I am sure it is all about liability and not having to worry about employees thinking at a place like Wally World. That is why you end up with policies in place and books to look up things.
2006 Nissan Titan CC with tow package
2006 KZ Frontier 2303P-F
Equal-i-zer
Prodigy brake controller
Yamaha EF2600c Tri-Fuel Gen.
Where I live, the Wally World won't even put a still good USED tire on my 6X12 trailer used for just hauling "stuff" nor do a Spring "change over" from Winter tires. Was told company policy, NO USED TIRES at all!! Went elseware needless to say.
Learjet wrote: I am sure it is all about liability and not having to worry about employees thinking
That is my conclusion too. I'm sure it also has something to do with customers who say, "yes, yes, I know this is not safe but install it" then sue later saying that the vendor should have protected them from themselves.
So a nice 285 seems to be my solution. However, DW asked me "so how do you KNOW this is safe? Just because someone on the Internet posted a picture and said they did it?" As usual... she has a point.
So... the reason I am thinking that I can run a 285 safely is that tire width is the only thing I'm changing from stock (OK and a slightly taller tire too but not a lot) and a 285 can fit on several width rims, including the 8" wide rims I have. The potential for trouble would be front tire scrubbing frame on turns and the people here with 285's on 2500's would have mentioned that if it were an issue?
I also assume that when I find a guy willing to mount 285's on my rims they will check my rim width vs tire width too (I'll ask them actually).
I do understand that the high cap tire now make my wheel the weakest link, but my goal is to have margin in my tires and the 285's do that.
Dave Lindemulder
Tammy, Mark & Kirsten
04 Dodge 2500 4x4 SLT QC/SB
HO-CTD/48RE - Graphite: Raptor SS nerfs, Prodigy, Reese 16K Kwik-slide, BD X-Monitor, PML Trans pan, PML Diff cover, Firestone Airbags
09 Heartland Cyclone 3210
"IF" you have rubbing issues, it will probably be few and reasonably far between, and only the first few thousand miles. At least that is teh way it was on my old GM K3500 when I switched from 245's to 265's. And I fixed that by trimming a pinky finger width off the inside rear of the front bumper with a cut off saw.
What your worried about, is not worth sweating over, all really easily fixable items.
I would suggest that if it is "IN" your budget, that wider rims will usually make the setup a bit better handling, and able to hold loads better. As the ratings are made with an X" rim. If you use a rim a bit narrower, you are actually onl able to carry a bit less, as it is the volume and PSI of the air inside the rim and tire that holds the wt. An 8" rim will not do as well as say a 9" rim. I noticed this my self with 265's. Ie had them on stock 6.5" rims, lots of folks say it works, then also with 8" rims, night and day difference!
Marty
05 Chev CC D/A LS Dooley
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
00 Chev C2500, V5700, 4L80E, 4.10, base truck, no options!
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
3 Single axle utility trailers
I finally found a combination that works pretty good for these truck and towing. My stock size was 265/75/16 went to a 315/75/16 too tall too wide and not good for towing.Went to a 285/65/18 shorter sidewall slightly larger diameter overall than my stock size, Great handling with the shorter sidewall. The tires are BF Goodrich TA/KO E rated 3640 lbs at 80psi. The wheels aftermarket ( 18x9 ) rated at 3460 lbs better rating than my stock rim at about 3100 . I would suspect that your stock rims are not much more than 3000 lbs. If you are in a position to change rims from stock this is a great setup , but a little spendy.
A change in tire size or wheel size means a change in handling characteristics, for better or worse.
The relationship between tires and handling, especially roll-over accidents in trucks, has become of great interest to the class action legal community. For this reason, modern owners manuals contain a warning to the effect: "replacing tires or wheels with non-standard sizes may effect the safety of this vehicle."
Replacement tire marketers have become one of the "big pocket" class action targets. Selling only OEM approved tire models and sizes is a defensive move.
You are the owner, you can do what you want. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, your heirs can sue the guy who sold you the tires.
If you change the tire diameter, you change the effective gearing. However, going to a 285 is a relatively small change. Naturally this will lead to errors in the ODO and speedometer.
You also reduce your braking ability. Again, it's a minor change so no big deal. If you go bigger, you will not be able to stop as easily.
While the 285 E rated tires have a rating of 3750 lbs, what are the rims rated at? I would be surprised if you have a rim rated over 3500 lbs. You might be lucky and find a rim rating on the back of the wheel.
285's are good choice and generally the dealer will recalibrate the computer for that size. It's like 1/2 hour of 1 hour labor rate. They did mine for $50 bucks.
New rims are a possibility and I will look into that. I realize that if I go to 3750# tires my rims will not be as stout. I need to find some vendors who will work with me and not give me the "not in the book"... yes it is because of the roll-over accidents... but HEY, I'm looking for someone with experience to give me advice I can understand, not just say "no".
I have a friend who owns a parts store and sells the rims, and he told me that the big chains (eg Walmart/Sams and others) won't mount anything non-standard.
Yes a 285/70 is taller than a 265/70, not a lot though, maybe 32" and change... people put 36's, even 40's on this truck.
I plan to get the a programmer that can do the speedo recalibration for me.
The last time I replaced the tires on the Ram, I went up one size, and one load range. Right off hand, I don't remember the numbers, and it is dark out there. Anyway, with the stock tires the GPS said the speedometer was indicating about 4 MPH slower than the truck was actually going. With one size larger tires, the GPS says the truck is going about 1.5 MPH faster than indicated. The tire shop didn't give me any argument, they just mounted and balanced the tires. On the stock rims. No problems in several thousand miles, towing and not towing, with or without a big slide in camper.
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, Std. cab, LB, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 273,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '06 Jeep Liberty CRD
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
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