LT 285/75R16 Michelin LTX Tires on stock GM Rims

[Troutguy]

I'd like to hear comments and recommendations from those of you that have put this size tire on your stock GM 2500/3500HD 16" GM wheels.
My 2001 Chevy 2500HD truck is in need of new tires. I currently have Michelin LT 265 75R 16 tires on it now and wanted to upgrade to 285s to increase my load carrying capacity by approx. 350 lbs. per tire. The tire chain that I've dealt with over the last twenty years is refusing to mount 285s on the stock 6.5 in. GM steel wheels as the "wheels are too narrow and should be 7" wide". Another major chain says no problem however I may get some wear on the tire centers using the 6.5" rims, but will still mount them.

I would go to 19.5s however the ones that fit my current truck will not fit GM HD trucks from 2010 and up. So transferring the wheels won't happen if I buy a new truck in the next couple years.
I am well aware of my current overload conditions with either 265s or 285 tires.
I also see that TC Magazine has just started a tire/wheel survey and quite a few TCers are using this same combination.

So let the weight police or the 19.5 fans refrain from starting any arguments please.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

TG

[Troutguy]

I'd like to thank all of you that replied on this topic. A lot of great intelligent and thoughtful comments. Well it looks like the majority rules and I purchased a new set of Michelin LT 265 LTX Defender tires from Discount Tire. These are the same size as what I've had on this truck since 2007 and have been happy with them.

Thanks again for all of your help!

TG

[Grit_dog]

Too wide fr the rims is true, but they work. Seen em for years.
Another easy and cheap option is get some 17" Dodge takeoff rims from the 3rd gen trucks or any of the 17-20" 4th gen rims.
They fit great on chebbies. I used 17" Dodge Ram takeoff alloys on my 02 Chevy 2500.
Plus you can buy a set of brand new ram takeoff wheels and tires with 3500lb tires for the same or less than a new set of tires.

[terryrey]

Hi Troutguy:

Please find below an excerpt from a previous post I made in July of 2012 about LT 285/75R16 Goodyear tires on 16X6.5 inch wide stock GM PYO forged aluminum wheels:

"My Input: My 2007 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A CC has put 43,000 miles on Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor 285/75R16 tires mounted on the stock PYO forged aluminum wheels. These are all terrain tires with "durawall" side walls to resist cuts and have a load rating of 3750 lbs at 80psi. The Tire Rack sells these tires for $244 each. Bought locally they cost about $280 mounted and balanced before tax. Loaded with the camper wet and all gear, I carry about 4700 lbs on the front wheels and 6500lbs on the rear and travel extensively off-road, as well as on road. I average between 14 and 16 highway MPG on my truck and camper, I now have an average of just over 5/32" of tread left on the tires and project to get at least the 50,000 miles tread life advertised by Goodyear before reaching the wear indicators in the tread."

I, in fact, did get 50,000 miles out of those tires and then bought another exact same set of tires. My truck was always rock solid with no sway, wandering, bouncing or other uncomfortable handling on the highway (at speeds up to 90 mph - passing) and on gravel and off road trails. I did have to modify my suspension to carry the weight of the camper so I did not get "rock and roll" off road. It is true that the tires do bow up a little in the center, but, for these tires at any rate, this did not significantly affect tire life.

Based on my experience, 6.5" wide wheels will work just fine with 285/75R16 tires. The problem you will face in going to aftermarket aluminum wheels to get an 8" width is the wheel weight rating seems to top out at 3650 lbs, which is less than the tire weight rating. The stock PYOs can carry about 3800 lbs. Also cast aluminum wheels weigh about 50% more than the forged wheels.

Hope this helps...Terry

[phillyg]

If Michelin really requires a 7.5" wheel for that size tire, I think you've found the answer. There should be a spec on the Michigan website to help you.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

JIMNLIN wrote:
I tried LT265/75-16 E with a 8" wide tread on a '90 2500 chevy with 6.5" OEM wheels pulling heavy GN trailers. The truck was a handful to keep on the road. So dumped them for the good old LT235/85-16 in the same tire type.

I had the same experience when I had 265's on the front of my old GM dually. It wandered on the road too much and didn't hold corners like it should.

I went back to stock size 235's and it steered and handled much better, as expected of a dually.

I think the rims were 6".

I'm sure my F350SRW would steer and handle better if I wasn't running 285's on 7" wheels up front. It does OK, but if it had 8" wheels up front, like it has in the rear, steering/handling would be better I bet.

[JIMNLIN]

I tried LT265/75-16 E with a 8" wide tread on a '90 2500 chevy with 6.5" OEM wheels pulling heavy GN trailers. The truck was a handful to keep on the road. So dumped them for the good old LT235/85-16 in the same tire type.

One thing I've found running heavy loaded wheels in my hau;ling business is the tire works best when the wheels width closely matches the tires tread width.
Also tread type such as a rough AT with large lugs and voids isn't as stable under load at highway speeds as a ribbed highway tire.

Lot on the net about tire wheel proper fit for the job. This from;

Dunlap
RIM WIDTH
*Correct rim width ensures flex at the designed flex point in a tire sidewall for optimum tire performance.

If the rim is too narrow, the flex point moves toward the shoulder area, creating heat buildup in the shoulder, which reduces tire life and could result in failure.

If the rim is too wide, the flex point moves towards the rim area, causing heat buildup in the lower sidewall, which reduces tire life and could result in failure.

Within the acceptable range of rim widths, one can select wider or narrower rims than the measuring rim. Selection of a wider rim, from within the approved range, (T & RA tables) stiffens the sidewall and improves handling at the expense of handling. If carried too extreme, either too narrow or too wide of a rim, it can result in uneven tread/pavement contact pressure causing uneven wear and potentially reduced traction, or increased vulnerability to bead dis-lodgement.*

[Joe417]

We are running Firestone 285/75R16s on stock steel GM wheels. Firestone recommends 7.5 to 9 inches so I'm sure they will wear more in the center, but hasn't been a problem yet. I decide a shorter tire life due to center wear is acceptable.

I keep them at max inflation and feel no squirm as some have stated. The side walls are really stiff. Pressure increase from cold to max running temp has been a max of 4 lbs. even at 100* ambient temps.

The larger diameter caused the speedometer to register about 4 mph under actual so I run my speed 5 under and haven't had a problem. I've been told the local dealer can calibrate the speedometer, I haven't bothered.

The larger diameter allows the tire to barely hit the inner fenders when turning. Some say they just cut the plastic out. I just let it rub as it only makes a bit of noise when turning sharp, really doesn't bother us. Hasn't caused much damage to the plastic after running them about 2 years and maybe 11,000 miles.

I wasn't able to find a wider set of wheels locally without spending big $$ when I decided to run the bigger tires. I have intended to get a wider set but the tires run great and I haven't carried it any further.

For now they work great so I'm running them as is unless a set of wider wheels jump out in front of me at a reasonable price. I got tired of looking and searching.

One issue, with the larger diameter, the factory jack will not lift the axle high enough. You need a low profile bottle jack with a double ram to get under the axle with the tire flat and then lift it high enough to remove the tire. I didn't find the right bottle jack yet, so I need a piece of 2x6 to get it high enough. I decided I'll call Good Sam if it needs to be changed.

Also, no issue putting the spare tire where it goes.

[trail-explorer]

cewillis wrote:
The ~2001 - ~2009 GM 3500 SRW wheels are 16x7 not 16x6.5.

2010 wheels should be the same. the bolt pattern didn't change until 2011, coinciding with the GVWR increase.

[billtex]

Find a set of steelies from a one ton...you'll be fine. We went through the same process a few years ago when we upgraded to larger camper.
See the whole story Here

Have done about 40k miles since then...

[Oldtymeflyr]

I would not do it. The tire and wheel must be designed for one another, you will have more instability with the narrow wheel.

We went with 285/70-17 on a Dodge wheel, Some years fit. Two years later and maybe 25,000 miles its been a good ride. $200 for the wheels in very good condition. We have Michelin's they are a very big stock tire.

Costco will not mount the tires on the wheels on a GMC but they will mount the tires on the wheels on a Dodge. Costco mounts the tires, I mount the wheels on the GMC.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Get a set of wheels that are 8" or wider, and rated equal to the tires you're putting on them, which is 3750 lbs each.

I went with a custom made pair of Stockton heavy duty steel 16x8's for the rear of my F350SRW. They are rated 4000 lbs per wheel. The 285's fit perfectly on them.

On the front, I run factory Ford 7" steel wheels with the 285's. The front axle doesn't carry anywhere near the weight rating of the factory wheels. The tires don't fit as well as on the 8" wheels, but with them loaded so much lighter than the rears, I run them at lower pressure and they wear even.

I would not run the factory 7" wheels on the rear with the 285's. Too much weight and too narrow wheel.

[cewillis]

The ~2001 - ~2009 GM 3500 SRW wheels are 16x7 not 16x6.5. You can pick them up pretty cheap (or at least one could when I did it in 2006) Better fit for 285x16 tires, but I wouldn't do that either. On the other hand, Terry Rey has 285s on 16x6.5 stock wheels (if I remember right), and seems satisfied with them.

[parkmanaa]

Michelin's recommendation is for min. 7.5 in wheel.
You will not be happy if you find someone who will mount that 285 m/m width tire on a 6.5 in stock wheel. Tire will not flex properly with the beads pinched closer than the designed width.
Also, that 6.5 in. wheel may not be rated to carrier a heavier load.

[Vinsil]

Will they fit? Sure. Too narrow of a wheel IMHO and the centers will wear as will the ride and safety factors be compromised. You won't have full contact across the section of the fire at full psi, you won't have full braking or turning potential either. Is your truck lifted? Don't know many if any GM guys can fit a 33" tall tire without at least a few cranks on the torsion bars to level it out.

I'm with the guy above, purchase new wheels or find factory 7" wide wheels to work if you plan on a new truck soon.