Torn between a 265 tire and a 285 tire.
 

This is mainly a daily driver vehicle that sees occasional offroading from time to time but will see a lot more in the VERY near future due to a local offroading association that I just joined.

I'm torn in between a 265 tire and a 285 tire. This is on a stock X with 3.21 gearing and the 6-speed tranny. I've heard, read, and found that the biggest you should go on 3.21 is 265. But, on other threads, I've seen people run the 285 and had no complaints.

Both tires are the SAME PRICE.

I really need to have my 6th gear on the highway, above 65mph. I can't lose that gear, just for a tire.

I'm not planning on regearing anytime soon, so, this tire will possibly be on for a good 6 months to a year, AT LEAST.

What do you guys recommend?

the 265 and 285 are widths. How big of a tire did you want to run??? We need the aspect ratio and rim size to know what you're looking at! :yup:

Sorry, 75 R16, on both.

Honestly, there's only about an inch of difference in height. I don't think the difference in performance loss is something you'd notice, unless you were Mario Andretti.

I'd go with the larger. The real question is, if you're using stock wheels, if you'll have any rubbing issues without spacers.


If I remember correctly, the 3 or 4 people running the 285's on the stock 16's had no rubbing issues. But I may be wrong.

265 75/16 is about 31" tall. The 285 75/16 is about 33" tall. If you are planning on doing more wheeling I would suggest the 285 75/16. I made the mistake of getting tires that were not large enough for what I needed at first. Personally I would suffer with the power loss, until regearing is possible, and get the bigger tire. Just my opinion.

size matters and bigger is always better:yup:

A 265/75/16 is about 32.8 X 10.4, whereas a 285/75/16 is about 32 X 11.2.
That doesn't seem like a big diference, however with 3.21 gears, it could mean alot.
The wifes JK 4dr. is running stock 245/75/16, (30.5 X 9.6), with 4.10 gears. now this is an auto, and although I feel it's a good combination, I also feel it would be better with 4.56 gears, just to give a bit more low end power.
I have a 94XJ 5speed that I've lifted and ran 31 X 10.50 for a bit with the stock gearing of 3.07. This was almost unbearable, and I all but lost my 5th gear. When I installed 4.10 gears it was much better. After I went to 33 X 10.50's I then wished I had geared to at least 4.56 if not 4.88. Don't get me wrong the 33's with 4.10's are okay, but.....
With that in mind, I don't see how you are doing a 31.6" X 10.4" with 3.21's let alone a 32.8" X 11.2".
Granted the XJ is an I-6 which has a bit less HP and torque, however not that much less, and I'm sure the JK weighs a bit less especially if it's a 2dr, however that still is some rolling resistance, and even more so with the 285's.
I would not be happy. I would have to gear to at least 4.10's with a 285.

I recently had this same dilemma...I went back with the same 265/75R16 size that I had before and I'm glad I did. It all depends on the backspacing, mine is 4" which makes the tire/wheel stick out a little further which then creates the problem of rubbing on the rear fender when fully flexed. 265's are the largest that I can go on my rims, but if you have stock wheels or more backspacing the 285's should be fine. As for the power loss, I doubt it would be that noticeable....265/75R16 is about 31.5"-32" tall depending on the tire, 285 is 33" tall....so it's not a huge increase.

If you can fit the 285's without rubbing, do it. That's my opinion.

BTW, mine is the same 3.21/ 6-speed like yours....I can still use 6th gear at or above about 50mph with no issues, that's with a 32" tire

There was alot more weight to my 33 X 10.50 then there was on my 31 X10.50, and even more so when you X4 plus the weight of the spare. Each lb more means more resistance when getting started, and it puts you way down on the proper power curve.

285... if you get the 265 you'll wish you had got the 285 shortly after.... i got the 35s and now wich i had gone 37s...


just my two cents