235/85/16 The Skinny

This is my ideal combo! I was assuming the tires were too narrow for an 8" wheel though. Any issues?

 

Got into the super skinny this year. Love them so far

 

Falken? Are they 235/85s?

 

Got any pics? Would love to see 235s with that offset and 8” width.

 

Yep Falken AT3W, in 235's

 

Hi Shaned,
max rim width for a 235 is usually listed as 7.5". I thought I'd be fine with an 8" rim but before I committed I asked around at several tire and off road shops and talked to several folks that have run this combo aired down wheeling in the rocks for years without issue.

I will say the ST Pro's really howl. I think there even louder than the swampers I used to run on the Rover.

 

Looks great. My truck's stock. Based on what I've read here I can go with this size and will not run into any problems. That is correct yes? Just double checking before I really consider this. Thanks. Again looks great.

 

Haha thanks,

Mine has 2,5"lift and 1.25" wheel spacers. But with all i've read, 235's should be good on stock truck, without rubbing issues

 

Yes you will have no trouble putting 235 85 16's on a stock truck, did mine last week.
Really like these tires!

 

What tires did you choose? Post pics!

 

Haha, yes pics forthcoming. Raining now and a long work week. They are Cooper ST Maxx, got a pretty good deal from TireBuyer on ebay. Like $177 a tire. Still have to buy my 5th (spare), deal was only for 4 tires. I came from Cooper AT3 245 75 16's on Level 8 wheels but the wheels were too wide for these so I am back on stock steelies for now.

 

got my truck with the pizza cutters already on.... mixed feelings. Noisy, loud and not stable are few things that come to mind. These sit on 16" rim and they feel/look "small" on the truck though they are a true 33" tire. I feel that they are too heavy as well for being on a narrower side but since they are load E Mts they weigh a ton. Has anyone found a good similar set up but in a 34-35" range for a 16" wheel? I hear a lot of good things about the skinny tires but yet to have experiment with them perhaps the trade off for a larger but wider tire isn't worth it, what do you guys think? As far as pressure goes I run them at 35psi, seems like a lot of people here run theirs at over 40, but them being load E feels like they are stiff as heck with that much pressure.

 

So here are some pics, not the best. These tires have already got a work out as it is mud season here and so far very happy with them. Have a trip planned for next month so I'll see how they do then.

 

Yesterday I had the STMaxx installed in 235/85r16 (I was on the fence between the AT3 and STMaxx). I'm getting horrible gas mileage and I have to air down to low 30s to get close to the traction I had with my stock 265/70r16 Goodyear Adventures on gravel. My guess is the extra weight of the STMaxx is killing me on gas mileage and the "Armor Tek3" is causing a stiffer sidewall than a normal E range tire. How does the AT3 in load range E handle gravel roads in your area? Do you have the same skittering across washboard and terrible gravel traction at 48 psi (same load capacity as 265/70 @ 30 psi)? I'm trying to get rid of some variables and we have a very similar setup. Trying to decide if I want to switch to the AT3 or move to an S load range tire. The 235/85 seems like a perfect fit, I hope most of the disadvantages I've experienced is from the STMaxx and not the size and load range. Thanks for any information you can provide!

 

That is a big hit in mpg! I came no where near that, 1 or 2 mpg max, and I am a 4 cyl & auto. I run mid 30's psi most of the time and do air down if I am going to be on lots of gravel and off road. Traction has been awesome! I came from AT3's, c rating I think. So far love the tire and the size!

 

You've got the STMaxx now and you only lost 1-2 mpg in a 4 cyl.? Maybe a bird nested in my airbox while I got the tires installed, pretty sure I haven't been driving with the handbrake on!

 

Haha, maybe! Since I bought my truck 2 years ago I have lost a total of 3-4 mpg depending on what I am doing. That is the tires, about 300lbs of SOS armor, and recovery bar etc. that I have bolted on the poor thing. Mine is a second gen, my son had a third gen 4cyl and it got better mileage that I ever did in stock form.

 

My problem is that I drive pavement and gravel roads every day that I start my truck, so I have to decide to either run high pressure to keep my MPGs sane or run low pressure to keep the skittering on gravel under control. I don't mind airing down occasionally, but I'm not doing that 2 times a day. Right now I'm running high pressures and using 4wd drive more and driving slower on gravel. If the armortek sidewall is causing a lot of the sidewall stiffness I could go with the AT3 and keep the size (which I love). If it's the load range E causing the problem then I guess it's the cost of doing business.

If you didn't notice a difference in AT3 C range and the STMaxx in E, then maybe the Goodyears just have a super compliant sidewall and they are the anomaly. Wish I could throw on a bunch of tires, do some experimentation and find out!

 

I don’t blame you for not airing down twice a day, yikes! I do think the sidewalls on AT3’s were much more pliable and gave a “softer” ride. Mine were also the stock size, so a bit of a change there. I just never minded the stiffer ride in exchange for the better off-road traction of the ST’s, I also drive gravel roads everyday but only about a mile and a half and not very fast.