Can I go with a lower Load Index tire for my Tacoma TRD Offroad?

My 2014 Tacoma TRD Offroad came with BF Goodrich All-terrain Tires sized at LT 265 / 70 R16 and a load index of 117/114S. The tires I want Michelin Defender LTX M/S have a load index of 112. I heard you're not suppose to install tires with lower load indexes than the tires your vehicle came with. Does this mean I can't go with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S?

I don't off road with this vehicle. I'm mainly planning on towing a boat with it short distances. It's my weekend truck. A trip up to the sierras for some light camping on forest roads would be nice too but I'm definitely not a wheeler.

I wanted to buy some Michelin Defenders LTX M/S All season tires as I hear they're good tires.

 

I don’t think your truck came with those tires from the factory. Look in inside of the passenger side of the pillar. It will tell you what size came wit the truck. If I was a betting person you will be fine

 

You will be fine. I'm on my second set of LTX A/T2's and got 90k on my first set. No issues at all.

 

P265 70 r16.

Maybe this label is correct? But the door table says LT265 75 R16

 

I ran a P rated set for my daily driving for several years when I commuted a bunch, never had an issue.

 

If the wheels are original to the truck, you might have a TX|Baja or TX|Pro trim, which had the BFG A/Ts installed at port.

Running a lower weight-rating tire would be safe, since the tire's weight rating still well exceeds the truck's GAWR.

 

It came from the factory with P rated tires. Someone added the wheels and tires

 

It's a TRD Baja, they came with those wheels and tires.

Bingo.

https://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/25...ZTVX-OcwXHCVxkIaERRo13sHCTQ5eQTRMErbXqXhSWiz6

@TacomawithArima
Your base truck was a TRD Off-Road which Toyota changed out the front suspension, wheels and tires. If you use Tire Rack's calculator with a 2014 TRD Off-Road, these are the Michelins you get.

$305+ Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tires

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...4&autoModel=Tacoma 4wd&autoModClar=Access Cab

 

But I dont have the Baja sticker? Thank you very much for the detailed response.

 

Look your vin #up in Toyotas owner site it will tell you what your truck came with firm the factory and also what was added at the port

 

I looked it up for you. It’s not a Baja. It came with p rates tires. Only factory or port option is v6 tow package for off-road package.

 

Snap a photo of your front suspension. The red coils are what makes me think it’s a Baja. Did you lift your truck? Does it have the TRD exhaust on it?

 

VIN won’t show it’s a Baja through Toyota’s site. I just found a Baja for sale and ran it and it pings the same as a regular TRD Off-Road.

Those wheels on a KO in that size with red front coils scream Baja to me.

By the time Toyota released the VIN lock on the grey beadlocks the KO2 was more common.

 

I would love him to pop the hood and show us it has a supercharger

 

Not necessarily...
Bajas had a recall to add the 'correct' sticker. I say 'correct' because, although it lists the correct size, they screwed up the psi conversion going from P/euro metric to LT. It lists 46 psi; should have been 40 psi.

That said, OP will be fine with a load index of 112. A P-metric P265/70/16 has a 111 load index. I suspect though, the 112 Michelins are euro-metric, not P-metric. Either way the stock door placard would not apply as far as psi.
If the Michelins are indeed euro-metric, the adjusted recommended inflation would be 32F/34R.