2nd Gen Tire + Wheel Combo

Hey all,

Super new to the thread and tacoma world so apologies for being naive on any of this.

I just bought a '12 Tacoma 4x4 that im hoping to do some work on. First step is new tires + wheels. I am going to go with 265/75/r16 for now (likely cooper at3 4s) as i wont be lifting or leveling quite yet and from what i read this is the biggest size you can go on factory. I'm struggling on picking wheels and understanding what offset + backspacing I can get away with without rubbing.

Any help and even pictures if you have any would be awesome. Have searched some threads but haven't been able to get a definitive idea.

Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to TW


There's a lot of great information on this site and like others may suggest...Searching this site yields a lot of pertinent info.

Good luck

 

A good resource in the show us your color thread for you truck's color, can see what lots of different wheels look like on your truck.

Links are on the first port here https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-tips-mods-more.7174/

 

Imo. I’d jump to a 17” and run a 265/70/17. Same size tire yet more options in the 17. 17x8 0 offset should be good.

 

Is there a certain style or look you're going for? When I was looking for wheels/tires for mine I wasn't too big on all the aftermarket wheels - they are all wide and low offset. Two things I didn't see as necessary for the tires I was going to run (same size you've selected).

I opted for the TRD "Faux Beadlock" wheels for these reasons:
- OEM quality, fit, finish and durability
- Slightly narrower than all the aftermarket stuff, but still wider than stock
- Slightly higher offset than all the aftermarket stuff, but still lower than stock

The only downside is they are kinda heavy compared to the aftermarket ones. But I figure they are probably stronger too. I have a hunch they are produced by Team Dynamics in the UK. To me they were hands down the best option for what I wanted. And in hindsight, I made the right choice. The fit is great and I LOVE how they look.

 

You do not need new wheels to go with that size tire. I my self have been using FN Wheels Countersteer Offroad 16x8 0 offset 4" back spacing with 265/75 16's with Bilstein 5100 and stock springs on third notch up which provided about 1.5" lift and I still use front mud flaps. For that size tire a 7.5" wide rim is what is recommended. Stock rims are 7.5" wide.

 

This is super helpful. I had my eye on the Falkens and Coopers but from what I hear they are pretty even in performance, but man those Falkens look awesome so may have to go in that direction. Love the combo with the OEM wheels.

I am leaning towards the size I mentioned and if I can find a good deal on OEMs, great, if not, going with a good rated aftermarket with a 0 offset. Nothing crazy.

Do you have a lift on yours? If not, assume no rubbing with that size?

Appreciate the reply!

 

Will definitely give 17s a look. I like the ratio of tire against the 16 but good to consider.

 

No rubbing, but my truck does have a little bit of a lift (~1.75"F / 1"R) and some of the bumper and mudflaps had been trimmed by the previous owner - so I'm not the best example. But, based on the research I did when I got the truck and was shopping for wheels/tires it seems you shouldn't have any issue wiith 265-75/16 or 265-70/17. When I got my truck it had 285-70/17 and there was a little rubbing at times despite the trimming that was done. I believe the wheels were 8 or 8.5" and zero offset.

The way I understand it is that if you keep a stock or close to stock offset wheel then you have better bodywork clearance than you would with the same diameter tire and a lower offset. This is assuming you're sticking to a stock width. When guys go with wider tires they need to push the tires out (lower offset) to provide better UCA clearance for the wider tires but this exacerbates the clearance issue with the body/frame. There are SO many variables here that it can get really confusing and you'll get guys giving you "yes" and "no" to just about every "does it rub" question so it's hard to know for sure what will happen in YOUR situation.

Everyone has different needs and opinions (obviously) but I'm already looking to my next setup. Plans could change, of course, but as of now I think my next setup will be larger diameter but skinnier - 255-85/16. I'd get a big more ground clearance but since it's a narrower tire you're not adding the same weight as the common 285 and less clearance issues compared to a 33" that is wider. And, although I REALLY do not want to ever get rid of these wheels I do see a benefit to going to a 17" and that's brakes. The brakes on this truck are complete garbage. I may try a rotor/pad upgrade but ultimately I fear the best setup is a bigger brake kit that would require 17's. I like the idea of 16's because I think they look better and I like more tire. But, 16's limit your ability to upgrade the brakes. If I went with a 17" wheel I'd be looking at 255-75 or 255-80. If I find a set of Rock Warriors for a good price I may jump on it just to have them around for when I need tires and then I'll have 17's should I decide to go that way.

As you can see, you can get quite carried away. You're on the right track by being here on TW, there's SO much to learn. But, the reality of it all is also that you'll just need to figure it out as you go and see what works for you. My goal has been to buy used parts where possible to save money and try not to get too crazy too quickly, try not to get wrapped up in lusting after some Instagram-worthy baller parts and instead focus on what works, what doesn't and what fits for my needs. I plan to use my truck as much as possible to find the weak links and address them rather than guess what those weak links are. After my wheels/tires I noticed I'm likely risking undercarriage damage so I started shopping for used sliders/skids. My truck overheated once so I started shopping for a radiator and trans oil cooler...

 

Haha yeah i've definitely been reading through a bunch of threads and absorbing as much as I can but at some point you definitely just have to pull the trigger and make it happen as you go. Really appreciate your help. Went with the 265/75/16 Wildpeaks + Vision wheels (16x8 with 0 offset) - from what i read / hear it sounds like i should be good - will just need to evaluate the mudflaps. May revisit 17s down the road when i start exploring some lifts/levels.

Thanks again and good luck with your future builds.