Ok, everybody wants opinions on tires, myself included!

I've got a 2001.5 2500 4x4 CTD--it's the long bed/wide model. I'm at about 35k miles on the michelin 265's, and they look small compared to the rest of the truck.

My driving is 75% highway, with 25% towing a boat and offroading.

I want a tire that won't require chains in the snow, and will look good, and will fit on the stock rims (just don't have that kinda $$$)

I like the procomp a/t tires, but what size? highway wear and mileage are important to me. Would the bfg a/t tires also be a good fit? and what size? I don't want to rub (it's hard enough to turn this monster as it is), and I don't want to have to lift or extend anything.

Any advice would be appreciated!

No Worries!
Jason

 

My truck has 265/75 tires on it and they seem to look decent. I have two tires that I run in the winter and they are 245/75. They are only about 1 1/2 inch smaller but they look small. As far as a type I would look for an all weather tire (me personally). It all depends on what your desires are. I suggest that you go talk to your local tire dealers and see what they have and what they suggest. After you have all the info then follow your gut feeling as to which ones will give you the &quot;most bang for your buck&quot;.<br>Tom

 

I avoided the BFG's because the AT's weren't agressive enough and I heard the MT's are quite loud. I heard good things from several people about the Nitto Terra Grapplers so I put them on my truck. Only have 100 miles on them so far but I can say they do well in the rain and are quiet. The tread design is between a BFG AT and MT, jst agressive enough. Haven't tried them in the mud yet. It's been raining pretty hard here and I am not into bogging, just being able to drive on wet grass without puting it in 4x4 high. <br><br>If you have the window down you can hear the slightest whine out of them. Kind of medium-low tone. If the windows are up you can't here a thing. I have only had them up to 75 mph so far so they may be a little louder at higher speeds.<br><br>Mine are 305/70R16's. They were rubbing and I had to get the leveling kit installed. You could probably just get by with 295/70's or 285/75's.<br><br>I heard the Procomps wear quickly, the reason I avoided them. I didn't hear a lot of good things about other tires besides the Nittos in the time I was looking, about 2 months.<br><br>http://www.stamey.nu/Truck/NewWheels.htm<br><br>http://www.nittotire.com/tire_ntterr...r_overview.asp<br><br>Chris

 

I have to say that the pro comp a/t have been the best tires i have ever owned!! so far i have 45,000 highway miles between trucks. (I put my old 305's on my new truck ) and there is still 7-8/32 of tread all the way around plus they are great in the snow and are not very loud. the best thing is that 4 wheel parts often has buy 3 get 1 free! I will get them again only next time 315's ;D buy the way 305's only rub slightly at full turn.

 

So it looks like even with 4x4 you will rub with 305's without a lift?<br><br>Thanks for the info and pics! Great stuff!<br><br>No Worries!<br>Jason

 

I put the Bridgestone Duelers AT in a 285/75 size, and I love them. For a diesel, they wear well, and they are quiet. If you get a truck like ours in the mud they are too heavy, but in moderate slop they work well. No rubbing at any position.

 

[quote author=noworries link=board=5;threadid=12545;start=0#118785 date=1048262142]<br>So it looks like even with 4x4 you will rub with 305's without a lift?<br>[/quote]<br><br>I'm no expert here, so bear with me. I have 16x10 rims on there. Mickey Thompson said I would likely need a lift if I went with the 305/70s on the 10 inch rim. I found that I could get away with a 1.5-2&quot; lift, the leveling kit, with this size tire, on this size rim. Mickey Thompson implied that they would not rub, without the leveling kit, if I had that 305/70s on an 8&quot; wide rim. I have not tried this.<br><br>Currently, the only rubbing is on the mud flaps, when I turn. You can probably see in the pics of my previous post that the mud flaps sit just inside the wheel wheel and go straight down. If they bent back a little bit they would not rub either.<br><br>Chris

 

I think you would still have rub with an 8&quot; rim, but it would be on the control arms instead of the rear inside fender.<br><br>I have rubbing in that exact spot, but to a worse degree.<br>Since I have 315's coupled with a less(more?) than optimal backspacing (tires stick out 2-3 inches from fender).<br><br>I can only turn the steering wheel 355 degrees (almost once around) without hearing my tires shredding.<br><br>Am currently weighing my options as how to go about remedying the rubbing, at a reasonable price.<br>(currently have stock rims/tires back on while I decide what to do, an whoooeeeeyyy , do those stockers look tiny with the 2inch leveling spacer on)<br><br>Had to take it to the dealer for emissions test today anyway and didn't want them killing my drivetrain warranty , or shredding my tires driving it around the shop.<br><br><br>phox

 

Phox,<br>Perhaps you can sell your rims and use that money to get some new ones with different spacing. Depending on what you get for your current rims, this might be a small investment. :<br><br>Chris

 

[quote author=Stamey link=board=5;threadid=12545;start=0#119005 date=1048307607]<br>Phox,<br>Perhaps you can sell your rims and use that money to get some new ones with different spacing. Depending on what you get for your current rims, this might be a small investment. :<br><br>Chris<br>[/quote]<br><br>I really like the rims, and the way they look on the truck.<br>And as much as they cost, and only being a month old, I'd take it in the shorts trying to sell them.<br><br>I've finagled the budget around some, and scraped up enough to do a 3 or 4inch lift instead of just the spacers so I'm going to go that route very soon. <br>I'm going to visit a couple of lift shops tomorrow and get some pricing.<br><br><br>phox

 

Phox,
It has got to be the width of the rims. Dodgeman01 has American Racing Baja 16x8 rims on his, with 315/75R16s, BFG AT's, and he says he has no rubbing, even though the tire height is 33.5-34&quot;. His fenders sit at 41.5&quot;. Mine, with the leveling kit on it, sits at 41.25&quot;, measuring the bottom edge of the fender, diectly over the tire. My tire, 305/70R16, is 31.75&quot; tall, with the sag of the radial. Mine do not rub the fender wells,but do run the straight-down mud flaps.
If nothing else, we are compiling good data to tell newbies. ;D

Chris

 

Got more info today. TimInVa's truck has the same tires as mine, 'Nitto' Terra Grapplers, 305/70R16. His rims are stock aliminum rims, 16x7.5&quot;. He has minor rubbing on the control arm when turned to the lock and twisting the frame. Hes does not have rubbing with the fender. <br><br>This tells me that the rim width is everything in this situation. I now believe this is why DodgeMan01 can fit a 315/75 on his truck without the leveling kit and have no rubbing. You just need to have 8&quot; wide rims.<br>I wish I had gotten 8&quot; wide rims for mine now.<br><br>Chris

 

So I take it that with 285's or 295's on a 8&quot; rim with no lift I shouldn't have any rubbing...right? [undecided]

 

[quote author=Xplorer link=board=5;threadid=12545;start=0#119328 date=1048390335]<br>So I take it that with 285's or 295's on a 8&quot; rim with no lift I shouldn't have any rubbing...right? [undecided]<br>[/quote]<br><br>According to my calculations, a 315/75 is 34.60 inches tall. if you put a 285/75 (32.83&quot or a 295/75 (33.42&quot, you should not have rubbing, depending on your rims.<br>As I said before, the rim width makes a lot of difference, and the backspacing will come into play with aftermarket rims.<br>If you have stock wheels, either the 16x6.5 steel wheels, or the 16x7.5 aluminum wheels, the 285 or 295 should be no problem.<br>If you go aftermarket, you should go with 8&quot; wide wheels as this does make a difference in rubbing the fender wells. If I had gone with 8&quot; wide wheels on my recent purchase, I would not have needed the leveling kit to prevent rubbing. (I have to admit though, the leveling kit makes it look a little better, and at a diesel meet today, several people commented they liked the look with the leveling kit on it)<br><br>Chris<br>

 

Stamey, according to your calculations, I should be able to fit 315/75/16 tires on my stock 16 x 7.5 rims? I have an 02 dodge ram 4x4 quad cab deisel.