I have some questions for those of you with 2500hd D/A combos running a 285 series tire. How do you like the way the truck drives? Does it lose much power from the taller gear ratio? Does the Alli have a hard time finding the gear it wants to/should be in? Do you lose any turning radius from the tire contacting anything on the frame or anywhere else?

Also what kind of RPM's are you turning at 60 and 70mph?

I want to go with bigger tires for obvious reasons but I need some feedback on the plus's and minus's of living with them day in and day out.

I have 285 Nitto's on my truck and I think they are great. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif In order for them to fit easily without chance of rubbing I cranked up the front torsion bars to level out the truck and spaced the front bumper out about 3/4" which no one can really tell unless told. I did find that the offset of the rims is the key to it all for clearance in the front, you have to get the right offset when going with a wide tire or they stick out to far and moves the tire arch out which makes it easier to contact the fender and bumper. I wanted the wider looking stance but I also have the tires tucked under the fenders and they have never rubbed even on a sharp turn through uneven ground.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/BowtieBoy/2004-10-05_042933_03-2_Silverado.JPG

Bowtie boy, do you have a pic from the side of your truck too? those tires look awesome from the front. What backspacing and wheel width did you go with? I really like the look of it http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif

http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14806&K (http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14806&KW=285+bumper) W=285+bumper





Check this link out how I did mine... no problems. Slightly smaller turning radius (just run over things like curbs, mazda's).
I'd have to get back on you on rpms.. basically it's like gearing about 10% taller.


Chris

Note that he has 18" wheels, not 16". 285-75/16s are a bit taller
(1.5") than 285-60/18. Here is mine with the same size tires.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Kartattack/2004-10-05_173945_New_Wheels2.jpg

Ahh good point I should have mentioned that I'm gonna stick with the 16" wheel. So they'd be the 285/75R-16

I have a new 05 CC 4X4 3500 SRW Lb running 285X16 on 8" Welds with Green Keys with the bolts set in original stock key position. Plenty of clearance, no turning problems, no Alli problems (unlike some of us, it LEARNS new situations), and great ride. The ride improved significantly with the addition of Green Keys. Don't know why the Green Keys improved the ride, but it is very noticeable, even if I do agree with Hoot's long winded explanation of why it should make no difference (that is scary, first for agreeing with a Dodge guy, second for agreeing with Hoot - LOL - actually, in all fairness I must say I originally found this site because I missed "Hootisms" after he was so wrongly banished from the Kingdom http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley19.gif - thanks Hoot, I really do enjoy your presence.)http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley17.gif

Does the one ton have more clearance on the front bumper? Or do some trucks just fit the larger tires better than others? Also you say you have green keys with the bolts on the original position. Does that mean you've got new keys but didn't change the height of the front end? Or do the green keys lift it a little even withought the cranking of the torsion bar?

One ton comes stock with 265's, but I would say the stock bumper clearance on both the 2500 & 3500 is the same. I have a custom super HD winch bumper on front which has more clearance. The green keys with the adjustment bolts threaded in the same amount as on the stock pink keys gave me about 1.5" more heigth over the stock keys which is because the green key multi sided opening hole is slightly more advanced or twisted than the stock key. It increases the torsion on the bar giving more lift. Theoretically, as I understand it (I AM NOT A EXPERT - just a common sense idiot) you have the ability to get more lift with a green key as your starting point to torquing the bars is greater. Be that as it may, the green keys with the bolts positioned as stock give a far better ride than the stock keys with bolts at factory setting, and most definately a far better ride and handling than stock keys adjusted to give 2" lift. Clear as mud.

I have 285 BFG's on a 16" rim and they work fine. I do have a replacement front bumper, but I have seen trucks with 285-16's & factory bumpers.


You may have to trim the lower front corner of your bumper & most if not all of us have tied back the inside rear of the fender wells on the front (15 min mod), other than that there should not be a problem. I can see NO effect on my turning radius, in fact the larger tire seems to reduce sidewall roll & the truck seem more solid & stable with these tires. I don't remember the RPMS at speed, but the rpms did drop. If you don't have a power modder (edge / quadzilla / etc), you will notice the differnce a little easier. But, an increase of even 50 70 hp will eliminate that feeling http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley1.gif


BTW, I do have the green keys installed to assist in leveling the truck (lifted the truck about 1 1/4" higher).


Here are some pix:


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Aggie91/2004-10-06_111810_My_Truck2_480.jpg


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Aggie91/2004-10-06_111749_My_Truck_480.jpg





Edited by: Aggie91

Awesome thanks for the help!

03-04 Chevy has more clearance to the front bumper than 03-04 GMC.


I had 1/2" difference in air dam trimming between 03 and 04 GMC (assembly plant variations)


W/ stock rims and 285 u won't have to trim any just the tie backs.


Go to wider rims like my H2 wheels and the lower corner of airdam will need trimmed.