Max tire size

[Metcalf]

I did not say "legal," I said "approved." Big difference. OP seems to want to stay dead stock or very close to it. Therefor, the PW or H2 wheel is a smart move while he is buying tires, if he can find a set for low $. I bought two sets of H2 wheels, one set mint for $300 and the other lightly used for $200. That's for all four wheels, not for each. Hard to come up with a smarter upgrade on a budget.

I wouldn't worry about pinch-style beadlocks on my truck if I had them, but I don't really need them and am generally reluctant to spend money on stuff that does not improve the truck for my use. I carry enough recovery gear that I can easily reseat a bead if I lose it, so that's not an issue for me. I would wonder if the insurance companies would give me a ration of crap if I were to be involved in an accident and they found out I had non-DOT wheels on the truck. I don't trust insurance companies as far as I can throw them, and they look for any excuse to screw the claimant. America's Tire (Discount Tire outside California) won't work on real beadlocks, and they are very picky about even busting and balancing tires to do a vulcanized patch if the tires are not in pretty good condition. That is a PITA, but there are plenty of workarounds. If I needed external beadlocks, I'd have them, but for me they are overkill.

I agree that the forged wheels from the 'polished' equipped trucks, or a power wagon, would be a good choice for the OP if he wants to run a larger tire. The stock cast wheels are not bad either in a lot of cases.

There is no DOT approval for wheels. There are no performance guidelines for wheels through NHTSA, but they do have standards for dimensions and markings. The SAE created J2530 as a guideline for aftermarket wheeld. Those manufacturers basically choose if they want to be complaint with that code. Some do, some do not.

Insurance Companies. Aye. Do we even want to bring up that boogy man? If they chose to they could get you just about any vehicle modification ever.....suspension, tires, wheels, weight, vehicle upkeep, etc. They have gone after OEMs also. Meh. I'll take my chances and not worry about that.

 

[rayra]

Marine, it's easy to figure out with a measuring tape and a little math. Go look at your existing tires, measure their clearance to the fender openings and wheel tubs with the tired turned to minimize clearance, and with the suspension compressed any way you can.

Those measurements will give you how much more tire height (radius) clearance you have as well as tire width. Then just do the math of the tire sizes you'd like to fit and see how they work with your measured clearances.

265/70-17, that's a tire carcass 265mm wide, a tire carcass height that's 70% of that, x2, plus the rim diameter. There's 25.4mm per inch. So your current tires are just shy of 10.5" wide. 7.3" tall x2 =14.6", +17, so your tires are ~31.6" tall. Less really, radials, etc.

So figure your clearances, do the math to figure your theoretical maximum dimensions, then shop something an increment smaller than that. Or maybe two increments to avoid rubbing at maximum suspension compression.

But reconsider the whole 'stuff the biggest that will fit' thing anyway. There's a lot of other trouble that comes with that, unsprung weight, ride quality, greater expense. Greater frequency of re-balancing and re-alignment. Rim offsets, fender-tread coverage, most jurisdictions a tire tread stickign out more than 2" from a fender lip is a vehicle code violation that can be ticketed.

Choose what you want, but be aware of the other impacts.

 

[colodak]

Another suggest, do you have a tire shop you're good friends with, ask them to trial fit some combinations. When I had my Dakota, that was what I did, it came factory with 31x10.50 15's, I wanted to go to 33's in stock form. Talked to the Mgr at the Discount Tire by me, he said come by when we aren't busy and we'll try several combination. Spent two hours there one day, tried 33's, 32's, not just the single number but also the P metric variants to see what would fit and rub and fit and not rub. 33's wouldn't fit, 32's fit but with a hint of rub under compression, in the end I had to go from a 15' rim to a 16' rim and stay with a 31" dia tire. Rim size and backspacing make all the difference. On my current Nissan Frontier, with stock rims, I went from the 265/70-16 to a 256/75-16 and they fit perfect, no contact at all. Few month later I went to an aftermarket rim and now have rub on the inner fender liner when turning, all because of backspacing.

 

[Gatordoc]

Sorry mate, 4wd 2003 5.9 cummins want stock.

35x12.5R17s on my '03 QC, SB Cummins 2500. Stock wheels, stock suspension, only rubbing is on the upper control arms at full lock.

I'm on my mobile, so sorry for the short response.


Semper Fi, brother.