The SKINNY on skinny tires

I had these, not the same size, but the 10 ply E rated tires.
If they are offered in 6 ply, go for it, unless you are driving over upright nails spikes, glass, and shale on a regular basis. They are a HEAVY, loud, and hard tire. I don't miss them!

 

Falken Wildpeak AT3W LT255/80R17 121S All Terrain Light Truck Tire

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JMCQPF7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

very tempting right now.

 

They’re supposed to release the AT4W sometime in the first part of next year. Might be worth the wait depending on how badly you need new tires.

 

Picked up a set of 255/80r17 wildpeaks and man I cannot wait to get them mounted… Comparison to 245/75r16s:




In other news, I’m now in the market for 17” toyota wheels.

 

265 vs 255 profile. I really want to go with the 255/75/17 for a 32" tire (vs the 31.6 of the 265/70/17). Maybe it's a mental block, but can you really tell the difference between a 265 and 255 when looking at the truck from the front/rear? We're only talking a difference of 10mm; 5mm per side. Have any of you guys regretted going to a 255 vs a 265? If so, why?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

Does anyone have a front on photo of both of these tire options? This might help

 

@Mad German

@czukie

 

10 mm is like .4 inches. So the difference is less than a half inch. You will be able to tell since you know it, but it’s not noticeable to 99% of people.

 

Good point. I guess I need to determine which is more important to me, height or width. I think in the end, height will win out.

 

You can definitely tell but I kinda like the skinny look.

 

You can definitely tell the difference between a 265 and 255. I went from 265/70r17 to 255/80r17. I absolutely love the way my pizza cutters handle on and off-road. They feel better than the 265 in every aspect. Plus you get slightly better mileage and when aired down you get a better footprint. Top pic is 265, bottom is 255

 

From what I've been reading, the advantages of the skinnier tires far outweigh the benefits of the wider tires. The visual difference is subtle, but not really all that noticeable. The slight increase in mpg can't hurt either. The logical part of my brain says to go with the 255s:

• They're a little lighter
• I'll get a little better mpg
• It's easier to go taller when not also going wider
• I suppose the lighter, slightly narrower tires will yield a little better handling on road too.

 

A little lighter and a little better mpg than what? “Traditional” 33’s?

 

Yes; sorry for not being more clear.

 

No worries, just making sure some people didn’t think you meant 265/70/17 or similar sized tires lol

 

Got it. From what I've seen, a 265/70/17 is nearly the same as a 255/75/17, with the former being just a bit (less than 0.5") smaller, but about 0.5" wider.

 

Neither are 33’s though is my point.

 

255/80R17s look mint looks like they only come in load range E but who cares because they are not real heavy anyway right? Aside from being less likely to rub do they help with gas mileage much as opposed to a wider tire? I bet they would look good with a 2.5 suspension lift

 

Wide tires look cool, but they also throw a lot of dirt & rocks against the sides of the truck. It’s easier to get more height with a “skinny” tire bs a wider one. Plus, on a mid size truck, a 255 really isn’t all that “skinny.” I mean, after all, we’re only talking 5mm on each side of the tire (10mm overall); not a huge difference. But you will notice the extra height more than the ever so slightly narrower width.
Just my $0.02

 

The mpg mostly depends on weight. If all things are equal (weight wise) the skinnier tire will improve mpg. However, if the skinner tire is heavier, then it might be a wash or slightly worse. 6ply v 10ply being the significant impact for weight.