255/85 R16 Owners Experience

255's will fit very nicely with a 2''-3'' lift (this will more than likely be my next tire size) and I have heard that they stuff very well in our fenders, whereas 285's will fit well only after some trimming/cutting/CMC (talking more about offroading and when the suspension is cycling, on-road shouldn't be bad)

Both 255's and 285's will change things like your speedometer calibration and how your gears will be working. They are both give or take 33'' tall, but the 285's are heavier and wider, which will most likely change your gearing response more than the 255's.

Matt

 

I went from 19ish mpg down to 17ish mpg when going from 245/75r16 up to 255/85r16. I have a manual transmission, so shifting isn't an issue. Speedo and odo are off a bit. Multiplying what my odo/trip says by 1.0815 gives me me actual mileage with these tires. I bought the km2s, and love them. Haven't got to REALLY test them out yet, but what I have done has been real easy after installing the tires.
Highly recomend a full size spare as well.

 

if anything, you can get a hypertech speedometer cal. stock gears push these just fine.

 

Awesome, thanks everyone for the quick responses!

Now I just have to decide which best suits my needs, I love the look of both of them, I know the skinny tires will be better in snow and probably a little better on the MPGs.

Past few years we have only had 1 or 2 good storms during the winter where I could really justify the skinnys. Overall between the 255s/85 & 285/75 the skinny tires are about $31 cheaper a tire so that is no biggie.

Either or will fit well with these correct?

FN Konig Countersteer. 16x8 4.5" backspacing

http://www.fnwheels.com/new-products/konig-countersteer-offroad/

FN Five Star 16x8 3.52" backspacing

http://www.fnwheels.com/new-products/fn-wheels-five-star/

 

Yeah I was doing a bit of reading and it said I would need at least a 4-5" of Backspace clearing. That or I would have to run spacers in the rear which I rather just get a tire that fits off the bat. Still not decided if I want to go for the meaty tires or the tall and skinny. After tire/wheels specs are decided I then have to decide on a good 3" lift kit.

 

I have been researching this size tire a lot. It is used basically two applications:
1) Full size trucks that are often loaded with a good amount of weight (like 7,000 to 9,000 lbs total), and
2) Jeeps, SUV's, and lighter trucks like our Tacomas (perhaps 4,000 t0 6,000 lbs total

Seems the Toyo Open Country M/T has a very stiff sidewall and is well suited for use on the heavy trucks especially if sharp rocks are encountered.

The BFG M/T KM2 is also a load range E tire, but the side wall is more pliable and thus allows the tire to wrap around rocks, roots, whatever better at a given tire pressure than the Toyo. But the KM2 sidewall is not as impervious to puncture as the Toyo. (you can't have it both ways).

The Cooper ST is an older design All Terrain hybrid tire with a D load range. I cannot get these locally for a fair price, but online pricing is well below the others. They are recommended by a few folks here, and the Cooper ST is the least expensive tire I would consider today. Cooper is hinting that the may build their SST tire in this size, but I cannot mount a hint on my wheels!

With the Cooper unavailable at a reasonable price, the BFG is a no brainer for the 255/85R16 on my Tacoma, especially with Discount Tire offering price matching, free rebalancing and rotation. (PLEASE, lets not get back into swap sides or not when rotating tires)

 

I can only speak for the coopers st because I run them now and love them. I also have heard that they have been discontinued because cooper is making their ST Maxx in this size. I don't know the ST Maxx tread pattern but the ST that I have are similar to the BFG AT. I do know the Maxx has a design on the sidewall which makes it look a little more aggressive. Anyway, this is from my research before I purchased my tires.

 

The Maxx is pretty similar to the original ST, I have side by side pics somewhere. Let me see if I can find them.

 

Oh nice! Yeah they are similar and the Maxx does have an aggressive tread pattern as well. Thanks for the pic

 

Those do look interesting. Have to wait for them to come out before I bite the bullet.

I wonder if they will be cheaper than the $226 (DTD Price) KM2s. So by doing a quick look up of them, they are supposed to be a upped more aggressive version of Mud Terrains? I guess quieter and not as rough on paved roads as a full blown MT.

 

I finally made a decision on 255/85R16's. Called Discount Direct got them to price match tirecrawler price (tires plus shipping) on the Cooper ST tires. $834 total for four. What I would have spent on shipping now goes to sales tax. Having them shipped to a neighborhood Discount Tire and they will mount and lifetime balance them for $19.90 per tire, so total price on my truck is $914.

In the end I just cant see a true Mud Terrain tire on a vehicle that has to drive on the pavement most of the time. Life is endless compromise, make the best ones!

 

Never run them, but I like the deep tread on the ST's. Look forward to hearing about your experience with em.

I wish tires could be had for those prices north of the 49th.

 

Anyone sipe their KM2s yet?

 

A few guys have. Don't know of their results though.

 

Mine will be siped soon. But they are at 50%

 

Just got my km2's on my 08 dclb sr5. Had them put on my stock wheels. Have stock (sagging) suspension. I stuffed em until they were on the bump stops, and turned the wheel lock to lock. Guess what... I don't have to trim one little bit. Answers that question. Pics tomorrow.

 

Great! KM2's look downright mean in this size too! Enjoy!

 

Really? In a 255/85R16 right? I was running about 2.5-3" of front lift when mine were put on and I had to do some light trimming of the fender flares and the black inner plastic on the back of the front bumper just to drive it on the road. To stuff the tire all the way I had to do a lot of trimming. Hell at full stuff the tire hits the very top of the fender well, but I have to really bottom out the suspension for that to occur.

 

I didn't trim anything but about 1" on the back of the rear fender. I only rub the frame.