2008 Chevy 2500 Pick Up: Best Tires & Shocks?

[Hackopotomus]

I have decided to build my 2008 Chevy 2500 CC pick up which has a CST leveling kit (includes new upper control arms). I am getting a set of H2 rims and will be running 315/70-17 tires but not sure which ones yet. I just ordered a set of Bushwacker cut out flares so I can open up the fenders a bit for clearance. If I still have clearance issues I'll bite the bullet and go with a full lift.

The truck will be used for extended road trips and mild to medium off road. Dirt roads / trails to good dispersed camping locations, access to remote areas and a run up the Dalton is in the plans. I have run BFG AT KO2's before and was happy with them but have heard that they are not as good as they used to be. What would be a good comparable tire?

I'm thinking I'm going to replace the rear shocks too. I have Bilsteins on the front. I don't know how many miles are on them but they seam okay. The rears look to be stock. Should I just go with Bilsteins on the rear too?

I'll start a build thread when the parts come in. :wings:


EDIT: Looked at some other tires threads here and they seem to be all over the place. Every tire has its fans and detractors. Makes it really hard to form an opinion. I have Toyo Open Country's now, 285/70-17s and actually like them but haven't done much off roading with them. They do not have a real aggressive tread pattern but are really good on pavement. They are mounted up on stock wheels. They are 31&1/2" tall and I'd like a little taller and wider tire so that why I want the 315/70-17s.

 

[Bojak]

I have decided to build my 2008 Chevy 2500 CC pick up which has a CST leveling kit (includes new upper control arms). I am getting a set of H2 rims and will be running 315/70-17 tires but not sure which ones yet. I just ordered a set of Bushwacker cut out flares so I can open up the fenders a bit for clearance. If I still have clearance issues I'll bite the bullet and go with a full lift.

The truck will be used for extended road trips and mild to medium off road. Dirt roads / trails to good dispersed camping locations, access to remote areas and a run up the Dalton is in the plans. I have run BFG AT KO2's before and was happy with them but have heard that they are not as good as they used to be. What would be a good comparable tire?

I'm thinking I'm going to replace the rear shocks too. I have Bilsteins on the front. I don't know how many miles are on them but they seam okay. The rears look to be stock. Should I just go with Bilsteins on the rear too?

I'll start a build thread when the parts come in. :wings:


EDIT: Looked at some other tires threads here and they seem to be all over the place. Every tire has its fans and detractors. Makes it really hard to form an opinion. I have Toyo Open Country's now, 285/70-17s and actually like them but haven't done much off roading with them. They do not have a real aggressive tread pattern but are really good on pavement. They are mounted up on stock wheels. They are 31&1/2" tall and I'd like a little taller and wider tire so that why I want the 315/70-17s.

U won't find 1 unanimous decision on tires. I have 2006 gmc 2500hd. I'm running nitto mt. I like them. The choices got really limited when i wanted 35s in a e load range. I've had nitto, toyo mt, goodyear mt and at, and about a dozen sets of bfg at. Really can't go wrong with bfg at. Its the perfect middle of road tire imop. They aren't the best at anything but like number 2 or 3 at everything. I wanted to run an mt in a e load range so i got these, when they wear out i will go bfg at.....again. They are like the glock 19 of tires. I hear good things about falkens but.....

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[locrwln]

The Toyos are good tires. I had good luck with Nitto TG's 1st gens, but the second generation versions, not so much. I have been impressed with the durability and lack of wear with my Cooper ST Maxx's. For the record, I hate buying tires, too many choices and tires from the same manufacture can be made in different plants, countries, etc. and have different wear and durability characteristics.
.
Jack

 

[CCH]

When my 2013 2500HD gets new shoes, it will likely be Cooper ST Maxx. Loved them on my Jeep, think they'll serve the truck well. Curious to hear suspension suggestions myself.

 

[Buliwyf]

Cooper ST Maxx and Cooper STT Pro.

King makes the best shocks (you'll have to do some homework, check out filthymotorsports.com for good info vids). Then Bilstein. I have little experience with Fox. (but their mountain bike product sucks)

 

[Explorerinil]

I’m sure someone makes a nice tuned shock for gm ifs trucks. Look at th Toyo open country rt, I’ve tried about everything out there and I love them, almost as much as an old set of super swamper tsl radials I had many years ago.

 

[Regcabguy]

Anything with a 3-ply sidewall. These trucks are heavy and additional stability and flat resistance doesn't hurt.
I'm on my second set of Toyo AT's. Solid,precision rubber.
The big trucks eat BFG KO's up.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

I had good experience with Fox shocks on 3/4 ton 4x4 van. The shocks seemed to add quite a bit of wheel travel to the rear. I had bad experience with Toyo AT's on the van.....not nearly as soft as the BFG AT's and had one tire get a bulge on gravel roads. Have had bad experiences with other tires as well and keep going back to BFG AT's; for reliability, life, and wear they cannot be beat.

 

[Glorifiedhabit]

I've got the same truck. Been running H2 wheels with Ko2's, along with a Dmax store kryptonite steering kit, cognito UCA's and fox 2.0 at all four corners. Also some firestone bags at the back. Had this setup for 100k and its been solid. The Ko2's lasted for 40k but they've taken so much abuse. New Ko2's going on this week. as I was very pleased with them.

 

[VisionxOrb]

Ive heard/seen nothing but great things about the falken at3w and thats most likely what Im going to switch to when the duratracs on my megacab wear out, same for the wifes yukon xl which is currently on toyo at2.

 

[nitro_rat]

I’m not familiar with the fit of cut out flares on that particular truck but they usually look funny with 35’s and sometimes even 37’s. They are usually sized to cover the wider and larger Super Swampers like 39.5 and 44’s.