Need help understanding tire size vs lift vs wheel spacer/offset

i just upgraded my tires to 285/70/17 and have some rubbing on the uca at full lock. Oddly, it is worse in reverse but still there either direction. Based on reading a thread about a guy running 255/85/16 on a stock 16 off-road I was looking to swap to 255/80/17 which should be the same size. I have the 16 sport model so here are my questions:

Would we have the same stock wheel specs? I would assume but can’t confirm?

If the uca appears to hit the top of the tire at full lock, is the solution slight lift or wheel spacers or both?

Will the slightly skinnier and taller (roughly 1/2 in thinner and taller) make a substantial difference?

Thanks in advance. I’ve read a bunch of threads but can’t find anything specific at the moment and I need to either confirm or change my tire order in the morning.

 

Contrary to popular opinion on TW a quality lift does NOT allow you to run bigger tires on the Tacoma front suspension, it just gives you more travel before the tire hits the exact same place. So no, a lift will not fix your problem it will only make it rub less often, but it will still rub. Narrower tire will fix the uca rub, but how much narrower will depend on how much it’s hitting at present. If it’s only slightly, then 1/2” will be all that’s needed. Wheels with a different offset (or spacers) will also help the uca rub, but it will lightly create other rubbing issues. Unless you post the specs of the 17” wheels it can’t be determined if the tire size 255/80/17 is similar to 255/85/16 on stock wheels.

 

Attached is the invoice for what I currently have as well as pics of what I was planning to get.

 

Both are available through discount tire.

 

And here are pics of the rub. Both are of the driver front at full lock right and left

 

And I get I can’t make more room for the tire in the wheel well, I guess I am more interested in the easiest way to change the relationship between the tire and uca...

 

Sport is a 17x7.5 +30mm, 5.43" backspace
Offroad is a 16x7 +25mm, 4.98" backspace

A 3/4"spacer would give you 4.68" backspace, a 1" spacer 4.43" backspace and 1.25" spacer 4.18" backspace. I would go with the one that give just enough clearance. Your call...
You might run into clearance at the mud flap/cab mount; more so with the larger spacer.

If you go with 255/80/17s, it would get you 15mm clearance from the UCA. Is it enough? Again, your call.
It would also give you 3/8" negative scrub radius. You would need wheel spacers if you choose to correct this. Again, I would go with just enough; the 3/4" wheel spacer. The 15mm tire clearance combined with 3/4" wheel spacer would for sure give you enough UCA clearance. It will poke about 1/2" more than stock; you might have mudflap clearance problems, but will avoid cab mount clearance problems.

 

That is helpful info!

 

Good morning bump for more ideas

 

Run some wheel spacers as mentioned

 

Have you looked at these threads? plenty of folks have done what you are thinking about. The only issue some folks have (as long as they are 100% stock) is rubbing OEM mud flaps. I put 255/85-16s on my truck with no issues.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-skinny-on-skinny-tires.529656/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/put-255-85-16s-on-stock-or-wheels-and-suspension.491079/

 

A wheel that provides 4.5" backspacing or like mentioned above a wheel spacer that would get you there. Some people say wheel spacers change ride characteristics but so does any set of giant tires and suspension change. Figure out your budget and then ask again.

 

From your pictures, look like you are still running stock suspension with no lift?