255/85 R16 Owners Experience

They are 16x8. I have not had a chance to measure or take a front shot as well. Hope to do that today.

 

must say I am impressed with my KM2's in the snow. We didn't get jack last year so I had no real first hand info, but this year we had a few storms with 10" plus and I have yet to slide out or get stuck. I was going to sipe them, but I see no need now.

 

How does it handle in slush vs pow? I don't have any weight in the back of my truck and the AT's handle powder ok but slush is pretty bad..

 

I looked on coopers site and didn't see that size. Where did you buy them?

 

That is the tire I'm gonna get when meh nittos wear out or someone buys them...

the STT maxx looks really good and it's not a M/T so that'll be even better.

 

Feeling the same way. Happy to find an aggressive all terrain in this size.

 

I got mine from discount tire. They don't show on their site either but if you call they have them. Mine took 4 days to get in direct from Cooper so I doubt they are on national back order right now.

 

I gots heavy ass end bumpa so no issues there + I still have a quarter cord of wood in my truck from last weekends camp trip

I see no way a MT would be better in ice or slush than a AT but I could be wrong

I never had rear end sliding issues when I had my mechanical LSD or now that I'm open. First storm we had I spent a good hour in a parking lot trying to learn how the open would react in emergency situations because I was so used to my LSD. I still don't have the open rear down pat yet, but a few more storms and Ill be a pro again

 

Open diff actually means less tendency for rear to slide

 

The traction advantage of 255/85-16 KM2s touted by earlier posters is NOT hype.

I spent the majority of the day yesterday driving muddy, rutted, snow covered trails with a handful of other similar, small 4wd vehicles equipped with at least rear lockers. They had either 285 Duratracs or 285 KM2s.
The 255 KM2s provided the best traction by far, and my truck had the least problem getting around.

I can't attribute my success to any modifications as my truck is an otherwise stock Off Road (rear e-locker).
I also can't take credit for skill, because this was my 4th off road experience.

My truck tractored through everything at a slow and steady pace with minimal use of the skinny pedal, minimal spinning, and minimal sideways sliding. Not much drama at all, save for rubbing against two trees.

DO NOT BUY 255 KM2s if you don't want to get bored. I would have been in danger of real boredom yesterday if not for a few things: 1) Hanging out with good people 2) being so new to off roading and 3) hitting stuff with the bottom of my rear bumper and crushing my trailer plug.

 

AT's are definitely superior on ice. It is well known that MT's are bad on ice. I think MT's are superior in slush though. More gaps in the tread for the slush to go. The hardest part of deep slush is pushing it out of the way of the tires. That will pull the vehicle all over the place. I can haul ass through some pretty deep slush with my KM2's and not even know it's there.

 

My Hankook MT's were definitely better on slush / wet snow than my Hankook ATm's

 

I've read pretty much the whole thread (long read) and I still have a few questions just to confirm before I spend $1183 on the KM2s. The more I read the more confusing it got, ie - it fits, it doesnt fit, etc.


I have a 2013 access cab trd offroad, with the stock 16" rims. I am going to purchase a 2.5" lift kit (brand to be determined) with UCAs. I plan to use the stock rims with the KM2s (I really like the look of the stockers)

Will this setup work for me without having to cut/trim/remove mudflaps. My offroading is light, mostly logging trails and sandy/muddy ground. No rocks to crawl around here.

I would appreciate any input.

Thanks for your time.

 

When you guys are hammering the pinch weld flat which direction do you hammer to? towards the engine or towards the fender? I just bought a set of 255/85r16 Maxxis Bighorns and trying to get ready for a wheeling trip this weekend.

Pics for proof and to show off the new tires.

 

Check out my build page. I have a OME lift about 2.5 inches and my KM2's on stock 16's do not rub at all off road.

 

I think the key here to running the 255/85 tires with minimum mods to use STOCK WHEELS. I have a new set of Cooper ST's in 255/85R16 on 8"wide, 0 ffset Method DoubleStandard whels and took them off because of rubbing on the front fender flares. I have a second set of tires/wheels in good shape so it was no problem.

I have since bought a set of used but very nice condition 16"x7" Gen 1 alloy wheels (the ones with 5 twisted spokes). I am hoping these will clear up my clearance issues. So now I need to pull a couple of my Coopers off the 8" wide wheels and put them on the 7" wide wheels, mount them on the front and see what happens. I am thinking of having the 1st ggen wheels powder-coated before I put the tires on them.. They are not bad, but there is just no gloss to them after scrubbing with Purple Power and a stiff brush. Thinking the dull surface will be hard to clean.

 

I used a grinder to put a cut in mine every 2-3 inches and alternated the folds.

 

Read through this entire thread. I want me some 255s next time I get tires. Will BFG ever make an all terrain in this size?

 

Yeah I was thinking about that, I am a BFG loyalist though. Maybe by the time I need tires in another year or two they will have a 255 KO.

 

Are the ST Maxx's rated "D" or "E"? And will the 255's fit my stock TRD-OR? I've read mixed answers on this question. Maybe this particular thread can give me a straight answer.