Please help me with tire decision ASAP!!

[climber-420]

Ok guys, I know this subject has been beat to death, but I am still gonna kick it some more while it's down. I've got a 2003 Taco, 5 spd,V6, with 6inch suspension lift. I have 265/75/16 BFG MT's on there now, and want a step up a size if it will not kill the engine. I am moving to CO in about 2 months, and will be there for the winter. I looked at the Hankook Dynapro ATM today in a size of 285/75/16, and also the Cooper Discovery ST in a size of 265/75/16. Can the truck handle a 285/75/16, or even the "Expedition approved" 255/85/16? The tire guy kept telling me go with the Hankook, not the Cooper, they are trash, and blah blah. Everyone here loves the Cooper's apparently. I trust people on here more than the tire guy, and I haven't met anyone of you. What about the Cooper Discovery ATR? I just want the best size for the best price without killing the truck. Pretty acceptable I think. Who can help me out here with good advice.. I need these rubber's on the truck next week. I will need something with good road manners as well, b/c this truck is my DD. I indeed plan on doing alot of trails when I get out west, so keep that in mind. The best part about this is that I have a warehouse of tires right down the road, and rolled the tires mentioned above,outside next to the truck to see how they look, and I just don't know if the truck can push the 285's/255's. Someone on here told me that it would work, with a slight loss of power. I am gonna stop rambling. I just need to make a decision, please help.

 

[Scott Brady]

Is your truck still with stock gearing?

 

[climber-420]

yes, i still have the 4:10 gears

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, it's a little off topic but why would you put a 6 inch lift if you're running stock size tires? I guess maybe you do a lot of mud pit running there in the East and the extra height helps you out in deep water/mud?

Only reason I say that is because having lived in CO most of my life, I try to get away with no lift if possible or a minimal lift because when you are hanging off of a side slope over a 500' drop, a high center of gravity is the last thing you need! :Wow1:

To answer your question, I think any of the tire sizes you mentioned should work fine. I had an 04 Taco with a V-6 and 5 speed (so basically the same thing as yours) and ran 235/85/16's because I liked the tall, skinny tire. It worked well for me in both CO and in Utah (Moab area.) If it were me I'd stay under 33" tire size unless you plan to do a lot of slow-speed rock crawling.

I don't know what gears mine had, it was an SR5 and NOT a TRD (no locker.) I was able to run all of the trails I wanted with no suspension lift whatsoever.

 

[climber-420]

I bought the truck from a guy who put the lift on it, and it was his "mall crawler". I have slowly, and am still trying to turn it into my "expo" rig. I do alot of climbing, mtn biking, and snowboarding, so therefore I camp alot, and want to have a vehicle that can take me there and back. I am fairly certain that the 285/75/16 combo, comes in at around 32" or just under. Trust me, if there was a way to get this damn lift off, I would do it. I just couldn't pass up the deal I got on the truck, and to answer your question about rock crawling, I am not really into it. Just want an all around, capable rig to get thru most things.

 

[deadbeat son]

I am fairly certain that the 285/75/16 combo, comes in at around 32" or just under.

Incorrect. The 265/75/16 comes in at just under 32". The 285/75/16 comes in at approximately 33" or a little under.

 

[climber-420]

Incorrect. The 265/75/16 comes in at just under 32". The 285/75/16 comes in at approximately 33" or a little under.

That's not what the Cooper Tire website says.

 

[deadbeat son]

From the Cooper website:

Discoverer S/T

265/75/16 -- 31.64"​

285/75/16 -- 32.8"​

Discoverer STT

265/75/16 -- 32"​

285/75/16 -- 33.1"​

 

[climber-420]

Not trying to argue, just looking for answers, and a little advice.

 

[climber-420]

To Deadbeat Son: you might be able to help me with this since your from/living in the area I am moving too. Which tire would you choose to use in the winter, etc for that area? An AT, aggressive AT, or a MT?

 

[deadbeat son]

I'm not trying to argue either. It was previously recommended that a 32" tire does well on a Tacoma with stock gearing in Colorado. If you were to purchase 285/75/16 tires while thinking you were following that advice, you may not be pleased with the results.

Personally, I drive a current gen Taco with the 4.0L V6. I run a 32.1" tire with the stock gearing and wouldn't want to go any larger diameter without a change in gearing. Even with a more powerful engine than yours, I can feel the difference from the stock 31" tires. I can't imagine pulling mountain passes on a regular basis with 33" tires and stock gearing; I second the recommendation of 32" tires but they may look a little small with your 6" lift.

 

[climber-420]

To Deadbeat Son: you might be able to help me with this since your from/living in the area I am moving too. Which tire would you choose to use in the winter, etc for that area? An AT, aggressive AT, or a MT?

 

[deadbeat son]

To Deadbeat Son: you might be able to help me with this since your from/living in the area I am moving too. Which tire would you choose to use in the winter, etc for that area? An AT, aggressive AT, or a MT?

I'm currently running BFG MTs, but I don't have any experience with them in the snow. I plan to switch back to ATs for the winter. In the past, I have had BFG AT KO tires on three different vehicles and was very pleased with their performance in Colorado on trails, snow-packed highways, and just standard highway/around town driving. Although my MTs perform very well off road, on the highway they're considerably noisier than the AT and fuel mileage suffers a slight amount as well. They look tough and were too good of a deal to pass up price-wise though.

When I buy my ATs this fall, I'm considering the Cooper S/T, but since I've always had such good luck with the BFG AT KO, it will be tough to stray.

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[climber-420]

Thank you for that. I know the tires look smaller with the lift, but I'm more of a function over fashion type of person, probably like most of the people on this forum.

 

[1leg]

Cooper ATRs get my vote, that is what i will be going to next. I love my 255/85-16 but will drop down to 265/75-16. My dad runs them on the ranch and swares by them.