235/85/16 The Skinny

E rated 235/85 16E inflation is around 40psi for our trucks. 80 psi is running at max inflation for the tire.
Check inflation charts for stock tires and the recommended for an E rated tire at the same load capacity.

I ran 235/85 16E on both me second and third Gen Tacoma for over a decade. Gravel roads often dropping to 20psi and as low as 8psi on some ice and in some mud.

A month ago I went to 265/75 16E because my truck use has changed where I'm on the pavement more.

 

Right…. What I’m saying is that the tire sidewall is much heavier on an E rated tire because it’s made for service at 60-80 psig vs 30-35 psig for an SL tire. You don’t need all that pressure to hold up a little Tacoma so you can cut it in half for a more SL-like ride. But the tire is made for 60-80 psig service. E rated tires are heavier all around because they’re built to support higher pressures necessary to carry heavier loads. I’m not knocking anyone’s choice of tire..just saying they’re built to be run at different pressures.

 

It's not ride quality you calculate pressure for, it is load capacity.

I went from a 235/85 16E to a 265/75 16E both roughly a 32" tire and both E rated. Shop put forty eight psi in the new tire and it rides better than the old tire at fort two. Calculator suggest I run 36

New your is also around 10dB quieter from my measurements.

 

I didn’t suggest you calculate anything based on ride quality. Pressure will define the load CAPACITY. You can drive around at maximum pressure/maximum capacity in your unloaded tacoma and nothing bad will happen. The impact is poor ride quality. The tire won’t flex. So you figure out what you need and use that as your load. Go too high, jarring ride. Go too low, heat builds up and tire is damaged. That’s the trade off. I doubt we disagree on this, just trying to be clear.

 

Technically correct. ALL Tires should be pressured according to load - that's how tires work. Even an empty truck still represents a "load" on the tires.
However... When you cosmically mismatch the load rating for the truck then you have to factor in the ride quality and air down to gain some back. Well, you don't HAVE to but you can. As long ans you realize that even at lower than load pressure you still aren't getting the ride quality you could have had on the right tire.

For me and the way I see it, incorrectly load rated tires on the Tacoma is like trying to make a 4 barrel carb from a 77 Pontiac Firebird work on our engine. Yes you can but that doesn't make it optimal and you are going to have to go outside of norm to make it work and when it works it's still not going to work as well as the system we have.

It's akin to the struggle I have with my wife and tires.
All tires are black, round, and made out of rubber. So she doesn't understand why I want to upgrade to BFG ATKO's.
Stock Goodyear Wranglers are round, black, and made out of rubber. ATKO's are black, round and made out of rubber. Ergo there is no difference.
But E-Rated guys say that C rated tires are black, round, made of rubber and work on the Tacoma, so E-Rated tires that are also black, round and made of rubber should also work.

Again, not judging you or people that go with E-Rated. Just the system because E-Rated were never designed for our trucks and our trucks weren't designed to run E-Rated and there is an entire system of tire shops and internet forums full of baloney and propaganda that makes otherwise intelligent people think they are getting something better when they go with E-Rated.

 

Damn - You snuck that in while I was posting and did a better job than I did.

 

End of the day, you run the tires that best suit your driving (though some choose on looks). It is why when Duratrac appeared on the market I threw the BFG KO2s in the garbage where they belong. And why after a set of Duratracs I started getting them siped whenever I bought a new set. It is why I switched to Michelins a month ago.

It is also why I have Dakar HD's and airbags, knowing the extra weight I often carry will be harder on the drivetrain and brakes. Also why I run 32" as our stock gear is taxed at 33".

Run what ever pressure you like, but the weird tire wear is your choice.

Know that tire manufacturers have come up with very handy conversion charts for when you do change load and size