[hunter81103]

Im new to off roading, and I am a little confused on my tires. I am putting a suspension lift on my 2005 xterra so I can get bigger tires. but holy crap this stuff is expensive and I was wondering, right now I have 265/65r17 tires and I was wanting to get 33" ones. how do I know what will fit the factory wheels, for instance I was looking at 285/70r17 but I have no clue if these will fit the factory wheels, for right now i do not want to get different wheels unless I have to

 

[roXterra]

I can’t answer the fit question, mine are 265 75 R16 and when thinking about 285 I think if tire chains will fit right or bang on the wheel wells in winter, and I think about stopping distance, besides mpg.

many other factors get involved with mpg, like front bumper, lift, and already I get into 15 mpg at times. I need my 80 mph highway driving besides Offroad ability.

curiosity will eventually win and I will try 285s, though cautiously

some places like Discount Tire let you return tires if you really hate them but research and asking questions before purchase are the right thing to do.

 

[hunter81103]

I can’t answer the fit question, mine are 265 75 R16 and when thinking about 285 I think if tire chains will fit right or bang on the wheel wells in winter, and I think about stopping distance, besides mpg.

many other factors get involved with mpg, like front bumper, lift, and already I get into 15 mpg at times. I need my 80 mph highway driving besides Offroad ability.

curiosity will eventually win and I will try 285s, though cautiously

some places like Discount Tire let you return tires if you really hate them but research and asking questions before purchase are the right thing to do.

I am not dead set on 285 I just saw that size come up when I searched 33" tires, is there any was to be sure a tire will fit the wheel?

 

[hunter81103]

I can’t answer the fit question, mine are 265 75 R16 and when thinking about 285 I think if tire chains will fit right or bang on the wheel wells in winter, and I think about stopping distance, besides mpg.

many other factors get involved with mpg, like front bumper, lift, and already I get into 15 mpg at times. I need my 80 mph highway driving besides Offroad ability.

curiosity will eventually win and I will try 285s, though cautiously

some places like Discount Tire let you return tires if you really hate them but research and asking questions before purchase are the right thing to do.

Im mostly going to drive another vehicle so im not super worried about the mpg, thank you

 

[TANSTAAFB]

There are literally hundreds of threads out there on this subject so let your Google Fu guide you grasshopper
I have a 2010 Off Road and went with the Discount house brand 285s (All Terrain Pathfinder) and love them. No rub, great wear/ life, great traction in sand, rock, mud, snow, highway, off road. Are they ideal for each? No. Are they better than expected in each? Yes. BTW I live in western Colorado so they have actually been put to the test in Moab, the Rockies, etc. not just mall crawlin

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[mikidymac]

Stock size on the Off Road/PRO-4x is 265/75 and will fit all second gens with no issues. If you move to 285 you will have to do the Melt Mod on stock suspension and even a couple inch lift. It’s probably the most common upsize on the Xterra.

 

[Tlrtucker]

oh good, we needed another "what tire will fit" thread.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I did not do a lift or melt mod. I replaced the stock Bilstein 5100s all around, with the adjustable version in the front, and an add-a-leaf which leveled things out and gave me maybe 1" of lift. Threw on the 285s expecting to have to do the melt mod (had the HF heat gun all prepped and ready) but had no rubbing. They gave me about another inch which to me is a perfect height.

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[hunter81103]

Stock size on the Off Road/PRO-4x is 265/75 and will fit all second gens with no issues. If you move to 285 you will have to do the Melt Mod on stock suspension and even a couple inch lift. It’s probably the most common upsize on the Xterra.

Okay, I was planning on getting 285/70r17 but I just wanted to make sure it would fit with the wheels that are on the vehicle because I wasn’t planning on getting new ones unless I had to, new to this so I have no clue

 

[mikidymac]

Do you have an SE model? Most Xterra use 16” rims.

 

[hunter81103]

Do you have an SE model? Most Xterra use 16” rims.

Yeah I have an se 4x4 but when I bought it it had 17” rims

 

[MaddMatt]

OK - so 265/65/17 is stock size for the SE, which calculates to 30.6" tall

265/65/16 is stock for the Pro4X, which calculates to 31.6" tall

285/70/17 comes out to 32.7"

And of course different brands vary within those specs, sometimes significantly.

So you're looking at 2" larger diameter - my guess is the tire will fit the rim, but I don't know about it fitting the fender. I THINK there's a real risk of negating any clearance issues you might get (which is 1") with fender rub, even with the melt mod. I have stock 265/65/17 Duratracs on my SE, and they fit the fenders nicely. Pulling the running boards and mudflaps off is a fast and cheap way to fix the visual perspective - I've found these trucks look an inch or so higher once you do that.

Traditional wisdom is to run what you have until you hit it's limits, but we all do stuff just because we want to as well, so I'm not trying to talk you out of a lift, just throwing some ideas out there.

Do you have a relationship with a local tire store? I know, weird question - but I've been going to the same Discount Tire for almost 20 years, even though they've opened a closer location during that time, I still drive to my original one. The people change, but the management and the computer doesn't. These guys have test fit tires on many different vehicles for me, I usually try to go on random weekday afternoons when they aren't too busy - I've even had them order in tires for the test fit - and they never charge me for this stuff. They know I'm eventually going to buy 4 of whatever we decide on. So that's how I usually decide what to do in these situations.

Good luck, and post up pictures when you decide!

 

[chevy42083]

Regarding the basics of tire fitting wheels.... look on this page...

Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person

www.discounttire.com

Look down in the "Product Info / Tire Specs area. There's a rim width... obviously pretty easy, and a "rim width range". For 285s, its generally ~7-10 inches. Our stock rims are 7in, so you are within the accepted range. Thats all you need to know if a tire will fit a wheel.

Then you have the tire fitting within the wheel well. 285s often need the inner wheel well pushed back, search 'Melt Mod'. But they leave a VERY small amount of space... not enough for chains. Not enough for ice/mud build up. Mine have less than 1/4in of clearance to my beefy M/T tires. Any small lift might help (Barely any) while sitting still, but any bump pushes that tire right up to where it sits at stock height.

ALMOST all aftermarket wheels have a wider offset, sticking them out a bit more. That means the 285s are even closer, or would need minor trimming/bender of the very lowest part of the fender lip. So, if you go 285s, make sure your rims are the stock ones, or be prepared for more clearancing.

I did not do a lift or melt mod. I replaced the stock Bilstein 5100s all around, with the adjustable version in the front, and an add-a-leaf which leveled things out and gave me maybe 1" of lift. Threw on the 285s expecting to have to do the melt mod (had the HF heat gun all prepped and ready) but had no rubbing. They gave me about another inch which to me is a perfect height.

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Umm.... that IS a lift. 5100s set higher and an AAL is pretty much the definition of the standard small lift. But like I said above, anything less than 3 or 4in really doesn't affect tire fitment since the suspension moves up (hopefully) that much at least.

 

[IntellectualRedneck]

285/70/17 fit the SE 17" wheels just fine. Its what I have,
You can check my build thread. I've got some pics with no lift and then lifted.

 

[rm975]

Im new to off roading, and I am a little confused on my tires. I am putting a suspension lift on my 2005 xterra so I can get bigger tires. but holy crap this stuff is expensive and I was wondering, right now I have 265/65r17 tires and I was wanting to get 33" ones. how do I know what will fit the factory wheels, for instance I was looking at 285/70r17 but I have no clue if these will fit the factory wheels, for right now i do not want to get different wheels unless I have to

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