Tire size opinions. Getting new rubber this weekend

[SBUBandit]

Ok, before I get started, I know exactly what tire I want and where I am going to get them, just debating between two sizes. I'll be putting on a set of Cooper Discoverer AT3. I currently have 235/75/16, and I'll be replacing with either the same, or I was thinking about bumping up a bit to 255/70/16. This isn't a huge change, so I doubt it will be a big difference. I expect the Coopers to be much better than the Goodyear junk that it came with. Here are my criteria and usage of the truck in my consideration.

Usage:
The TB is our "nice" vehicle, and the one we use to go out or somewhere we don't want to look like we live in a trailer park (we do). Roughly 10K miles a year, probably 80% highway. When the weather gets crazy in the winter, its also my backup, since I work on a dirt road that can be a pain to get through with The Manure (my Taurus). I do pull a couple small trailers relatively often, but usually not very far or very heavy.

Criteria:

Noise -
The new tires can't be loud. The Goodyears have never been particularly loud, and since this is mostly a highway vehicle, it needs to stay that way. This is one area the AT3 gets awesome reviews in, especially for being and A/T tire

Looks -
The AT3 will already be a huge improvement, and a little bit wider would look better anyways.

Fuel Mileage-
My one area of concern. I would imagine a wider tire should cut mileage slightly, but I would hope this small change shouldn't be bad. Thoughts on this?

Cost -
Non-issue, the wider tires come out $2.50 more, total for 4 of them

Can anyone think of any other pros/cons to switching tire size that I am missing?

 

[tbyoda]

I'd go with a more common size 245/75r16 a 30.5" might be cheaper too. AT3 are real good tires, also if you do any off-roading get a LT version stronger side walls. As far fuel mileage look at rolling resistance. The will be less efficient but you can combat that in how you drive. Do the chalk test to get the right air pressure when cold. Also with a larger size speedometer will be off at higher speeds.

 

[SBUBandit]

I'd go with a more common size 245/75r16 a 30.5" might be cheaper too. AT3 are real good tires, also if you do any off-roading get a LT version stronger side walls. As far fuel mileage look at rolling resistance. The will be less efficient but you can combat that in how you drive. Do the chalk test to get the right air pressure when cold. Also with a larger size speedometer will be off at higher speeds.

I'll still have to think about the fuel mileage issue, but as far as speedo accuracy, I'd actually be farther off with 245/75r16 (2% off) than with 255/70r16 (0.6% off) at 60mph

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would definitely go the 255 route. I think you already proved the positives outweigh any minimal chance of a mpg change. I have 255 17 on the 07 and it looks far better than it did with 245s. Just fills it out better.

Nice choice on tires.

 

[SBUBandit]

I would definitely go the 255 route. I think you already proved the positives outweigh any minimal chance of a mpg change. I have 255 17 on the 07 and it looks far better than it did with 245s. Just fills it out better.

Nice choice on tires.

Do you have any pics of the 07?

 

[Playsinsnow]

The 245s will be superior in deep snow than the 255s. However I doubt you would notice on the few occasions it happens in MI. 255s will look cooler from behind? The 255s may be a little lighter of a tire too. I'm sure you'll be happy with them as both are larger than what's on there.

Use caution of the first few rainy days. Your footprint is lighter than the 235s. Don't want to hydroplane and crash! I often read tire reviews for our platform, and this is the #1 moronic complaint to me when someone just put new tires on.


I vote for 255s on this

 

[fletch09]

16" may be diff.
when i had my 03 ext, i went w/ 255/17's. there was not much clearance on UBJ. maybe the thickness of 2 credit cards @ most.
just my

 

[strat81]

Narrower tires tend to perform better in the snow than wider ones (assuming the same type of tire).

 

[Pittdawg]

As my women like to say, bigger is always better

 

[Sparky]

Fuel Mileage-
My one area of concern. I would imagine a wider tire should cut mileage slightly, but I would hope this small change shouldn't be bad. Thoughts on this?

Probably next to no change. Heck I went from stock 245/65/16 to 265/75/16 with a lift and spacers, and so far it seems I've lost maybe a few tenths mpg average, at most.

 

[SBUBandit]

Probably next to no change. Heck I went from stock 245/65/16 to 265/75/16 with a lift and spacers, and so far it seems I've lost maybe a few tenths mpg average, at most.

That's good to hear. I think I'm pretty well decided to go with the 255/70/16

 

[SBUBandit]

All set to get the 255/70r16 AT3s on tomorrow morning at 8am. I'll post a pic once they are on. Now if only my wheels didn't look like shit. I have no problem with the factory wheels, but my clearcoat is completely smoked.

I keep super close track of my fuel mileage, so I'll have a pretty good idea how much it is affected, although sometime soo we'll make the switch to winter gas so it will be hard to tell how much was from that and how much is the tires until they have some miles on them

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Some good wheel paints n cotings out there for reasonable prices

Dupli-Color :: Wheel Coating

Maybe a dark silver or charcoal with the white. I loved my black chrome with the white.

 

[SBUBandit]

Some good wheel paints n cotings out there for reasonable prices

Dupli-Color :: Wheel Coating

Maybe a dark silver or charcoal with the white. I loved my black chrome with the white.

I'll have to give that a try, I'll ask tomorrow when they put the new tires on if they can use weights either inside the rim or on the inner lip so I can make the faces look decent again this winter. The weights is what jacks up the wheels to begin with. If I were to sand and clean up the faces of the wheels, do you think it would work to spray just the clear over the whole thing without taking the Gray paint off the recessed areas? I figure if I used a find sandpaper disc on my drill I could tear all the blistered clear off and with some steel whool and some elbow grease get the wheel to look decent, then just lightly scuff the gray and clear the whole thing. Wish the spare were the same type of wheel, I could experiment on that one.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I would demand they use stick on weights on the inner portion of the wheel. I do not let them use anything else.

Find a junkyard to try with...

I think you could get by with little on the recessed areas and still come out ok.

 

[SBUBandit]

For those who were following this, here is the result. I went with the 255/70r16 Cooper Discoverer AT3. I didn't worry about where they put wheel weights for now, but once I try refinishing a junkyard rim to confirm how it will work out, I'll have them rebalanced with stick on weights inside the rim. You can see how bad the rims look in the second pic. All 4 look like that.

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