Thoughts on Toyos...widths...

[w squared]

Mods, feel free to move this if it belongs in the Jeep specific section.

I've got an '08 JK Rubicon (4 door) with a 6 speed and 4.10's. At this time, I don't intend to re-gear.

I'm going to replace my current 32X10.5R17 (can't remember the metric size) BFG mud terrains some time in the next 6 months or so. I know that I want to go with a set of Toyo Open Country MT's, that I will sipe them for better icy/wet performance, and that I want to go to a bigger tire...but how much bigger?

I know that I can fit and run offroad with 35's without issues - that's how I decided on lift height and bumpstops. My questions is about reliability and on-road handling versus offroad performance. I use my JK for daily driving, offroad day and overnight trips, as well as multi-day road trips that may or may not include a back roads/off-road component.

My "offroad" use includes forestry roads, general trail use, plenty of loose rock/shale, and unfortunately a reasonable amount of mud (unavoidable off-road in my area of the foothills). I'm also hoping to fit in some Moab time in the no-too distant future.

After doing plenty of research, I know that the Toyos are the right tire for me based on durability, quality control, ability to be properly balanced, and my intended use. Toyo makes three size of MT that are in the right range for what I want to do: (all are R17, and all are "E" rated)

295/70, which ends up as a 33.5X12
285/75, which ends up as a 34.1X11.6
35X12.5, which is actually a 34.8X13.2

If there's anyone that's had both 33's and 35's of the same tire on the same rig that can offer input, that'd be great.

I'm interested in those 34's. They'll give me almost the same clearance as the 35's (only 1/3 of an inch less), but are an inch and a half narrower. Keeping my tires closer to being inside my fenders is attractive...but not if it costs me a pile of offroad performance. The 34's also have a recommended rim width of 7.5 to 9.5, which is helpful because I will initially be using my stock rims with spacers - stock rim width is 7.5. When funds permit I would like to switch to AEV beadlocks.

 

[w squared]

Really? 99 views and not a single opinion on tire size selection?

 

[Root Moose]

Do you tow with this vehicle? I'm assuming you see lots of elevation and steep highway miles

If you do I'd be inclined to go with the shorter tires.

I'm not a JK owner but have casually been reading up on them. My understanding is that as a general rule they can use more gearing when going up in tire size.

That said - buy the tires you want. I'm guessing 35s. If it becomes tiresome to drive on road due to lack of gearing then re-gear in the future.

With the 4:1 transfer case and your intended usage I don't think you'll be too affected by the 35s off-road.

$0.02

 

[Redline]

I like the 285/75. As you said, not as wide but 34" tall. 285 is a good resonable width tire.

I agree with all the positive things you wrote about the Toyo MT. Though wear is often not great I have a few friends that are getting short wear out of either the AT or MT. Of course it depends on how you use them, and your mileage will differ.

 

[hoser]

I would go with the 285's as well. Toyo MT's are quite heavy as they are.

 

[Root Moose]

I've been researching tires lately and was absolutely floored that Toyo MTs are heavier than Truxus MTs in my size (265/75R16). IIRC 58 lbs versus 56 lbs.

Mind you, the Toyos are likely precision gear that are actually round compared to the square Truxus tires. Does Interco even make a tire that will consistently balance? Wonder if they ever heard of quality control.

To the OP, what is drawing you to the Toyo MTs? I'm trying to justify going with them in spite of the weight.

 

[w squared]

I've been researching tires lately and was absolutely floored that Toyo MTs are heavier than Truxus MTs in my size (265/75R16). IIRC 58 lbs versus 56 lbs.

Mind you, the Toyos are likely precision gear that are actually round compared to the square Truxus tires. Does Interco even make a tire that will consistently balance? Wonder if they ever heard of quality control.

To the OP, what is drawing you to the Toyo MTs? I'm trying to justify going with them in spite of the weight.

Three things:

#1. Their performance in the blend of terrain that I see is equal to or better than other MT's. A SuperSwamper would do better than any MT in the muck and would keep up with them for rock and general trail use, but I don't want to be the poor bugger with SuperSwampers on his rig when he drives it to Moab :Wow1: The Toyos are also reasonable for winter use...but I'll probably also be siping them to improve their wet pavement/ice manners.

#2. Quality control. I know a reasonable number of people that run Toyo MT's...none of them have had any serious balancing issues. No pixie dust required, no whiz-bang balancers needed, no 10 ounces of lead stuck on the inside of the rim...those Toyos just plain seem to be round. All of them. I've also seen what Toyo M-55's perform like in a fleet setting...they stay balanced far better and wear far longer than most AT tires would when subjected to that abuse and driver indifference.

#3. Toughness. All of the Toyo sizes that I'm looking at are "E" rated. One of the guys in my Jeep club pulled a wood sliver the size of a pencil out of his Toyo last winter. It still held air. Again, what I've seen Toyos in a fleet setting as well. I've seen them handle abuse that would leave most tires on the side of the road, whimpering for mercy.

I want tires that can handle the abuse that I'm likely to dish out...chunks or carbide left on forestry roads by graders, mud holes with stumps lurking at the bottom, corduroy roads, roads with names like "Big Stone" or "North Chungo", detours along the edge of cut blocks...I'm sure you get the picture.

As far as the Interco tires go...I won't be buying any for a rig that sees DD and road trip duty. I'd consider a set of SSR's or Irocs if I owned a rig that never saw pavement...maybe.

 

[Mike S]

I am running 285/75/R16 LRE Toyo M55s on my F350 SD. Have about 8K miles on them. They have performed very well on every surface - dry, wet, snowy, icy pavement, and on rocks and slick mud. No noticeable wear at this point.The do sing a bit, but not nearly the volume of the GY MT/Rs that I used to run on my 60.

I like the size and the tire for my applications.