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285/75-16 Gy Duratrac On 6.5" Wheels On A Hd?

Rat4go

By Rat4go
in Tires, Wheels & TPMS

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Rat4go Enthusiast

Rat4go

Posted
Posted

Guys,

 

Posting this here as it's really a HD question.

 

I'm still trying to decide on tires. I've run 285/75-16D BFG A/T and Goodyear MTRs on my '03 CCSB D/A 4x4 truck on the stock 6.5" wheels in the past (recommended width for this tire size is 7.5-8.5" IIRC). I don't want the noise of the MTR's and I want something that doesn't lose as much wet or wet-snow traction over time as the BFG. I'm leaning toward the duratrac as a happy compromise

 

I've read about folks with HD trucks not happy with the duratrac tires on HD trucks due to 'soft sidewalls' or 'tread squirm' on turning maneuvers and I've read others that think they're the greatest tires on earth. I have one friend that had this exact set-up (285's on OEM 16x6.5 wheels) for about a week before he took the tires back due to how they 'handled' and got BFG's in the same size and is now fine. I didn't get the chance to drive his truck before he took the GY tires back.

 

I got to wondering if the tire and rim size relationship might be the cause of the feel that people didn't like.

 

Anybody running this config (and towing 10k lbs with it on occasion) that might have some input?

alaska511 Senior Enthusiast

alaska511

Posted
Posted

I can't comment on that fitment, but I am very happy with my Duratracs, and don't know what that report about sidewall feel is based on. I have been loaded down heavy, and pulling 9K on the trailer, and everything felt great.

yukon25008.1 Senior Enthusiast

yukon25008.1

Posted
Posted

Ive had 285/75/16,s on all my hd trucks.. mounted on the oem 16x6.5 wheels and never had a problem

look at my sig pic

kevinjohn23 Enthusiast

kevinjohn23

Posted
Posted

I just bought a truck with that size tire on them . they look good. They were the Nitto Terra Graplers. The guy said he got 60,000 miles on them.

Rat4go Enthusiast

Rat4go

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the feedback. The issue/question was really the 285 Duratrak tire on stock rims.

 

At this point, I'm not sure it matters as the tire store said I could try 'em for up to 30 days and a reasonable amount of miles and if I didn't like 'em, they'd give me a full credit toward something else.

 

What I've learned so far....old 285's were Load D. New Duratracs are E. Tire store put 55/80 psi in front/rear and the rears were definately squirming around at 80psi in my empty truck. I did the 'roll the truck across the dusty concrete in my driveway' test and found out that I need to go down to about 45 psi in the rear tires to get the edges of the tread to touch the pavement. The center of the tire is a bunch of tall, smaller lugs and the edges are where the bigger, wider lugs are. With tall, smaller lugs doing all the work at 80 psi, it makes sense that they're a big squirmey. At 45 psi and the edge lugs doing something for side-loads, the rear of the truck feels much better. Previous 285 tires (again, Load D) seemed to like 55 psi or so for the rear tires on the empty truck, so maybe the fact that these want 45psi to make 'em touch at the edges is part of the load range E thing.

 

I still need to mess with the front tire pressure a bit as it could probably come down a tick. Prev. Load D tires liked 60 in the front, so maybe these want a little less than the 55psi thats in the fronts now?

 

The real test comes next weekend when I hook up the 5w (and air up the truck tires a bit). If they're still squirmey, they go back, but I'm encouraged so far!

  • 5 months later...
Mike2500HD Enthusiast

Mike2500HD

Posted
Posted
Guys,

 

Posting this here as it's really a HD question.

 

I'm still trying to decide on tires. I've run 285/75-16D BFG A/T and Goodyear MTRs on my '03 CCSB D/A 4x4 truck on the stock 6.5" wheels in the past (recommended width for this tire size is 7.5-8.5" IIRC). I don't want the noise of the MTR's and I want something that doesn't lose as much wet or wet-snow traction over time as the BFG. I'm leaning toward the duratrac as a happy compromise

 

I've read about folks with HD trucks not happy with the duratrac tires on HD trucks due to 'soft sidewalls' or 'tread squirm' on turning maneuvers and I've read others that think they're the greatest tires on earth. I have one friend that had this exact set-up (285's on OEM 16x6.5 wheels) for about a week before he took the tires back due to how they 'handled' and got BFG's in the same size and is now fine. I didn't get the chance to drive his truck before he took the GY tires back.

 

I got to wondering if the tire and rim size relationship might be the cause of the feel that people didn't like.

 

Anybody running this config (and towing 10k lbs with it on occasion) that might have some input?

I just put 265 75 16 duratracs on my stock 6.5" wheels with no problem what ever. The side wall flex thing... I read about that too. Theres a lot of squishy tread on a tire like this... I suppose if you never had lug type tires you might feel it. I felt a bit of squirm for the first 100 miles or so. added a bit of air. I have them set just high enough not to set off the tps. 68 in the rear. I think maybe 65 in the front. I forget. They were great in the snow. Not too noisy. When I back into my driveway at full lock to the left I hear a touch of scrub on plastic somewhere but not even enough to bother to look where. Lost 2 MPG with the heavier lugg tires .

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