I am looking to swap out my Michelin LTX A/S tires (only 1000 miles on them!) They are FOR SALE in the CLASSIFIEDS section of this forum...

Anyway, can I move-up to a 275/70/17 size instead of the stock 265/70/17 tire on my stock rim? What, if any, advantages would I have if I went with a taller or wider tire?? Or should I just stick with the FACTORY size??

I am NOT planning on getting different rims

 

dude, you can go to like a 315/70/17 which is a 35". I've seen all the way up to a 40"

 

What benefits would I get with a larger/wider tire??

 

Pros: Looks, off-road capabilites

Cons: MPG goes down, slight loss in performance, depending on how big you go, more strain on transmission, driveline, u-joints.....etc

 

Pet,

You can put 315's on a stock rim. But there have been a few guys on here who have had some problems. Not all, but some. The 315's can rub a little bit unless you have a lift. Also, there is some concern that "death wobble" is caused by or aggravated by putting that large of a tire on the stock rim. It can exhibit some sidewall flex because the 315 is meant to go on (I think) a 8.5'' or 9'' wide rim. Our stock rims are 8''.

A common size and tire to replace the stockers while using the stock rims is the BFG All-Terrain TA KO 285/70/17. In my opinion, they offer a good compromise between looks and performance. It doesn't rob much power but does help fill out the wheel wells a little better. There are some pics in my gallery with the 285's on. Good luck!

 

I agree with TexasCTD, 285's are a good size for the stock rim. Also you won't has to lift the truck.

 

I'm the guy running the 40's on the stock wheels. It does just fine. They are 13.5 side which is probably a little too much for an 8 inch wide wheel. But with a tire 40" tall, there's plenty of sidewall flex. Id' say a 33 or 35 with a leveling kit would set it up nicely. I have a pic of my truck with a 2" daystar and 35" ProComp mud terrains in my gallery. I actually got great gas mileage on the 35
s on the highway. At 65mph, I would get 23mpg. But as soon as I hit 70mph, it would drop to around 18. I couldn't really tell any power loss since I put them on with less than 400 miles on my truck.

 

i have 37x12.5x17 on the stock wheels.

width would be my main concern on a 8" wheel. These run smother than my old 35s.

 

I have BFG A/T 315s on stock 17x8 wheels with a 2" leveling kit. I would not go any bigger on a 17x8 wheel. I just did not find any wheels that were affordable with stock bs/offset two years ago or I would have changed.

That said I have over two years and right at 49,000 miles on the BFG 315s now without any problems. Very slight cupping wear, but not a problem. I rotate and balance every 6k-8k and expect to get another 10,000 miles out of these.

 

Thanks for the info...

I am looking to go with the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor (285/70/17). They are the #1 rated tire for truck/SUV all-season tires. They get excellent reviews with Tirerack.com.

Unfortunately, they do NOT come in a "E" rating with the 285, only the 265 comes with a "E" rating. The 285s come in a "D" rating.

How much MPG will I lose going from a 265 to a 285 tire??
Also, will the truck ride WORSE or BETTER on pavement or snow with the LARGER size???

 

I would guess the ride will be better. Mine was with the 315s. I lost about 1-1.5 mpg in all city driving and stayed about the same on the highway. Change from 265 to 285 is not radical and is a supported tire size for 2500/3500 Dodge Rams. Just my .02.

 

We can still use a "D" rating tire