99 sport with 235/85r16 skinnys!

[IRONHIDE]

I thought I'd post these pics since I found VERY little info on Explorers with narrow tires. The tires are new RETREADS that paid less than $450 for, including tax, mount and balance. The SPORT has shackles, but I maybe only gained .5 inch over stock due to the sagging rear springs. The front only has about 1 inch TT. New stock shocks on all four corners. Only rubs about 1/4 inch of the Tupperware on right front side. Sawzall fix all. VERY minor trim.
Next up: wheels or spacers, and AAL
HOPEFULLY, someone else in the Explorer scene was wondering how it'd look. Tell me what you think!

PROS:
1. my rpm at 60 dropped by 200 according to my GPS.
2. Should be better fuel mileage than stock tires due to their VERY narrow width.
3. Pulling power didnt decrease noticeably. Takes off from a stop just as it did before. Truck has 4.10 limited slip diffs from the factory.
4. Tried the tires out on a steep, wet, grassy hill....PULLED LIKE A BEAST!



CONS:
1. VERY, VERY loud on asphalt. VERY. VERY. LOUD.
2. Tires have mix matched brands, yet all being retreads, have the same pattern.

 

[IRONHIDE]

Painted the wheels:

 

[colintrax]

What load range are they? I was wanting 235/85r16 but couldn't find em in anything other than an e which is to rough and heavy for an x

 

[colintrax]

And where'd ya get em?

 

[IRONHIDE]

Man I didn't even ask! I'll call the shop tomorrow and check. I'm betting they are E range tho. I know they are heavier than the 255/75 street tires it had on it.

 

[IRONHIDE]

Got them at a local shop called Keith Tire and Service in Magee, MS.

 

[colintrax]

Thanks! Did they have a less aggressive tread pattern? That's a lil to MT for me

 

[IRONHIDE]

Yeah they did actually! The other tires he showed me looked exactly like the patterns you'd find by Treadwright, but mine were the only ones I hadn't seen on the Treadwright website.

 

[colintrax]

So are these Treadwrights?

 

[IRONHIDE]

Not according to the owner, no. I asked him if they were treadwrights, and he said he had never heard of them! Ha!

 

[colintrax]

haha ok, well if they have a 235/85r16 thats not load range e I'll be extremely happy

 

[IRONHIDE]

Sorry, bud. They are E rated

 

[colintrax]

Darn well thanks for finding out. I'ma figure something out

 

[obie]

Hey, cool! Glad you found those tires you were looking for, I figured you were going to have a hell of a time. Though I don't remember why it was that you wanted them tall, but skinny. Rub? Anyways, it actually looks better than I thought it would. The painted wheels look great too. Nice job man.

 

[IRONHIDE]

Hey, cool! Glad you found those tires you were looking for, I figured you were going to have a hell of a time. Though I don't remember why it was that you wanted them tall, but skinny. Rub? Anyways, it actually looks better than I thought it would. The painted wheels look great too. Nice job man.

Thanks Obie! I don't know why I'm just now seeing your reply! Yeah, I've had them for a couple months now, and I'm beginning to get use to the singing they do! Also, something I never considered was that they are BY FAR the most hydroplane-resistant tire I've EVER driven. That says a lot, considering I'm a truck driver with 2.5 million+ miles under my belt. Even more curious, I removed the front an rear sway bars, and it's still VERY stable when hitting water puddles at 60 mph. Shoot, I wanna put a set on my wife's Jetta now! But I'm pretty sure she won't tolerate the noise as well as I do!
Oh, and they only rubbed a LITTLE on the passenger side at the corner of the Tupperware. 30 seconds with my sawzall cured that for good!