Need help choosing my first set of AT tires!

[Captstout]

What size of tire are you running? I’m looking at running 245/75/16 wildpeaks but i’m concerned they’ll rub. I could retain stock tire size but going up a size costs the same so I’m hoping to do that.

So, my Pilot has a blown rear shock (she has 200k miles on her). I am replacing the rear shocks with some Coil-over shocks. Will help with the rear sag. Plus help haul the extra weight we put in our rigs when heading out on the trail. I will be replacing the front struts with some higher-end set up as well.

I checked up on the 245's rubbing. From what I was told at the tore shop, no they won't run but by changing rear shocks and replacing my front struts it should help (return the front end back to it's original rode height and possibly add half an inch or so).

I have street tires on it right now. Went out and got a little rain this weekend. Sucked butt. If I don't trade it in by next summer I will be swapping tires. Lol.

Hope this research helps you.

 

[VA6IKR]

So, my Pilot has a blown rear shock (she has 200k miles on her). I am replacing the rear shocks with some Coil-over shocks. Will help with the rear sag. Plus help haul the extra weight we put in our rigs when heading out on the trail. I will be replacing the front struts with some higher-end set up as well.

I checked up on the 245's rubbing. From what I was told at the tore shop, no they won't run but by changing rear shocks and replacing my front struts it should help (return the front end back to it's original rode height and possibly add half an inch or so).

I have street tires on it right now. Went out and got a little rain this weekend. Sucked butt. If I don't trade it in by next summer I will be swapping tires. Lol.

Hope this research helps you.

Which coil overs are you gonna get?

I got the 245/75/16s mounted and have been running them for about just over a week now. The only rubbing i experience is when turning and going over bumps it will hit the fender liner a bit but it’s nothing major. It has made me seriously consider the lift however and also replacing my rear shocks just as a preventative measure. Part of me also wants to cut my bumpers? but that’s a bad idea and i need to stop thinking about it.

My next projects are gonna be skid plates and version 3 of the sleeping platform in the rear.

I’ll attach a photo of the tires to this post soon since i can’t upload it directly to the forum i’ll host it on imgur

 

[Captstout]

Which coil overs are you gonna get?

I got the 245/75/16s mounted and have been running them for about just over a week now. The only rubbing i experience is when turning and going over bumps it will hit the fender liner a bit but it’s nothing major. It has made me seriously consider the lift however and also replacing my rear shocks just as a preventative measure. Part of me also wants to cut my bumpers? but that’s a bad idea and i need to stop thinking about it.

My next projects are gonna be skid plates and version 3 of the sleeping platform in the rear.

I’ll attach a photo of the tires to this post soon since i can’t upload it directly to the forum i’ll host it on imgur

I was curious about your tires. Did they add enough hight to make it worth it?

I am going with the Monroe Coil-over. Let me snag part number 58645.

There is a guide for the replacement.

It is actually the rear shock for that years Hinda Minivan.

The video I watched and the page I was reading said it returned it to its original ride high. Even raised the rear end about a 1" to 1 1/2. They add a bit of a payload bonus as well. So you carry your weight better.

I don't know when I will replace the shocks. Probably in the next month or so. It doesn't get driven and I need to work OT to pay for parts. Lol.

I was toying with the idea of airbags as a leveling kit. But it coats a bit more and is a bit more labor intensive.

So overall, I just want to handle the weight of our camping gear with less squat and more stability.

I am still looking for a front end level kit or struts. I don't want it a lift (not on this car). Just a little more when and new.

 

[Captstout]

Which coil overs are you gonna get?

I got the 245/75/16s mounted and have been running them for about just over a week now. The only rubbing i experience is when turning and going over bumps it will hit the fender liner a bit but it’s nothing major. It has made me seriously consider the lift however and also replacing my rear shocks just as a preventative measure. Part of me also wants to cut my bumpers? but that’s a bad idea and i need to stop thinking about it.

My next projects are gonna be skid plates and version 3 of the sleeping platform in the rear.

I’ll attach a photo of the tires to this post soon since i can’t upload it directly to the forum i’ll host it on imgur

I do want to see your sleeping platform and tires. Been watching a YouTube guy traveling all over in his pilot. Lol. His set up is simple yet functional

 

[MMc]

God! Tire thread! My favorite tire is the one that gets me home. I have a very good friend that has a company that supports stuff on the AK pipeline. All of his truck run Michelin LXTs They are up and down the pipeline 12 months a year. The winter he has studs on them.
Get the best tire you can afford and run the crap out it. I like BFGs KO2 and General Grabbers.

 

[VA6IKR]

I do want to see your sleeping platform and tires. Been watching a YouTube guy traveling all over in his pilot. Lol. His set up is simple yet functional

The tires didnt add any noticeable ride height differences. What it did open me up to was all sorts of other options as theres many more LT and P rated AT tires in this size. Ultimately I did go for the P rated. I really really (reeeaaalllllyy) enjoy how the tires look and how they fill out the wheel well. They make the pilot look aggressive and they havent affected handling in any adverse way! I think the lift is the next big purchase as itll give just that extra bit of clearance and will also look good.

I did find a different brand that makes a 2" lift kit for the pilot that ive never heard of before. Its about half the price of the readylift kit.


As far as the sleeping platform goes, thats been my biggest challenge. I've gone through 2.5 versions of sleeping platforms in the back and i'm still not happy with anything.

This is version 2. Version 1 sat 8" higher and took away my ability to sit up, something i never realized I needed till I was spending a night without it.

Version 2.5 is the idea in the above image but cut in half. Its hard to sleep two people in half the space.

Trying to figure out a perfect compromise of head room, storage, sleeps two, and still retaining some third row seat use has proved much more of a challenge than I realized!

Version 3 is going to sit only 1-2" off of the main cargo floor, and i'm either going to build up some sort of storage cubby on one side and see how much bed i can build into that, or i'm going to just build a flat floor and live with less storage. it is much more difficult than i had originally imagined this being

I think once i've finally got this somewhere i'm happy with (and when ive finally slept COMFORTABLY in the back), i'll post a build thread to show everyone. Winter is coming so i need to work fast, but i will keep you updated!

 

[Captstout]

Ready lift wants almost $700 for some spacers. Ouch.

The tires do look great. How bad is the road noise on the highway? They look great.

Sleeping platform. My wife and I have used a thin full air mattress in the back before. The only problem is everything has to be set under the car or on top of it while we sleep. Lucky for me we don't need the back seats anymore.

I was thinking of building a platform about 6" tall. The upside is the wife and I are short. Lol.

I am also going to use a rooftop carrier to help with storage that does t need to be moved before bed

Looks, good man.

 

[DrivingTacoLoco]

I'm Running Rugged Terrain. While I haven't used them in snow yet all of the reviews I've read said they were better than KO2's which was my other choice. As someone else said none of these tires are great in snow, Use dedicated snow tires. If 2 sets of tires are not in the budget that you will need to compromise on something. Only you can decide what to compromise on. If most of your driving is on paved roads than road manners, fuel mileage and noise might be your priority.

 

[VA6IKR]

Ready lift wants almost $700 for some spacers. Ouch.

The tires do look great. How bad is the road noise on the highway? They look great.

Sleeping platform. My wife and I have used a thin full air mattress in the back before. The only problem is everything has to be set under the car or on top of it while we sleep. Lucky for me we don't need the back seats anymore.

I was thinking of building a platform about 6" tall. The upside is the wife and I are short. Lol.

I am also going to use a rooftop carrier to help with storage that does t need to be moved before bed

Looks, good man.

Surprisingly ive noticed little to no road noise. Theyre about as quiet as the old tires on my pilot.

I'm fairly tall so making a sleeping platform is even more of a challenge. The best decision ive made so far is to remove the second row seats completely as that opens up a whole bunch of space i can build around.

I have a roof basket on my pilot and while it looks good, its a bit annoying cleaning off bug paste from the gear i store up there. I should really look into a nice roof box or something.

 

[Captstout]

Surprisingly ive noticed little to no road noise. Theyre about as quiet as the old tires on my pilot.

I'm fairly tall so making a sleeping platform is even more of a challenge. The best decision ive made so far is to remove the second row seats completely as that opens up a whole bunch of space i can build around.

I have a roof basket on my pilot and while it looks good, its a bit annoying cleaning off bug paste from the gear I store up there. I should really look into a nice roof box or something.

I put your tires on my list.

My wife probably wouldn't let me take put the second row as we still have grandbaby and our adult kids that ride with us.

We are short, so sleep g platform is easy. When we get the wifes new rig I may tinker around with this one and make it more...well, more. Lol

 

[PetersonRRT]

There’s a handful of other guys that overland/softroad pilots that I know of and they run 245/75/16 tires so i’m reasonably confident I can get away with it. I could stick to the stock size but it limits my options by a fair amount unfortunately.

I'm currently running Cooper SST Pro Mud Terrains in the 245/75R16 size and before I lifted mine it only rubbed slightly in the inner front fenderwell with the wheels fully turned. Otherwise I haven't had any issues with the suspension fully loaded. Still rubs only the tiniest fully turned but would be an easy fix

 

[PetersonRRT]

I was curious about your tires. Did they add enough hight to make it worth it?

I am going with the Monroe Coil-over. Let me snag part number 58645.

There is a guide for the replacement.

It is actually the rear shock for that years Hinda Minivan.

The video I watched and the page I was reading said it returned it to its original ride high. Even raised the rear end about a 1" to 1 1/2. They add a bit of a payload bonus as well. So you carry your weight better.

I don't know when I will replace the shocks. Probably in the next month or so. It doesn't get driven and I need to work OT to pay for parts. Lol.

I was toying with the idea of airbags as a leveling kit. But it coats a bit more and is a bit more labor intensive.

So overall, I just want to handle the weight of our camping gear with less squat and more stability.

I am still looking for a front end level kit or struts. I don't want it a lift (not on this car). Just a little more when and new.

If you're just looking for more load support I found that the Monroe Load Adjuster shocks (part # mentioned earlier in this thread) and the Moog heavy duty rear springs really helped with the rear end sag under heavy load. I have a drawer system in the back of mine and ive noticed that I only get a slight bit of sag when I'm loaded with all my gear in the back

 

[PetersonRRT]

I ended up finding the Freedom Offroad 2.5" lift on eBay for about $220. Came with spacers for the front and rear, New front sway bar end links, New rear upper control arms, and camber bolts for the rear lower control arms. The lift was simple enough to install on my driveway (provided that you have the tools and muscle to loosen some of the bolts) So far I'm really liking the ride and added height and the upgraded rear suspension coils and shocks I added previously is definitely nicer than the stock setup.

 

[Captstout]

If you're just looking for more load support I found that the Monroe Load Adjuster shocks (part # mentioned earlier in this thread) and the Moog heavy duty rear springs really helped with the rear end sag under heavy load. I have a drawer system in the back of mine and I've noticed that I only get a slight bit of sag when I'm loaded with all my gear in the back

I will do the Moog springs at some point. I am replacing the shocks anyway. I am going with the Coil-Over Monroes. Just for a little added support when loaded and help support my camping gear.

At some point, we are going to get a 4runner. But, the pilot is what I have now. Lol.

 

[Captstout]

Peterson, do you have pictures by chance?

I think with the Moog Springs (eventually) and the coil overs I may just need a front leveling kit.

I need some upgraded lights.

 

[Downs]

Surprisingly ive noticed little to no road noise. Theyre about as quiet as the old tires on my pilot.

I'm fairly tall so making a sleeping platform is even more of a challenge. The best decision ive made so far is to remove the second row seats completely as that opens up a whole bunch of space i can build around.

I have a roof basket on my pilot and while it looks good, its a bit annoying cleaning off bug paste from the gear i store up there. I should really look into a nice roof box or something.

Wrap a tarp around the front of your gear like a wind deflector. Keeps bugs and soot from other vehicles from getting on your stuff as much.

 

[Downs]

Do you think the weaker sidewall would be worth the risk on the trail? I’m leaning towards a P metric XL rated tire but everyone talks them up to being as strong as a balloon off road which i find hard to believe. But an LT tire is significantly more expensive and heavier and I feel I couldn’t justify that for my vehicle considering i’m never off road enough.

Sounds like I just talked myself into a P rated AT tire.

Ive had very few sidewall issues with P rated tires. The only sidewall punctures ive had would have happened with LT tires too IMO. For lighter vehicles LT tires can make for a really crappy ride which if were honest with ourselves the road is where we spend a large chunk of time.

FWIW all i run on my Cherokee are Ps.

 

[PetersonRRT]

First pic is current with drawer system in the back and 2.5" lift. Second pic is of the drawer system (built with 5/8" thick plywood), third pic is after I installed the moog springs and monroe shocks

 

[PetersonRRT]

Peterson, do you have pictures by chance?

I think with the Moog Springs (eventually) and the coil overs I may just need a front leveling kit.

I need some upgraded lights.

I replied to a different post in this thread lol. Crazy day at work.

First pic is with the Moog springs and monroe shocks and rear drawer system. Second pic is after I installed the 2.5" lift, same shocks and coils

 

[Buckaroo]

my two penn'orth.
BFG K20 AT M+S
I run these tyres all year around in UK, never let me down.
noisy, but not too loud on tarmac, good in cold and snow.
I have no idea what Alberta weather is like.