255/85 R16 Owners Experience

Well you certainly seem to have several viewpoints here haha. Some more supported than others.

Good luck !

 

well from all I've gathered here....I'm still going with wider tires lol...good luck guys!

 

Just to clarify this thread is for people with experience using the 255's I'm not nor I dont think anybody else is saying other size tires are wrong or bad. Its not a tire debate thread its so people who have used or are using 255's can share their opinions and experiences with them. So if you dont have or have not used 255's there is really no need to argue or debate their use. Users only or people looking to go with 255's who have questions about them.

So anybody have any experience with them in deep sand?

 

I do, not as good as the 265/70's I had on before them. Mostly because aggressive treads are never good in the sand though.

 

subed

 

285s are better in the sand, but it's not like you're s.o.l. if you're running 255s.

The 255s will still get you through sand if you air down and know how to drive it; the Taco is such a light truck, the difference in width between the 2 tires is minimal for sand floatation.

In the snow, on the other hand, if you're trying to stay on top of the snow I think the 285s win (ski vs snowshoe), but if we're talking 1-8" of snow, where it would be beneficial to break through to the earth surface, 255 would be more desireable.

 

DIGGING THE LOOK OF 255'ERS

 

I agree you are not s.o.l. with any choicee of tire. Some are better than others in tread design and size. If you know up front exactly what your conditions are going to be and can choose your tire according that is one thing, perhaps a better way to look at it is, excluding snow, if you had to pick one do it all tire do would the 255 be that tire? I say excluding snow since I don't see that as being a terrain I will likely see enough to even consider tire performance as an issue.

I have run the KM2's on my jeep in 33x12.50 in desert terrain as do several of my friends we find the tire to perform awesome in sand. I know expeditions west used the tire extensively in baja and that is a lot of sand driving and obviously it performed at least acceptably for them.

 

I took in to consideration that of the 200+ miles a week that I put on my truck, 30% were actually on the highway/street. The remainder of those miles were off road. For me I needed a tire for insane snow about 3-4 months out of the year, and a tire that was for intense off road driving 3-5 months a year. This is why I ran 2 tires. But for me the lack of choices in the 255 is why I make it my summer tire. For every thing and I do mean everything else I run a 285 duratrac and swear by it. The only reason I even run the 255 is to perserve my duratracs for all other driving I do. When I go on a long trip they come off.... But when I am in the back country in summer they go on.

 

Josh I'm not sure I follow you 100%. Your saying because of the snow issue you run the 285's but if you didnt have that to contend with you would always use the 255's or am I misreading?

 

Well I gather you know my feelings on it

The article mentioned said it best:

Section Width- A narrow tire will provide superior performance to a wide one. Wide tires are not appropriate for use on an expedition vehicle, unless they are crossing the Gobi. Contact pressure and its affect on adhesion, deformation and mechanical keying are the critical components of traction on rugged terrain.



Even in snow I love that 255 so far. It is only when the snow gets past like a foot and a half to 2 feet of powder that you're starting to want to float (or diff height sticky snow).


I think you have seen the research an opinions so just have to decide if it will work for you.


Mountains, dirt, light-normal mud, light-normal snow, rocks, or any combination of these, a narrower tire will be superior to a wide one all other things being equal. If you plan on doing a lot of bogging or off-road snow travel, then there is a reason those tires are chosen wide.

For the rest, there is 1 reason the wide tires are chosen. Looks.


Don't discount it people have fake hood scoops and sliders that bolt into the tube step locations for that offroad capable 'look', so obviously very important to many. But if you're just buying for capability, well take a look at the supporting evidence for whatever terrain you want, and make a leap.


Then report back and let us know what you think!
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I've owned 255/85/16s for awhile now and know from first hand experience that they work great in deep sand. Because they have such stiff sidewalls you can air way down without losing a bead. I've worked my way down to being comfortable at ~12psi. My favorite advantage of tall skinny tires in the sand is that there is SOOO much more steering control. They just track though mire so well.

If you don't air down they will bury you in 1/2 sec though, lol

On the street they are quiet compared to most other mud terrains and because they are alot lighter and have less rolling resistance, I get better gas mileage with them. Lifted 6" with 33" tires I still got 20mpg in my reg cab.

They've been great for me on every type of terrain, but I don't do deep mud and we don't have deep snow in TX.

 

2 things, IF they made a 255 85 16 in a duratrac, and If I did not have snow up to my bumper than without a doubt I would run a 255. We dont really see much mud hear unless you go looking for it and the terrain here is desert/mountain so ya.

For my driving style handling is not an issue as I am lifted and usually have my dogs in the back of the truck. So that just leaves traction, and road comfort. The duratracs are the best tire for me most of the year and they are way silent compared to the km2's. But the traction off road on the km2's over the dt is pretty awesome.


am pretty tired so I hope this made sense

 

Just to point out, on a 285/70/17 Duratrac tire with xd wheels non beadlock... I would usually air down to 5-10 psi for snow deeper than the sliders. BUT in contrast on the 285/75/16 the same tire aired down to 15 psi did the same.

Most the guys locally who run the km2's can drop down in the 5's without popping beads in snow but NOT in sand. Sand they stick around 15 front and 10 rear.

 

Ya especially the 255 in the KM2 which has an E load rating which is very stiff in the sidewall etc.

I wonder how much of the duratracks enhanced snow performance is from the siping they have. I'm going to sipe my KM2s next fall/winter and see what the difference is from before.

EDIT: How do the Duratracks perform offroad? Just looking at tirerack and the winter stuff is all higher, but mostly every other stat is higher for the KM2. Treadwear, ride comfort, steering response, dry traction, cornering stability, and "would buy again". All these better rated for the KM2. Wet stuff and winter stuff better for the Duratrack.

How did you find they compared in these areas? Sorry for getting off-topic.

 

I would think with the 255's gaining popularity we will see more manufacturers following suit and coming out with their own offering in this size just have to wait and see.

 

Anethema,

The dt tires have not been around nearly as long so the ratings on the rack are not accurate.

Offroad they handle amazing in everything but mud. I have done Moab and anything Tahoe has with no issues. And wet traction is hands down way better. I would put that to a test against it any day

 

I doubt it. Simply because of the sidewall height and requirements. Plus having such a small treadpatch to work with.

The 255 will always be a limited tire but it's ok because 99 percent of the buyers in that size are going to want to run a mud tire anywas. They r not buying it for mall crawling.

 

Hard to say. The KM2 255/85 is E load rated where a lot of the other sizes aren't, so the sidewall can't be that tough. (EDIT: tough to make strong in a large sidewall)

I hope they never discontinue that tire though. It's a mud terrain that makes no noise on the highway, great cornering even with the high sidewall, and had decent winter performance in snow, and supposedly siped even better.

As long as they keep making the KM2 I'm happy.

 

x2