Need Tires, 255/70/16 or 245/75/16

[bluestream1]

I have a chance to pick up some new Bridgestone tires in the 245/75/16 size for a very low price. (OEM size is 255/70/16)

On-line tire size calculators show these tires are close in size, with the 75 aspect ratio tires a little narrower. Any reason not to put this size on my truck?

 

[J_C]

That will work fine if you're okay with a slightly softer ride and slightly less traction. Spedo will be off a little, maybe 1.4% but sizing (+ traction & ride) depends also on variances between different manufacturer and tire model deviations.

 

[Flash]

Have a look at the other factors; load range, speed range if they make any difference.

Your speedo won't be accurate with either tyre fitted so don't worry about that.

As for ride, you would expect a 75 profile to be softer than a 70 but the carcass may not be designed that way.

 

[SoNic67]

Frontal and lateral grip on road will be less than OE. ABS can help only so much...
On a rainy day it might be the reason why you will "total" your vehicle (and possibly injuries). Is it worth the savings?
It's for you to decide.

 

[bluestream1]

Frontal and lateral grip on road will be less than OE. ABS can help only so much...
On a rainy day it might be the reason why you will "total" your vehicle (and possibly injuries). Is it worth the savings?
It's for you to decide.

Seems a bit melodramatic Nic...The tire is only a few percent smaller on the tread size. 3.9%

My 91 came with 235/75/15 tires, so its amazing I managed 12 years with that truck

 

[lobo411]

Seems a bit melodramatic Nic...The tire is only a few percent smaller on the tread size. 3.9%

My 91 came with 235/75/15 tires, so its amazing I managed 12 years with that truck

The 91 also came with an I-beam front suspension. That doesn't mean that I-beam is as safe as independent wishbone, right?

 

[J_C]

Safety has far more to do with driving within the limits of the vehicle. We don't go around telling people to put the widest high performance street tires on that they can, instead most go for all season, all terrain types if not even lower road traction than that.

The last 10 out of 10 times (if not more) I was almost in an accident it was because someone almost hit me at night while I had right of way, was doing nothing wrong. With that in mind I'd probably be best off with giant glow in the dark orange tires to increase their visibility.

 

[bluestream1]

The 91 also came with an I-beam front suspension. That doesn't mean that I-beam is as safe as independent wishbone, right?

Exactly, that design was a death trap! Not to mention the Firestone tires that came with it and could never get them to balance...

 

[J_C]

^ Isn't lack of tire balance the fault of the tire shop? I never had trouble with my original Firestones, got 4/5ths of their tread life out of them before the great news that I'd get a new set of replacement tires free during that recall.

 

[bluestream1]

^ Isn't lack of tire balance the fault of the tire shop? I never had trouble with my original Firestones, got 4/5ths of their tread life out of them before the great news that I'd get a new set of replacement tires free during that recall.

The tires were so far out of round no amount of weight would get them to balance. Ford made a recall and I got me 4 new Michelin AT's, for free as they said they didn't want any Explorer owner driving one of their trucks with Firestone tires.

 

[SoNic67]

Seems a bit melodramatic Nic...The tire is only a few percent smaller on the tread size. 3.9%

Sometimes that 4% might be the difference between life and death... Because you cannot be just 4% dead.
And that's why I ended my post with a "why chance it" question.

^ Isn't lack of tire balance the fault of the tire shop? I never had trouble with my original Firestones, got 4/5ths of their tread life out of them before the great news that I'd get a new set of replacement tires free during that recall.

That's just your personal experience. Other people DIED because of those tires, so... don't generalize based on your limited experience.
Sure, there are people that fell from a plane a lived, are you ready to recommend that to everyone?

Read more about Firestone fiasco: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firestone_and_Ford_tire_controversy

 

[bluestream1]

Sometimes that 4% might be the difference between life and death... Because you cannot be just 4% dead.
And that's why I ended my post with a "why chance it" question.

Keep in mind that narrower tires grip better in snow, so I may have a 4% more change of living in some conditions

 

[SoNic67]

Don't kid yourself. Sure, it might be true if you go off-road. Not on highways with packed snow or ice.
That's why I changed my old Goodyear Wrangler before they were officially deemed "worn out". Just didn't feel good about their rubber grip - especially when cold.
I have now Michelins. Worth every dollar.

 

[J_C]

Both tires are wider than the 235/75/15 stock option. Anyone driving an older SUV has to be mature about their driving style and accepting that every choice in life assumes a certain level of risk. If utmost safety is the concern, get a newer car instead of driving a larger top heavy vehicle like it was one.

The difference between the two tires is far less than the difference between many other factors, one of which being choosing a 2nd set of winter tires for snow and ice.

 

[SoNic67]

Both tires are wider than the 235/75/15 stock option.

Bad example. The understeer following tread separation on those 235/75/15" lead to majority of rollovers. Sure, it was also a union-related issue, but those smaller tires were stressed the most.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/FirestoneRecall

The recall will cover all P235/75 R15 Firestone ATX and ATX II tires (from 1991 to the present) and all P235/75R15 Wilderness AT tires (from 1996 to the present) manufactured at Firestone's Decatur, IL plant. Firestone does not plan to recall the approximately 5.6 million Wilderness AT tires manufactured at its other plants (Joliet, Canada and Wilson, NC) or other models of Wilderness tires.

 

[J_C]

Bad example. The understeer following tread separation on those 235/75/15" lead to majority of rollovers. Sure, it was also a union-related issue, but those smaller tires were stressed the most.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/FirestoneRecall

Nonsense. The majority of explorer owners stuck with the stock tire size and never had a problem, myself included over many winters of snow and ice.

The same is true for many different SUV of the era. If someone can't drive safe on that tire size that's a personal incompetence that really has nothing to do with slight, and I mean very slight, variations in tire size.

If the safety factor is so substantial in your mind, then there is no possible way you can justify driving this era of explorer no matter what tires are on it. You can't just pretend slapping a different brand of tire on makes much difference at all relative to things I already wrote like driving a different newer vehicle or using snow tires on snow and ice.

If your tires aren't snow tires they are poor at snow and ice compared to decent 235/75/15 snow tires.

In the end it's all rather silly. No matter what vehicle or tire it's always going to be a matter of driving within the limitations of the vehicle and more often than not, those who try to pimp their ride for performance end up in more, not fewer accidents because they gain a false illusion that they can then drive too fast for conditions.

 

[SoNic67]

Where did I say "cannot drive the truck because tire size"?
My original statement is still true - all other things being equal, a slimmer tire will have less contact patch with the road, therefore less grip.

However this thread is going beyond absurd, now you are trying to convince me that actually slimmer tires are better and whoever has wider tires are just idiots that cannot drive.

I am done here, as far as I am concerned, you can use bicycle tires if you like.

 

[Limited02]

You'll be fine with 245/75/16's. If it was good enough for a 3rd gen, I'm sure it's more than good enough for a second gen.

 

[Produce Man]

I stepped up from the pizza-cutter 235 /70/16's to Firestone Destination LE's in 245/75/16. Picked up a lightly used set for $300. Rides better, gained 1/2" more height and it reduced my RPM's by 4-500 @ 70 mph. Go for it.

 

[Flash]

There is a law of diminishing returns. As Sonic said, all other things being equal a 245 will be better than a 235.

But keep in mind that a 235 may just be all the truck can use in which case a 245 or 265 will be a total waste.

All of the tyres mentioned will be safe to use within the vehicles capability.