255/85 R16 Owners

[rsbmg]

Greetings. Getting ready to make my tire choice for my 11 Tacoma DC SB Offroad.

Its between the 285's and the 255's. I live in socal and snow would be a very minor if not none existant concern for my tire choice. I was pretty set on the 255's but am still aprehensive about sand performance. I was hoping those who are running them or have ran them can offer their thoughts on sand performance. I dont plan on doing a lot of dune running but there is lots of deep sand washes where I travel.

I have read about everything I can find on the tires but theory and math equations aside, what do the real world users think?

Thanks guys

 

[bat]

I am sure you thought about gearing with the 255 my 285 are just on the border line with 373 for gearing.

 

[Pskhaat]

There are some that would argue that the % of elongation of the tire patch increases much more on a skinny. ΔArea/ΔPressure is also greater on skinnies. As such, it is also reasonably argued that performance in sand is not compromised.

 

[mikelite80]

I've got 255/85 on my 2001 4Runner. Personally I needed and wanted the height, but no real reason for a real wide tire. Wide tires are for want-a-bees. They think they look cool. Not to mention the problems you start having with rubbing and having to change your back spacing. Not sure if it's a problem on your truck, but I know I would of have issues. I will agree with Bat about the gearing. I forget what the stock tires were, 70's i'm guessing but my truck really needs re-geared with the 85's. It of course works fine, just wants to down shift at the slightest incline. So if you aren't always in crazy snow or mud you'll be just fine going skinny. Get a compressor or CO2 rig so you can air down on the sandy days and you'll be fine!

I'm out of AZ so we have pretty similar terrain conditions. Oh my last warning...Be prepared for your spare to NOT fit under the truck anymore. Learned that the hard way, but might be different on your truck.

 

[rsbmg]

Thanks guys, yes re-gearing would be part of the plan although not immediately. I would drive it for a while and possibly do the front locker when I do the gears. I know on my truck the spare will fit with a little tweaking but, if not acceptable will move it to the bumper or in the bed perhaps under a platform.

Appreciate the responses hopefully others will chime in!

 

[cnynrat]

I run 255/85-R16's on my FJ Cruiser, and am sold on that tire size vs. 285's. I don't travel a lot in deep, soft sand, but the occasional enounter with a little sand hasn't caused any signfiicant problems. If I was interested in seeking out places with lots of sand I might do something different, but for the occasional patch of soft sand I think the narrower tire is fine.

 

[TRDPARTS4U]

I have 255s on My 06 single cab Tacoma and 285s on my 06 dbl cab currently. I usually run 255s on the dbl cab, but got a deal on the 285s...

I absolutely prefer the 255s over the 285s. I generally don't have much soft sand to contend with but if you are aired down properly I don't see where it will make that much difference.

The 285s feel much more cumbersome on the rack and pinions of these IFS truck.

I can't wait to get 255s back on my dbl cab.

Jacque

 

[The Rock Biter]

I very much prefer the 255s. I wouldn't even consider a 285s if I was paying full price for them.

Though I agree with pskhaat, about the relative gain in performance through airing down, I also feel that the 285 is "theoretically" a better tire at "proper" inflation in dry sugar sand. It just has to push a wider patch of sand.

That said, if you are driving "proper" inflation in sugar sand with 285s and stop in the wrong spot (ie the bottom of a dune) chances are, your truck will be staying there until you get a shovel or a pull. You probably should have aired down. 255 or 285 won't make much of a difference.

I have been in plenty of vehicles that have been mired in all sorts of sand, but (knock on wood) my 06 taco with 255x85R16s has yet to meet that fate.

And it is also important to note that most SoCal dry washes are not full of sugar sand. The drivable route in most washes is typically a mixture of silt through small boulders, which typically provides superior traction to dune sand. Though they are both "sand" they are pretty different beasts.

Slight hijack, but here are my general thoughts on not getting stuck (or getting unstuck) while driving in sand:
1 air down.
2 easy on the throttle at low speed.
3 think about where you stop.
4 don't hesitate to kick out the passengers and get them to push if you start to dig in(this works particularly well with a 2wd 12 passenger van)
5 It isn't always an option, but if you can get the sand wet around your "spun in" tires, you can typically drive out with minimal shovel digging.

To bring it back around again, get the 255s. I think that in the grand scheme, you will be doing quite a bit of freeway driving as well as in the sand and you will likely be happier overall with the 255s.
$0.02

 

[rsbmg]

I will of course be driving the highways to get to offroad so yes plenty of highway miles but this isnt a DD I have a car for work so it will strickly be driven to get to offroad for camping and offroading.