Tire Size on 4cyl - NOT PRE-RUNNER

I just bought a 2006 Tacoma I-4 Access Cab with 35,000m. It has the 215/70 15 on it. I was looking to either upgrade tires to the 245/70 17 or go with a more low-profile look of a 255/50 18. When I went to discount tire, they said that the truck is front wheel drive? Does anyone know if this is true? What is the largest tire you have fit under the truck? I think I am leaning towards going with a higher ride than the low-profile. If I get a body lift, would this allow for taller tires?

 

LOL, it's not FWD, tell the m0r0n that's it's a friggin truck. If you want a higher ride, get a lift kit. Personally I would run OEM type tires

 

I didn't think so, but I have never owned a 4cyl truck before. My first vehicle was a 1997 T-100 4x4 and I finally made the decision to downgrade to a smaller truck while I do a lot of city driving. I really miss the ride height of the T-100 and want to get some of that back with the larger tires. Any idea on how much a lift kit cost for a Tacoma like mine?

 

I don't personally know, but there are a bunch of threads on here that talk about it. It is one of the popular mods for the taco. Type "lift kit" in the search field and I'm sure you'll find more info then you will know what to do with.

Good luck man, hope you enjoy your truck!

 

Anyone else have any experience/suggestions on upgrading a truck like this? Some pictures would be awesome too

 

Run. There has never been a front wheel drive Toyota truck. If that place is so badly informed about your truck I wouldn't trust them for advice on tires.

 

If its fwd....IT'S NOT A FREAKIN TRUCK!

Yes that means that the honda ridgeline is in fact a minivan on stilts with a bed!

 

No, the truck is not a front wheel drive, but it takes a front wheel drive rim with the the 40 degree offset to fit this truck.
I installed some 17" Rav 4 factory alloy wheels on my truck which is a 2007 4 cylinder access cab truck. The truck ran fine with these wheels ,but my gas milage went from 24 to 19 mpg. I took these wheels off and ordered a set of Borlla 15" alloy wheels from the Tirerack that that looked almost like the Rav 4 wheels and my mpg came back to normal

 

Read with interest the above post because on my old Accord, it went from about 30MPG to 27 when I went from 15" to 17" wheels and tires.

I want to upgrade my 5 lug 15" wheels to 16", but dont want the big fuel hit. Has anyone gone to 16" with 235/60 -16 tires, which is the correct size tire for the same diameter. And what were your results. The Taco is great but at times it feels very insecure over rippled pavement and breaks in the roads with the 15" wheels.

TIA Dan

 

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Just be moderate with the tire size; go either 1-1.5" taller or so and not so wide they hang out of the fenders, and also remember you should have a 3.31 or 3.58 diff ratio (what trans?). Usually increasing tire size ~1" +/- will correct speedo error, and you will be traveling 3.5-5 % or so more than shown on the ODO, so take that into consideration with mileage checks. I have always thought the 5 lug trucks have to small a tire that doesn't even begin to fill up the wheelwells, a 225/75-15 should have been the minimum along with a corresponding increase in axle ratio's ever since the 05 new body style was introduced. 235/60-16 should be ok, if it were me though, I would use a 225/70-16 to get a little height. Someone on here, or TS has a 5 lug with Toyota 16" aloys off either a Camry, or the mini-van, and it looks good.

 

I have read that thread and the OP stated that it made the truck more secure feeling, but made no mention if his mileage was affected with that combo. He used the P235/60-16 tires. Those wheels are available on Ebay from a Toyota dealer for about $640 shipped. I search Ebay often hoping to find a takeoff set for 4 bills or so. They are from a Camry. My truck is getting 27 MPG and with $4 fuel and still rising, I need to preserve that mileage. Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

Dan

 

I think as long as you don't change the overall circumference, you should get the samr gas mileage if you go with a bigger rim. Changing the rim size and getting larger tires also affects the final drive ratio.

 

Interesting thread - and I have had a similar reduction in mileage.

I have run about 3 tanks full of gas through the truck since I upgraded my 5-lug steel wheels for a set of (nearly new) X-Runner 18" Toyota wheels with Bridgestone Potenza RE050 tires. These wheels have virtually the exact outside diameter as the stock steelies - as calculated by the website. 26.9 inches orig, versus 27.0 inches after.

Mileage before the change 23.0-24.0 MPG.
Mileage after the change 20.7 - 21.2 MPG.

So it looks like a hit of about 10% off the old set. I am supposing it is because the new tires have such amazing grip - they must "grab the road" more. The others were so crappy and slippery - they must have glided obove the pavement.

In the end - I would still do it over! The handling on the turns is SO superior it is unfathomable that I would tolerate the old ones again. And if they save my bacon during any future emergency move in the rainy season - then what the heck - well worth the mileage penalty.

Rob

 

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That is what I call a BIG hit, same height tire on a light alloy wheel; the 15x6 steelie probably weighs very close to the larger alloy. That 10% is a lot for just additional rolling resistance, are you sure winter gas blends didn't have anything to do with it, or ethanol in the fuel? You have had the tires/wheels on for a while haven't you? I would think that swap would be tit for tat, or maybe 1-2% for additional rolling resistance.

EDIT: My bad; even after I read about the wheels being the X-Runner setup, I still thought you were the person who put the Camry wheels on his 5 lug Tacoma. The Camry wheels are probably only 16" x 6 or maybe 17"'s but probably not sport tires. But; I still think 10% seems a little excessive, even for the X Runner stuff.