The 255/85R16 Tire Official List

owyheerat

Adventurer
Any experience with the Mastercraft Courser CXT? I’m looking at this versus the Cooper St Maxx to hopefully avoid the right pull that many have with the ST Maxx in 255/85r16 on sprinter 4x4. The extra siping on the Courser would hopefully be helpful in winter as well. Downside would be 2 ply sidewalk vs the 3 ply in the Maxx.
I’m honestly a fan of the size, but not a fan of any of the all terrain options available.
I emailed Falken and BFG, And Toyo to see if either would offer an all-terrain in this size.
I’ve never considered a Cooper tire product.....but I’d like a bit larger tire than my second choice of 235/85r16....but not as wide as the 265/75r16.
No interest in going to an aftermarket 17” to open up tire choices.....the sprinter comes with proper narrow steel wheels in 16”.
Hoping to avoid having a dedicated winter set of wheels and ties and dedicated summer set.....if I went that route I’d be all over the Toyo MT in 255/85r16!

I have been interested in the Mastercraft Courser CXT for some time, and see little to no mention of them on the interwebs (or locally for that matter). For me it seems like the perfect tire. Fairly light for size (compared to others in same size), good tread compound, good tread pattern and good size selection.

Please update this thread, if you decide to run this tire.

Thanks

Durwin
 

E.J.

Explorer
44532876_2339899526038664_8134427918412546048_n.jpg
I recently switched over to the Mastercraft CXT's after 30k miles on the ******** Cepek Extreme Country, so far so good. They are quieter than the DCEC's were when new. I was planning on running STMax but the CXT's are just a little bit taller.
 

owyheerat

Adventurer
View attachment 483795
I recently switched over to the Mastercraft CXT's after 30k miles on the ******** Cepek Extreme Country, so far so good. They are quieter than the DCEC's were when new. I was planning on running STMax but the CXT's are just a little bit taller.


This is good news. Thanks for posting. I think they are a little lighter than STMax as well?

Do you air down when on trail? If so how well does the sidewall flex over objects?

I think I am getting very close to pulling the trigger on set.

Durwin
 

40tude

Adventurer
If any of you guys have run both the Cooper ST and ST Maxx, could you give a comparison on those? The much lighter weight of the ST is intriguing...

Thanks
 

BajaSurfRig

Active member
I have a 96 F350 with the 7.3 with 4.10 gears and an auto trans. Currently I am running 285/75r16 Duratrac's in load range E (they came with the truck when I bought it).

These tires are OK but I am really wanting something that is narrower, and a hair taller with hopes of better MPG's (hence the 255/85r16's).

Can anyone recommend a good all terrain tire in this size for a one ton diesel with a four wheel camper in the back?

MasterCraft CXT or Cooper ST?

I am open to other sizes/ and or tires as well.
 

UHAULER

Explorer
I just bought a 94 f350 cclb 460, at, that came with 285/75/16 and am also looking for tires. the 255/85/16 will be a little taller but are limited choices. You could also consider 285/75/17, same width but an inch taller. I've also ran 295/75/16 before. A lot of people run 285 wide on 7" rims but if I was to go any wider I would want 8" rims.
 

Mickey Bitsko

Adventurer
I'm also in need of new tires,
Looking at falken wildpeak at3w, looks good and gets good reviews. Maybe another choice for you.
Also made in America if that matters to you.
 

jim65wagon

TundraBird1
If any of you guys have run both the Cooper ST and ST Maxx, could you give a comparison on those? The much lighter weight of the ST is intriguing...

Thanks
The ST is a narrower tread, older design and is louder on the road at freeway speeds. Both are excellent off road. The ST Maxx is quieter and more civilized on road.

My preference is to the Maxx for its side walls and quieter ride. I don't really notice the weight difference.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
 

MountainBiker

Experience Seeker
I haven't used the ST, but I just completed my first trip on Cooper ST-MAXX, 255/85-16. I can't recommend them, at least for my 5200 lb (loaded) 4runner, as they are way too stiff. Sure, they're probably super tough, but I plan to sell them (nearly new set of 5, make me an offer.) I'll go back to the ******** Cepek Extreme Country I had before, or try something else. Interestingly, the DCEC are made by Cooper, are load range E, but have a completely different ride than the Maxx. See my long term review in a prior post in this thread.
 

offthepath

Adventurer
Weird,
I came from P rated tires on my montero (5500-6000lb) and went to E rated 255 Cooper Maxxs. I can't tell a difference in ride.

So far, great tires that are quite and work well in most conditions.
 

MountainBiker

Experience Seeker
Weird,
I came from P rated tires on my montero (5500-6000lb) and went to E rated 255 Cooper Maxxs. I can't tell a difference in ride.

So far, great tires that are quite and work well in most conditions.
20 psi on DCEC was cushy on dirt roads, while 14psi on the MAXX is incredibly jarring.

34 psi for both of them on the road was equally different: MAXX lets you know about every pea sized bump, while the DCEC has a decent ride.

I do agree that the MAXX is quieter, but not worth the horrible ride quality.
 

Dipodomys

Observer
I'm copying this post that I wrote for another thread, as it is relevant here. It's essentially a review of my experience with the BFG Mud-Terrain KM2 in the 255/85/16 size. I've had them on my 2008 Tacoma for about three years. I hope someone finds my experience helpful.

---

I run the BFG Mud-Terrain KM2 255/85/16 on my 2008 Tacoma, with stock steel rims like the kind that comes with the underbed spare. I absolutely love the tire because they provide additional clearance and I like the tall, skinny look. I've never actually used them in mud (who wants to clean up the mess?), but they perform extremely well in tough desert rock conditions at reduced pressures (<20 PSI). Though they are a "mud" tire, they're great performers on rock and have held up very well.

But there are downsides to this size tire, some of them significant. Some of the issues I've experienced are related to my particular tire (BFG Mud), but many come back to the fact that this is a very tall tire:

1) I wish I'd weighed my old tire/rim combination so I had a comparison, but I'd venture to say that my new BFG Mud setup is probably a third again heavier. Maybe more. They are very chunky tires, with lots of rubber. So if you want a lighter tire, the BFG Mud is not for you.
2) Climbing hills at highway speeds is a problem. This is a tall tire, and you'll soon recognize the need for a regear. Like, within the first five miles. I need to switch my gearing from 3.73s to 4.88s, which would address that issue, but that's a big expense that I haven't gotten around to yet. I only use my truck for trips, so its not like its something I have to deal with every day.
3) Towing capacity has decreased, based on the gearing issue noted above. Pulling a little utility trailer to the dump is fine, but anything more than that would be a no-go.
4) Braking ability took a hit. Safe braking distances have definitely increased, and I carefully keep my distance from vehicles in front of me. There's not much that can be done about that, and I'm not sure if that's a function of the increased weight (likely) or the larger diameter.
5) The BFG Mud is very noisy, especially when new. It's very noticeable, especially in the back seat where there is less sound deadening insulation. Folks back there have a hard time hearing conversations up front.
6) Fuel mileage. Tacomas have never been known for getting great mileage. With the stock tires and the usual list of modifications, I never broke 18 mpg. Now I'm down to about 14 mpg, which is clearly ridiculous, though it is admittedly self-inflicted. A regear would probably help that too, but there's no getting around the fact that I'll still be trying to turn a lot more weight.
7) The diameter is too large for the spare to fit in the stock underbed location. That is, unless you want to reroute your exhaust and do a bunch of other fabrication. $$$/PITA. As a result, I still have my stock spare under there, which isn't the end of the world, but its not ideal, either.
8) These tires will wear terribly if not rotated religiously and if proper alignment is not maintained. They just aren't as forgiving as a smaller tire when it comes to misalignment and infrequent rotation, and you really need to stay on top of it. I rotate mine at every oil change (5,000 miles), and get the wheels balanced and the front end aligned once per year. Doing that has kept the wear quite even. Four of these babies represents an investment of $1,000 to $1,200, depending on where you purchase, so spending $100 each year for an alignment and balance is a good investment.

So I'd advise approaching this particular tire and tire size with caution, as there are significant tradeoffs. Regardless of the tire brand you purchase, the 255/85/16 is a substantially taller tire, and the reduction in power and fuel economy is a real thing. Otherwise, they're great. Happy tire hunting.


IMG_5363.JPG
 

Redline

Likes to Drive and Ride
No arguments about what you said regarding the size or how it has affected your Tacoma, makes sense, but this is very much chassis specific. The 255/85/16, or 17 inch versions, are quite small tires these days, particularly for larger trucks, or my built old 4Runner; platform and setup matters much, as with most modifications. Reducing tire/wheel weight is relatively easy and cheap with factory aluminum wheels from Craigslist, but loss of gearing/torque is likely your biggest concern.
 

40tude

Adventurer
Second on the aluminum wheels. You should also be able to fit the 255 in the factory spare location by bending a few tabs.
 

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