Drivability of 35" tires compared to 33"

[rc51kid]

I have a 94 FZJ80 with BFG AT 285/75 16s. Drives great on the highway and i just completed driving back form Wyoming to Georgia. I think i picked up a little vibration but i am doing a little PM to sort that out.My set up was the 33" BFG ATs with OME 861/862 with 10mm spacers al round. I just added 30mm with spaces a few days ago. I was in Moab and after that trip wanted to gain a little ground clearance. The spacers were a good way to accomplish this. The truck feels a little looser on the highway since the lift and i will be looking into the caster after the lift.

My real question is about tire size. Since the lift i have been thinking about how small the 33s look. 35s would give me some extra height and ground clearance and help fill the wheel wells a little. But i use the truck a lot for "overland" type travel as well as exploring trails off road. I dont really want to give up any of the highway driving characteristics that i enjoy. Has anyone made the switch from 33s to 35? What was the change like? Did the truck drive as nicely on the hiway at reasonable speeds like 65MPH?

For a long time i have wanted to go to 255/85 16. I actually want skinny tall for better MPG. So going to 35s is a little backwards for me. But 255/85 also has very limited tire choices.

 

[86tuning]

I've been driving my 97 LX450 since I got it with 315/75-16 BF Goodrich KM/2. Stock gearing. Originally at stock height(!) for almost two years before finally pulling the trigger on OME 850-860. I don't really tow much, when I do, it's a small boat. No experience with the 33s because I ditched to original 32s after exactly ten days of ownership and went straight to the 35s. They're 34.6 so they're not actually that much bigger than true 33s.

All that said, I lust after 37s but realistically my next set of tires will likely be GY Duratrac or else BFG KO/2 so that it won't be as scary in the snow and ice. Can't decide between studded duratrac or non studdable KO/2 in 315/75-16.

 

[redthies]

I bought my 96 LX450 with OME mediums, stock gearing and 285 Nitto TerraCRAPlers on it, and drove it that way for 6 mos. I then swapped on 315 Procomp X-Terrains. There was definetly a noticeable difference in the two sizes and I eventually traded the 315s for some KM2s in 305/70-16. Going back to a 33" tire is when I really noticed the difference! I think 255s are as good as it gets for 99% of ExPo type use, but if you want to run Moab type trails more than once every couple of years I'd say give the 35s a go. You will for sure take a hit in fuel economy, acceleration and braking (these have become more important to me than looking cool in recent years, but only a tiny bit!), but they're only tires. It's really the easiest of mods to undo if you don't like it.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

The biggest challenge with larger tire for overland travel is when you have a tire failure. The availability getting a replacement in smaller towns can can difficult. As for the ride now days the tire quality is great and many rigs run 37's comfortably at highway speeds. Personally my rig is a dedicated trail/adventure rig on 35's and I travel in comfort.

 

[sailor]

I went from 295/75/16 BAF AT KO to 315/75/16 Cooper discoverer STT. I like them but there is much more noise and vibration particularly at low speed. Cant comment on power as there was no difference with the turbo diesel. I went to a part time kit which helped a bit with the vibes too. I now have to watch it when it boosts in the rain because of sudden wheelspin... Off road there is a noticeable improvement in ability but it suffers on road more than i hoped. Great tires, no issues.

 

[mhiscox]

I know that 35s would look better on my XV-JP, and provide somewhat better trail performance, than the 33" Duratracs that are on there now. But I'm unlikely to make the change because of what I would lose in acceleration and grade climbing ability. To my mind, the move to big tires is best reserved for someone with a surplus of power, or for someone who does not regularly have to mix it up with paved road traffic.

I had an overland-equipped 80 on 35s for a while. It was a seriously tedious truck, and I found the occasional grade where I was down in the low teens for my climb speed. Life would be different if you were in a 200 with 383 horsepower and 403 torques, or in a big diesel pickup, but I've got my doubts about how you'd like the bigger tires on the 80.

 

[REDrum]

OMG, all you guys with how something looks....forum follows function. I think the big tire thing is like the big boob thing with some men :Wow1:

Hope this helps the OP....

On my '94 FZJ I run 3" lift with 255/85/16 BFGKM2s, 4:88 gearing, and camber/castor corrected to factory specs. I get 14MPG and it handles like a car on tarmac and gravel. If you are not wheeling hard off-road you don't need any larger sized tires than 33s--Really. I think it is a near perfect set up for all around moderate wheeling and exploring. And where this truck lives canopy growth can be a big challenge, so less is more.

My '96 FZJ is a different story, its set up for hard core wheeling and extended camping in the Northeast. Its on 5" of lift and 36" TSL, with 4:88, camber/castor corrected to factory specs and fully armored-up. It handles great too but gets 9MPG on the hi-way and 7 around town.... (note red 60 below is on 8" lift...)

As for looks...well beauty is in eye of the beholder...

 

[Gabex35]

For a long time i have wanted to go to 255/85 16. I actually want skinny tall for better MPG. So going to 35s is a little backwards for me. But 255/85 also has very limited tire choices.

I know it's a different wheel size but I've read that the new BFG KO2's will come in a 34x10.5-17. Can't help out with any 80series related info but it's exciting to have a 34" pizza cutter option.

 

[fireball]

Gosh darn, you are right. That makes things interesting! D-range too!

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire...es/all-terrain-t-a-ko2/tire-details#techspecs

 

[CA-RJ]

I went from 33x10.50-15's to 315/75-16's on my 3FE 80 with 4.88's. I did notice a little bit of power loss on acceleration but nothing I couldn't live without. I can cruise at 65 comfortably (75 is no problem either). This summer I towed my loaded 1/4 ton military trailer from southern CA to Kansas at 65-70 without issues and averaged 13 mpg.

The differences in mpg from 255/85-16's and 315/75-16's is going to be very small (1 mpg?). If you can't afford that loss then you probably shouldn't be driving an 80 to begin with.

 

[skeeter06]

I have taken several trips over 1300 miles one way on my 35s. I definitely do not regret buying them. I also drive it daily, and wheel trails similar to moab

 

[zimm]

its a 5% reduction in power to the pavement thru reduced gear reduction. if youre seeing 30% less mileage, youve got more going on than just tires.

all that considered, the 35 provides much more advantage offroad, than disadvantage on road if shocks are valved properly. its 10 pounds of unsprung weight. my lx 470 is running 35's, stock gears, 1" lift front and maybe 2 in the rear when unloaded. mileage has gone from suck to suck, and acceleration from slow to slow. offroad, night and day.

 

[BigSwede]

Zimm, which particular "35s" are you running? I am acquiring a 03 LX soon and am trying to figure out which tires, which will impact what lift and whether I regear. I would like to get this right the first time because tires are so expensive these days. I am looking at Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx in either 275/70R18 (33.4", 7.7% bigger than stock 31") or 295/70R18 (34.25", 10.4% bigger). Given that the 295s are closer to 34 than 35, I am thinking they might fit with only minor trimming. And as you say, bigger tires are nice on the trail (my previous rig had 35s).

 

[temple]

I have had all sizes mentioned. 35's if you want more clearance when aired down, but i wouldnt do it with without regearing to 4.45's towing or not.

 

[flyingwil]

The biggest challenge with larger tire for overland travel is when you have a tire failure. The availability getting a replacement in smaller towns can can difficult. As for the ride now days the tire quality is great and many rigs run 37's comfortably at highway speeds. Personally my rig is a dedicated trail/adventure rig on 35's and I travel in comfort.

I have 37's and 5.29 gears and its just fine around town... I'm planing on going down to 35's this winter. Now if we can just get the Toyo R/T's in a small wheel! As Phil mentioned 35's is pretty common.