Bigger A/T Tire For K3500 Dually

[Jimbo0076]

Im hunting around for a set of tires for my new to me 94 K3500 dually. It has a fairly new set of 215s on it that are tiny and make the truck look goofy cause they are so short. I was reading Special K thread about the pizza cutters on his single wheel truck but was wondering about a taller skinny tire that would go on a dually. To fat and I'd have rubbing issues between the rear tires. I honestly have no idea how tall I could go on the truck up front without having issues with tires hitting the fender flares or inner fenders. We plan on going out camping and just getting out and about in this truck but will see all truck duties and hauling a car trailer duties also so I cant get to crazy with mud terrain tread but was looking for opinions on size,type and etc.

[andrewmp6]

Look at bfg at tires they are a good on road and normal off road mix tire.

[Mike C]

I've got an '86 K30 dually with 235 85 16 BFG At's all the way around. Should fit without problem.

[kwmech]

I've got Cooper Discoverer 255/85r-16s on my tow truck. Been running that size for the past 10 years

[snj8198]

Originally Posted by kwmech

I've got Cooper Discoverer 255/85r-16s on my tow truck. Been running that size for the past 10 years

Yup! but... while I like the 255/85r16 size do they fit the duals without a spacer? There are some cheaper spacers but I dont trust them, and the one's I do trust my pocket book dont like them.

235/85r16 are a nice fit. Just watch for rocks getting pinched between the duals and especially ice chunks if you live in a winter area. You wont like what can happen to the fenders.

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by snj8198

Yup! but...........

235/85r16 are a nice fit. Just watch for rocks getting pinched between the duals and especially ice chunks if you live in a winter area. You wont like what can happen to the fenders.

No spacer between, yeah they are tight and rocks can get pinched if I'm not careful. I have to keep max pressure on the rear tires to keep them from rubbing when loaded...even then sometimes they can touch depending on the load. Although the last couple of years the highway patrol won't let me run the truck commercially b'cuz of the GVW only being rated at 10k. Stays mostly at home now. It's great for logging though

[Jimbo0076]

I was looking at running a 265/75/16 on the truck now. Does anyone have them on their truck? Long story short,found a great deal on that size tire in great shape and want to run them. I've found some say they will not fit,some way they will clear but they will be REAL close. Any proof one way or the other would be great!

[special-K]

Not too sure,but maybe. I believe your truck came with 245/75s,so that's one size bigger. I put 265/75s on my '92 as the first replacement set. The 235/85s will give much more height while being a tad narrower. That's biggest practical size for a dual rear 1t

[Jimbo0076]

Well after doing some test fitting of tires this weekend I've decided to go with a 235/85/16 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tire. 265/75/16s WILL touch on the rear of a stock K3500 dually with stock steel wheels. Even with the 235s with approx 75psi on the tires there is only 1/4" approx. between the sidewalls at the narrowest part. Maybe itll help others if they are looking at the same problem as me.

[snj8198]

Thanks for the heads up

[special-K]

Yeah,thanks! I know the 235s are pushing it,but will work. I've been told many times I had to use 215/85s and they're just to scrawny for me. Back in the late-70s we were running 9.00-16s. My buddy paid all this money for custom made spacers and studs for his '77 K30...$400,I think it was. Once I knew what it took I did some checking and found GM used the same stud on something, Can't recall on the spacer,but the studs were what cost so much. I thing I spent about $75

[Jimbo0076]

I reckon Ill finally update this with what I ended up doing tire wise.

I tossed some 235/75/16s on the rear to test fit and this is what is looked like



Here are some 265/75/16 on stock dually wheels just sitting together and you can see that they are already touching and was still approx. 1/2" still to go before the two wheels touched.

[Jimbo0076]

I decided to go with 285/75/16 A/Ts all around with a 2" billet aluminum spacer between the rear tires on stock steel dually wheels.

[Jimbo0076]

[TheBlueBomber]

Looks good! 285 is definitely the way to go for a 4x4 daily driver imo.

[meatwagon83]

i was wondering about the 255/85s