look. And although they're quiet for an MT I feel like an AT probably suits my needs more. The dilemma is that I don't really want to go down to a smaller tire now but there aren't any good skinny 33's AT's for 16" wheels. So if I want to stay with a skinny 33 I am gonna have to get 17's. I'm down to make that switch but so far can't find a wheel I feel I'd be happy with. If I can find a suitable wheel then I'd like to switch back to Wildpeak AT3W's but in 255/80R17.

 

Cooper ST Maxx isn't an option? I like mine. I haven't had a true MT on my truck but the ST Maxx isn't much louder than the stock tires were.

 

I suppose technically they could be. They look great and I've seen good reviews, but...

• They're expensive
• They're heavier than my current Geolandars and if I change I need to drop weight, not increase it.
• I still think a true AT is a better fit for me
• I'd like to stick with Falken since I now get a discount with them. I could be swayed but between the cost savings and how much I just really liked the AT3W's it's gonna be hard for any other tire to draw my eye at this point.

 

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm currently on 235/85R16 Yoko G015's and love them but would like to step up to a 255/85R16. Unfortunately no one makes a true AT in that size and for my purposes I don't need nor want an MT. I have the black "Baja" wheels that came with the Rugged Trail package and have yet to find a 17" wheel that I like.

 

From a shear sizing standpoint the 4Runner Offroad wheels are likely your best option. I believe they are 17x7.5 with slightly positive offset. I wanna say the FJ Cruiser had a similar spec’ed wheel as well.

Now aesthetically both may be lacking and I am not at all I tune with what either weigh.

Maybe these guys if you can find them in stock, and don’t mind paying a mint.

https://autoparts.toyota.com/produc...rged-off-road-beadlock-style-wheel-ptr4535010

 

Has anyone here run 255/75r17 here? I don’t do too much offroading, occasionally I will hit the beach tho so I’m looking at the michillen defender lxt 255/75r17, unfortunately they carry 80’s but I know they’re great for highway.

 

Yup, that's my exact dilemma as I have the same wheels.

I have been trying to make myself consider the regular OEM wheels but so far I can't find any that I think are decent looking nor priced where I'd be willing to make a compromise. And in general, they're also heavier than I want. I've been on the lookout for those Rock Warrior's (although I don't think they look that great) as I think that's probably the only OEM wheel I'd be willing to compromise with in a 17". That said, they're also heavier than I'd prefer - but at least they're forged and have the rock ring. I wish I'd jumped on the couple of sets I saw a few years back when I bought my current wheels. Since then I haven't seen a single 6 lug set for sale

 

I get what you mean on looks, but what weight are you aiming for? Mid to low #20s (as most OEM are) seems to be the norm.

 

The FJ OEM alloys are +15 offset in both the 16 and 17in sizes.

I have both, with Cooper Discoverer AT/LT 235/85/16s as my summer tires. The combination is excellent. (Non-pizza cutter Blizzaks on the 17s for winter)

 

Lighter the better but it's quite a rabbit hole and even hard to get confirmed weights a lot of the time. I'd just to just keep weight to a minimum where I can in hopes of clawing back some mpg so it's less about wheel weight by itself and more about overall, combined, wheel + tire weight. My current wheels are 23.5lbs with a steel rock ring and tires are 54.9lbs for 78.4lbs. The Rock Warriors are 27.3lbs, also with the rock ring. Aftermarket wheels are all over the place from sub 20lbs to a set of 17x7.5's I found the other day which the manufacturer said were 34lbs! Most of the 17" cast OEM alloys I've seen are 29+lbs.

The Pro Sema wheel actually seems to be a pretty ideal compromise in terms of specs (17x7 and 25lbs) but I'm not a fan of the look and they're absolutely all over the place around here. Almost as common as black Method wheels.

 

I run that size in Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S. My Coopers have been good so far. Not terribly loud, pretty good in the snow (including the weird Portland Ice/Snow pack mix), great in the rain, and I have yet to damage the sidewall airing down for the occasional “more than fire road” adventure. MPGs are OK, but I also have added weight on the truck. I average 17-18 mpg. Have yet to run on sand, just very soft dirt (but they still did great!).

 

Question for you guys. I just ordered a set of 255/80r17s for my 23 pro. I will be running a set of SCS Ray10 -10 offset. Really looking forward to see the stance! This is my daily and work truck which is why I went the pizza cutter route.

My question is regarding tire pressure. Considering these are LT they obviously require extra PSI. Based on my calculations I’m thinking it will end up around 37-38psi. Do you guys run tpms with these higher pressures? I’m worried about it triggering the system as being overinflated. Thanks in advance!

 

You should be fine I have run 40 psi in mine before and dropped down to 10psi I'd go by how it rides to determine the right psi

 

You don’t get a tpms warning light on your dash at 40psi?

 

No

 

I see you have a second Gen. Anyone with a third Gen with the same experience?

 

When you reset the TPMS it changes the target psi to whatever the current psi of the tire is. This isn't an issue.

 

Have third gen. No light above forty. Which reminds me. I need to lower my pressure. Saw 46 after driving for 30 minutes.

 

The "hot" pressure will always be higher that the cold, and actually isn't all that relevant. What matters is the cold pressure after it's been sitting for ~4 hours (ideally overnight) and driven less than a mile/km. Going to 46 on a hot day after some "spirited" driving is completely normal.

This website is a must for anyone using LT tires on a Taco.

 

My son has 17 inch BFG AT KO2 on his Wrangler 2dr.
(edited after I got on my main computer)
The 255/75R17 KO2s come in 6 ply (Load Rating C) and would be an excellent choice for your described usage. 32.1" OD and will fit perfectly on stock rims.

Updated: the K02 comes in three versions in 265/70/17
There is a JEEP tread pattern in Load range C with black letters, and the normal tread pattern in both "C" and "E" ratings with raised white letters. We opted for the "E" version for puncture resistance off-road, but I think the lighter one would meet your stated requirements.