Considering going 255/80R17

[Tim. Y.]

Running a '22 JTDW with no lift, and want to get a touch more height without making it too much harder for my Wife and Mother-in-law to get into the truck. So I'm looking at going with the 255/80R17s without going heavy on the Pizza Cutter look. Thought about going with the 285/70R17s, but kept going back to the thinner slightly taller tires. I'm looking at either the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W or the Nitto Ridge Grapplers. Has anyone done this, and do you have an opinion on the tires? How do you feel they performed? Which of the two tires would folks lean towards and why?

Thanks!

Sponsored

 

[Jaxmax]

I did and love them! In my Mojave I went from factory 285/70 Falken AT3 and went to the 255/80 Falken AT4 and love them only a bit taller (1/2”) then what I took off but steering feelings so much lighter, load E tires ride good no big difference and they are a really much better in the snow we just had then the wider tires. So I have a bit more lift then you have 4:10 gearing, so there is that but I like the tires a lot, and I do hit trails and always get through…….Jack

 

[OffAxis2021]

Just going to throw this out there and you may very well already be aware, but the AT4W are more heavier load oriented than the AT3W.

When the AT4Ws were first released, Trail Built Offroad preferred the AT3W over the AT4W… generally speaking of lighter vehicles—Jeeps

I personally run Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T 255/85R17 and absolutely will not consider anything else. Yes, they’re E-rated. I run them at 34psi.

I am just saying…

 

[McRuss]

I'm new to tire sizes for the Gladiator...mine came with 275/65/18 BF Goodrich K02 and measure 30" from ground to top of tire. They are pretty flush with the fenders. My 4'10" wife can just barely lift herself into the cab so I'm not going to try to lift it.

 

[Vincent]

I did and love them! In my Mojave I went from factory 285/70 Falken AT3 and went to the 255/80 Falken AT4 and love them only a bit taller (1/2”) then what I took off but steering feelings so much lighter, load E tires ride good no big difference and they are a really much better in the snow we just had then the wider tires. So I have a bit more lift then you have 4:10 gearing, so there is that but I like the tires a lot, and I do hit trails and always get through…….Jack

Looks good! Let’s get some more pix. I’m thinking of going the same route as well on my Mojave.

 

[azmojave]

Also look at 285x75r17. 34x11.50

 

[Jaxmax]

I did not want to go much taller , cause I liked the way it tows the camper now and am happy with the V-6 for power and MPG , and my wife is just under five foot tall. The Mickey Thompson are a taller and bit skinner tire , but five pounds a tire more then the Falken AT4 which concerned me as my Glady is getting heavy. I might go 34-35” tire sometime but other then countless trips driving on east coast beaches I would say about five percent of my miles are off-road in the woods , I have some BOH badges and will probably get three or four more this year , but the Mojave still handles great on road, steering feel is much lighter , and I feel the skinny tires are better on the beach then my 285/75/17 were. I have fished on the beach since 1978 when my wife’s family got me into surf fishing, I have had eight surf fishing trucks , the slightly lifted 2008 Suburban was the best of them including the Mojave on factory tires and the Mojave is the the only one I ever had to dig out on beach, skinny tires made a big difference and has moved the Mojave to the best spot. All my other trucks other then my Scrambler had less aggressive tires so that might have something to do with it.
Here are a couple pics….Jack

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

I don't see any tire poke OR the fender flares from the "wide-track" option. NICE!

Other than the higher fenders vs the sport variants, @Jaxmax do you ever notice rubbing? And have you/can you check how much clearance you have at full lock and full articulation with those tires? I'm highly considering those exact tires on my 21 Willys (same color too), but need to know if I NEED to swap my front and/or rear fenders for full lock and/or full articulation since I'm not lifted/modded at all yet, just stock 32" Firestone MTs.

Thanks!

 

[Vincent]

I did not want to go much taller , cause I liked the way it tows the camper now and am happy with the V-6 for power and MPG , and my wife is just under five foot tall. The Mickey Thompson are a taller and bit skinner tire , but five pounds a tire more then the Falken AT4 which concerned me as my Glady is getting heavy. I might go 34-35” tire sometime but other then countless trips driving on east coast beaches I would say about five percent of my miles are off-road in the woods , I have some BOH badges and will probably get three or four more this year , but the Mojave still handles great on road, steering feel is much lighter , and I feel the skinny tires are better on the beach then my 285/75/17 were. I have fished on the beach since 1978 when my wife’s family got me into surf fishing, I have had eight surf fishing trucks , the slightly lifted 2008 Suburban was the best of them including the Mojave on factory tires and the Mojave is the the only one I ever had to dig out on beach, skinny tires made a big difference and has moved the Mojave to the best spot. All my other trucks other then my Scrambler had less aggressive tires so that might have something to do with it.
Here are a couple pics….Jack

Perfect!! Thank you kindly!!!

 

[Vincent]

Also look at 285x75r17. 34x11.50

I had Toyo's in this size on my last Gladdy, and liked them. But for the Mojave, I'm going to leave this one as "stockish" as I can while leaving the factory parameters in place.

 

[Jaxmax]

I don't see any tire poke OR the fender flares from the "wide-track" option. NICE!

Other than the higher fenders vs the sport variants, @Jaxmax do you ever notice rubbing? And have you/can you check how much clearance you have at full lock and full articulation with those tires? I'm highly considering those exact tires on my 21 Willys (same color too), but need to know if I NEED to swap my front and/or rear fenders for full lock and/or full articulation since I'm not lifted/modded at all yet, just stock 32" Firestone MTs.

Thanks!

The tires don’t poke , they are skinny compared to what came from factory and I had no issues rubbing with them , these tires are about an inch narrower. The Mojave has the wide axles, higher clearance fenders and Mojave suspension is an inch taller in front when compared to a Rubicon. Your tires are 32” high , factory AT3 tires were 32.8” tall and the 255/80 are 33.3” tall, so only 1.3 inches taller then yours and really just under 3/4” taller then what you have from top of fender to tire. Disconnecting sway bar links gives much more articulation but I have not heard or seen evidence of rubbing on mine. We do have two very different trucks and I am not sure if the Willys had the wide axle or not. I don’t think you would have a problem and putting a small spacer say 1/2” on front might be the biggest thing you have to do. This picture is at a BOH trail near you probably about a hundred yards of “sway moguls” no rubbing with sway bar disconnected, wider factory tires and the rear tires were picking up off ground about 18” as we went down hill back and forth…..Jack

 

[Vincent]

The tires don’t poke , they are skinny compared to what came from factory and I had no issues rubbing with them , these tires are about an inch narrower. The Mojave has the wide axles, higher clearance fenders and Mojave suspension is an inch taller in front when compared to a Rubicon. Your tires are 32” high , factory AT3 tires were 32.8” tall and the 255/80 are 33.3” tall, so only 1.3 inches taller then yours and really just under 3/4” taller then what you have from top of fender to tire. Disconnecting sway bar links gives much more articulation but I have not heard or seen evidence of rubbing on mine. We do have two very different trucks and I am not sure if the Willys had the wide axle or not. I don’t think you would have a problem and putting a small spacer say 1/2” on front might be the biggest thing you have to do. This picture is at a BOH trail near you probably about a hundred yards of “sway moguls” no rubbing with sway bar disconnected, wider factory tires and the rear tires were picking up off ground about 18” as we went down hill back and forth…..Jack

Nice! Did you recalibrate for the small increase in tire size?

 

[Vincent]

OP, sorry for hijacking...

 

[Jaxmax]

I did not, but do have a pro snap to do it if I am bored sometime.

 

[Vincent]

I did not, but do have a pro snap to do it if I am bored sometime.

Right on! Thx for your input!!

Sponsored