255/85r16 vs 285/75r16

Camdenst

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Hey Guys,

I am planning a tire upgrade after installing the dpg kit and torn between the 255x85 and the classic 285x75 on the rubi 16s. I try and make a few runs a year to PA to wheel and my previous BFG KOs were perfect. It’s down to the Cooper ST Maxx in the 255 or the BFG ko2 or new Grabber ATx in the 285.

PS. Thanks for the lift advice, the ride is perfect.
 
I don't think I've ever seen a 255/85r16 that I know of. Seems like that would be a lot harder to find as oppose to a 285, no?
 
From what I've read the st maxx is quite popular with the overland guys and ships from all the major retailers. Ill definitely get the matching spare and if I end up burning through two tires on the trails... it's more than likely my fault and not the tires haha.
 
I have Cooper Discoverer ST/Maxx tires on another 4WD vehicle set up for "overlanding." They are great tires. They have performed well in Moab, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains, Death Valley, and the Nevada desert. I expect to get 40,000 miles from mine.

The actual diameter of the ST/Maxx LT255/85R16 is slightly less than other 255/85R16 tires on the market. The ST/Maxx LT255/85R16 at 32.8" in diameter with a section width of 10.2" is the same diameter as most LT285/75R16 tires but a tad narrower. It is best described as a "metric 33x10.50" rather than a "pizza cutter."

You should note that ST/Maxx tires have an "E" load rating which some find a bit stiff for a vehicle the weight of a Wrangler.


There are several threads on 255/85 tires in the "general vehicle modifications" sub-forum on ExpeditionPortal.com that you might find interesting.

Mine, the day I bought them:

qxN575Kl4Z2zPsoopdux9RAZHVlM_Ygwj0IwmjKfs5RL8riGA9whIK8mMFnanFqACWcJlH486-eW9xur2eA=w850-h637-no.jpg
 
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Such a timely thread as I've been doing a LOT of research on this recently and trying to find other options for tires around that size. I'm in the same boat as you - looking for something to replace my 265/75R16 duratracs when I get my 3.5" Rock-krawler kit installed.

There are a few other options for a 255/85R16; but they are admittedly limited.

You don't say if you are looking for an AT, a MT, or (my favorite) a hybrid.

Other possibilities include the BGF KM2 (km3s are due out in June, so maybe good sales on the old ones soon?), the ST-Maxx you mentioned, the Cooper S/T, the Mastercraft course CXT, the Dick Cepek Extreme country,

I've also been looking at picking up a set of 17" wheels and going to 255/80R17. They end up nearly the same diameter as 255/85R16, but there seem to be a few more options in tire choice.
 
Thanks guys. To me it seems appears that the tires stick out a bit too far. There are wheel spacers on it and I really like the wheels which lead me to the 255x85.

I was dead set on an all terrain, either the ko2- or the grabber atx till I stumbled upon the st maxx. Weight wise the cooper is a heavier tire but the 255 cooper weighs in around the ko2 in 285 size.
 
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The Cooper Discoverer ST/Maxx is formally classified as a "commercial traction" tire rather than an AT, but in practice is best described as an aggressive AT.

One of the reasons I considered the ST/Maxx for my other 4WD vehicle were the 3-ply sidewalls, important where I typically offroad (sharp volcanic rock and logging debris). What sold me was learning that many of the Forest Service and CalFire vehicles in my area have ST/Maxx tires for that very reason.

You can't go wrong with the Cooper ST/Maxx or the BFG AT KO2.
 
You guys are great, thanks again for the help. I’m leaning towards the ST Maxx. I’ll continue to troll looking for pics of 255x85 and keep you guys posted.

Mike, there looks to be plenty of tire on your Rubi. They look quite beefy.
 
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