Finally did it! Bought new tires to replace the stock contis on the QX56. After agonizing over Mich vs BFG and trying to get as close to stock as I could. I ordered a set of Toyo Proxy ST 305-60/18. Wow! the tires are 12 inches wide, (stock is 10 inches) so they just fit, with no modifications. They look really aggressive and great! Believe it or not the mileage on a long-trip just this weekend went up from 15 mph to 16 mph!

I put these tires on the wife's Murano as was really impressed so needless to say when I check out www.powerdog.com and the the 305-60/18 was very close to stock I was excited. After being worried about the widith issue when we were done mounting them they are da bomb!

Stock are 265-70-18 which are 10.5" wide vs 12.2".
The new tires are 1/4" shorter. Overall, a good trade and should look nice. :D

You've had about 3 months now with your new shoes, so how are they performing? I was all ready to run out and copy your buy until I went to the Toyo website for technical data.

Toyo's specs on the 305/60-18 tire you bought show a rim width range in inches of 8.5-9.0-11.0, and the Nissan rims are 8.0 inches. Offhand, I'd be tempted to say "It's only a half inch," but it is really an inch because 9.0" is recommended as the optimal rim width with 8.5" being the minimum width Toyo considers structurally safe.

Your tire dealer undoubtedly knows a lot more than I do about the relevance of this, and I'm hoping some other Forum members that also do are willing to share their advice. I've noted in the short time I've been on here that there are lots of members missing a shyness gene when it comes to volunteering advice, and, although their opinions sometimes collide, there is a wealth of knowledge out there for the benefit of the rest of us.

Regards,
R Baylor

You've had about 3 months now with your new shoes, so how are they performing? I was all ready to run out and copy your buy until I went to the Toyo website for technical data.

Toyo's specs on the 305/60-18 tire you bought show a rim width range in inches of 8.5-9.0-11.0, and the Nissan rims are 8.0 inches. Offhand, I'd be tempted to say "It's only a half inch," but it is really an inch because 9.0" is recommended as the optimal rim width with 8.5" being the minimum width Toyo considers structurally safe.

Your tire dealer undoubtedly knows a lot more than I do about the relevance of this, and I'm hoping some other Forum members that also do are willing to share their advice. I've noted in the short time I've been on here that there are lots of members missing a shyness gene when it comes to volunteering advice, and, although their opinions sometimes collide, there is a wealth of knowledge out there for the benefit of the rest of us.

Regards,
R Baylor
It is close. I know a lot of guys are running the 295-70-17 Terra Grapplers on the stock 17s, and this is a half inch out of spec. One guy blew a bead while riding low pressure. You also have to be concerned with abnormal wear as they are probably puckering. Not just a safety issue. I decided a rim change was in order to get 305 on mine. ;)

:duh: Initially wanting to improve appearance without investing in new treads before reading this thread, I purchased some 18x8 polished alloy wheels on ebay that are bpresently on their way toward me. I knew I should have gone for a 9" width, and wanted to, but I found a good price on what I bought, figuring I'd just stay with the stock tire size. Those 12" wide Toyos sounded great..... :comphead:

Here's the post on everything tires, rims, etc. again. ;)
I keep getting asked where I used the heat gun to melt the tire well enought to make my tires fit without rubbing. Here's a pic. I heated it up untilit was shiny, then used a screwdriver handle to hold the hot plastic in place until it cooled in new position. Anything larger on my mada and I would have had to either lift, cut or bend metal, or had rubbing.

There have been many different people asking what will and won't fit, how big is this tire, etc.

I suggest 18" stock wheel people get Michelin Cross Terrain SUV if you want all season, BFG AT if you want all terrain, or get different size rims if you want better tires.

Some tires I know nothing about:
Kumho Road Venture AT KL/78 comes in 265-70-18
Geolander H/T-S comes in 275-65-18 and 285-60-18 which are slightly shorter(1/2") and a little wider (1/2" - 1")
Yokohama AVS S/T again in 285-60-18

Not much else out there.
Tire Stuff
This is how to read the sizes and calculate the size in inches.

The stock 18" size is 265-70-18.
The first number is the width of the tread.
The second number is width of the sidewall expressed as a percentage of the tread width.
The third number is the rim diameter.

Converting, 25mm = about 1".
Using this, the tread width is 265 / 25 = 10.6" wide.
The sidewalls are (265 x 0.7) / 25 = 7.4" tall
The overall diameter is 18" (Rim) + 14.8 (Two sidewalls) = 32.8"

The stock 17" size is 285-70-17
This becomes 285 / 25 = 11.4"
(285 x 0.7) / 25 = 8" sidewall
17" + 8" + 8" = 33" overall diameter.

Using this, here are some common replacements that people like.
Yokohama Geolander H/T-S GO51 in 275-65-18
275 / 25 = 11"
(275 x 0.65) / 25 = 7.15" Sidewall.
18" + 7.15 + 7.15 = 32.3" Smaller diameter than stock by 1/2".

BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO in 285-65-18
285 / 25 = 11.4"
(285 x 0.65) / 25 = 7.4"
18" + 7.4 + 7.4 = 32.8"

The largest ones you can fit without lifting are 305-55-20.
This works out to
305 / 25 = 12.2"
(305 x 0.55) / 25 = 6.7"
20" + 6.7 + 6.7 = 33.4"

Larger tires in width or height will start rubbing like crazy. These actually rubbed a little on mine and I needed to melt the tire wells with a heat gun to make them fit. See here about doing this. http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310

You can use this system to read any tire size and convert to see if they will fit. Smaller than 17" rims and you will have problems with the brake calipers fitting. Lower than 6" in sidewall and you will start having problems with off-road driving. Over 7" is preferred for off road. Under 5" and you will have problems on groomed dirt roads and potholes. You will also loose some ride quality and tow rating. Under 4" and you better start riding on freshly paved stretches.

The stock tires are All season Highway tires. All-season highway tires are good in most conditions but not optimal in snow or off road. The stock tires are poor examples of HWY A/S tires and really just stink in most conditions. Changing to a good quality tire will increase most tire properties. A/T tires increase poor weather traction and off road traction but add weight, may add noise, and may ride a little rougher than Highway tires. Makers can often design the tires to eliminate excess noise and rough ride.

Rim Stuff:
Stock rim sizes are 17" x 7.5" and 18" x 8".
Larger rims give you better handling (To a point) and a firmer ride. They also allow for larger brakes. You give up progressively tow rating, mileage, acceleration, smoothness of ride or ride quality, rim strength, and gain weight and cost. Forged rims are more dense and less prone to cracking than cast. This allows for either stronger rims or more delicate rim designs while retaining strength. They weigh more per amount of material used as the metal is more dense. They are usually twice or more as expensive as cast rims.

Rim width is also critical. A rim that is too narrow will pucker the tire. This may lead to the tire breaking its bead and immediately deflating, causing a crash and destroying the tire, etc. A rim that is too wide will have the rim stick out as far as the tire sidewall. This makes rims prone to scraping curbs and breaking beads as well. Check with the maker to see what width tire you should get, usually 2"-4" or so wider than the rim width.

Rims come in painted, Aluminum, and Chrome finishes. Painted is the most resistent to weather, salt, etc. Aluminum is usually brushed or polished. These require a lot of maintainence to keep looking good. Expect to do a lot of polishing. Aluminum can often be clear coated to keep most of the shine of a polished rim but give them more resistence to salt, tarnishing, etc. If this is available, I"d go this route if you choose aluminum. Chrome is the least resistent to salt but very resistent to tarnishing. You will polish, but not as much as with aluminum. Keep a good coat of wax on them and clean the brake dust off weekly and you will be fine. For salt, wash and scrub them the day you get salt on them or they may start tarnishing and pitting.

To calculate the change in diameter to find the amount the odometer is off, to this:

Diameter x 3.14 (pie) gives you the circumference.
Stock is 32.8 x 3.14 = 103 inches.
My tires are 33.4 x 3.14 = 104.9 inches.

104.9 / 103 = 1.018. Multiply this by the speed you read and you get your actual speed. 65mph x 1.018 = 66.19mph actual. Not much to worry about.

However, if you make a tire larger or smaller than the rest, say put big tires on the back, this will throw off the VDC and ABS. There is a 2-3% buffer built in for replacing a worn blown tire with a fresh new tire but put on dramatically different sizes, say a 35" with 33" tires, and you will have problems. Don't forget you need to change your spare also if you change your tires by a lot.

Q .. for those that have gone BIG .. say only to 20" .. are there wheels available (aftermarket) w/the low pressure sensors .. or by changing to aftermarket wheels do you give up that feature?

A. The pressure sensor is on the valve stem of the stock tires. If you want them, you need to dismount the stock tries, remove the sensors, and add them to the new tires. You probably will want to remount the old tires. Up to you.

Q .. by giving up the low pressure warning .. what else do you give up? I'm wondering if there are any other things tied into the low tire pressure warning system?

A. Nothing. The loss of the sensors will make a small gauge light go on from time to time. I've seen it twice in 5K miles and it goes away when you restart the engine.
Hope this helps.

So TB these various size options can be used without causing issues with the vdc and such from working properly? And by the way have you had any experience with Cooper tires?

So TB these various size options can be used without causing issues with the vdc and such from working properly? And by the way have you had any experience with Cooper tires?
Yes. There are no problems with using any different tires and VDC, etc. as long as all 4 have the same basic outer diameter. If you run with 35" tires and have a 32" spare, you may have a problem if you need to mount the spare. There is a small window that is an inch or so difference you can have before there is problems.
Cooper is generally a cheap tire and not a top tier tire company. Say that fast 5 times. ;)

Thanks for the info TB. I think I have decided to give the Cooper Discoverer H/T plus a try. I have heard alot of good things about them from friends. I will go with the 285/60 R18. My spare will be the stock Crapinental and I think there is about an inch difference in Diameter between the two. Hopefully I won't have to use it but should get me through if I need to.

Here's the difference. They will look small. ;)
Stock Tire - 265/70R18
Tire 1 - 285/60R18

Section Width: 10.43 in 265 mm
Section Width: 11.22 in 285 mm

Rim Diameter: 18 in 457.2 mm
Rim Diameter: 18 in 457.2 mm

Rim Width Range: 7 - 9 in
Rim Width Range: 8 - 10 in

Overall Diameter: 32.60 in 828.04 mm
Overall Diameter: 31.46 in 799.08 mm

Sidewall Height: 7.30 in 185.42 mm
Sidewall Height: 6.73 in 170.94 mm

Radius: 16.30 in 414.02 mm
Radius: 15.73 in 399.54 mm

Circumference: 102.4 in 2600.9 mm
Circumference: 98.83 in 2510.2 mm

Revs per Mile: 638.0
Revs per Mile: 661.1

Actual Speed: 60 mph 100 km/h
Speedometer1: 62.1 mph 103. km/h

Speedometer Difference: - Speedometer Difference: 3.620% too fast
Diameter Difference: - Diameter Difference: 3.5%

Thanks again TB for the break down between the 2. Hopefully these will be good tires. $125 a piece installed. Got to be better than the stock options.

I am ready (at 36K) to ditch the Continentals. I live in MD. and we get the ocassional snow storm. Plus, we go to PA to ski. I have been looking at Toyos and the Bridgestone Revo AT.

I would love the ST 305 setup on this thread, but am concerned that in crummy weather, I would be stuck. Should I be?????

I spend 99% of my time driving on the highway, so I am interested in a tire that primarily works best there. Plus I have put a lot of effort into the HP gains on my motor.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

BG

Ok, I am new to the site, and have a massive dillema on my hands. My wife and I just got an 07 Armada LE with the 18" Chrome Rims, and while nice, I could not pass up a deal on line for some barely used 2008 Titan 20" rims. The rims, as most of you probably know are 8" wide. Hence my dilemma.

Not knowing what I was going to run into b/c my 03 Sierra Denali, with 17 x 7.5" rims easily takes 285/60 17 Pirelli Scorpion tires...but for some crazy reason this has not been easy.

My tire search, after 3 hrs, came down to Toyo Proxes STs and Hankook Ventus ST RHO6. My optimal size is 295/50R20 b/c, compared to the stock 18s or 20s, it's 3-3.2% different, and on the smaller side, but Hankooks website says a minimum rim width of 8.5" is recommended...while Falken says 8" would fit one of their tires of the same size.

So, my wife is scared the tires will fall off, I don't want her worrying, and if I can't get that size I have to either get a 285/50 R20, which is more of a difference on the small size, or a 275/55 R20 which is not any wider than the stock 20s that come on the Armada and Titan which would really suck...so please...can anyone safely confirm 10s of thousands of miles on a tire this wide while on an 8" rim? Thanks so much.

Hi CA.I found a exrtremely useful site for calculating proper rim sizes, includung offsets as well as tires that will match up to factory specs. It even tells you the speed differences and warns you if the wheels/tires you are looking at will be unsafe.The site is 1010tires.com. Go to the tech section and get yourself hooked up. I've used it for my benzes and beamers as well as my mada with great (and foolproff) sucess when changing rim/tire sizes.CA, the best club on the web!

Hi CA.I found a exrtremely useful site for calculating proper rim sizes, includung offsets as well as tires that will match up to factory specs. It even tells you the speed differences and warns you if the wheels/tires you are looking at will be unsafe.The site is 1010tires.com. Go to the tech section and get yourself hooked up. I've used it for my benzes and beamers as well as my mada with great (and foolproff) sucess when changing rim/tire sizes.CA, the best club on the web!

Earl,

Were you replying to me? I am confused by the CA you reference in your post.

bosssho, not sure he was talking directly to you. I think he was addressing all of the members here at CA informing us of www.1010tires.com

I am sure he will confirm soon.

Thanks man...this is so frustrating trying to figure out which tire to get...

Thanks man...this is so frustrating trying to figure out which tire to get...
Depends on what type of driving you do. I do primarily city and lots of highway. I have Cooper Zeon tires. Over 44,000 miles and they still have pleanty of meat on them. I wouldn't use them for any serious off-roading though.

Hey there BossHo!
My salutation was to Club Armada. I was just letting the guys and gals know about the 1010tires.com site. I hope it can help you. I run 305/40/22 Yokohama tires on a 9inch wide rim and haven't had any problems, so I don't see why a 20 inch tire on a 8 inch wide rim would be a problem, as long as the sidewall and tire width are within appropriate measurements. Check the site.

Yeah, I know that site...it is very good as far as helpful info, but where I am at is one site from Falken will say you can run a 295/50-20 on an 8" wide rim, but Hankook's site recommends an 8.5" wide rim for that tire...so I can't go to 1010.com to get help on that so I really need to appeal to you guys/girls to find out if someone is running this size tire or an ever bigger 305 tire on an OEM Titan or Armada 8" wide rim. I hope that all makes sense.

Yeah, I know that site...it is very good as far as helpful info, but where I am at is one site from Falken will say you can run a 295/50-20 on an 8" wide rim, but Hankook's site recommends an 8.5" wide rim for that tire...so I can't go to 1010.com to get help on that so I really need to appeal to you guys/girls to find out if someone is running this size tire or an ever bigger 305 tire on an OEM Titan or Armada 8" wide rim. I hope that all makes sense.
It doesn't. The makers really specify what rims you should and shouldn't run. Each tire is constructed differently. Two tires of the same size may fit different rims due to their construction. There are guys running 295/70r17 on stock 17s. One of them was on a dirt road, pretty tame, and he blew the bead between the rim and tire. Next thing you know he's plowing into an embankment. Sure you can do it, but I wouldn't. And most places won't mount them due to the liability. Besides, that size is 1.25" shorter than stock. It's small. 305/50r20 is also small but at least in the ballpark. I have 305/55-R20 on 9" wide rims. They fit and work well. I only got these rims because it allowed me to go as wide as I wanted. I would have rather stuck with stock 18" or even 17" rims but I couldn't go wide with those. ;)

It doesn't. The makers really specify what rims you should and shouldn't run. Each tire is constructed differently. Two tires of the same size may fit different rims due to their construction. There are guys running 295/70r17 on stock 17s. One of them was on a dirt road, pretty tame, and he blew the bead between the rim and tire. Next thing you know he's plowing into an embankment. Sure you can do it, but I wouldn't. And most places won't mount them due to the liability. Besides, that size is 1.25" shorter than stock. It's small. 305/50r20 is also small but at least in the ballpark. I have 305/55-R20 on 9" wide rims. They fit and work well. I only got these rims because it allowed me to go as wide as I wanted. I would have rather stuck with stock 18" or even 17" rims but I couldn't go wide with those. ;)

No worries anyway b/c I ended up getting 275/55 20s b/c the 295s are on national back order...and yes, I realized that the Hankooks are constructed wider than most so the 275s are not only wider than the OEM 265s on the 18s, but they will ride like most manufacturer's 285s which is more than wide enough for me. So all is good and within specs and these tires are VERY close in diameter to stock. Thanks again for the follow up.:)

Good luck with that. Keep us posted after you mount and balance those boys.

I'd like to find out what All Terrain tire experiences people have had with their Armadas. There are great posts here on technical stuff I never understood before, so I was hoping to hear people's experiences and thoughts on A/T versus highway tires (which most seem to prefer). Given the heavy curb weight relative to most other vehicles, and the need to tow heavy loads on and off road, tire reviews from experiences on lighter vehicles aren't much help. It would be helpful to know if people are towing or carrying heavy loads, since many bought this behemoth for that purpose. Mine is a 2004 SE. I'm considering Yokohama Geolander A/ TS, which is very well reviewed on other sites by everyone but an Armada owner; Cooper discoverer ATR; Michelin Cross Terrain: Goodyear Wrangler; and BF Goodrich Long Trail T/A Touring versus their All terrain. Any help would be appreciated!

You're looking at good tires there except for the Wranglers that aren't Silent Armor. I'd just add Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO (very highly recommended by members) and the Nitto TerraGrappler/Toyo Open Country A/T (which I can vouch for being one of my favorites).

I ditched the OEM Conti's and bought BFG Off Road AT ("Baja Champion") tires because I had a bad experience while traveling to ... well... Baja. I am very happy with those tires because they fulfill my foremost requirement: don't crap out on me when I'm off road. I don't have 4WD so I don't get too far off the road, but I've been on some of the crappiest roads you will find on this continent (and that you can get through without 4WD). The tires are barely worn. They are hard, and a little noisy on the highway, but more or less bulletproof. They probably would not air down very well for sand - if you need that, get something else IMHO. They do air up to 55 PSI and have a better load rating than the Armada. I have driven them at 40 or so and fully loaded with no problems. It's not too hard to pile people and stuff in and on the Armada to quickly reach max loading (even without tongue weight). Payload is about 900.

hi everyone; I've been reading threads here and trolling around various tire dealer websites tonight because I gotta buy tires tomorrow. So I'd like some advise

First I'll apologize for long post - but for those who indulge me I'll explain what happened, what drives my choices, and which tires made my short list that I'd like feedback for.

Bought 07 LE 4x4 on 13August, about two weeks after that one stock conti went flat with a puncture which had plugged. Today I got a call from my wife that she had a flat. Got home to find her all dirty and the spare on - yes she knows how :). Tread slashed about 3/4 inch, local tire shop confirmed my conclusion that non repairable. Funny thing is I've been reading on here how much stock contis suck, and I've been agreeing as mine are worn poorly at only 20K. Was hoping to get more life, but now I'm thinking better to take plunge for 4 new rather than replace one with same crap. I've never had such a bad luck streak for tires.

Reason I need to decide and get them on tomorrow - cub scout camping trip this weekend. Great advise here that has helped me to a short list of 4, hoping I can get some recent feedback, good and bad for each of 4.

First my requirements/wish list:
- multi conditions - we live north of Phoenix, but one reason for 4x4 is ski trips north to Utah and Colorado. So want something reasonable on highways in high Arizona temps, but also decent in snow
- robust - I don't intend a lot of offroad, but second reason for buying 4x4 is exploring. For those that are not aware, Az is full of awesome Forest Service roads - most are decent gravel, but many have rough rocks. So I want a tire that will not throw off chips easily
- also, the puncture happened in Monsoon time, and today's tear just at the tail end of Monsoon time. During that we get a lot of debris on the roads - I bet that was reason for both. So again I want robust.
- highway - further down list, but want to keep some civility in the ride
- life - when fork over $1K, I'd like to see at least double what the crappy contis gave
- looks - I'd like to give the Mada a bit more teeth to her look - not go way over board

So now my short list - anxious to hear any pros and cons from anyone who has any of these in use:
1. Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour - first on my list only because I had these on 2000 Tundra and they were awesome. I crawled over and around sharp rocks that I was sure would leave marks, particularly on sidewalls, and never did. However, I sold the Tundra before seeing how these lasted, so I have no experience with life of these. Also Tundra was secondary local driver so never went on longer highway trips, and never north to snow
2. Michelin Cross Terrain - some have mentioned these here, and I saw them tonight at Costco - less aggressive then others here but still look capable for snow and rocks. 60K warranty sounds awesome
3. Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo - going by many great comments on CA. These look like they meet my wish for snow and rocks, and many have said great life at 40K + One problem: Discount Tires only show up to 17". Where did any of you buyers get them for our stock rims (265/70R18)?
4. BFG Off Road AT - several recommends on here

thanks to all those who have read all of this. I'll appreciate any feedback very much.

I have Nitto Terra Grappler 285/60 R18 and bought it at Discount Tires. I love it, compare to stock Conti tires this one is heavier but road noise is same as the stock. I have 30K+ miles on these and still has a lot of thread, maybe another 50K miles possible. Good traction also on snow considering I dont have a 4X4. Good Luck.

Hazen, I've been offroad in your area a few times and I really, really think that you'll like the Nitto Terra Grappler (or Toyo Open Country A/T) best. I cannot brag enough about how well these tires have done for me onroad and offroad. I could've used a better Mud tire a couple times but these do awesome for being an A/T. The Falken tires that I put on wifey's Murano are way louder than these big Terra Grapplers are.

The 285/65-18 is 57-lbs and tucks under the wheel well. The 325/60-18 is 60-lbs, is beefy, and sticks out just a little. Either size should fit just fine. The only downside is that the weight will drop your MPG's closer to 12-mpg (275-300 miles per full fuel tank) but you'll have confidence being able to drive anywhere that you have enough ground clearance for. TD4L.com sells them for $184.49/ea, the link is in my Sig.

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10796

thanks Adobo and Bob for your advice. Thought I'd let you know I put on the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor, at the spec size. I want you to know that I did take a good look at the Toyo Open Country AT you suggested that I add to my short list (could not find the Nitto's locally but they are same). In fact I had them ahead of my other choices listed at my last post. I just did not want to go quite that aggressive, well actually I did "want to" but "needed" to strike a balance to mileage and snow performance up in Utah and Colorado. For mileage, up sizing hurts and as Bob noted the Nitto's are heavvvvy which hurts more. For snow the wranglers were the only ones on my short list with the mountain peak which symbolizes snow rating. Honestly in the end I went with what I knew, which as I wrote at last post had served me really well on Tundra.

Something I should mention for anyone who reads this and is considering the Wranglers - Goodyear promotion now for 30 day satisfaction guarantee - they'll take em back for a full refund. So when the service advisor at Discount (where I got my Wranglers for Tundra) told me that, it finished the decision for me.

Just got back from the weekend trip I noted at my last post. 325 miles round trip to north towing our popup trailer, about 8 miles shortcut on a "primitive" road where got to test through some rough spots and even a little mud - all went well. No more noise than stock contis on pavement, at least not noticeable for me. A bit stiffer ride on road, but nothing bad, in fact is my preference. And great off road as I expected - not a mark after crawling over some rough spots. Now I am looking forward to test them in snow on first ski trip up north once the season starts.

thanks again for advice.

Hazen, I've been offroad in your area a few times and I really, really think that you'll like the Nitto Terra Grappler (or Toyo Open Country A/T) best. ...

The 285/65-18 is 57-lbs and tucks under the wheel well. The 325/60-18 is 60-lbs, is beefy, and sticks out just a little. Either size should fit just fine. The only downside is that the weight will drop your MPG's closer to 12-mpg ...

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10796

Any middle ground here? Have an '08 18" (should note that the 2" PRG kit is in the mail)

I want to go a little bigger than stock, definitely an O/R capable tire, but 12mpg on 325's scares me a little.

During the week, they commute 90 miles/day (3 days/week). On weekends, theyre in the mountains (though usually nothing really extreme...lots of rocks) and tooling around the "roads" on and near the in-laws ranch (think sagebrush and rocks, and if it rains/snows, snotty mud). I'm willing to sacrifice some on-road tread life and some mileage, but to go to 12mpg would be killer. Love the look (and endorsements) of the Grapplers and Toyos.

Lots of the guys love the Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO. I'll have to look up the avail sizes on Bridgestone's website but anything from stock size up to the 325/60 will fit. You might want to put that Mini-Lift on and take a look at the new empty space in the fender wells before making a final decision.

Thanks for the info all...

Down to Cooper Discoverer STT (in 305/60 or 325/60) or the BFG AT's.

Leaning towards the Coopers, as they look to be better in Mud and snow, which is mostly what I'll encounter off-road. Both seem to be "decent" on-road.

Question is...(and I read a lot of old posts but didn't see a definitive answer).

Cooper lists 8.5-11 as approved rim width for the 305/60 and 9-12 for the 325. Will the extra 0.5"-1" be a safety issue with the stock 18s? You guys running 325/60/18 grapplers, etc, are you on stock rims?

Both of these are pretty pricey (particularly compared to the Grapplers, which get great press and endorsement, and were def. on the list, but I'm just looking for something a little more aggressive), so I'd prefer not to add new rims to the bill, too.

I'm on stock rims against the Mfg recommendations. I just had to sign a waiver at the tire shop, no big deal. I hated the BFG A/T for snow and mud. They did well for dirt and sand but the treads filled fast with no siping so they were pretty much worthless in any amount of goop.

Cooper Discoverer STTs all the way. I am on my third set. Had em on my old Sierra Denalil. Have em on my 2008 Titan Pro4x and just got another set for my 1998 Z71 that I keep at my house up north.

I love Cooper products!

Cooper Discoverer STTs all the way. I am on my third set. Had em on my old Sierra Denalil. Have em on my 2008 Titan Pro4x and just got another set for my 1998 Z71 that I keep at my house up north.

This is what I went with...in 305/60/18. The only less-than-good review point was ice performance, but what non-studded tires perform very well on ice, after all?? Snow and Mud were main concerns, and looks like these will be good on former, great on latter.

Just need to get someone to throw the mini-lift on, and then the tires should be in by mid-week next week. Just in time to work them out on a Thanksgiving weekend pheasant hunt.

Will post before/after pics when it's done. Thanks for all the great advice, all.

Out of curiosity, why 305 instead of 325?? Looking forward to the pics :D, awesome choice!!!!

Out of curiosity, why 305 instead of 325?? Looking forward to the pics :D, awesome choice!!!!

Mainly, just chickened out :)

Yours, and other, success stories notwithstanding with the stocker rims, when it came down to it, just decided to stay as close to 8" rim width as possible. The Cooper specs list 8.5-11 for the 305 and 9-12 for the big guy, so...there you go.

FWIW, mgr at Discount tire said 0.5" won't bother him at all and 1" wouldnt be a big deal, either.

Just wimped out, really...having a 1-week old around just made me err on the side of safety, however slim the margin.

These things aren't cheap (~300/apiece), but I really like the look/specs. Can't wait to get them on.

Nothing wrong with that. You'll love them!!!

For what it is worth, here is a write up from Consumer Reports:

SUV & pickup truck tires: All season tires

NO TIRE DOES IT ALL
That's what we found when we tested 20 all-season and 14 all-terrain tires, plus four winter truck tires. So the best choice of SUV and pickup truck tires depends on how you use the vehicle and its design. The General Grabber HTS earned the top spot among all-season tires and the Pirelli Scorpion ATR rated highest among all-terrain tires, based primarily on impressive grip in dry and wet conditions.
All tire models were tested in a size, (P)265/70R17, commonly used on trucks. We expect our results would be comparable for other similarly-sized tires. Tests were performed on a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pickup and a 2007 Chevy Suburban.

The prices we paid for the all-season truck tires ranged from $98 to $165 each; for the all-terrain, from $96 to $163; and for the winter tires, from $80 to $131. Prices will vary depending on the retailer, location, and the size of tire you need. Also, since we purchased these tires last fall, manufacturers have raised prices 5 to 10 percent or more to offset the higher cost of oil, which affects the raw materials used in the tires and shipping expenses.

SUV & pickup tires review: All-season vs. all-terrain
All-season tires, like those found on passenger cars, are designed to wear well and to provide good performance under a variety of road and weather conditions. All-terrain tires generally have a deeper, more open tread pattern than all-season tires for off-road grip.

Most of the all-season tires we tested for this SUV and pickup tires review performed very well in dry braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance. The tires produced a wide range of tread life and rolling-resistance ratings. But the fact that a number of all-season models with very good tread-life ratings were ranked near the bottom in overall performance shows that it’s necessary to look at the big picture when choosing tires.

The top-rated all-season tire, the General Grabber HTS, has excellent handling and braking grip, good snow traction and rolling resistance, and very good ride comfort and noise. Its shortcomings were fair ratings for braking on ice and tread life.

Many all-terrain tires scored lower in handling and rolling resistance than the all-season models in our SUV and pickup truck review. But they do have impressive hydroplaning resistance. Some all-terrain models are designed with a focus on off-road grip, which can compromise their on-road performance. We rated only on-road performance, however, because most vehicles that use these tires are driven mainly on pavement.

The top all-terrain tire, the Pirelli Scorpion ATR, offers impressive dry and wet braking and hydroplaning resistance and good snow traction. But it has relatively poor rolling resistance and only fair braking on ice.

Real-world tread wear ratings
For the first time, we’ve included tread-life ratings for all-season and all-terrain truck tires. These indicate a model’s tread wear potential, as evaluated on a 16,000-mile test conducted at an outside lab. Results show that the fastest-wearing models are predicted to wear out at about 40,000 miles; those with the best wear potential will last for almost 90,000 miles.

We also found examples where our real-world results didn’t match the manufacturer warranties or the tread-wear ratings on tire sidewalls. Several tires with relatively long tread-wear warranties and high government ratings wore quickly in our tests. And the BFGoodrich Rugged Trail T/A, which had the longest tread life in the all-season group, has the lowest government tread-wear rating and no tread-wear warranty.

We recommend you consider a tire’s overall performance first and use tread life as a tiebreaker.


HOW TO CHOOSE

Choose a model that excels in the areas that are most important to you.

All-season or all-terrain?
Some automakers advise sticking with the tire type the vehicle originally came with. Consult the owner’s manual to see if a specific type is recommended. You can often improve on-road handling by switching from an all-terrain tire to an all-season.

Get the same size
Choose the same size that originally came on your vehicle, with the same speed rating or higher. Also, choose tires with a load-index number at least as high as that listed on the tire information placard usually located inside the driver’s doorjamb. This placard also shows the size and the automaker’s recommended inflation pressure. Maximum load and pressure specs are on the tire sidewall. Key specifications should also be in the owner’s manual.

Put safety before fuel mileage
Look for a tire that scored well in braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Also look for competent winter-driving scores for cold-weather driving. Then use lower rolling resistance and tread life as tiebreakers.

Don't get fooled by the name game
Tires can affect an SUV's stability. That's why some automakers, notably Ford, advise sticking with the type of tire that originally came on your vehicle. But as we found, some tire manufacturers make it difficult to identify which type of tire you're buying.

Shop around
Tire prices vary widely. Along with local retailers and major tire chains, shop new-vehicle dealers. Also check online and mail-order retailers, which tend to offer low prices and a wide selection, and can ship tires for a fee to your dealer or service station.

If you buy tires locally, ask whether tire mounting and balancing, as well as new tire valves, are included in the price you're quoted.

Thanks for sharing, great article except for this remarkSome automakers advise sticking with the tire type the vehicle originally came withHa ha, yea right, "stick with" the Contis. Like that's going to happen - that's funny :p

Thanks for sharing, great article except for this remarkHa ha, yea right, "stick with" the Contis. Like that's going to happen - that's funny :p

I laughed at that, too...those things don't "stick" to anything.

I laughed at that, too...those things don't "stick" to anything.
Actually, they "stick" to nails, and staples, and tacks, and glass that all like to make them flat. :D

You're looking at good tires there except for the Wranglers that aren't Silent Armor. I'd just add Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO (very highly recommended by members) and the Nitto TerraGrappler/Toyo Open Country A/T (which I can vouch for being one of my favorites).


Putting the Revo's on the Titan in a week or two. I made the decision today and I'll post a review when I get them on with some time behind the wheel.

Thanks Pops for all yer help.

i am having the bridgestone at d695s mounted tommorrow

it was either those with the hazard warranty or the revos w/o the warranty

Thanks for sharing, great article except for this remarkHa ha, yea right, "stick with" the Contis. Like that's going to happen - that's funny :p


Yep, I kinda chuckled at that one too after reading some of our threads on the subject, but keep in mind, it was Consumer Reports doing the reporting.

With that in mind, has anyone had any experience with the General Grabbers HTS? They come in a 285/70/R18 for we who stick with the stock rims

Michael

Has anyone tried the Firestone Destination LE's?? They are highly rated at TireRack. I spoke with Damon at TireRack and he said that these new Firestones have been very good. Said they learned a lot from the mistakes of the past, and that in an attempt to get customers back, they are offering a much lower price than the competitors. I then spoke with my mechanic, who is as honest as people come, and he told me I'd be a fool to buy anything else. He just put the same tires on his son's truck. He said he uses the Firestones on all of his race cars as well and has had no problems with them. I'm not looking for an aggressive offroad tire since I do nothing remotely resembling offroad driving. I would love some more input on these if anyone has any. I've got 62,000 miles on the stock Conti's and they are more than done. I need to do this soon. :)

Has anyone tried the Firestone Destination LE's?? They are highly rated at TireRack. I spoke with Damon at TireRack and he said that these new Firestones have been very good. Said they learned a lot from the mistakes of the past, and that in an attempt to get customers back, they are offering a much lower price than the competitors. I then spoke with my mechanic, who is as honest as people come, and he told me I'd be a fool to buy anything else. He just put the same tires on his son's truck. He said he uses the Firestones on all of his race cars as well and has had no problems with them. I'm not looking for an aggressive offroad tire since I do nothing remotely resembling offroad driving. I would love some more input on these if anyone has any. I've got 62,000 miles on the stock Conti's and they are more than done. I need to do this soon. :)


thats what they offered me at the firestone shop by my house

i passed based on their price and reputation
tires were cheap, but were making it up in labor and shop supplies

The local shop here quoted me $162.98 per tire mounted and balanced.

Out of curiosity, why 305 instead of 325?? Looking forward to the pics :D, awesome choice!!!!

Got the Coopers on...couple pics below from up by the ranch (apologize for the quality...only had the phone camera along)...Pops was right, probably should have went for the 325's, think they would have "filled in the space" better, though I like that you can still "see the lift" with these, and wife is happy that I didn't exceed the stock rim width. Maybe next time.

So far, love them. Great in the dirt and light mud and have worked great in the snow the last couple days here. On the drive into the cabin, the contis would fill up with mud less than halfway in. These cleared like champs. Highly recommended thus far.

Wow. Nice pics!

NICE!!!! :thumbup:

Nice pics.

BTW, does anyone know what the tread depth is for new Bridgestone Revo AT? Checking to see how much mine have worn.

Dustoff in our original size 265/70/18 tread depth is 11/32 when new. I just ordered mine and am putting them on tomorrow but can you tell me how they are if you like them.

I think they are pretty good tires. They work really well for the driving conditions up here.

I think mine are wearing a little more than usual because I towed a trailer up here from Florida. I have been pretty much seeing the sights as much as possible.

I was going to get AT Revo but a tire dealer has recommended Nokian Vatiiva A/T. Does anyone have experience with them? They are from Finland where they should know about snow. BTW it was -16F or -27C this morning in St. Paul.
PetrB

I don't know but those M/T's look sic and look like they might only cost around $120/ea!!!!! :eek: Please let us know what you think if you do get them!!

http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11954&group=2.02&name=Nokian+Vatiiva+M%2FT

http://www.nokiantires.com/files/nokiantires/2008/vatiiva_mt_lg.jpg

It's time for some new tires. I've been reading the posts, etc and still need some help.
I want to replace the origianls w/ the same size tire (was going to get 20s but the wife was, who wanted them at first said, no. Now she's pregnant and i could use those extra $$)
Anyway, BJs has BFG Longtrail ($680 all 4), I've been quoted for Yokohama Geolander ($900 all 4), Costcos has same BFG as BJs for about same price and Michellin Latitude for about $935.
I'm looking for your opinion on these tires or some I could get from our sponsors. However, my next question would be, once I get them, where do I go to have them installed and would the installer try to rip me a new one because I didn't pay his mark up?

Thanks
:bow:

one quick answer - you noted Costco in your list - their prices include install

Yeah, them BJs and the local tire shop w/ the Yoko's include install

Has anyone heard of problems with the speedometer senor when you "up size" your tires? The dealship is trying to talk me out of going with the Grabber HTS 275/60/18 (General Tires)

Not unless you get into 37's which would require a 8" lift kit. My speedo is dead on. My GPS and a Speeding Ticket I received a couple months ago confirm it. :D

Has anyone heard of problems with the speedometer senor when you "up size" your tires? The dealship is trying to talk me out of going with the Grabber HTS 275/60/18 (General Tires)

I think you misunderstood your dealer because that isn't an up size. In fact it would be a major downsize as a 275/60/18 would be about 31" tall which is a whopping 2.6" inches shorter than the stock height of 32.6". It would look silly that short IMO. I ran a 275/65/18 for a little bit, which were about 32.1" tall but I hated being shorter even by that little of an amount.

Use the calculators here. You can put in the tire size you have and the tire size you want and it will tell you the difference and how much off your odometer will be.

http://www.wheelsmaster.com/rt_specs.jsp
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTireMath.dos

just so we are clear you can run 325/60/18's on stock rims and stock suspension? just wanted to confirm that as I think that is the look I am going to go for. maybe paint the wheels a gunmetal color

thanks

just so we are clear you can run 325/60/18's on stock rims and stock suspension? ....

It has been done but I'd rather find some threads with feedback to post before suggesting it. You can also search on TitanTalk and ClubTitan, i won't have time to look for another week or so.

If you buy them local, alot of shops will let you drive down the street and back to swap them out if you find out they're too big right away.

I recently replaced the tires on my '08 Armada LE - went from OEM Michelin Latitude to Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza in same size (275/60/20). The Bridgestones are very quiet and seem like a nice tire. However, I have two concerns.

1. It feels like there's significantly more rolling resitance with the Bridgestones, so I'm concerned that my gas mileage is going to suffer. Maybe they are much heavier than the Michelins (?).

2. I went with the TPMS rebuild kit as recommended by the tire dealer, and now my TPMS displays 4 PSI less than that given by a hand-held gauge. The TPMS display on the dash shows 31 PSI and the tire pressure gauge shows 35 PSI.

Thoughts? The Michelin tires lasted only 30k so I need something that provides longer treadlife but doesn't sacrifice fuel economy.

ok, so has the question been answered? how large of tires can you put on the stock 18's (04 LE) with stock suspension?

ok, so has the question been answered? how large of tires can you put on the stock 18's (04 LE) with stock suspension?

325/60-18 and 33x12.5-18 have fit on some Titan's at stock height. Razzlee had 33x12.5-18 on his Armada at stock height. 285/60-18 have fit on alot of them with no issues at all.

cool, so the 285's are probably the safest and give a little more aggressive stance. thanks for the quick feedback. for some reason someone put 255's on my armada when they replaced the tires...

Wow, talk about running on donut tires. :D Here's some pics of 285's installed:

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9842

yeah, bummer because they have a ton of tread and are nice michelin tires... thanks for the pic too. exactly what i have!

They wouldn't happen to be 255/60-18 would they???

nope, they are 255/70/18's michelin LTX a/s

so, one more question since I see these pop up a lot more... will 285/65/18 work on the Armada?

... will 285/65/18 work on the Armada?

Yeppers, they sure will. :D

cool, and that lines up better with the speedometer and will still have some good meat on it. just don't want to do the 305's if I am going to have issues

Jeff, your speedometer won't ever be off enough to worry about. My tires are bigger than that and the speedo is dead on with the GPS, I also have a speeding ticket that was clocked at exactly what my speedo was reading. The HiPo asked if my speedo was calibrated so I told him, there's no reason for it to be because it was dead on with my GPS and his radar when I got pulled over.

Hello everyone!:hi:

I'm new here and a new owner to a 2007 Armada SE with 30k miles. It is a rear 2WD. I LOVE this car!

My dillema is this. I live in Colorado, it is a rear 2WD, and I need tires! We're military so we move around a lot so buying a 2WD didn't bother us much. I've been shopping around which sucks because i'm clueless and my husband is deployed so I have to do this without him. I'm looking to get 2 studded tires for the back and 2 all performance tires for the front.

These are the names that I have been given:
Studded Winter Tires
General Grabber
Hankook Winter Ikepack (sp??)

All-Performance
Cooper ATR
Falken ST74
and I think also hankook for the all performance as well

My question is, which of these should I choose and are there any out there that are better than these listed? I dont want to pay too much and I dont want to "get what you pay for". KWIM?

Any help is much appreciated!!! Thanks!

lyzette

NEVER get only 2 winter tires. It does not work. You push, but can't steer or stop evenly/correctly/safely.

If you are going with studded, which I am doing for my Sierra Denali which is AWD, I would get the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 SUVs. If not studded, the best bang for the buck are the Hankooks you mentioned. Both of these are in 18 and 20 inch tires which you should have one or the other. Also, the best way to do this is get a second set of wheels...what you spend will be FREE b/c you don't have to pay twice a year to dismount and mount and balance....plus you get the extended life of each set of tires.

Thanks for the advice! I got hankooks installed...two all season on front and two studded i-pike on back. we're military and wont be in colorado for too long (maybe another year and a half or two) so we're okay with paying to have them dismounted/mount/balance, etc...

I’ve always just went straight for the Michelins, love my pilot pros that I have on several vehicles, great life and traction, no complaints.

Wife traded in minivan, thinking SUV, and with a little influence/begging from me she went with a 2004 Armada LE 4x4. She likes it, except in parking decks;), Only problem for me is that she is eating up 4 tires in like 20-25K miles.

Mostly metro Atlanta driving. And NO she won’t slow down (tried that;))
Can any former Michelin fans comment on what you run now?
I’m done with Conticrap, so not an option

I’m leaning toward Michelin LTX MS2 Tire- P265/70R18 or latitude tour
If sticking with Michelin (like the last 20 years or so), can someone explain the difference in these two?

I want the safest I can get as far as wet traction, stopping power, usually most all the seats are full, what little cargo space the thing has is packed.

I’d also consider Toyo Open County, Goodyear Fortera/Wrangler SilentArmor, General Grabber HTS, and Pirelli.

I know I’m leaving off fine tires, but this is based on what I’m seeing I can go get installed this weekend in my area at costco or local chains.

Thanks!!

Welcome toi CA GaToyTow! Congrats on your 04!

My wife was burning through tire on her car because she like going fast on curves (Benz). I don't know how I convinced her to stop, must have been whan I tol dher that the tire expenses would start coming out of the vacation budget or something like that!

I've got no input on the tire you asked about, but I am a believer in the Cooper Zeons.

Thanks BlakSpyda!! I'll see if I can get those around here. I think the real answer is get my wife an Altima or such and I take over the Armada;) At least then she wouldn't be burning up $200 tires 18" tires.

Welcome toi CA GaToyTow! Congrats on your 04!

My wife was burning through tire on her car because she like going fast on curves (Benz). I don't know how I convinced her to stop, must have been whan I tol dher that the tire expenses would start coming out of the vacation budget or something like that!

I've got no input on the tire you asked about, but I am a believer in the Cooper Zeons.

I was pricing out Bridgestone AT Revo when a dealer suggested I look at Nokian. They are Finnish ( and if anyone will know snow tires it should be the Finnish) made in the USA by Dayton. The Vativa has an agressive winter tread, full depth sipes, is a 60,000 mile tire, is quiet and is far superior to the Continentak in dispersing water and lack of hydroplaning. I got the standard size. You folks liking the wider tires can have them for the warm parts of the counrty. If I could have gotten a narrower and taller tire that would have been better for traction in snow. For snow- same weight, smaller area of tread = more traction. I came up the lake in Northern Wisconsin two weeks ago and came in my drive in 10-12" of snow, just plowing a bit, and had no problems.

Look at-
http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11952&group=2.02&name=Nokian%20Vatiiva%20A/T

Nokian Vatiiva A/TPremium All-Terrain Tire

Inspired by the Nokian WR, our Vatiiva All-Purpose SUV and light truck radial, with Outlined White Lettering, provides year-round safety and comfort. The long lasting rubber compound and aggressive look make the non-directional Vatiiva an excellent choice for both SUV and light truck vehicles.


Nokian Safety

The Nokian Vatiiva is a rugged all-terrain tire that features the legendary safety you would expect from Nokian Tyres. The Vatiiva’s revolutionary Hakka Siping system improves grip while providing a high level of stability during high-speed driving. The all-purpose tread pattern delivers safety and grip, both on and off the road, while providing a smooth, comfortable ride.


Long Lasting Performance

The Vatiiva is specifically designed to maintain a high level of all-terrain performance throughout the long life of the tire. Special tread compounds are designed to be tough and long-lasting. Advanced tire construction provides enhanced durability and longer lasting safety. The Nokian Vatiiva features a 60,000 mile/96,000km tread life warranty on all P-metric products.


Properties:


Hakasiping
Outlined White Lettering
All-Terrain tread design
Tough and long lasting tire

Outlined White Lettering
Hakasiping

Ah Well, my computer died and I fear my post did not go through so here is what I can remember of it.
I was pricing out Bridgestone AT Revo when a dealer suggested I look at Nokian Vativa AT. The Nokian are designed in Finland (if anyone should know about snow it is the Finnish) and made in the US, I believe, by Dayton. It is a fairly heavy lugged tire with a lot of area for snow and water to move away. A few weeks ago, I came up to the lake in northern Wisonsin and my drive was 10-12" deep with snow. at the 12" I was plowing a bit but I made it just fine. I like the wide side grooves for anti-hydroplaning, the full depth sipes for stopping on ice and it is a 60,000 mile tire. It is also much quieter than the Continental or Bridgestone. If I could have gotten a narrower tire and larger circumference, I would have. You boys in the warm areas of the world can have wide tires. Here I want maximum psi on the tread. ie- same weight, narrower tire= more traction in snow. Look up Nokian if you are in cold climate areas,
PetrB

Has anyone tried the Nokian tires? I was just looking into their Vatiiva MT. They seem to be rather pricey, though...

Welcome primm907!

I have 265/70/18's but want the look that the newer LE's have with their 275/60/20. Will go with a good highway tire.
I've researched the dimension differences but want some opinions on what will get me close to the look of 275/60/20

275/65/18 - will i give up diameter and not gain enough decrease in sidewall

275/70/18 - may fill wheel well better but will it give a custom look with taller sidewall

285/60/18 - gets good decrease is sidewall but will they look small with what I'm giving up in diameter

295/60/18 - almost same size as 275/5/18 but an inch wider

295/65/18 - almost same sidewall as stock but diameter is bigger and may fill wheel better

Tire sidewall diameter
275/60/20 6.5 33 - shooting for this look
265/70/18 7.3 32.6 - stock tires i have now
275/65/18 7.0 32.1
275/70/18 7.6 33.2
285/60/18 6.7 31.5
295/60/18 7.0 31.9
295/65/18 7.5 33.1

OR - any chance a 275/60/20 would fit my stock 18 rims

Welcome to CA TNTitansFan!

Check the thread below, there are a few tire calculators with visual effects that will give you a better research method when making a decision on the profile you are looking for.

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8613

those sites are great. easy to use and the info is valuable. i used before putting my post on but can't really get a feel for what I'm dealing with. if anyone has knowledge of how any of the tires i mentioned look, please chime in. i don't think discounttire is gonna be to happy when i make them pull out 5 or six different tires because i need to seen them first. LOL

Ok so I have 21k miles on my stock conti's and am ready to get rid of them, I am leaning heavily towards the terra grapplers but my question is can I go with a larger size tire so I can take advantage of the extra load capacity.

Ok so I have 21k miles on my stock conti's and am ready to get rid of them, I am leaning heavily towards the terra grapplers but my question is can I go with a larger size tire so I can take advantage of the extra load capacity.

You can fit anything up to a 325/60-18... Just remember that bigger = heavier = worse MPG and they can drop you down to getting 12mpg.

You can fit anything up to a 325/60-18... Just remember that bigger = heavier = worse MPG and they can drop you down to getting 12mpg.

Thanks Pops.. so one other question on size.. I wanted to go a little bigger (taller) and emailed Nitto, they claimed the next size up after stock is 275x65x18.. when I go to their website it shows this does have more tread depth vs stock size (13.5 vs. 13.1) but the overall inflated diameter is less (32.05 vs 32.64), I take it this means the 275 tire is shorter than the 265.. I don't know much about tire sizes but am using all these calculators and calculations to sift through it.. Does that seem right? I was hoping to fill the wheel well a bit more but looks like i'd be going backwards.

Ok so I bit the bullet today and got new tires.. went with terra grapplers but I whimped out and went with stock size.. I was on the phone with Nitto and was having a hard timg finding a size that will actually be taller (wider was easy). I found an online site that was more than $50 less per tire which Discount happily matched.. can't wait to have them put on!

There's nothing wrong with stock size..... The "Inflated Overall Dia" is the total max outside diameter including tread. From what I've seen, it seems to usually be a little more than the tire's OD actually is. The nice part about staying with the stock size is that you won't be pouring down gas at only 13mpg. :D

2004 Armada SE 21,000 Miles on the OD. OEM tires are shot.

Most driving is in the city. Never off-road. Truck sits outside and cracking was a definite issue with the stock tires.

More concerned with ride comfort and performance (handling, stopping distance) than looks.

Stock size is 285/70/17 I intend to stay with the stock rims and replace with the same size tires.

Have been quoted $879 for the Toyos, $918 for the Dueler A/T 2s, and $686 (after rebate) for the Destination A/Ts. (installed)

Any input on which I should get would be appreciated.

Thanks.

EDIT: Wouldn't mind a comment on Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor as well. Quoted approx $1,100 - $160 rebate, though I didn't shop around on this one yet.

I have a set on my '05 Armada. I don't like them. They only lasted 50k, which is shy compared to the 80k I got out of the previous set of Generals. For the money, I would not go with the Destinations. Probably too late to help you now though...

Thanks for all the input.

I actually ended up getting Toyo Open Country H/Ts. (Not A/Ts)

rep at tire store brought them up and I was sold on the less aggressive tread given my never needing to go off-road. Reviews were quite good as well, and the warranty was actually better than the A/Ts even though the H/Ts were a bit less $.

Happy with them so far. We'll see when snow arrives. Though they'll still be better than my near-bald tires of last winter anyway.

BTW: I'd love to get 50K miles out of any tire. My OEM tires lasted 20K miles.

Hey guys I am sure your sick of tire questions butmy area has no trusted tire shops and I do not know anything about tires. At 40000 miles I am ready to replace the stock Michelins. I have put 20x8.5 wheels on it an mounted the stock tires back on which I believe the stock wheels are 20x8. I am looking at an AT tire and am considering either the Nitto Terra Grappler or the Cooper Zeon LTZ. I am looking for an aggressive look and do some off roading but nothing to crazy and we also put on a lot of interstate miles due to hockey for the boys. I dont want to loose a ton of fuel efffciency as I am already at 12.4 aroung town and 16 or 17 highway but I can accept a little and I dont want a ton of road noise. I woud like to know what size would incorporate a more agressive look without having to pinch weld or melt any plastic and not sacraficing to many MPG, ride and noise. I noticed someone on here had 305-55-20 and I really like the look but he said he had to heat the inner plastics on the wheel wells to keep them from rubbing. You guys have always been of great help and I appreciate it as I am not to good with these things.

Get the Terra but get the 305-50-20

Look on-line at http://www.nokiantires.com/tyre?id=11883&group=2.01&name=Nokian%20WR SUV. These are made in the USA by Cooper and they have their take off of it. It is excellent in snow and rain and the Nokkia costs less than Bridgestone AT Revo and the Cooper should be less still. If anyone should know about ice and snow it should be the Finns.

I'm looking to upgrade from an A/T to M/T tire. I have about 50k on Mich A/T LTX 2. They've been a great tire however with the tread about 80% worn out, i've notice I start to hydroplane allot in wet or slush snow road condition. I go off-road quite a bit and when I do go off-road it’s in some rough terrain.

I've been looking at Toyo Open Country M/T 275x70x18 or 33x12.5x18. I've been looking through all of the tires forums and haven't seen anyone ride with these shoes yet.

My biggest concerns are clearance and tire rub.

Tire Size Product Code Approved Rim Width Range (inch) Overall Diameter (inch) Overall Width (inch) Tread Depth (1/32") Tire Weight (lbs.)
LT275/70R18 125P E/10 (33X11.00R18) 360120 7.0-8.0-8.5 33.6 11 19 66.1
33X12.50R18LT 118Q E/10 360340 8.5-10.0-11.0 33 12.7 21 75

Any feed back would be great!

Toyo Open Country 33x12.5-18 should fit good... Take a look at Razzlee's gallery, that's what he was running.

I found a crazy deal on these Foose 22x9.5" rims and I'm thinking about pulling the trigger very soon ($325 each). The rims are a no brainer but the tires are a different story. I've settled on going with a 305/45/22 to get the maximum sidewall for ride comfort and to retain a little off road potential. Tirerack has a lot of good things to say about the Pirelli Scorpion ATR. I was wondering if anyone had used these tires (didn't read the whole thread sorry) and if so then did they care to share their opinions. I know they're a bit pricey, but found them on ebay for about $850 for a set of four shipped so it seems like a win win. Unless.........................

Thanks,
Bryce

http://216.120.250.216/pictures/wheelpics/VT3316.jpg

Toyo Open Country 33x12.5-18 should fit good... Take a look at Razzlee's gallery, that's what he was running.

Thanks Pops!

Lightspeed Im about to buy the mich ltx 2 how did they do for you? dry, snow, rain,?

Lightspeed Im about to buy the mich ltx 2 how did they do for you? dry, snow, rain,?

I was very pleased with the LTX2, I'm actually thinking about running them again. I have 50k on these tires and have about 20% left on tread. The outer edge are pretty warn but that's because of my alignment. I'm in Utah so we get every possible combination of weather and these tires served their purpose. Rain, Snow, Dry and silk mud they got we through without any issues.

If I don't go with the LTX2, I might just go with TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A/T. I do a ton of off-road but I the M/T's might be a little too much. Besides the M/T are pricey.

Hope this helps on your decision making.

I run Mich's on my 07 Acura TL, 08 Honda CBR600RR and Armada. Mich's have been a very reliable tire.

I have michelin cross terrain 265 70 18 rated for 65,000 miles. I only got 30,000 and now not enough tread to pass inspection.

Suggestions are very welcome.

I had Pirelli Scorpion ATs on my last beast, so that will likely be my next purchase. They have great wet road performance and an aggressive tread for light off-road duty.

One thing I will absolutely never buy again is anything from General. I had a mid tread blowout for no apparent reason, about six months ago. I am STILL trying to get a response from them with respect to the warranty claim. They basically seem to take the tack of stalling in hopes the problem (customer) will go away.

I don't see much discussion on the forum with respect to tire warranty issues, but it should definitely factor into your purchase decision.

I can hardly wait until my Generals get worn out.

I have an 05 and wanted a taller and wider AT tire without doing any mods. Any suggestions?
Current tires are 265/70 /18--

I was very pleased with the LTX2, I'm actually thinking about running them again. I have 50k on these tires and have about 20% left on tread. The outer edge are pretty warn but that's because of my alignment. I'm in Utah so we get every possible combination of weather and these tires served their purpose. Rain, Snow, Dry and silk mud they got we through without any issues.

If I don't go with the LTX2, I might just go with TOYO OPEN COUNTRY A/T. I do a ton of off-road but I the M/T's might be a little too much. Besides the M/T are pricey.

Hope this helps on your decision making.

I run Mich's on my 07 Acura TL, 08 Honda CBR600RR and Armada. Mich's have been a very reliable tire.

Guys I went with Goodyear Duratrac. 275x70x18, so far these tires have been great. Did a run up to CJ Strike Reservoir over the weekend and hwy noise was mild. Though a bit nosier than the LTX2 but that was expected on a knobby tires.

I wanted to test the tires in off road condition so I went West of Utah Lake by the knolls area and did some off-road. Went up a 45 degree incline and not a single slip on the tires. Let see if they’ll last as long as the LTX2.

Also did a full alignment after I got the tires on. My toe and camber were of about 1.5 degrees.

I spent @ 1300 for the full set. It came with road hazard.9859

9860

9861

9862