Tire Size 255/85/R16 for 4x4

K

Kauluwela

Member
I am in the waiting room for a 2016 144 Crew 4x4 to be built in Feb 2016 and shipped to Seattle. Deposit down and invoice finalized.

In the meantime I have been lurking in the background here on this forum. I have seen many wheel/tire combos and have only seen one mention of the 255/85/R16 which in my mind would be a perfect tire size for the 4x4. I have been running the same size in a Toyo M55 on my first generation Tundra, have driven the Baja peninsula on them, lots of backroads, great tire. It is made in Japan is known for long service life, but the cost is high. It also will fit on the narrow stock wheel within manufacturer spec. and I don't want to buy new wheels, I like the look of the stock alloys.

A 255/85/R16 in this tire is 33.4 inches in diameter and 10.4 inches wide. I feel like it should fit perfectly given that other forum members have success with a 285/70/17 with adjusted offset. The 255/85/R16 would not require changes to the offset and would allow a taller tire.

Its a great all around tire with a stiff sidewall. I cant say enough how great these have worked out on my Tundra in all conditions from sand on the beach in Baja to snow in the mountains in Washington. Tire also performs very well at high or low pressure and have tried all different pressure settings while on my Baja trip November 2014.

Food for thought.

https://www.toyotires.com/tire/pattern/m-55

Happy new year!
 
M

monday

New member
Kauluwela-
A few months behind you [ETA June] - also in Seattle. You must be excited!

Any more thoughts on this tire size?? IF the height fits , seems like it would be perfect.

I've vacillated between upsizing to the 285/70r17. To "overstuffing" a 285/75 on a stock rim [which I know is really pushing it - but if you hit other threads there are a lot of TRUCKS running this size on 6.5"]. And then all the way back to going more expedition on the whole thing and doing the 235/85. [BTW interesting read: http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html]

So I would like the 255/85 to work. But the only cutting I want to do on a new 60k vehicle is for the maxfann - and I don't even "want" to do that.

Cheers-
David
 
K

Kauluwela

Member
monday said:
So doing a bit more poking around. The biggest tire size that people on this forum seem to have mounted is the 285/70r17 [same diameter as a 285/75r16]. The 255/85 is only about .5 inches in diameter bigger [maybe less]. Some good shots of comparisons: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/14555-Toyo-MT-255-85R16-(and-comparison-pics). That Toyo is a nice looking tire.
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That thread is pure tire porn. I used to participate heavily in exp portal. Great site. I'm gonna attempt to shove the 255/85/16s in there after I take possession. My local les Schwann is very patient with me, they get great entertainment trying to fit the biggest tires they can in a small wheel well.
 
K

Kauluwela

Member
monday said:
"tire porn" ...so true.

So your van is being conceived in Feb - when's ETA? Keep me posted. There is a guy in Nevada that I think is running them [https://www.instagram.com/p/86igv8AphL/?taken-by=radtech_roaddog]

Also, since you're in Seattle, would you mind me asking which Les Schwab you go to - it might save me having to explain the insanity to a new shop.
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My build date as reported by Keith at Seattle MB is March 1, and it sounds like the vehicle could arrive anywhere between end of April to end of May, only time will tell.

I use the Les Schwabb in North City (98155) I live in Lake Forest Park down by Bothell Way. I have done many tire fittings with them over the years on different Toyota trucks I have modified. Although I am at a new point and do not plan on modifying anything on the exterior of this vehicle aside from tire replacement and maybe a vent on the roof (or maybe a vent under the vehicle that has ducting and a fan in the walls). I have learned over the years that aftermarket parts generally wear faster than stock and also have a bad tendency to rust. I grew up in Hawaii and everything rusted so I hate rust. Hence my desire to keep it stock to minimize rust, and I'm out on the coast a lot surfing or up skiing so the air and roads are loaded with paint peelers and rust instigators. I wont be mounting a rear tire carrier, I wont be mounting a brush guard, I wont be mounting aftermarket bumpers, sliders, or other exterior aftermarket components whether steel or aluminum because they all end up needing lots of re-finishing as they never seem to hold up to the wear and always start to peel paint or otherwise look like crap after a few years. I also opted for alloy wheels because the steelies will rust in time. I wont be blacking out, painting, or plasti-dipping the wheels or emblems because it will chip and peel in time. Enough on that, just my own opinion and $0.02.

Regarding the tire size, I am confident it will fit, the only question I have is if the 5th tire will fit in the stock spare position without modification. If I cant fit the 255/85/16 in the spare position, I am going to drop down in size to fit the biggest tire I can in the spare slot. This is the first test I will have the Les Schwabb guys do, if it wont work as a spare, its a no-go.

Thanks for the photo, confirms my thinking that the 255/85/16 will fit!

Cheers!
 
M

monday

New member
I have learned over the years that aftermarket parts generally wear faster than stock and also have a bad tendency to rust. I grew up in Hawaii and everything rusted so I hate rust. Hence my desire to keep it stock to minimize rust, and I'm out on the coast a lot surfing or up skiing so the air and roads are loaded with paint peelers and rust instigators. I wont be mounting a rear tire carrier, I wont be mounting a brush guard, I wont be mounting aftermarket bumpers, sliders, or other exterior aftermarket components whether steel or aluminum because they all end up needing lots of re-finishing as they never seem to hold up to the wear and always start to peel paint or otherwise look like crap after a few years. I also opted for alloy wheels because the steelies will rust in time. I wont be blacking out, painting, or plasti-dipping the wheels or emblems because it will chip and peel in time.
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Awwwwww. Why'd you have to go and be all practical?:cry::cry::cry: Just when I was keen on getting all that stuff.

I figured since I finally have THE vehicle and I more than likely will have this for more than ten years - I wont feel like a dope dropping some shuckles on the toys. But alas you have a good point. [darn I hate it when people make good logical points like that] I spend a lot of time at the coast as well - and we do drive on the beach. I only went with the steelies because I thought there was a chance that I'd be bumping up to 17s to get the tire size.

As a side note [and I'm sure you've used it - but for those that haven't] I'm a huge fan of bedliner. Perhaps it sounds low-brow for a Mercedes. But as you point out all coatings will fail [powder coat/annodization/paint] - but the bedliner is ridiculously easy to touch up. It's also cheap and perhaps the most durable.

Also, you know most wheels are painted anyways - I assume the stock ones you are getting are. So painting those is not any more susceptible to the perils of climate as leaving them. Having done them on sports cars - my thought is that the key is several layers of clear coat.

Well you must have been walking out of Kieth's office as I was walkin' in [Mid March here]:cheers:
 
keepmoving

keepmoving

Well-known member
I made a list the other day while looking at this size tire.

255/85/16-E offerings

Maxxis Bighorn MT
BFG KM2
Toyo M-55
Cooper ST MAXX
Cooper ST
Dick Depek Extreem Country

There are probably a few other choices. These will fit a 4x4 Sprinter.
 
K

Kauluwela

Member
keepmoving said:
I made a list the other day while looking at this size tire.

255/85/16-E offerings

Maxxis Bighorn MT
BFG KM2
Toyo M-55
Cooper ST MAXX
Cooper ST
Dick Depek Extreem Country

There are probably a few other choices. These will fit a 4x4 Sprinter.
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Add:

Toyo Open Country MT
 
K

Kgorman

Member
I really wanted the Toyo Open Country AT2, so I went with 265/75r16 on stock rims. No regrets, perhaps one could go a little larger diameter but I wouldn't go any wider with stock wheels/offset.
 
H

Hollow Wave

Member
Kgorman said:
I really wanted the Toyo Open Country AT2, so I went with 265/75r16 on stock rims. No regrets, perhaps one could go a little larger diameter but I wouldn't go any wider with stock wheels/offset.
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I have Nitto Trail Grapplers in 265/75/16 on stock rims on my 170 2wd and i can say that this size has improved the ride, handling and looks. MB went cheap, the 265/75/16 is what the vans should come with.
 
M

michaeldorian

Member
255/85 is the size I would also like to run. Please report back once you do. I think this is the perfect size. Maybe everyone runs 265/75 because of the wide availability of tire and once someone find a size that works, everyone just follows along.
 
K

Kauluwela

Member
Picked up 2016 144 Crew 4x4 Monday. Had 5 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx 255/85/16s mounted on Thursday. These are 33 inches in diameter and 10.8 inches wide.

The tire size is perfect.

The spare does not fit in the cage and will have to be modified. Should be an easy weld in expansion project.

Drove from Seattle to Bend Friday night for first trip in van. Love it. No complaints.

I'll post pics when I can (now posted below in next post).

In my opinion this is the perfect tire for this van. It uses stock wheel and drives great. Only difference is speedo and odo are off now, but i believe i can have the system reset with a code to,refelct this tire size as MB actually lists this as an optional tire for this vehicle in the super single that is available in Europe.

Cheers.
 
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N

Nordicjump

New member
Kauluwela,

Can you up date us on this when you figure something out.

The spare does not fit in the cage and will have to be modified. Should be an easy weld in expansion project.

Thanks
 
M

monday

New member
Kauluwela-

Nicely done! More pics if you got 'em - plz. And, yes, please keep us posted on the hack for the spare carrier. Or if you decide to just hang it on the door.

I think you may have hit on "the" tire for the rig.

Keith says I have a few more weeks to wait.

david
 
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