235/85 or 265/75 for montero sport

P

PirateMcGee

Expedition Leader
hello all, I am looking at new tires for my 01 Sport but am debating between the 235 and 265. Most people run the 265 but I think that's mostly for looks. I am looking for a decent all around tire that will mostly see interstate speeds at 80mph and dirt/rocky roads. My sport is my daily but I hardly drive it since I mostly commute via bicycle. I am leaning towards the 235 since it will provide greater contact pressure and less rolling resistance but the 265 can be found in less than E-load which would reduce weight. I am most concerned with mpgs and puncture resistance. I don't plan on running a lift with either of these tires since a 265 clears easily.
 
rxinhed

rxinhed

Dirt Guy
If your concern is weight and highway fuel mileage, stay away from LT sizes and examine the P-series tires in highway treads. Many of these tires will still traverse forest tracks and sandy desert conditions easily enough. Another issue to ponder is tire longevity. An LT-series tire can sometimes return more traveled miles than a P-series.
 
S

shmabs

Explorer
Just curious, but what LT 265's are you finding in less than e range?

I chose 265/75/16 dura tracs because they were one of the few 265's with an a/t tread design and a load range c.

Mike
 
stioc

stioc

Expedition Leader
Different truck but I've been struggling with the same decision myself. I like the taller 235 but I do wonder if it'll be too skinny and possibly harsh on the washboards being they're e-loads. On the positive side the weight is not much more than the 265s, easier to fit and run snow chains, and the e load rating with a few additional plys do help with the rock rash and crisper turn-in/handling when the sway bars are removed.

I think the 245 width I have is just about perfect but it's barely a 31" tire- 30.4" and in reality only about 29" with the tape measure.

Another option is 255/75/17 but that requires upgrading to 17" wheels...
 
S

shmabs

Explorer
When you said that you are concerned with mpg and puncture resistance, that seems a bit contradicting to me.

As was mentioned before, the lighter p-rated, mild tread tires will give you the best milage, but a more off road oriented lt tire is going to give you more puncture resistance at the price of weight.

Using the dura-tracs as an example because they are a very popular tire.

The 265/75/16 is available in c and e ranges. The C weighs in at 45 pounds and has a two ply sidewall, while the e range comes in at 51lbs with a 3 ply sidewall. Six pounds is a decent amount of rotating weight in my mind.

the 235/85/16 is a load range e only, and according the tirerack is the exact same height as the 265 (while narrower), and weighs in at 47 pounds, not a bad comprimise of weight and load range/sidewall.

It would be helpful to know exactly which tires you were looking at, because as i mentioned above, when it comes to LT tires, in a 265 you have limited choices for less than c range. Clem quoted the geolander and the dura trac, but if you are willing to run a p tire, you have many more choices.

Edit: to reinforce what rxinhed said, i once ran a p tire on a cherokee that saw a good amount of mild off road use and plenty of dirt/gravel, if memory serves correctly, i wore through that set quicker than i would have hoped (i seem to remember 20k)
 
SoCalMonty

SoCalMonty

Explorer
Just food for thought...but no one short of a race car driver is going to actually feel a difference in wheel/tire weight in the ~5 lb range. IMHO, this shouldn't be a concern on an SUV tire. If you're driving mostly "interstate speeds at 80mph," the different in weight will be irrelevant. Actually, if that's the case, I would go with the tire that has the largest overall diameter as it will lower your RPM's on the freeway. Even with 33's, I feel the truck is too buzzy @ anywhere near 80 - I keep it at 65. I couldn't imagine driving 80+mph with 31's or less. These trucks had a drag coefficient of around .50, so the difference in fuel mileage from your speed alone is going to have a much greater effect than your tire choice based on weight.
 
P

PirateMcGee

Expedition Leader
shmabs said:
When you said that you are concerned with mpg and puncture resistance, that seems a bit contradicting to me.

As was mentioned before, the lighter p-rated, mild tread tires will give you the best milage, but a more off road oriented lt tire is going to give you more puncture resistance at the price of weight.

Using the dura-tracs as an example because they are a very popular tire.

The 265/75/16 is available in c and e ranges. The C weighs in at 45 pounds and has a two ply sidewall, while the e range comes in at 51lbs with a 3 ply sidewall. Six pounds is a decent amount of rotating weight in my mind.

the 235/85/16 is a load range e only, and according the tirerack is the exact same height as the 265 (while narrower), and weighs in at 47 pounds, not a bad comprimise of weight and load range/sidewall.

It would be helpful to know exactly which tires you were looking at, because as i mentioned above, when it comes to LT tires, in a 265 you have limited choices for less than c range. Clem quoted the geolander and the dura trac, but if you are willing to run a p tire, you have many more choices.

Edit: to reinforce what rxinhed said, i once ran a p tire on a cherokee that saw a good amount of mild off road use and plenty of dirt/gravel, if memory serves correctly, i wore through that set quicker than i would have hoped (i seem to remember 20k)
Click to expand...

I'm a walking contradiction.....you should see my political votes haha. I just am trying to find the happy medium. I think I'm going to go 235 if for no other reason than to try a tall skinny tire.
 
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