Tire size question

[partsman01]

2003 gmc 2500hd extended cab 8' box, 6.0 4l80e trans 4:10 gears 4x4 I bought used and it is time for new tires, stock I believe was 245/75/16 E
Previous owner put 265/75/16 on it, should I stay with that or go back to factory size tire?
It is my daily driver and tows a fifth wheel in summer, what is the best choice for size.

[Double_Haul]

245's were OEM on my old 04 2500hd. Switched them out and put 265 Bridgestone duelers and they worked fine. Mainly did it for the looks. Probably got a little worst mileage with the bigger tires. Wore them out and tried 265's Yoko Geolanders. Horrible tires. Felt very unstable like driving on marbles. Americas tires let me swap them out for 265's Coopers which were very solid and stable and towed great. If the 245's looks bother you then switch. Otherwise stay with the 245's.

[Grit_dog]

Me Again wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Do they still make 16" tires??

17" tires are the dying stepchild size, not 16".

Thought they were both on life support....

[Me_Again]

Grit dog wrote:

Do they still make 16" tires??

17" tires are the dying stepchild size, not 16".

[blt2ski]

Grit dog wrote:
Or 265s year round.
FWIW Dodge takeoffs fit the older 8x6.5 trucks and give you a bunch more options for cheap takeoff tire and wheels.
Do they still make 16" tires??

Yes 16" tires still exist. Have some 235-70-16 or some such odd ball POJ tires on the Frod transit I drive at work. Sidewall says it can carry 3000 lbs per tire....yeah right!
Their are also a LOT OF US that still have 16" rims on our trucks! My 2000 has 245-75-16 tires. The MB sprinter we had before the transheet vans had the same size on them.

I have driven 265's on stock 6.5 rims, never again. A 7.5" rim makes the truck handle way better than a 245 with 6.5's or 235-85s, same diam as the 265's, but thinner is the worst handling tire. MY 02 mind you!

Marty

[Grit_dog]

Or 265s year round.
FWIW Dodge takeoffs fit the older 8x6.5 trucks and give you a bunch more options for cheap takeoff tire and wheels.
Do they still make 16" tires??

[Grit_dog]

245 pavement pounders pulling the 5ver in summer for most hp to the ground and 285 siped ATs for BC winters and because 245s look silly small and you need some traction sometimes.

[wowens79]

I've got 223k miles on mine, and all but the first 40k are on 265's. My camper runs 900-1000lbs of tongue weight, and with 4 people, 4 kayaks, 4 bikes, and a Golden Retriever, I'm right at, or slightly over my payload. I've also hauled some heavy loads of gravel, concrete, etc, and the tires have done great.

[parker_rowe]

I've run 265/75/16 D Class, 285/75/16 E Class, and now 245/75/16 E class tires on stock size GM rims.

Probably pulling a lot less weight than you, but I had NO difference in wandering or sloppiness between the 3 sizes. Even with all terrain tires.

It pulled best with the size closest to stock (shortest and lightest, no surprise there), which are also the cheapest. So unless you like the bigger tires for some other reason, that's where I would lean.

It did look best with the 285's though. 🙂

[Me_Again]

partsman01 wrote:
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Your link does not work. Chris

[partsman01]

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[Me_Again]

73guna wrote:
And you think OP should put them on the narrow OEM rims????

Yep....

JMO....

And this is why Kevin says you may have handling issue with 265's on GM 6.5 rims. The extra capacity of the 265 tire is not going to be there with the beads rolling in that much.

[73guna]

And you think OP should put them on the narrow OEM rims????

Yep....

JMO....

[ktosv]

As stated, the GM aluminum rim was not designed for a 265 tire. There are a few 265/70R16 E tires out there, so the diameter is very similar to a 245/75/16.

There are lots of people that have put 265’s on...but that doesn’t mean it’s right. I bought a used 3/4 ton Suburban that had 265’s on it. The truck would wander in the lane, something I wondered if the wide tire on the narrow wheel caused. It was something I didn’t feel when driving a 1 ton GM truck with the 245’s. It is also something I haven’t felt in the 1/2 ton Suburbans I have driven with 265’s but with wider wheels.

[Me_Again]

73guna wrote:
You'll be fine with 265's.

From the factory 2500 and 3500's were fitted with 245's and z71 was not an option on hd trucks of that time.

And you think OP should put them on the narrow OEM rims????