255/85 R16 Owners Experience

I don't know of any tires in a 255/80R16. There are some 255/80R17's which are the same size as 255/85R16's.

 

Yes it has and honestly I should make my own thread about this, since I feel like I've thread jacked, but the answers are here so why not ask? Retard status? I don't understand what the deal is with me wanting to conserve fuel, I could list a lot of reasons why the "buy a prius" argument is invalid in many circumstances but I am trying to respect the OP by keeping this about 255s.

I will just have to get 265s. Thanks

 

I am super happy with the Toyo M55 in 255/85r16, considered a commercial traction tire. Somewhere between All Terain and a Mud tire. Great on the highway with rain/snow, strong and capable offroad, wear like iron. Perfectly suited for overland abuse. These are def on the tall side at 33.5inches. This tire size is perfect on a 7in rim 4.5 backspacing. Mine are on a set of tundra 16 hole steel wheels. No rubbing with a 2in lift even when the the trucked fully loaded for adventure.

 

More photos please. I have been wondering about this tire.

 

They look nice! Glad you made the right choice

 

Heres a close up of the Toyo M55...

 

is this your truck? if it is what PSI are you running them @

 

Nope, not my truck. I run them at 40psi highway, 28 psi forest gravel roads, 10-18psi sand-trail respectively. They have tough sidewalls and can really handle low pressure.

 

I just saw your reply.
A wide wheel with a narrower tire has that "poke" look that the kids like to run on lowered compact cars. While it is questionable at best on low profile tires I think it is truly impractical on a tall sidewall tire like the 255/85. Aside from my opinion, if you look down the side of the truck the sidewall is too much wider than the tread when a 255/85 Cooper ST is mounted on an 8" wide wheel. On the same size BFG KM2, which has a more agressive tread, it looks less offensive but in reality you are sticking the wheel rim out there for rocks to scrape on them easier (or curbs if you are hardcore mall crawler!) than when the same tire is on a 7" or 7.5" wide wheel.

a 265 wide or 285 wide tire is fine on a 8" wide wheel in my opinion. More important than the look is getting a wheel that is proper offset so you need minimal if any fender/flares/cab mount trimming.

Hope this helps and doesn't get too far away from the intent of this thread....

 

Thanks for the info! So why was another member recommending 8.5" wheels with a 255/85R16? Also does anyone have pictures of tires with different backspaced wheels? Does backspacing affect ride or wear? I may have been linked to a thread about it when I asked that a while back but I need to go look.

 

I cannot imagine the 255/85 tire on an 8.5 rim width. In fact BFG lists "reccomended rim width" of 6.5" to 8", and their specs are for when the tire is mounted on a 7" rim. So 8" is fine, but 8.5" places you outside of the tire design limits.

 

I am imagining, now that this has sunk in, that rim width (Is that the same as backspacing?) affects how much the sidewall "Bloats out" and that since a thinner rim is not as heavy it would reduce strain on the engine (I don't plan to regear) to move the tire? I am thinking thin rim width is better for performance purposes?

 

Rim width is not the same as backspacing. BACKSPACING basically is the amount of space from the hub mounting point to outer lip of the wheel. The width of a wheel is actually more necessary when determining the "offset".

Ex: 8" wide wheel has 4" backspace
If you had this wheel infront of you you would turn it over and put a flat object to lay across the back of the wheel. Then take a tape measure and measure the distance from the hub mounting surface to the flat object. That is the backspace, which for this example is 4".

To find the offset you take the wheel width (8") and divide it by 2. Then subtract the backspace (4") from that number.
For this example it would be 8(width) / 2 = 4 Then take 4 - 4(BS) = 0 (offset)

As for the rim width and the looks it gives a tire depends on how wide the tire is and how wide the wheel is. For a 255/85/16 you would probably want a 6.5-7 inch wide wheel to give the "fat tire" look. If you don't want the visual effect of a fat tire then go with an 8" wide wheel. For a wheel that's 12.5" wide like a 33/12.5 then those look great on a 8.5 or 9 inch wide wheel and you definently get the fat bubbly tire look.

Although a 255 is a pizza cutter tire you can still get the bubbly tire look if you go with the lowest wheel width recommended.

A thinner wheel will probably weigh less which will reduce the weight of the tire/ wheel combo but I doubt it'll have that much of an effect on engine load. BUT if you are trying to save weight by any means possible then yes, a thinner wheel should weigh less and be easier to turn than a wheel of the same circumference but wider.

 

Forgot to mention that a recessed wheel with a low backspace will also give you the fat tire look.

 

Sub

 

Awesome info, thanks a lot! I understand backspacing and offset now.

 

Finally pulled the trigger on these, had to use a 1/4" spacer to keep them from hitting the UCA at full droop and shaved the plastic covering off the cab mount and all is well, no rubbing so far. Taking a 7 day trip to CO next week though so we'll put them through their paces and see how they turn out.

 

Looks Good Tacodriver 08!! I like the look of those Coopers, I have the Cooper ST in this size myself. What whells are those and the width and offset if you know it. This info will help others wanting the "tall and skinny" fitment.

 

Unless you drive A LOT this really doesn't end up working out very well.

Doing a little math and using worst (or at least bad case scenario numbers)

At $4/gallon and 15mpg you spend 26.6cents/mile x 15,000(what average American supposedly drives=$4,000/year

An average car gets about 25mpg real world (unless you get something like a Yaris which gets closer to 30, but your Corolla class vehicle is about 25)

So $4/gallon @ 25mpg=16centx15,000=2400. So if you buy a decent car that gets 25mpg for $4k it will take 2.5years for it to pay for itself if EVERY mile you drive is in the car VS the truck. If you drive the truck half the time you can double that to 5 years.

If you spend more on the car then its even longer. That also doesn't take into account added insurance, registration, maintenance or repairs of said $4k vehicle.

In reality, for the VAST majority of Americans the cheapest thing you can do is own one dependable vehicle and drive it.

 

Thank you.

Also, I think there is nothing wrong with making the most of your situation. If you've got the most dependable truck on the market, what's the problem with trying to save on gas? It makes a lot more sense than buying a prius. Not to mention they look horrible.

As for whoever said, "Buy a prius, that's what I'm going to do when I get out of college," That's a hypocritical statement. We are both driving Tacomas and

1. How do you know I won't buy a Prius when I graduate college?
2. I'm trying to save gas and you're not, and for someone in college saving money is kind of a big deal, especially if you're paying for it.

We are literally in the exact same situation, but reacting differently.