295/75R16 Nitto Terra Grappler: Is there a better option for a 34" tire?

No, I'm not saying that. Weight will however negatively impact the vehicles ability to accelerate and brake.

I absolutely agree with the weight impact in theory, it's just that I just haven't run enough different tire setups to have the experience of direct comparison for real world impact between weight, load range, and scrub radius...if I could get a 34 or 35 BFG KM3 that was 11" or narrower in a load range C it would be easy, but that doesn't exist so I have to find the right balance and I'm hoping to lean on the experience of others rather than conducting a series of $1000 experiments before getting it right.

At least in the sizes I have looked at (35 and 33 x 12.5R15and all in C), BFG's run lighter which I like and Toyo and Nitto run heavy (a 33" trail grappler or open country mt weighs more than a 35" KM3), with Milestar, General, Cooper, Yokohama generally in the middle.
 
I absolutely agree with the weight impact in theory, it's just that I just haven't run enough different tire setups to have the experience of direct comparison for real world impact between weight, load range, and scrub radius...if I could get a 34 or 35 BFG KM3 that was 11" or narrower in a load range C it would be easy, but that doesn't exist so I have to find the right balance and I'm hoping to lean on the experience of others rather than conducting a series of $1000 experiments before getting it right.

At least in the sizes I have looked at (35 and 33 x 12.5R15and all in C), BFG's run lighter which I like and Toyo and Nitto run heavy (a 33" trail grappler or open country mt weighs more than a 35" KM3), with Milestar, General, Cooper, Yokohama generally in the middle.
Something else to consider when buying odd sized tires is availability. I was thinking the same as you and got some words of wisdom. If you go for that 255/85/16 vs say those 285/75/16, how many places carry those tires? If you are out in the middle of nowhere how long will you be stranded for in worst case scenario?
 
Thats the point of a spare, and I have roadside towing too. Also, you could always snag a wider (or narrower) 33 and then make it the spare. The height is the important part.
 
I absolutely agree with the weight impact in theory, it's just that I just haven't run enough different tire setups to have the experience of direct comparison for real world impact between weight, load range, and scrub radius...if I could get a 34 or 35 BFG KM3 that was 11" or narrower in a load range C it would be easy, but that doesn't exist so I have to find the right balance and I'm hoping to lean on the experience of others rather than conducting a series of $1000 experiments before getting it right.

At least in the sizes I have looked at (35 and 33 x 12.5R15and all in C), BFG's run lighter which I like and Toyo and Nitto run heavy (a 33" trail grappler or open country mt weighs more than a 35" KM3), with Milestar, General, Cooper, Yokohama generally in the middle.

I've wasted more money on tires than I'd like to admit. Especially, finding the right 35" tire for my needs. I run a 17" beadlock wheel, so finding something that was both tough and light was a challenge. Several tires turned out to be a huge disappointment, but I ultimately found one that I've been very, very happy with, i.e. the Mickey Thompson MTZ P3. They're tough as nails, light (at 65 lbs) in comparison to other 35" tires, perform equally well on and off-road, aren't obnoxiously loud, and are one of the few MT tires I've owned that perform well in wet conditions, which I see a fair amount of here in Va. Also, they're available in a D rating. Interestingly, when I looked at the 35x17 D rated tire, it was 3 lbs lighter than the 35x15 C rated version. My guess is the big sidewall of the 15 is where the difference is.
 
@Irun, I got the wheels in this weekend, they look awesome!

So now, I am committed to the 16x8 with 4.5 Backspacing setup.

I also started debating going with a 315/75/16 again, since there are so many more options, and I have the lift to support it. There is a surprising amount of variation in the 315 section widths. The Dick Cepeks and Mickey Thompsons I found are only 0.17" wider, and only 4-5 extra LBs.

295/75/16 Nitto Terra Grappler - 33.27 x 11.73 - 57.9 LB (load D)
315/75/16 Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP - 34.8x11.9 - 62 LB (load E)
315/75/16 M/T Baja ATZ P3 - 34.5x11.9 - 63 LB (load E)
 
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How about the Terra Grappler LT315/75R16? It's D rated, with an overall width of 12.32".

Edit: Just noticed that this one weighs 67 lbs
 
Looks like you already noticed the weight. The other thing is, I don't want them that wide. There are just a few 315s in the 11.8-12.2 range.
 
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