24’ Tacoma Tire Suggestions

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Full disclosure, this is my first real post I think other than the New Member introductions. Did a search but I wasn’t very successful.

I have a 24’ Tacoma TRDOR which is currently stock.

I’ve got other ideas for it including Decked and maybe a cap or Bestop.

Where I’m at now is tires. The forums online can cause a migraine after some time.

Truck is and will remain a daily driver, though I will also be driving some trails, up to the lower intermediate grades.
My Dilema:

275/70/17 or 255/80/17 AT’s?

Currently im looking at the following:

Cooper Stronghold 275/70

Yokohama Geolandar AT4
275/70 and 255/80

Toyo OC AT3
275/70 and 255/80

Between both sizes for all of these tires the average weight is about 53lbs +/- 1-1.5lbs.

The 275/70 (32.2”) keeps my Speedo closer to stock, I think that’s a plus…?

The 255/80 (33.1) gives a small bit of ground clearance over stock and the 275/70.

Looking for help determining if the 275/70 is a better option for the daily driver, or if the 255/80 will offer enough benefits with few drawbacks for intended use to make it worth it?

Keeping stock wheels (17x7.5/+55 offset).

Appreciate any responses and guidance for a guy just getting started.

thank you,

Will,

 

[Alanymarce]

WRT to the tyres, we have used the Geolandars and now prefer the Toyos (and have experience with Dunlops, Michelins, BFGs, Pirellis, and Bridgestones.

In terms of the size, the clearance benefit is only half an inch so I'd pick based on whether you plan to air down/up much (or more accurately, how much you plan to drive in soft sand). The 70s would be my preference for this.

 

[smritte]

When your choosing tires, you need to consider a few things.
1. Tire diameter will effect not just obstacle clearance but gear ratio, braking ability, fender clearance and component stress.
2. Tire width. floatation on soft ground, rolling resistance (fuel milage) and again fender clearance (turning)
3. Tire design. This is mostly preference.

If you haven't found it, use a tire size calculator to determine diameter and width. I use this one Tire Size calculator. Plug your stock number in the top and preference in the bottom. Look at the height and width difference as well as speedo correction.

The 255/80 is a nice choice because of its width but you will need to lift about two inch's to clear the back of the fender. It will also throw off your breaking a bit as well as your torque, The newer trucks are strong enough to overcome this a little. I'm running a 32" tire on my Tacoma. I only go to 5th gear on the freeway unless I'm over 75 mph. It changed my gear ratio that much. Some people don't care or notice this. Do not go to a taller tire than that. If you do, you need to do a number of mod's. You will see people going over a 33" but they do it for looks only then complain about the truck when it doesn't preform they way they think it should.

Narrow tall gives you your best overall traction and driving combination. Wider gives you better floatation in soft material but can rub the fenders while turning and fuel milage.

Considering its your daily driver, consider a 32" tire

I've used quite a few of the name brands over the years and I've learned two main things. First is tire companies evolve. What that means is, the tire I ran four decades ago is definitely not the same today. That goes for as resent as four years ago. An example is BFG and Cooper. About seven odd years ago I bought some cooper AT's. Not only the worst tires I have ever owned but Cooper told me to basically get lost when I contacted them about not being able to balance their tires at 5k milage. The tires hadn't seen anything but mild off road use and wanted over a pound of weight each. I got frustrated and went back to BFG AT. Those were almost as bad and I learned they did something diffrent in the manufacturing.

Today, evidentially both companies have fixed their issues and are back to producing good tires. What all this means is, its difficult to listen to recommendations about tires people have used over a decade ago. They could be better or worse.

My Tacoma is my daily driver as well as light off road. I went up two tire sizes from stock (don't remember the numbers) and ended up with a 32" tall tire. I put Falcons on it and have been real impressed. My "toy" is a 96 Land Cruiser. This is driven moderately hard and is my go anywhere vehicle. This is the one that had the Coopers and now BFG. When the BFG's wear out, I will probably go to Falcons. My terrain is a bit mixed but mostly desert with a bit of volcanic rock (think sidewall damage).

When you choose your suspension, be very careful. Almost every manufacture puts out a generic, one size fits all suspension. This is why recommendations are all over the board. Another reason is the people who recommend one type probably haven't tried diffrent suspensions and have never driven a properly tuned suspension. When I say that, people normally respond with "I'm not going to race it". Not talking about racing, talking about proper. Just because you buy good shoes doesn't mean your now running marathons.

 

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AlanyMarce / smritte,

Thank you both for the insight you have shared.
I have been leaning toward the 32’s as they are not much wider than the 265/70/17 stock tires. I thought they would have less negative impact overall on vehicle performance for a daily driver, part time-overlander.
I know the 24’ Tacoma will fit either. 285/70 or 255/80 on stock suspension without any modification, and I expected the 255/80 would provide more positives than negatives over the 285/70 for most terrain.

I live in the Republic of Texas, and most any off road ventures will be somewhere in the TX, N.M, AZ, CO and UT areas, with occasional eastern woodlands once in a great while.
So that is where the 255/80 seemed attractive, though I wonder just how impeded I would be on the 275/70’s (32.2).
Load rating has been a little bit of a concern too as from my research, I feel an E rated tire would fare better in these southwest landscapes, yet as a daily driver, how uncomfortable will it actually be? Of the tires I’m looking at, only the Yokohama Geolander x-at comes in a C load, and that seems more of an RT than an AT tire.

 

[smritte]

255/80 on stock suspension without any modification,

Remember, just because they fit doesn't mean they wont rub. In my group, I have several 4runners and Tacoma's. All but me run 33's and none of them do anything hard core. All but one have custom upper arms with the tire moved forward about half an inch and all are lifted 1.5-2 inch. All of them rub the body mount slightly. The narrow 33 will minimize the rub but I would be very surprised if it only does it slightly.

 

[Cypress]

I run Falkens on almost everything. Wildpeak AT3W on the Samurai, Suburban, and H3T. I run Falken Rubitrek A/Ts on the Touareg.

In the past, I have run Goodyear, General, BFG, and Firestone A/T tires. The Falkens are better tires in every way.

 

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I run Falkens on almost everything. Wildpeak AT3W on the Samurai, Suburban, and H3T. I run Falken Rubitrek A/Ts on the Touareg.

In the past, I have run Goodyear, General, BFG, and Firestone A/T tires. The Falkens are better tires in every way.

Cypress,

Appreciate the feedback.
I did look at Falkens and had I decided on size I almost had a 5 pack of AT3w’s in the cart as the were only $246 at tire rack for a 255/80.
That said, the new wild peak at4 and even the R/T look really heavy according to specs I’ve found.

 

[Alanymarce]

...Of the tires I’m looking at, only the Yokohama Geolander x-at comes in a C load, and that seems more of an RT than an AT tire.

Of the tyres we've used in the last 15 years, the Yokohamas were the best until we were recommended Toyos. We had used BFGs in Africa and they were very good but a little more noisy on the highway and when we went to Australia we had Geolandars all round . One was destroyed; the next tyre shop (they were few and far between in the Outback) had BFGs and Toyos so we asked for a BFG however they recommended the Toyo as just as good and cheaper. We now have Toyos as our preferred tyre for all purposes - quiet on the highway, capable off-highway.

I've heard many good comments on Falkens, but no experience.

 

[Cypress]

Cypress,

Appreciate the feedback.
I did look at Falkens and had I decided on size I almost had a 5 pack of AT3w’s in the cart as the were only $246 at tire rack for a 255/80.
That said, the new wild peak at4 and even the R/T look really heavy according to specs I’ve found.

The AT4W is right at 10 pounds heavier per tire than the AT3W in a 35" size. I just mounted the AT3Ws on my H3T because I didn't want the extra 40 pounds of rotating mass.

 

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255/80 on stock suspension without any modification,

Remember, just because they fit doesn't mean they wont rub. In my group, I have several 4runners and Tacoma's. All but me run 33's and none of them do anything hard core. All but one have custom upper arms with the tire moved forward about half an inch and all are lifted 1.5-2 inch. All of them rub the body mount slightly. The narrow 33 will minimize the rub but I would be very surprised if it only does it slightly.

smritte,

I am aware that previous gen Tacomas needed extra work just to fit 33’s, which I’m just not the guy to butcher a new truck for the sake of an extra .5” or so of clearance.

From what I can tell though from the online info being shared, as well as the testimony from a couple techs at my Toyota dealership, the 24’ Tacoma TRDOR was designed with 33’s in mind with no additional lift or mods. Other trims may vary, but the TRD lines are as I’m told, ready to fit.

With that in mind,
Given the 275/70 and 255/80’s both weigh about the same, now it’s a matter of choice.
I like that the 275/70’s give me…well, a hair extra, but give me the tread I need, and keep things a bit closer to stock in terms of speedo reading.
Weight wise the 275/70 will add about 11lbs over stock I believe per wheel, yet the 255/80, weighs about the same but circumfrence throws the speedo off by at least twice as much.
Though the weight of the 255/80 would keep the rotating mass closer to the center of the hub/axle and I wonder if that’s a bigger benefit to component longevity, including breaking etc.

All this in mind, I’m leaning more to the 275/70 for daily driver purposes while still having the functionality of a better gripping AT that I can put a little more trust in over the stock BFG trail terrains.

 

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Thanks to all for the replies.
Settled on the Yokohama Geolandar A/T4 in 275/70/17 (32.4”).

GEOLANDAR A/T4™

The GEOLANDAR A/T4™ is an all-terrain tire designed to give you the smooth, quiet ride you want but with the advantage of real off-road durability…

www.yokohamatire.com