Widest dooley tires?

[da_raabi]

Factory spec for my 86 c30 (all stock) is 235/85-16 tires. Currently the truck has 235/85-16 tires on the back and 245/75-16s on the front. Can I put the same tires out back on the dualies? The truck is stock height, no wheel spacers. I was looking at putting 245/75-16 BF Goodrich Rugged Terrain tires on all 6, will they be OK on the back, or should I stick with the 235/85s?

 

[bucket]

You can run those 245 tires on the rear no problem, just be aware they are a shorter tire.

 

[da_raabi]

bucket, yea I'm a bit concerned with that, I would prefer a taller tire to help with the 4:10s a bit. What about a 285/75-16? The specs are:

245/75-16
Rim Range: 6.5" - 8"
Section Width: 9.8" on 7"
Overall Diameter: 30.6
Revs/Mile: 683
Max Load Dual: 2778@80

285/75-16
Rim Range: 7.5" - 9"
Section Width: 11.3" on 8"
Overall Diameter: 32.8
Revs/Mile: 634
Max Load Dual: 3415@80

I like how much stronger the 285s are, as well as the significantly lower revs per mile. Anybody ever put tires of this size on duallys without spacers?

 

[da_raabi]

Yea I just realized how dumb of an idea that was. After rethinking I'm thinking maybe a set of 265/75-16s on the front and then 235/75-16s on the duallys should work ok. I'd like more tire, but I think I'd run into more problems than its worth. This way the tires are the same height, but I can get a bit more meat up front, instead of running the skinny dually tires all around.

 

[bucket]

I like that idea, that would look pretty good I think. A matched set of 255/85 is about the biggest you can run without spacers, I've never seen it on a 2wd, but I think it would still look pretty cool. However I don't know what kind of street type tread selection there is in that size.

 

[da_raabi]

Yea the only 255/85s are BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/As. I think that would be a tad radical for this truck lol. I'll probably do the 265/235 combo, it should work pretty well. Thanks for the help bucket!

 

[da_raabi]

Ugh, suspension problems while doing tires...

Well I took it in to get the front tires done, along with an alignment, lets just say they came back with a damage report. Apparently I need a driver's lower ball joint, drivers lower control arm bushings, and a pitman arm. I told them to get the alignment close anyway and I'll deal with the rest later. When it rains it pours I guess...

 

[HAZZARDJOHN]

Well I took it in to get the front tires done, along with an alignment, lets just say they came back with a damage report. Apparently I need a driver's lower ball joint, drivers lower control arm bushings, and a pitman arm. I told them to get the alignment close anyway and I'll deal with the rest later. When it rains it pours I guess...

Get a second opinion, unless you know these people. I had a 2000 explorer a while back and I brought it in for new tires and an alignment, they wanted $600 to replace ball joints and tie rod ends that were “dangerous”. They refused to sell tires or do an alignment unless I did that at the same time. I found it hard to believe that a truck that drove as well as that one did needed all that so I took it home and put it in the air and shook it down with the suspension preloaded. It seemed fine to me, so I took it to my buddy that is a mechanic with 30 years of experience and he agreed. Needless to say I went to another shop to get my tires and alignment with no issues. Drove it for another 100K miles on those ball joints before I traded it in.

Same thing happened with my Buick last year when I got new tires, they tried to sell me struts and shocks for $1500 with the tires, I know the struts in this car have less than 20K miles so I passed. They just wanted to upsale.

~HJ

 

[da_raabi]

Well I had them get the alignment close, it was waaaay out of whack before, and after they REinstalled the new tires because they got the white letters wrong I'm good to go. The steering feels a lot tighter and the new Rugged Terrains look pretty good. I'll deal with the other crap later...

Thanks for the info HJ, I'll talk to a couple other mechanics in the area and see what they say, it drives fine and other than slightly loose steering it really drives well. The brakes are still a bit squishy but thats another story. I'll post some pics with the new sneakers!

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Yea the only 255/85s are BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/As. I think that would be a tad radical for this truck lol. I'll probably do the 265/235 combo, it should work pretty well. Thanks for the help bucket!

There are other tires in that size. Toyo M55's are about the only 255/85-16 tire that is not an off-road type tire. They a little expensive, but all the reviews I read on them were extremely positive. I looked into this size for my truck as I was looking for tires recently. I ended up finding a good deal on a used set, but if I would have bought new I was going to go with the Cooper S/T in that size.

Sounds like you already have your direction set, so that info may be a moot point now. But someone else may learn from it.

 

[da_raabi]

Here are a couple of pics of the tires I went with up front. I ended up getting a set of BF Goodrich Rugged Terrain T/As in LT265/75-R16, and I like them a lot. They really fit the truck well and they are not too big. They are not loud either. Now to save up the $$ for 4 out back...

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[da_raabi]

Well I'm back to this question again. I'm loving the Rugged Terrains up front, and would like to do the same out back. I was planning on waiting but I just noticed last night that the dry rot has gotten so bad I'm getting "chunking" in the sidewalls. Lucky I only drive a couple miles a day... SO. Could I run the matching 265s out back if I put a 1/4" spacer in between? Anybody run something like this before? I'd love to go with 2.5" spacers and 285s but its too damn expensive, and the safety of the spacers is kind of an issue for me. Any thoughts on the 265s with a 1/4" spacer?

 

[bucket]

I'd try the 265's and see how it goes, they might fit fine.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

My only concern with running 265's and spacers would be when you are hauling something and the rear end is squatting. That combo might push the tires out to the point of interference with the fender. As far as the safety of the 1/4" spacer, I am on the fence. Make sure you have plenty of thread engagement with the lug nuts, and be diligent about making sure they are tight, and I think you will be fine. Just slap them on there and call it good, and you might have problems.

How much room do you have between your current 235's? Namely at the bottom where the tires bulge out.

I'm thinking maybe a set of 265/75-16s on the front and then 235/75-16s on the duallys should work ok. I'd like more tire, but I think I'd run into more problems than its worth. This way the tires are the same height, but I can get a bit more meat up front, instead of running the skinny dually tires all around.

Just a heads up, in this post the 265/75 and 235/75 sizes are NOT the same diameter.
265/75 and 235/85 are the same diameter, however.
This may have been a mis-post on your part, but I thought I might make that clear for anyone else reading this.

 

[bucket]

I'd try without the little spacer because IIRC, the wheels are hub-centric only and the lugs do not center the wheel at all. If the wheel gets spaced out very far, the slightly tapered hub will no longer center the wheel and it will depend on how well the studs fit in the lug holes.