255/85 R16 Owners Experience

0" If you do the trimming necessary to stuff them with a lift. Your suspension still has the same travel with a lift as it does stock, your ride height is just higher. When you stuff the tire you are on the bump stop regardless of lift.

 

Back to the siping question.... I just read somewhere (think it was here) that siping even down the center actually destroys the KM2s. A few people agreed. Do you? How many miles have you gotten out of siped KM2s?

 

ill be siping mine regardless of what people on the web say. so in year Ill check back

 

When are you getting it done? How much will it cost? (I followed that previous siping link to find a place near me, but haven't been back in my home state to follow up yet)

 

I got mine done last winter. Seems to be wearing a bit faster but not too bad. And I did the whole tire, not just center.

It is worth it I find because the siping seems to be helping out in both summer and winter conditions for traction.

 

enigmaaron 0" ??? how much cutting would be involved with no lift

i know with a lift my ride hight would be higher and i relise u dont get more travel but with ride hight being higher i would think not as much cutting would be needed, is there anyone running this size with no lift or just a levaling kit ? i dont mind trimming a little but dont want to half to butcher her up either, thanks

 

With a typical 3" or less lift you aren't changing how far up the tire can go. The limit is still the bump stops. With a lift the tire has farther to go before you hit the bump stops but it's still the same spot. If you never take your truck off the street and never hit a pothole or speed bump then sure, a lift will let you get away with less or no trimming. But the potential for rubbing is the same regardless of lift.

 

alot also depends on backspacing of your wheels and caster. Ive got 4" bs on my wheels and I have to chop my cab mounts and trim quite a bit on my fenders. that's with a lift. if i adjusted caster i might not need to trim as much, but it took me a few tries to get my alignment right and i dont care to mess it up.

 

gonna stick with the stock trd 16" wheels for now, might go different later down the road but for now i am saving my pennies for some kings and uca's and tires

 

I got my KM2s on 1st Gen TRDs (4.5" BS) with 3" lift & stock UCAs. No trimming.

They work better on 7" wheels anyway.


At full turn with the bottle jack under the LCA as high as it will go.

 

Bought a tire groover and gonna do it myself. Gotta do it when I find time.

I don't run any weight and I like to hill climb in the snow. My main issue will be keeping up with fully locked SAS rigs with my open/lsd IFS Tacoma so Ill be siping them regardless. I did OK this winter but we didn't get jack for snow. even if we do get a ton of snow I have Duratracs on my 17's Ill just throw back on. My 255's are going to be for wheeling only (unless I'm to lazy to swap them out)

 

I am rubbing on the plastic fender, I plan to trim it tonight.

edit:

I actually hit the UCAs... 4.0" back spacing seems about right. I am looking for some spacers now.

 

My thoughts after about 60 miles offroad and about 500 miles onroad
255/85/16 KM2's

Pros:

• Great feel on road/highway (much better then Duratracs and quieter)

• Super good aggressive traction in strait line

• Small foot print for squeaking by obstacles

• Great 1" of lift/clearance for the money (only high sided once yesterday)

• Fit great and I haven't trimmed anything

Cons:

• Feel squirrely at 30+ mph on sandy trails (just something I need to get used to)

• Truck needs new gears now (I already drove fast/aggressive so I feel like a snail now)

• Horrible lateral slide on off camber sand trails and into ruts - this will be an issue when it snows or if I hit deep ruts
• so far on 3 tanks of gas I lost 2mpg (new gears will correct and I need to get used to driving it so that will change)
• OD is now a waste of a gear unless on flat highway
• need to fix spedo so it's accurate

All in all I'm very happy. The only issue I was trying to correct with these tires was high-siding and the 1" added clearance is huge.



The only 'con' I'm not happy with and wasn't expecting is the lateral sliding. They slide into ruts like no other and also slide on hard pack sand which I was not expecting at all. Once I took a good look at the tread I understand why (meant to go forward not sideways), but this could be an issue on slippery wet rocks/clay/snow/sand/mud.



Some pics from last night on mellow trail where I slipped at least 6-10" sideways.

 

Repost
What's wrong with a little slide? Makes it more fun.

 

FU.... not going to type this crap twice for each thread. Copy and paste baby...copy and paste

Slide is not going to be fun when I slide out of my line and onto a pointy rock. Time will tell. Sipeing will help for sure.

 

Oswego, are u V6 auto? or otherwise.......

 

V6 Auto with 373's

 

That's good to point out. I'm a V6 manual and don't feel a need to regear. Of course I'm also a lighter 1st gen, but in my research it seemed that the guys with manuals in general were less inclined to regear.

 

and that just made me remember I used 4L for the first time in a while due to the tires.... before I only used 4H unless I was in rocks at RC or hills like URE.

I'm also sure for most re-gearing is not needed, but I'm planning ahead for bigger an better things so when I finally have the cash for lockers gears will go in with them. Like I said I also drive fast so I notice it allot. I hit the gas at every light like it's the drag strip. Defensive drivers will be fine. Aggressive assholes will be unhappy.

 

what psi are you running them at? i found that 12psi is ideal on rocks/trails.....i ran them at 6psi at rausch the last trip and traction was insane never popped a bead an ran some decent trails dalton can confirm this....everyone was like ''your tires flat'' i just said noooo there perfect