255/85x16 Tyres

[RokitRyder]

Hey Guys,

Only been a member a little while, and been looking for a new set of rubber for my truck.
Read most of the threads, and was interested in the above mentioned size from BF.
Saw them on just fishin's pics and wondered if any body has heard any good/bad things about them. also price and expected life span km's? 75% on road and also what saught of lift required. was thinking tough dog adjustable 2 inch with ome 10mm spacer.

also what would the advantage of the wider 285/70 be over these. both about 33 - 33.5 but obviously 285 a bit wider.

if you have pics of 255/85 please chuck em up if you wouldn't mind. Cheers boys.

[Hilux Max]

Hmmm....Id love to get these tyres next time round. I've found with the KM2's, their tyres are .2 of an inch smaller than KM1's....dont know if that makes a difference for anybody.

The benefit of the tall and narrow tyre is that you get more pressure and a longer sirface contact patch than the equivalent wider tyre at the same pressure....You can also run a lower pressure easier off road and thus the tyre will mould itself around obstacles better thus giving you more grip.

Wide tyres are for floatation and are better on rocky terrain, narrower tyres are better load carriers and work better in muddy terrain as they cut into the mud easier searching for the hard ground below.

Theres an awesome writeup off the Expedition Portal website in the US comparing 255's to 285's.

Here it is, I found it...the well documented case for a narrow tyre over a wide one, this should be read by almost everyone as it is an awesome technical document.
http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html

Heres what I was trying to explain above -


Now in regards to lift required....yeah just fishin has a 2" lift but I would recommend a tad bit more than that, and if you going to be using the full suspension travel you may find that you need to trim a little.

The 255 also fits better on a 7" wide rim than an 8" wide rim, the bead holds tighter, but I have seen many running them on an 8inch rim on Yank forums without problems. You will need if a 7inch rim atleast a +20 offset to move the tyre away from the Upper Control Arm, as most tyres below this diamter are able to tuck in just under the outer edge of the UCA where a tyre of a true 33" diamter or more sits beside the outer edge of the UCA. +20 to +10 would be ideal.

I have been considering this tyre for a while, and even thou they are not that popular from many brands they are an effective offroad tyre non the less. I have heard they weigh the same as a 265/75x16 (31.8") tyre and have also heard of fuel economy improvements from running them....but dont forget, the increase diamter will put your diff gearing out.

Other bands that make them are Maxxis Bighorn (33.3/10.1x16), Toyo Open Country Mud Terrian (33.5x10.3x16) even thou the toyo's arent sold in australia, I have looked into it and they dont even plan on bringing them in.

Heres a pic below comparing the Toyo's and Bighorn's side by side-



Below is the BFG KM1 next to the Toyo-


And the Toyo next to a Cooper ST in 255/85x16, probably the only all terrain in this size-


And below is a great comparison pic between the 265/75x16, 255/85x16 and the 285/75x16-


A smaller version of this tyre is the Interco Trxus, that measures 32.7x10.1x16.
http://www.intercotire.com/tires.php?id=11&g=1


Hope that helps.

[9W6VX]

very good info Max.

Thanks for sharing.

[RokitRyder]

Thanks Maaaaxx you are a dead set tech guru on this site! And great pics love the TOYO's, shame their not bringing em in. Probably go the Bighorny's probably a bit cheaper than the km2's. 20%??

Anyone know the price of the km2's St's and truxis.? Toyo's by the time you import??

Thanks again Maaaaxx - Champion -*Thumb.*

[RokitRyder]

Well I went down and priced a set of the Km2 Bf goodrich 255/85 and the maxxis bighorn's in the same size, and as expected the maxxis were cheaper at 299 each while the Bf ran at 339 a pop. Not bad i spose since the price hike last November i guess, but still waiting to get a phone call back tommorow from the shop as apparently they can get silverstone's!! 285/75/16

My mate says they are to mental to try and fit and drive daily, apparently get flat spots overnight?? He says get Dick cipek fc 2's or the new 4 rib atz in a 265/75/16??

What do you boys rekon?

[Hilux Max]

but still waiting to get a phone call back tommorow from the shop as apparently they can get silverstone's!! 285/75/16

My mate says they are to mental to try and fit and drive daily, apparently get flat spots overnight??
What do you boys rekon?

What do I reckon? I reckon your mate is talking through his rectum....

I drive daily on my Silverstones and they do not flat spot overnight....they actually drive very good for a mud terrain other than the howl between 60 and 80 kph.

they have a far deeper tread than most muddies at 16.5mm...I love mine but will be trying something different next time.

[tgibbo]

radiels dont flat spot , 339 is bull shit for 255 bf's ,my mate put 285 bf's km2 on his cruiser this week for 320 each and my brother got 31's for 270 each so i think you should shop around

[Hilux Max]

gibbo, may not be if they were the new km2's ? they are pricey...

[RokitRyder]

yeah first price ive got so im going to shop around. Pretty set on the 255/85 = less chopping and bashing and apparently as good on fuel as a 265/75. we'll see, unless of course i get a good price on the sivlerstone 285/75's

[Quinny34]

Just on the flat spotting.... I get it on my MTZ's and my mate in his Prado gets it worse on his ATZ's... We've also had a few others report it to us when we've mentioned it to them...

Point of note though, we are all very close to major highways and live in relativly cold area's. So buy the time we've all been on the highway for a minute or 2 the issue is gone, and the time is lessoning the more klms the tyre has on it.

It may be they are just stiffer when new.... If I drive to work via the old highway (60klms now as its been turned into an internal road) you couldnt tell. Its only noticable once you get up to higher speeds on a very smooth road... My BFG's also had this issue and not many people would agree with what I've just written but I thinks its due to our circumstances showing it up more. BUT, its not worth loosing any sleep over it...

Just my 2 cents...

[RokitRyder]

Soooooo any one gonna post up pics of their truck with this size fitted????? just fishin??

[Hilux Max]

Just fishin had a thread in the tyre section with pics of his tyres mounted?

maybe have a look at his shed or search to find the thread.

[RokitRyder]

Just been offered a set of 280/85/16 Silverstone mt 117 sport tires at a pretty good price. had a look at them and they seem thin and tall? apparently they are close to a 33/10.5 like a 34.2/11.1/16, and will fit on a 7 inch rim ok, (just scored a sweet set of prado's painted black). Has anybody encountered this size before?

[Hilux Max]

what lift are you running?????

there is no way you are gonna fit these tyres without a 4inch drop bracket lift at elast....they are 35.3x11.1x16

they are a VERY big tyre.

BULL is going to run a set of them and he has a 4inch drop bracket lift and a 3inch bodylift.

even if they were 34.2, you'd be very hard pressed to fit them in there....I would strongly reconsider, you weill be having headaches....

EDIT: just to note, I have run into a couple of yanks on American Toyota Forums that have fitted 255/85x16 KM2's to their rigs and they reckon they measure closer to 33.6/33.7 when inflated rather than 33.3 as quoted on their website.

[RokitRyder]

oh well such is life, looks like km2 or maxxis is the go. just wanted the second set a bit angrier but the same size. Thanks maaaaxx knew you;d be the one on the trigger again. !

[Hilux Max]

why not go a simex tyre? they are angrier and would be a good second set....

http://www.dynamictyres.com.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=106&nav_cat_id=127&nav_top_id=55&dsb=79

The 32/9.5x16 has an actual size of 33.4 x 10.5
or
32/10.5x16 has an actual size of 33.3 x 11.1
or
if your really game
33/10.5x16 in the JT2 which has an actual size of 33.7x10.5

Then you have the other more usuable option of the Swamper LTB in a 34/10.5x16 which has an actual size of 33.6x10.7x16
http://www.intercotire.com/tires.php?id=7&g=1

all of which would make a great second set of tyres.

[Diegothecat]

go the km2's

they got a better name than the big horns and they look so much better.

but its a much of a muchness i think

[RokitRyder]

Hmmmm LTB would be good on the new set of prado rims i picked up this morning! what do they normally sell for ?

[Hilux Max]

Ive seen LTB's usually around the 330-340bux each.....

re: prado rims...16 or 17" ?

LTB's come in 15's, 16's, and 17's.......

but I heard driving them on the road is like a helicopter chasing you how loud they are, but the yanks swear by them offroad.

[RokitRyder]

16x7 just getting them sprayed black! of a 90 series prado so should have the 20 p offset!