dually options

[lmills]

OK, I have tried to do a search, but must be typing in the wrong words or something. I know this has to have been gone over, but I have to ask. With winter time approaching I will probably need a new set of tires on the dually. So, what is the largest tire I can fit on the stock dually rims? I would at the least like to go with something taller to tame the 4. 10's since most of the time I spend is on the highway.

 

[Jeff Clark]

I've seen 315/70-17's on a dually, but that was with a 2" spacer. You may be able to go up one size over stock, but availability is the issue.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

For winter time I'd suggest the Cooper 235R85x17s. I think its the ST model that has the winter lugs.



Not many options for DRWs yet.

 

[lmills]

So nobody has tried putting a larger tire on a 3rd generation dually? I know plenty of guys have done it with the 2nd generation dually's

 

[InThinAir]

People have installed bigger tires. But pick your poison, you will need spaces and/or you will have to find a shop willing to mount tires that are too wide for the stock 6" rims. At the 2nd Gen 16" size there is a lot of choices 17" has very few choices.



---Doug

 

[SSage]

Whats the point? Is it just for looks? Compared to the older trucks the present stock size is what I liked to run in the past. Don't miss those skinny 16. 5's one bit.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Originally posted by lmills

I would at the least like to go with something taller to tame the 4. 10's since most of the time I spend is on the highway.

LMills;



My dually has 235R85-16 Michelins on it and 4. 10 gearing also. That being all the room a stock dual wheel setup can accommodate.



The speedo error at present is 4. 5 mpg to the good which gives me 70 mph at 2000 RPM and 55/45 psi (gps). I would probably gain a small smideon of speed with 80/60 psi, but my tailbone yells at me now.



As mentioned, there currently aren't a lot of choices for the 17" rims yet.



You say with winter coming on you need to change. Is this because of the wrong tread design or the wear bars are too close to the tread surface?



Also, what environment are you going to be running through? If it is just snow and ice, tires with 35% tread will do almost as well as new ones.



If you are running through mud, then aggressive treads are indeed in order.



I think you need to consider whether your needs are of the "I wish" variety for looks, or just really needing something aggressive.



I have 30 years of off road experience with standard issue M/S tires on company vehicles in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and West Texas. My standard issue vehicle with the "skinny tires" has pulled out a whole slew of guys who just had to have those wider beasts of burden.



When it comes to really having sloshy pulling power, the tall skinny stuff out does the wide ones everyday. This is because the skinny ones go all the way to the bottom and find a rock to pull against. The wider tires just float on the surface and pack up solid and smooth.



Just my own experiences with the oil patch... some of the off roads had oil in them. Wide tires were useless...



As far as wanting more speed/RPM on the wheel, I won't pay for that if I have to buy new wheels. It will never pay me back in fuel saved, ever... Not in 300,000 miles when new wheels are running a month's pay and more depending on how pretty you want them. If I should happen across a set cheap, yep, I would put 'em on. I desire to have 285's on my truck, but they aren't there yet. It's not the 285's that I need, it is the lower RPM I desire vs speed. Trade offs in everything we do.



My dually 4x4 gets 16. 0 mpg avg, my son's dually 2x4 gets 15. 5 mpg avg. Same gearing, same tires. Go figure...



JMHO



Luck,

John

 

[lmills]

As mentioned above I never said wider, I said taller to reduce gear ratio. The factory tires are wearing fast. I have 32,000 miles and will need a set going into the winter. Normally I wouldn't care if they were a little bald, but I plow snow, so I want traction. I figure if I need to buy a set of tires I might as well go a little bigger to help out my fuel mileage.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Unfortunately, going taller for us will mean wider. I am looking at getting some spacers from Performance Wheel. That way all I will be doing is replacing my worn tires next year when these are gone.