ABS & Larger Tires

Please forgive me as I know this subject has probably been hashed and rehashed. Here is my issue.
I have a 2014 DCSB. I upsized my tires from the standard 245/75R16 to LT265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer HT3's. Off and on since then, I have had a problem with the front brakes ABS activating on damp pavement when making a hard stop (not panic). I first thought that my tires did not have enough grip, but a trip to the tire dealer today found 8/32 of tread depth across all four tires, and no other appreciable wear. Of course the dealer suggested new tires, but I was wondering if the problem could be the ABS sensors or maybe the computer.
Thanks for indulging me.

 

If the abs sensor is doing its job, wet pavement hard braking, just because you didn’t feel the tires lock up doesn’t mean the sensor didn’t.

 

It's the tires. You might consider having them siped. People claim all sorts of benefits. I siped my Jeep tire for rock crawling and it made a noticeable difference with traction.

 

It's not the tire size, but their construction. All Terrain tires are a compromise due to the tread design. They are better off road than street tires, but not as good on pavement. Especially wet pavement.

Then there is the rubber compound. Tire manufacturers can use very soft rubber which grips pavement very well. Think about race cars. But soft rubber wears out too fast for most of us. They change tires several times in a 500 mile race at Daytona. Harder rubber lasts longer but you give up some grip on wet pavement.

LT tires are intended for much heavier trucks than your Tacoma so the rubber compound is going to be a bit harder than most. An empty 3/4 ton truck weighs more than a Tacoma will weigh if the payload is maxed out. Most 3/4 ton trucks are rated for about 10,000 lbs GVWR. so they need a tougher tire.

265/75/16 is a good size for Tacoma's. They are a bit larger than stock, but generally have no downsides. They make that size in standard load tires as well as LT tires. Unless you are into some hard core off road driving you might want to consider that size in a P rating next time.

 

Marshall, thanks for that. You have confirmed what the tire dealer told me. I'm am currently looking at some P265/75R16 tires. I am 74 and my off-roading is a thing of the past. The Tacoma is basically used for short trips and hauling a 12 foot utility trailer to the dump.