265 70r 17" vs 285 70r 17" how much off road advantage is the 285 in sand/mud

I have a bilstein 5100 2.5" front and 1.5" lift in rear. How much of an advantage do 285s give in Florida mud/sand?

 

I would think your benefits of 285s will be more related to ground clearance vs better traction in mud/sand.

 

I had 285’s and went back to 265’s, same exact tire type. I haven’t noticed any change to off-road capability.

 

Would agree with the above. Tire size isn't going to be important in mud/sand, tread selection will be more critical.

Unless you are concerned about ruts and getting high centered - even then, a 285/70 vs 265/70 isn't going to get you a whole lot

 

Driving skills and common sense will get you far.

 

I have driven in deep soft sand in 4 T4Rs, 3Gen 265/75/16, 4Gen and 2 5Gen 265/70/17, no lifts, for years on the Outer Banks of NC. Airing down is the key to success in that case. Also aggressive tread is more likely to dig you in in that scenario. Been doing that sand since I was about 10 yrs old in various vehicles, including rear 2WD. First 3 rules is 1. air down, 2. air down some more, 3. go down a little more, but beware of possible bead failure. I have never been stuck. Temporarily detained, yes. LOL.

Now that said 285/70/17 would do a little better in my scenario because of the wider tread

 

285’s buy you about a half inch of ground clearance. You can decide if that’s significant. There’s an argument to be made for taller, skinnier tires for mud. And an argument to be made for wider tires for sand. But the extra inch of width (½ inch per side) that 285’s will give you may not be much advantage.

I do mostly desert driving in the southwest, with a little experience in snow and none on dunes/beaches or mud. For my driving, MT’s out perform AT’s, though they’re louder and usually heavier.

 

Yeah, but I can't buy those.

 

The skills can be bought. I recommend you pick a training course that provides its own vehicles. You’re on your own with the common sense.

 

Got my training place and date picked out, I'll register soon. I'm starting at square one to pick up whatever I missed learning the hard way.

 

That’s excellent!

 

Good memories growing up in Virginia Beach/sandbridge and then going down to corolla. You got it all down to science.

 

I was thinking I won't gain much ground clearance with 285/70R17 with slightly smaller diameter models like Falkens AT3W/ Toyo OC (vs tires bigger diameter like MT Baja MTZs that is over 33in).

But I thought 285/70R17 bigger contact patch would help on floatation like to stay on top of the snow even at less risky 15psi. Also on the opposite when I want higher pressure per sq in like on pavement I can run relatively high psi may be like 40psi.

When I was going 265 to 285 weight was a concern too (since one of my 285 set is relatively heavy). I found tires like Cooper discoverer at3 4s, Toyo Open Country AT3 have less weight yet an all terrain tires that meets my needs. Those 2 also are 3PMSF rated for the winter.

Also want to point that one of my 4runners have TRD Pro wheels that are not rated to run 285. Many say there's no issues but me personally keeping that risk on back of my mind since I think there should be a reason why tire manufacturers have wheel width specs.

 

Spot on kmeeg! I live in CO at 6,300 ft. I noticed a difference with 285s in snow, especially deep snow. The Faulkins WP 3 peak is a huge difference. Now it’s summer, I’m running a 38 psi. I know so many who put larger tires on trd wheels 17/7 rims without issue but I wanted to be safe since some insurance companies won’t cover mods and accidents that don’t align with their policies. I like the pro wheels but I wanted methods given off roading with 17/8.5 and put my trd wheels on my wife’s t4r with her 265/17/7.
In the end, its what you want and what type of driving you do.

 

That’s why stayed with 265. I think you get about .7 inches more clearance.

 

I just completed my “build” of my 2021 OR and spent a lot of time weighing the pro’s and con’s of 285’s vs 265’s.

My rig has a 2” lift with 5100’s, Dobinsons springs and JBA UPC. It also has sliders, full skids (incl gas tank), hybrid bumper/winch and an expedition rack and a few other items. It was all done on a tight budget and installed by me in my garage.

The tire decision considered the following regarding 285’s…..
Pro’s:
Look Great
Gain 1/2” ground clearance
Gain 1/2” width
Con’s:
Cost more than 265’s
Weigh more than 265’s
May rub and require a body mount chop
Will require inner fender trimming
Will negatively impact stopping distance
Will negatively impact acceleration
Will likely cause more gear hunting
Will negatively impact fuel economy

After putting the pro’s and con’s on a piece of paper, the choice was easy for me. I put 265’s on my rig (BFG K02’s - C ) and am very satisfied with the decision.

I am hitting the road in July and plan to drive the Wyoming Back Country Discovery Route. Looking forward to seeing if my build plan was on target for this vacation and others like it.

BTW, 285’s look great and if that’s what you want, go for it…

Cheers,
Bob

 

One thing worth mentioning, if you stick with 265’s and select an aggressive AT/MT or hybrid, the tires will look larger than the stock street tires it comes with. I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw my 265 Nitto RG’s.

 

Here’s what my rig looks like with 265 BFG K02’s….

 

Thanks for all the replies. I think I am going to stick with my wildpeak at3 265s and get my front door windows tired instead. Seems as if 285 is mostly for looks. My 2.5"/1.5" bilstein 5100 rig is mostly for overlanding anyhow but I will carry a full compliment of recovery gear. Again thanks for the replies this saves me more weight, brakes, transmission, BMC, trimming and $$$.

 

I just wish Toyota had stayed with 265/75/16 so you had a little more sidewall to balloon out when aired down

 

Just make sure you have the right recovery gear. Traction boards are great to have when offroading in sandy conditions.

 

Right on. I carry 2 jacks and boards to support them in the sand, a fox hole shovel and an all fabric tow strap ( if it snaps, less lethal than something with metal). Floor mats can also be of help for traction.

 

Any thoughts on 255/80R17s? Some people seem to really like them and they apparently don't rub, even with a stock suspension.

 

Still only adds a small amount. While I am a fan of skinny over wide, recovery gear and driver experience can get a stock 4runner pretty much anywhere( especially with a locker and a good set of tires)

 

This is my opinion regarding 255-80-17’s vs 265’s…

With the exception of rubbing and requiring a body mount chop (so they say), the skinnies have all the same cons of the 285’s and the only pro is the 1/2” of extra ground clearance. See my earlier post in this string.

That said, there are other opinions so research it and decide what works for you. You get to have an opinion too..

Cheers,
Bob

 

Also 255/80R17 only come with Load E. Might not be the cup of tea for someone looking for a softer ride.

 

Man, after I installed my suspension I went back and forth for months trying to decide on 265s, 275s, 255s, 285s. Ultimately, I settled on Toyo AT III in 285/70R17 load C. I do graze the mount, but very very slightly and the circumstances have to be just perfect (wheel turned left at just the right angle going just the right speed into the driveway at my work. I had no rubbing when I took it to Toquerville Falls).

We took a trip last week from Southern Utah to California and I averaged just a hair over (no bullshit) 19 mpg. That’s with lift, skids, sliders, the broad and the brats, and all of our crap.

Overall, my experience with 285s has been nothing but positive and I have zero regrets. However, your mileage may vary, void where prohibited, please drink responsibly, etc.

 

I have to disagree with a few of the earlier replies. For sand, flotation is more important than clearance. For mud, you can either try to dig down until you find something solid, or you can try to float over it. This mostly comes down to the type of mud you are dealing with. That being said, the 4Runner really isn't a great platform for mudding.

The biggest advantage I see with 285s over 265s is flotation, not ground clearance. If you are just looking for more clearance, a tall skinny might be more advantageous for you. If you are looking for a flotation, I would go with the wider tire.

 

I have to agree with James, wider flatter for flotation.