255/85's on Stock 2500 Rims..99 and up

stoutporterstoutporter Member Posts: 13
edited March 2014 in Chevrolet
The time has almost come....the best tires I have owned (F-stones...even though everybody cried 4 years ago about them due too watching too much television) are almost ready to be replaced....74K on them...and want new ones before winter.

the 245/75's always were kinda small for a 2500, but I really didn't care. They did the job. I am looking at 255/85's and I remember years past people put these on their 2500 rims and had no problems....or did they?....I don't remember.

Anyone that has done this, please tell me your goods or bads...and what brand worked or didn't work for you. I remember Kelly's were a popular brand. I also know it's limited as to what is offered in the same rating of a tire as the current 245's.

I don't want to hear about 1500's, as they have different wheels...nor do I want advice on aftermarket wheels, as I don't want those either.

Any input is great..

This is for Chevy and GMC trucks....99 and up...2500..NON HD..4WD

Thanks

 - Porter
Tagged:

Comments

  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    My brother in law has a 2000 2500 that he just put 285/75/16R on with no problems what so ever. All it did is make the truck look alot better. No rubbing on bumpers or anything. Biggest thing to remember about it is to make SURE that you rotate them every 7K miles.
    Tom
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    what if you dont rotate them every 7K miles? I have had my 285s for 30K miles and I havent rotated them in 18K. No problems whatsoever (except for keeping the clean haha)
  • stoutporterstoutporter Member Posts: 13
    I did mine at least 7K and even got 3 alignments in 4 years and 72K miles....which I am sure contributed to the better wear. I did like Ryan (or worse) in past trucks and got 35-40K or so out of my tires.

    I know some have done the 285 route on 2500 rims, but I think the 7" rim is not really designed for that tire. What kind of miles does that truck have on the tires?..(I see you say "just put"...so I guess not many)

    Thanks for your input.

     - Porter
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    The 2500 stock wheels are 6.5 inches, 1500's have the 7 inch wheels.

    Every tire manufacture calls for at least a 7.5 inch wheel when installing a 285 75 16 tire.

    I have 285's on stock 1500 wheels, but think that this size on 6.5 inch wheels would be a mistake.

    This is way more than most people want to know about tires - per tire rack web site.

    Rim Width Range
    Because tires have flexible sidewalls, a single tire size will fit on a variety of rim widths. A tire's rim width range identifies the narrowest to the widest rim widths that the tire is designed to fit. The width of the rim will influence the width of the tire. A tire mounted on a narrow rim would be "narrower" than if the same size tire was mounted on a wide rim. NOTE: Because the overall diameter of a steel belted radial is determined by the steel belts, there is little, if any, change to the overall diameter of the tire due to differences in rim width.

    The industry rule of thumb is that for every 1/2" change in rim width, the tire's section width will correspondingly change by approximately 2/10".

    For example: a tire in the P205/60R15 size is measured on a 6.0" wide wheel and this size tire has an approved rim width range from 5.5" to 7.5" wide. The tire has a section width of 8.23" (209mm) when mounted on a 6.0" wide wheel. If that tire were mounted on all of the rims within its range, the tire's approximate section width would change as follows:

    Difference from
    Measuring Rim Rim
    Width Approximate Tire
    section width
    0.5" narrower 5.5" 8.03"
    Measuring Rim 6.0" 8.23"
    0.5" wider 6.5" 8.43"
    1.0" wider 7.0" 8.63"
    1.5" wider 7.5" 8.83"

    Because of the different wheel widths used in the above example, there is a 8/10" projected difference in tire section width when comparing a tire mounted on the narrowest rim to the widest rim within its range. This may affect fenderwell and frame clearances when selecting optional aftermarket wheel and tire packages

    Additionally, some vehicle manufacturers and tire companies have permitted rim widths that are not within the tire's original approved rim width range. For example: BMW has combined 235/40R17 sized tires on 17x7.5" rims (which are 0.5" less than the narrowest 8.0" wide rim listed for the size) on certain M3 models; and Chevrolet has combined P255/50R16 sized tires on optional 16x9.5" rims (which are 0.5" wider than the 9.0" wide rim now listed for the size) on certain Corvette models. While these applications have received the approval of the vehicle and tire manufacturers, staying within the approved rim width range helps assure that the tire's internal stresses are within its design parameters.

    Measuring Rim Width
    The measuring rim width is the industry standardized rim width upon which the tire must be mounted in order to confirm it meets its dimensional targets. Because the width of the rim will influence the width of the tire, a standard rim width for every tire size is assigned and must be used. This standardized measuring rim width allows all of the tires produced around the world to meet the same dimensional standards and therefore, be equivalent with regards to their physical size. The measuring rim width is sometimes referred to as the tire's "design rim width".
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    He just had them put on this summer so im guessing around 5K on them now. Reason i have heard for the 7K mile rotate is that there is alot less chance of the tires starting to cup and make the truck shake. Experianced that on my 97 Ram when i had it...cost over $700 for four new 33" tires.
    Tom
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    my truck only shakes at about 73-75 mph anything after 75 its smooth. I think the truck hits its resonance frequency at those speeds :)
  • stoutporterstoutporter Member Posts: 13
    .....I have not looked at specs in a while, but I swore the 1500's were 7.5 and the 2500 was 7"?.....perhaps I was wrong.....

    Thanks for the insight.....I do know you can put all kinds of tires on these rims...305's etc.....but it's the long term wear I am concerned about...

    I may just go 245/75 again....they did me well.

    ...and no 1500 talk here Ryan......1500KD (Kid Duty) topics are available if you need be......LOL

    N-joy

     - Porter
  • kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
    I put 265/75R16 on my 2500 HD (16X6.5 rims) about 8k ago. I think it MIGHT bounce a little more at hiway speeds and sway more in the hills,or maybe not.If so it's not much.They still look new.I rotated them at 6k.

    With 255s you won't feel any difference.
    I got rid of those firestones at 30k. Two of them were loosing big pieces of tread out of the center.They did grip the road a little better than the Goodyear Wrangler AT/S that I have on it now.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    any time any place. your LD 2500 vs my 1500KD

    Also change that cabin filter yet? haha
  • stoutporterstoutporter Member Posts: 13
    my 265/75's on the last truck (1500)...

    These 'Stones have wore, rode, handled great....so great I didn't want to replace them..

    If anything, it will be the 255/85's instead of the 245/75's.....

    I still have a few months......like to have them before deer waitin' season..

    Thanks for the input.....

    ....where are the 255 guys who put them on 2500 Rims 2-3 years ago!?

    N-joy

     - Porter
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles