New somewhat stock looking tires.

[sandcobra164]

I love the search function of this site but I really love the ideas that come from posting. Bottom Line Up Front, I need to get some tires for the M1028. I have got to keep the stock skinny rims so that the truck keeps the period correct look. I'm open to a slightly taller wider tire than the factory put on them. Original size is 235/85/R16 but I'm open to options. For what it's worth, my truck is on the original Firestone Tires it left the factory on. They have plenty of tread on them but are showing some weather checking. They hold air just fine but I'm concerned with running them on the road. Please post suggestions of what tires you would put on the factory wheels, or if you're interested in restoring a M1008, M1028, or M1031 in a static setting, let's talk. I'm scared that when mounting new tires, it might find some tears or otherwise ruin these old Firestones which would look good and correct on a static truck. I'm honestly open to trade someone some tires and wheels (5), spare has never touched the ground for 5 rims if my old tires and rims are going to a good cause such as a museum. I'm not offering to pay shipping either way but we can discuss. I added some pics of my truck, it's all original!

 

[NDT]

Firestone Transforce ATs are the equivalent of the jurassic FTXs. I have those on my 1031. Certainly not an aggressive tire but it looks correct. 245-75R16 or 265-75R16 are good upgrades.

 

[cucvrus]

I have run the Goodyear Wrangler Duratraks on my M1028 for the past 8 years. They last about 20-25 K miles under hard use and I have yet to find anything they can not handle. i retained the stock LT235/85/R16 E range tires. They are awesome looking tires and have a nice sidewall tread and the bead is protected by a heavy sidewall. Check them out. They are the stock size and keep your truck looking like it did from new. I had the Goodyear Work Horses before these. The Duratracs replaced the Work horses. Good Luck. IMHO LT 245/75R16 makes the tires smaller in diameter and the gearing gets lower because the tires make more revolutions per mile. Keep it stock and you will never worry about touching any sheet metal no matter how hard you flex the suspension and body.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

I run a 285/75-16 tire. It's a federal courager, its plenty aggressive for off road, nice side bite, bead protector, and are actually quite and ride great. I have bent the little lip on the inside of the fender well at the back, with the tire tucked and turned slightly. But these tires have not let me down yet, mud, snow, gravel roads, wet pavement, and burn outs are fine with these tires. Not really stock but a option in a smaller size.

 

[11Echo]

I run 255/85-16's on a couple trucks. No clearance problems.

 

[cucvrus]

LT255/85R16 do rub on the drag link. They will also bind on a hard flex. I had them a few years back. And they also will hit the fenders on a real hard grex/flex. I get in some nasty spots during snow removal and had these hit the back of the front fender. I wore thru 1 set and went back to the LT235/85R16. I am sure if you never tend to do severe use with the truck they go down the road fine. And they do keep the drag ling end polished real nice in normal use. I was running Goodyear Wrangler AT's. They are the Wrangler ATS's now. No pictures except 35mm.

 

[tourus]

I run a Michelin XPS traction in the summer great great tire .. heavy side walls and load capacity . and got about 35 thousand mile on them so far and lots of life left. awesome traction in winter as well.. in winter I run a yokohama tire Y742 .. in the winter I feel it can not be beat in traction it is a 235 75 16 load range E. real heavy tire and side wall .. I will admit a bit noisy on dry pavement but it is a trade off for traction.. since I put them on I only put my tier chains on when I want to play or go out on the ice and play or in the fields .. if I had not lost my phone a few months a go I would post picture's but they are easy to find on google.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I also run 255/85R16 on 2 trucks. Granted I'm not flexing the trucks but they have never rubbed on anything. I doubt that I will ever run a 235 again. Mine are BFG KM2/mud terrains load range E.

 

[11Echo]

I have run 255/85's on at least 3 trucks going back 20 years and never rubbed a drag link or had a binding incident. Sounds like your front springs are too soft for the weight of the snowplow. I always added an extra leaf to the front of my square body GM plow trucks.

 

[cucvrus]

I did not have a snow plow on it. it was an M1028 truck that I bought w/ 1900 original miles on it in November 1996. It had no sagging springs and the front tires rubbed the drag link. I don't have pictures but i know it happened. Your experience may vary. I changed the original tires on the truck they were Firestone Steeltex LT 23585/R16 and had very bad cracks and flat spots on them. It was a New Mexico National Guard truck. It had a little roof damage and it was never used tactically. It had a GM warranty extension paper with it when I bought it. I never plowed snow with it. I drove it to a few shows in Maryland, New Jersey and northern PA. I have since sold the truck. i used it for hauling wood and stones when I built my house. It was just enough rubbing to buff the drag link. And when I came out of the woods onto the highway from the hillside the front tires touch just a tad. I used the truck. So I know it was on a hard grex/flex and I know it hit. It tweaked the front inner fenders just a bit on a hard flex. IDK why. It did. When I went back to the 235's it never touched again.

 

[Drock]

If your wanting to keep everything stock for better highway driving here's what the new version of the Good years ( Goodyear Duratrac 235/85) look like... They're only slightly different looking then the originals. The originals that were on my M1028 were Goodyear work horse extra grip..

They were soo dry rotted they fell apart from the inside out. When me and my tire pulled the of the rims there was a handful of rubber dust on the inside of each and all were starting to tread separate.

 

[cucvrus]

I have several pairs of these tires on CUCV trucks. I get about 20 -25 k out of a set. they are A + for the CUCV pickups all around use on and off road. I give them 5 Stars. I you care if not fair enough. They are GGREAT.

 

[bikeman]

I have run 255/85's on at least 3 trucks

What's the Make/Model of yours? (I'm in the same boat, got 16" rims for the M880 but want some good tires, these agriculture ones gotta go!)

 

[11Echo]

What's the Make/Model of yours? (I'm in the same boat, got 16" rims for the M880 but want some good tires, these agriculture ones gotta go!)

BFG Mud Terrains, like Ken said.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Just as a little FYI for those that might be considering the BFG 255s. They ceased production for a spell and changed the factory stock number. Searches for the old stock number will show them discontinued. Look for stock.number 04222.

 

[jatonka]

I gought Cooper Discoverer 255/85r-16s for my 1028 3 years ago, expensive and lasted 20,000 miles. They were great looking and let my truck roll free-er than 235s, but I can't afford them as fast as they wear out. Now Cooper doesn't show them any more and I went back to 235s for a little more than half the cost per set. JT

 

[Recovry4x4]

I've heard that before John. I actually ran a pair on the front of an old K30 and they just didn't last. The E rated Toyos wear like iron but have a nice price tag to go with them. Choices in the 255 size is very limited.

 

[ehuppert]

I have had the duratracs for several years now. Aggressive tread, but not overly noisy on the road. 285-75-16's did rub the drag link, but slight adjustment on the limiter took care of that. Will rub occasionally if overloaded with firewood, (lower fender) but not often enough to worry about. Expensive tires, but i use it as a plow truck and need the traction! Definitely recommend.

 

[Drock]

I've heard that before John. I actually ran a pair on the front of an old K30 and they just didn't last. The E rated Toyos wear like iron but have a nice price tag to go with them. Choices in the 255 size is very limited.

I was doing some research on those Toyo's and they look pretty promising. They're cheaper then the Good year Duratrac's I just bought and are supposed to last twice as long. Maybe a little less tread depth but I really don't go off road much so eh. What kind of mileage did you get out of those?

 

[ODFever]

I have a full set of Duratrac's on my M1009. I'm very impressed with the traction on wet and dry roads. They have a pleasant hum at 60+ MPH.