I run 285 70 17 duratracs. Love the tires and will likely run them again as my next set but in a 315 size. I have right at 30k on them and am at about 50-60% tread life left. I do a five tire rotation so that helps with the miles. I expect to replace them after about 15k more miles but not because they'll be worn out but because they'll have less tread than I prefer.
I can't deicide which tire!!
- Thread starter madmaths
- Start date
I run 285 70 17 duratracs. Love the tires and will likely run them again as my next set but in a 315 size. I have right at 30k on them and am at about 50-60% tread life left. I do a five tire rotation so that helps with the miles. I expect to replace them after about 15k more miles but not because they'll be worn out but because they'll have less tread than I prefer.
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AngryRedBird
Guest
Would spacers or a small lift be required on the 285's?.. We're not going to do the lift, but I have submitted a thin spacer design via my wife's company which is nothing more than a plate sandwiched between the rotor and wheel.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
285s rub the control arms on stock wheels. They knock off the fenders with aftermarket wheels with 4.5" backspacing.
Spacers are a source of disagreement. They are illegal for road use --- most large tire franchises won't mount tires for you if you have them.
Many people use them, feel safe with them.
Caveat emptor....
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AngryRedBird
Guest
At the time I just wanted to get rid of the crappy BFGoodrich mud tires.. 3 out of 5 were shot.. I found a fellow online who wanted to swap tires.. he got the muds and we ended up with Goodyear SR-As.. although I'm pleased with the end result and better fuel economy.. I can't help but realize that on the stock 08 wranglers the wheels were polished aluminum.. Unlike the painted aluminum this currently on the jeep.. but what is a concern and noticed in several old pics of our jeep, is that polished aluminum wheels seem to have a bit more depth or are wider.. any truth to this?. if so I gave up better wheels for worse wheels..
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I don't think there's any difference in backspacing between the polished/painted on the stock 17s or 18s. I think it's all the same.
5" of backspacing is pretty good for 285s. Even 5.25"
But most wheels come in 4.5" and that sticks them out to where then can run 35s but puts them in a position to knock off the back fender.
Cures for 4.5" bs wheels:
flat fenders
lift
I'd never run a spacer. Wheels are too affordable these days to present a valid argument for them.
Wheels are in a position of dynamic load. Adding an additional potential failure point or additional mechanical complexity or additional unsprung weight has never made sense to me.
What diameter tire do you want to run?
Here's my old Jeep with 4.5" backspacing ProComp 16" wheels ($85 each at the time), 2.5" lift, 285/75 Cooper STT tires
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AngryRedBird
Guest
Thanks for being so helpful and your comments on this have been very informative, more so than any other forum I've participated in..
Ideally, I wanted the 10th anniversary rubicon wheels.. the gear look.. but it may boil down to keeping what we have.. along this instance.. I have seen 285/70/17's on the stock wheel as we have.. But his jeep was lifted, which we aren't going to do..
I'm under the assumption that a wider tire would give us better handling not so much so that they stick out more than necessary. So it appears that the 255/75/17 Duratracs will return the jeep close to its OEM setup when it had the Mud Terrians. Also.. I'm leaning towards the D load rating and simply getting away from the C rated tires..
Ideally, I wanted the 10th anniversary rubicon wheels.. the gear look.. but it may boil down to keeping what we have.. along this instance.. I have seen 285/70/17's on the stock wheel as we have.. But his jeep was lifted, which we aren't going to do..
I'm under the assumption that a wider tire would give us better handling not so much so that they stick out more than necessary. So it appears that the 255/75/17 Duratracs will return the jeep close to its OEM setup when it had the Mud Terrians. Also.. I'm leaning towards the D load rating and simply getting away from the C rated tires..
I've heard lots of bad things about spacers but I've also never seen pics of any of those bad things happen. Install them with red loctite on the studs and torque the wheels as normal. I put the first 40k on a cheap eBay set then swapped them to my brothers JKU for the next 40k with no issues. None of the tire shops around here have any issues with them but that's not saying some don't.
The eBay ones I had were both hub and wheel centric for 1/2 price of the spidertrax.
The eBay ones I had were both hub and wheel centric for 1/2 price of the spidertrax.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
A lift alone won't clear 285s entirely; there are still the control arms.
Decreased backspacing cures that but sticks your tires out --- which makes them hit the fenders. so you lift. Which changes other geometries. It's a never-ending game of dominoes.
Just poking the wheels out to the sides changes scrub radius, puts more stress on portions of the axle assemblies, etc. It can really become a puzzle...
That's why I'm in a holding pattern with 255/80-17 tires, stock wheels, no lift right now.
I need a bit more spring and dampener for the loads I carry when we travel so I'm considering a set of Synergy 1" springs and new shocks. But 33s are about as big as I need.
I don't need "ego tires" ---- I grew out of that...
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AngryRedBird
Guest
Knot Knormal I agree.. the lug type spacers I don't trust and yes I have seen the same stories of wheel falling off etc.. The spacer I've submitted is very similar to the Gorilla spacers seen here..
http://www.gorilla-auto.com/wheel-spacers
But there isn't any decision as to if we are actually going to use these of that my wife's company would make them. I think it's best that one deal with the correct wheel backspacing to gain what is needed for the tire to sit actually under the fender.
http://www.gorilla-auto.com/wheel-spacers
But there isn't any decision as to if we are actually going to use these of that my wife's company would make them. I think it's best that one deal with the correct wheel backspacing to gain what is needed for the tire to sit actually under the fender.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Whether you've had a critical failure or have known somebody who has had one, the spacers increased unsprung weight ---- you can't get away from that.
Which affects wear (bearings, bushings, shocks, etc). Which affects handling. Which affects overall safety.
Aftermarket wheels weigh less than the stockers. It's a net win all the way around. Or all the weigh around...
The spacers weigh next to nothing. You have way more increased weight from adding your LT tires compared to P tires than I did from my spacers so essentially, your st maxx tire install is more unsafe than my spacers and BFG as the entire combo I have is lighter than your tire wheel combo. MAN O MAN, you have to get out of the "lab" and get in the woods brother.
I have no issues telling people to run a good quality spacer. They work fine, are 100 percent Just as safe as wheels. I have had a factory wheel fail before so the safety argument is NIL as well. The weight of each spacer is probably just a couple of lbs. They are NOT heavy. Mine are 1.25" that puts my factory wheels in perfect position for 285s. no fender rub, no control arm rub.
I have no issues telling people to run a good quality spacer. They work fine, are 100 percent Just as safe as wheels. I have had a factory wheel fail before so the safety argument is NIL as well. The weight of each spacer is probably just a couple of lbs. They are NOT heavy. Mine are 1.25" that puts my factory wheels in perfect position for 285s. no fender rub, no control arm rub.
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AngryRedBird
Guest
KO.. This is the "Year of the Wrangler".. we have allot of things that needs to be done before we can head west.. again.. some of it easy.. while others not so easy.. we could be looking at replacing the whole front end, Ball joints, drag link, Rod ends etc.. So if the 285's are going to touch.. then I'll opt for the 255's.
K2ZJ
Explorer
I agree. The BFG MT 255/75R17 is 10lbs lighter than a 285/70R17 BFG A/T KO2.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I had the KM2s for a while. In one of the lightest sizes too. 255/85-16.
They sure did hydroplane though. I ran them for 10,000 miles before I slid off the road during a rainstorm ----- went to Discount Tire, ordered Coopers. BFG had me talk to a rep on the phone; they prorated a refund for me after that.
Regarding the worth of the weight of a stout sidewall vs the worth of the weight of a spacer:
An aftermarket wheel weighs less than an OE Jeep wheel; mitigates the added weight of a better tire.
Case in point.
Do you want to meet Mr Happy?
I keep Mr Happy in my tire repair kit to brighten the day of the trailmate who suffers a sidewall rip.
Like Phil here. When he ripped open his sidewall (he bought a tire made by Cooper after this).
Replacing a tire on the trail is a hassle at best. At worst it's dangerous.
They sure did hydroplane though. I ran them for 10,000 miles before I slid off the road during a rainstorm ----- went to Discount Tire, ordered Coopers. BFG had me talk to a rep on the phone; they prorated a refund for me after that.
Regarding the worth of the weight of a stout sidewall vs the worth of the weight of a spacer:
An aftermarket wheel weighs less than an OE Jeep wheel; mitigates the added weight of a better tire.
Case in point.
Do you want to meet Mr Happy?
I keep Mr Happy in my tire repair kit to brighten the day of the trailmate who suffers a sidewall rip.
Like Phil here. When he ripped open his sidewall (he bought a tire made by Cooper after this).
Replacing a tire on the trail is a hassle at best. At worst it's dangerous.