From a performance standpoint i might agree but from fitting it in the wheel well, definitely noticeable IMO
Remember that .8" width increase is x 4 tires so effectively an extra 3.2" of tire on the ground
Are 265 Tires hurting my overlanding experience?
- Thread starter Kona Rig
- Start date
Remember that .8" width increase is x 4 tires so effectively an extra 3.2" of tire on the ground
I remember when having oversized tires meant having 31 tires. Now most trucks come standard with 33s
Oh...I forgot...my van has 235...haha
None of them have issues doing the overland thing. Just plan each route or camping experience differently.
Winter is the only time I really concern myself with which truck to take.
I am glad everyone pointed out the metric sizes...I figured the OP new that. Each one of the 235,245,265,275 width size can be taller or shorter than anybody the others...depending aspect ratio.
Stock vehicles are the best to overland with here in PA. Being a skilled driver with a well thought out stock choice...is much more fun than spending countless thousands of dollars to find out(I know some just love to modify, I love to have money for gas and food)...you will not be challenged unless you pay to go to an off road park.
Dodge/RAM vehicles treat me well, and are a great fit for out state forest public land.
So, I basically got 30, 31, 32 and 33 inch tires. Not once have I felt the need for more.
I just got new tires on the Trail Whale...
Oh...I forgot...my van has 235...haha
None of them have issues doing the overland thing. Just plan each route or camping experience differently.
Winter is the only time I really concern myself with which truck to take.
I am glad everyone pointed out the metric sizes...I figured the OP new that. Each one of the 235,245,265,275 width size can be taller or shorter than anybody the others...depending aspect ratio.
Stock vehicles are the best to overland with here in PA. Being a skilled driver with a well thought out stock choice...is much more fun than spending countless thousands of dollars to find out(I know some just love to modify, I love to have money for gas and food)...you will not be challenged unless you pay to go to an off road park.
Dodge/RAM vehicles treat me well, and are a great fit for out state forest public land.
So, I basically got 30, 31, 32 and 33 inch tires. Not once have I felt the need for more.
I just got new tires on the Trail Whale...
Influencer II
So yes so far ;-) BUT... There's a difference between every tire manufacturer and model, my general grabber X3 for example are seriously beefy and some other tires in the same size (285/70r17 BTW) look almost skinny compared to them unfortunately they weigh as much as a common 315/70r17.
So if you have bad luck and need to fit them into a smaller wheel well then you might get in trouble. Unfortunately there's no way to tell which tires are fat and which are skinny unless you find someone with your desired size.
Influencer II
Interesting point about the sand ASPW says the opposite, a skinny tire on the narrow rim gets a longer footprint while wide tires on a wide rim tend to get wider footprints but not much longer I'm saying it's half true as my 285/70r17 on a 9"wide rim get a significant longer footprints but also wider.
Theory is that the long and narrow footprint has lesser of a "sandwave" in front of it and works better and has lesser rolling resistance in the sand than a wide tire.
The opposite should be true for snow.
However I can't complain about the performance of my combo, especially in bottomless mud and clay and on gravel and hardpack
madcratebuilder
Rank V
Pathfinder I
Influencer II
even back in the day with tall skinny tires, they still needed to carry a wench with them...
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He did only ask if 265 tires where hindering him, which they are not...and as true enthusiasts we head down the rabbit hole till we hit different terrain needs different tires.
I am kidding, but now I must ask...are true overlanders now carrying different tread styles and making trail side tire swaps to continue on their way...asking for a friend.
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I have really had pretty good luck with my E load 10 ply KO2 in 265/65R18 .... but they are pretty dang heavy (as most tough tires tend to be). And based on what you said, I would stick with that size. Would be interesting to see how much the weight difference is between them. But no matter what, if what you have is not worn out I wouldn't make a change. The impact on range would be a concern for me as well.
I think this size suits me for how I use my vehicle and have no desire to go up, especially since it requires quite a bit more invasive modifications.
I think this size suits me for how I use my vehicle and have no desire to go up, especially since it requires quite a bit more invasive modifications.
Short answer no, you are not hurting, and I would not throw out good 265 to get 285s. Get 285s when the 265s wear out. You only gain ~5/8 inches in ride height, and pick up ~6-12 bs per tire. Not enough IMO to warrant tossing out good tires.
Note there are different WildPeaks, the Passenger version:
| 28034300 | P265/70R17 | SL | - | 115T | BSW | 7.0 - 9.0 | 8.0 | 31.7 | 10.8 | 668 | 13 | 46.5 | 2679 | 51 | 660-A-B | |
| 28034306 | P285/70R17 | SL | - | 117T | BSW | 7.0 - 9.0 | 8.5 | 32.8 | 11.3 | 647 | 13 | 50.5 | 2833 | 51 | 660-A-B |
and the LT version:
| 28030712 | LT265/70R17 | E | 10 | 121/118S | BSW | 7.0 - 8.5 | 8.0 | 31.9 | 10.7 | 653 | 17 | 52.9 | 3195 / 2910 | 80 | - | - |
| 59000350 | LT285/70R17 | C | 6 | 116/113Q | BSW | 7.5 -9.0 | 8.5 | 32.8 | 11.1 | 634 | 18 | 63.7 | 2755/2535 | 50 | - | - |
| 28030612 | LT285/70R17 | E | 10 | 121/118S | BSW | 7.5 -9.0 | 8.5 | 33 | 11.6 | 632 | 18 | 58.9 | 3195/2910 | 50 | - | - |
If you are jumping to the 285s, make sure to get the 10 ply version.
Advocate I
I respect the number crunchers and opinions of everyone who has replied; however, I am going to opine on my subject matter experience only . . . If you configure the suspension and drivetrain to match, you will experience a significant increase in off-road capability going from 265s to 285s. I went from stock 265/65/17 Duratracs to 285/70/17 BFG KM3s, and the difference was dramatically noticeable in nearly all terrain, especially when airing down. I have also had far less tire failures due to trail damage on the larger tire than the smaller ones.
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Pathfinder I
Duratracs have super thin/weak sidewalls vs comparables. Not to mention the tread pattern on the BFGs is a mud terrain verses a snow rated AT. Not really apples to apples. Were both sets of tires the same load rating?
Agreed, but that is not what he asked.
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[/QUOTE]
He is gearing up for the new fad of carrying different types of tires to be a true overlander.
Advocate I
My experience is objective over 45+ years of off-road experience on dozens upon dozens of different types of vehicles, tires and tire manufacturers in every enviromental condition imaginable on 6 different continents. The pictures includes are the latest example of my most recent build and personal vehicle. I can go on and on about tread design and tire manufactures but I chose to only address the inquiry of the original post. Increasing tire size by the margin he inquired about will dramatically improve off-road capabilities.
Advocate I
OP Question: " Is going to a 285 and getting the body chop on the front going to help me all that much"
Akicita Answer: Yes it will
@Renegade . . . what did I miss?
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Member III
I would have to disagree that your move in tire size is what is giving you an increase in off road performance, comparing those two tires would be like comparing apples to oranges. I've personally run both of those tires and currently have 2 identical pickups on the farm with those two tires in the same size. While I like the Dura track it's not a great off road tire no matter what size it is. They are known for a soft sidewall and being bad when it comes to rock drill. The added sidewall lugs on the BFG add puncture protection and tons of extra grip when you air them down, the Dura Track doesn't have nearly as much lug on the side. The Dura Track is also one of the more mild "R/T" tires on the market while the KM3 is a Mud Terrain. Not trying to knock you for tire size or choice but don't want to steer the OP into thinking they will see huge gains with a minimal change in size, I think you would have noticed the same increase in off road performance if you stayed the same size but switched to the KM3.
Advocate I
To clarify - - - my opinion was based on tire size only not manufacturer. I have destroyed every manufacture of tire you can imagine and have no loyalty to any specific one. The OPs question was related to size and I believe my reply was specific to that point. My mistake was to detail my current tire choice and that was not my intent. You all need to improve your reading comprehension and I will work at being more specific in future replies.
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