255/85's on Fullsize trucks. Pics please

[verdesardog]

315/70r17's:

 

[chaos616]

I have a GMC Sierra 2500HD with no lift, only a slight increase in torsion bar lift (something to the tune of 3/4" or less) on the front. I only had to trim the front valence a little bit, and am just today picking up my truck from the body shop in reno after hitting a deer and had an arb bumper put on, so I shouldn't have any issues.

The tires are BFG M/T KM2 255/85r16 on stock HD GM rims, they fit quite nicely and have good sidewall height for off road use, and the tires are 10 ply E-rated with 3 ply sidewall so they are holding up well on the pavement, 21K on them now and they are maybe half worn. The only thing about these particular ones is that they do wander a little at high speed when its windy out. Also I had my truck tuned and while tuning we re sized the tires in the computer so my speed is perfect now according to GPS.

 

[Black Dog]

Chaos161-is that an 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern on your wheels? According to this guide it is, I just want to be double sure. Those stock GMC wheels look kind of nice, not too flashy or anything and they look like they are just the right width for the 255 tires.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

Are these older photos or is that the ARB Bumper?

 

[chaos616]

KcOtma, yes they are the 8 bolt and i can only assume they are 6.5 because it is completely stock and thats what is listed. The stock rims are only 7.5 inches wide bead to bead IIRC. So the 9.xx inch wide tires fit nice and straight on there. I don't mind that they stick in from the fenders at all, and thank you for the comments.

Every Miles a Memory, no, those are older pictures, the one in the bottom right taken hours before killing the four legged furry beast. I will post a picture up of the arb after I get the truck back today...if i get it back today...fingers crossed.

Cheers,

 

[Mark Harley]

Chaos616:

Very nice ride, The tires fit well and look good too, when my summer Hankooks wear out
on my crew, I will be looking to step up to a 255-85-16. Are they very loud on the road?

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

I was going to question this sound too. I love the look of them

 

[BCHauler]

I purchased an Excursion last month and it is in need of new tires. I like the look of the Toyo MT in the 255/85-16. Does any one have them on factory wheels, non lifted Excursion or 1999-2004 F250? I need a good visiual of then installed becasue I am affraid they will look to much like bicycle tires under my land yacht.

BFG KM2 will be acceptable too...

Here are some pics of the 2001 f250 stock height that I no longer own. Tires are BFG KM2 255/85/16 mounted on stock aluminum rims.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/longframe/newtires001.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/longframe/newtires003.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/longframe/newtires002.jpg
Liked the size. Had previously tested a set of 315/75/16 on 16x10 rims and they looked good but I didn't like how the truck drove with the wider tires. Noise from the BFG's is okay, not as smooth or quiet as a/t's but not too bad and I'm a bit of an old maid about stuff like that. If I still had the truck, I would likely have done the same size but sprung for the Toyo M55 instead, mostly because the M/T tires were overkill for me.

 

[redthies]

Here are some pics of the 2001 f250 that I no longer own.

Ok Todd, I'll bite... What are you driving now?

I just put my 'ole 97 up for sale last night. It is running sooooo well, but the camper really really needs a dually... I plan to run 255/80R17 KM2s on the new dually (just to keep on topic).

 

[bdshort86]

KcOtma, yes they are the 8 bolt and i can only assume they are 6.5 because it is completely stock and thats what is listed. The stock rims are only 7.5 inches wide bead to bead IIRC. So the 9.xx inch wide tires fit nice and straight on there. I don't mind that they stick in from the fenders at all, and thank you for the comments.

Just for point of reference, your wheels are actually 16x6.5 and all GM 8 lug trucks were 8 on 6.5in bolt pattern until 2011 when they switched to 8x180mm for some bazaar reason.

I'll echo your earlier comment about the 255's being unstable at high speeds. I ran your exact setup on an identical 03 2500HD and couldn't stand the squirmy feel of those pizza cutter BFG's even after putting a few thousand miles on them - especially when towing. They did look great though. I have to think the Toyo M55 may be a better tire for stability just because it's so heavy, but I have yet to run them on anything. Proper tire choices are limited when going for larger diameter on such a narrow wheel. However, I now own an 04 Dodge dually with 285/70/17 BFG's on the 6.5in wide wheels, so I suppose I have no right to speak of "proper" tire sizes at all... lol

 

[chaos616]

Mark and Every Miles..., the BFG is definitely louder than stock, we don't mind the sound. When they were new you couldn't hear them at all, now ith 21K, they hum a bit, funny enough is that they are loudest from around 20 mph to 35-40 mph, they aren't that loud at freeway speed or even that bad a 55 or so. I do have the 10 ply E-rated though so they are heavy duty, good for wheeling in sharp rocks.

bdshort, thanks for that info, that is weird that they would switch to that size, but they must have had their reasoning...so they could charge more for weird sized stuff... And for stability, i agree, its funny because if they are aired up to 80 psi at highway speeds they aren't terrible (worse than stock tires still) but worse at low speeds and visa versa. A co-worker of mine has the M55 255/85R16 and he says they are the bee's knee's. He pulls a lot of heavy trailers and says they don't squirm around at all really and are nice and smooth, much less tread but he doesn't really wheel, also for reference he has a 200X? F350 diesel crew short box.

Cheers,

Chaos

 

[bjm206]

At full pressure I had a little bit of squirm on my Excursion when running BFG KMs (not KM2) and no squirm with the M55s. The KMs were typical mud tire noisy after they wore in. The M55s whine like heavy truck tires at highway speeds. Not as loud as mud tires but it bothers some folks.

 

[myershorsepower]

I have 255/85R16 on my K3500 3.5" lift. I only added the lift because the front springs where shot and the lifted springs where cheaper than stock ones. I like the 255's in the snow. They did great this fall in the Utah snow during deer season.

 

[98GP]

^^
One SHARP truck!!

Those K body Chevys are fantastic.

 

[Black Dog]

The 255s don't look too bad either on it either. I think if I can justify the cost of new wheels next time I'm needing new tires I might give them a shot.