Searches providing conflicting information- tire/suspension question

[Merkin]

Hello all.

My question is a fairly common one, but one with as many different answers as their are questioners.

I have a line on a 2002 4x4 regular cab, manual trans, 2.7l 4cyl base model tacoma with the towing package.

I want to run (cue groans) 235/85r16's. The truck currently wears some gaudy chrome aftermarket suburban wheels that stick out from the fenders a mile.

The truck has what seems to be a fairly nose-down (or tail up, as the case may be) stance. I am not sure if this is because of the towing package or if the front end has settled a bit. I don't want to link to pictures, because it is a good deal that I don't want to get snatched out from under me.

I have searched all of the various forums regarding this tire size. Some say they fit perfectly at stock height. Some say you just need to beat the pinch weld. Some say you need a 1 inch body lift, some say a 2-3 inch suspension lift. What is the real story here?

While on the subject, let me just do a quick sanity check here- 4.56 gears, and 16x6 to 6.5 wheels with 3.5 to 3.75 inches of backspacing is correct for those tires on that truck? And since it has auto hubs, I can use some chevy rims with no ill effect?

 

[surlydiesel]

I can only answer one piece of your question. Those tires will fit fine with no lift, no pinch weld mod. A good deal of these trucks came stock with 265 75 R16's and the 235 is only an inch taller and narrower, so you have less worry about rubbing.

I'm running stock wheels, I've heard some Chevy wheels will fit but I had tried a craigslist set of wheels on an 02 once and the truck they came off of had manual hubs, I had auto and the wheels wouldn't clear the front hubs.

These trucks should have a little rake to them, I have helper springs in mine so I have a bit more rake than usual but I have a static load of 3-400 pounds in the back with a cap, so the stock suspension was not happy with that setup.

You might have 4.30's in the axles?

You'll get 19-22mpg if you drive it right and not tow every day. They are great little trucks.

-jorge

 

[tanglefoot]

No groans from me on the 235/85R16s...that's an awesome tire size. All those who I've read about running that size had no trouble fitting them with no suspension lift.

Just a correction that you don't have auto-hubs. You have fixed drive flanges with the Automatic Axle Disconnect (ADD) system.

Those trucks are set up to be able to mount alloy wheels hub-centrically, so even though the front hubs don't actually protrude, there are still flanges on the mounting surface to accept the hub-centric wheel center bore (~106mm diameter). Chevy wheels with smaller centerbore likely will not mount properly.

The stock backspacing is closer to 4.5". You can usually use wheels with a little less but they'll increase the track width and move the tires closer to the fender lip.

Try driving it with the 235/85s first to see how the gearing feels. You may not have to re-gear at all--it's a matter of personal preference.

I recommend finding a set of Toyota 16" 4wd wheels on Craigslist or similar. They're usually 16x7, which is fine for the 235/85s. They're commonly available, and have the correct backspace, centerbore, etc.

The stock axle ratio for the 2002 with the 5-speed for a 2.7 4wd reg-cab is 3.91:1 (toyotareference.com).

Pickup trucks are usually designed with a forward rake so that they level out as the bed is loaded.

 

[Merkin]

So these wheels should fit fine? http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wvi-12-660604/overview/

 

[YotaPilot]

No groans from me on the 235/85R16s...that's an awesome tire size.

+1 from me. I love my Cooper Discover AT3 in 235/85R16. I have about two inches of suspension lift and use spidertrax spacers to get them out of the wheel well a bit. Not necessary but I think it improves the stance a bit with the gen 2 tacoma wheels I running that have more backspacing than the stock 1 gen wheels. The only rubbing I have had is in the back on very "flexy" terrain where the rear wheel gets pushed way up in the wheel well. But I am running OME leaf springs in the back so it may be more from that.

 

[Merkin]

+1 from me. I love my Cooper Discover AT3 in 235/85R16. I have about two inches of suspension lift and use spidertrax spacers to get them out of the wheel well a bit. Not necessary but I think it improves the stance a bit with the gen 2 tacoma wheels I running that have more backspacing than the stock 1 gen wheels. The only rubbing I have had is in the back on very "flexy" terrain where the rear wheel gets pushed way up in the wheel well. But I am running OME leaf springs in the back so it may be more from that.

Did you have the lift before the tires, or the tires before the lift?

 

[tanglefoot]

The specs on those Summit Racing wheels look good...I'm 99% sure they'll fit. Best to confirm before ordering. If the wheels you have now are alloys, you'd just need some acorn-shaped lug nuts for the Vintiques steel wheels.

 

[YotaPilot]

Did you have the lift before the tires, or the tires before the lift?

I had the lift first.

 

[Merkin]

Do you think they would be fine without a lift?

 

[surlydiesel]

Just to revisit, I have 235/85 R16 BFG All Terrains on my 2001 Tacoma. No lift, only helper springs in the rear for extra load capacity not for lift. I have had no rubbing and really like the tire size.

-jorge

 

[Merkin]

Just to revisit, I have 235/85 R16 BFG All Terrains on my 2001 Tacoma. No lift, only helper springs in the rear for extra load capacity not for lift. I have had no rubbing and really like the tire size.

-jorge

Nod, and I appreciate it. I just wanted to make sure that your experience is the common one.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I ran 235/85/16s on my 1st gen Tacoma with no issues. Having said that it's worth pointing out that mine was an 04 Extra Cab with a V6. However, AFAIK the suspension was probably very similar as it was NOT a TRD.