Sports rolling on 285s, report your experience

[Jeepsterfreak]

CLEARANCES

• 245/75R17 (Standard on Sport)
  • Approach Angle (degrees): 41.4
  • Breakover Angle (degrees): 25 (2-door); 20.3 (4-door)
  • Departure Angle (degrees): 35.9 (2-door); 36.1 (4-door)
  • Ground Clearance (inches): 9.7

• 255/70R18 (Standard on Sahara)
  • Approach Angle (degrees): 41.8
  • Breakover Angle (degrees): 21
  • Departure Angle (degrees): 36.1
  • Ground Clearance (inches): 10

• LT28570R17 (Standard on Rubicon)
  • Approach Angle (degrees): 44 (2-door); 43.9 (4-door)
  • Breakover Angle (degrees): 27.8 (2-door); 22.6 (4-door)
  • Departure Angle (degrees): 37
  • Ground Clearance (inches): 10.8

Sport 9.7"
Rubi 10.8"

I'm guessing this is measured at the rear pumpkin?
The Sport M200 rear axle most likely has smaller pumpkin than M220, so if you add the D44 M220 rear axle option to the Sport (LSD), the 9.7" most likely gets reduced. By how much I don't know.

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[Rockreid]

Intersting thread for me as I plan to install 285/70/18 on my Sahara. I am one of those waiting on a 2.0L Turbo so who knows when I eventually get it, but in the meantime the wheels I am looking at have -12mm offset and have probably settled on Ridge Grapplers tires.

This will be a mostly on-road car so I am installing a stock suspension 2” lift kit and not a full blown spring and shock included beast. I am hoping the increased low end torque from the 2.0 BSG will make any acceleratiion loss minimal by going with the larger tires. It is this reason I did not decide to go up to a full 35” setup. We’ll see, eventually I guess.

 

[Waiting]

Interesting thread for me, too. I have (on order) a Rubicon I do not want to lift. Nor, do I want to change the wheels ( for more back spacing). The consensus seems to be that 35 inch tires will rub a bone stock JL while flexing and turning. I won't mind trimming fenders or fender liners so, these 34 inch tires might suit my needs.

 

[Waiting]

My 285/75-17 BFG KO2s are going on this weekend. I'll report back after I get to drive on them. I'm a little concerned, considering that the tires alone weigh more than the stock wheel+tire+TPMS sensor+weights. I've been logging my stock gas mileage religiously with fuelly.com so that I can have a true apples to apples comparison after the new tires are on the Jeep.

This is what I’m seriously considering. Please let us know how it goes and you entire set up

 

[WXman]

This is what I’m seriously considering. Please let us know how it goes and you entire set up

I have run through about one tank of fuel on the BFG KO2 285/75-17s so far. Fuel economy on my dash was showing 22.5 when I had the stock tires removed. With the new tires, I'm seeing somewhere in the 19.5 to 19.9 range so far, though I do need to get a few tanks of gas in so that I can get a true trend line going. It appears that I have lost at least 3 MPGs with the tires. My driving is a 50/50 mix of city and highway weekly. At current pricing, 3 MPGs is roughly $45/month for the average U.S. driver. Ouch.

The weight of the tires was immediately noticeable. More throttle just to pull out of the driveway. Lol. More downshifting on the highway. The quick, nimble, light on its feet feel that the Jeep had before is gone, and now it feels much like my full size F-150 that I traded in felt. More cumbersome and heavy.

Ride quality is a little more firm, but honestly not bad. I am running lower tire pressure with the larger, thicker tires to compensate and there is not much roughness in them. They actually ride OK. They balanced well the first attempt, with about 4 to 6 ounces on each wheel. They roll smoothly down the road, up to 70 MPH. Road noise is VERY minimal. I am very happy with the ride quality aspect of the change.

Overall, I'm happy, but if I had it to do all over again I would have gone with the Toyo Open Country AT2 because you can get those in the same size and they are listed at 10 lbs. lighter per tire.

 

[Waiting]

...The weight of the tires was immediately noticeable. More throttle just to pull out of the driveway. Lol. More downshifting on the highway. The quick, nimble, light on its feet feel that the Jeep had before is gone...

...but if I had it to do all over again I would have gone with the Toyo Open Country AT2 because you can get those in the same size and they are listed at 10 lbs. lighter per tire.

Thanks for your input. I really hadn't appreciated the weight of tires before this input.
EDIT: I found out how to search your posts/thread to see what set up you are running. (You do run after market wheels with no lift, correct?)

 

[WXman]

Thanks for your input. I really hadn't appreciated the weight of tires before this input.
You do run after market wheels with no lift, correct?

I have a 2.5" lift to make sure the 34" class tires don't rub if I go offroad at some point.

My wheels are aftermarket, but they are 23 lbs. vs the stock wheels at 20 lbs. so the difference there is negligible. The BFG tires are 26 lbs. heavier each than the stock tires were, on my scales at home....that's where the huge difference lies.

You can stay with a 285/70 and get them in LT-C or, even better, P ratings which will keep the weight down to 45-51 lbs. per tire, depending on which tire you go with. But, my factory 245/75s measured out at 32" tall in my driveway at home, so going with a 285/70 would have only gotten me about 1/4" of height. You really need to go 285/75 in order to pick up any significant ground clearance...and unfortunately all of the tires in those sizes are LT-E which is a very heavy tire.

 

[alphacc82]

Maybe helpful, I have 315/70r17's(which are 34.4" per goodyears specs) duratracs on my sport. My goal was for a nice light wheel and the lightest tires i could get. I wanted bigger tires but with the least amount of strain. I see some of these other tires people are putting on and they are HEAVY.

The duratracs are 61lbs and the wheel is 25lbs with a -12 offset. With no computer adjustments with tire size the 8 speed tranny handles them very well. My guess is because of the short gearing down low, but i am no expert on this. Even when I give it a lot of gas is still has great get-up-and-go. Of course not like the factory combo, but its way better than I expected. I'm super happy with this combo, looks great and no rubbing. No plan to go offroad any time soon so waiting on a lift. Note, i did remove that goofy plastic part connected to the bumper and goes to the fender.

 

[passingnotes]

i have a sport s - looked at nitto ridge in 285/75/17 with C rating, but they’re crazy heavy. got a set of ko2 285/70/17 in C rating with raised white lettering. they ride just like stock but look way better. the C rating definitely helps, run them around 37 psi. so far, zero issues or concerns and zero rubbing and no need for relo bracket on spare (nitto 285/75 might want that bracket)

 

[Pig-Pen]

i was looking at 285/75/17 but if theyre that much heavier and will bog the jeep down ill scratch them off the list.

i found a nice set of local Rubi take offs but didnt know the KO2s are so heavy. just hard to come up with $$ for a new set of tires only (other brand) when you can get wheels and tires (rubi take offs) for the same $$.

and the jeep isnt a DD for us, so the tires will be on for a loooong time. heck im trying to find a use for my stock tires since they'll sell for about $100 and a case of beer on CL.

 

[passingnotes]

i was looking at 285/75/17 but if theyre that much heavier and will bog the jeep down ill scratch them off the list.

i found a nice set of local Rubi take offs but didnt know the KO2s are so heavy. just hard to come up with $$ for a new set of tires only (other brand) when you can get wheels and tires (rubi take offs) for the same $$.

and the jeep isnt a DD for us, so the tires will be on for a loooong time. heck im trying to find a use for my stock tires since they'll sell for about $100 and a case of beer on CL.

they new ko2 c rating in 285/70/17 is only 50 pounds! the stock sport s dueler AT is about 47 pounds, so negligible diff...but those nitto ridge, even in c rating, weight about 65 in 285/75/17!

 

[kvport]

I have a base sport JLU that came with Michelin 245/75/R17 LTX M/S2 on steel wheels. In 2,000 miles I've managed a screw that was plugged but has a very slow leak ( using as the spare) and yesterday a sidewall puncture. Trying to decide if I should find someone tossing these "eco" tires or upgrading.

If i put Rubicon takeoffs on will I have any gearing issues with 6 speed manual transmission?

 

[Sarah.windsor14]

i have a sport s - looked at nitto ridge in 285/75/17 with C rating, but they’re crazy heavy. got a set of ko2 285/70/17 in C rating with raised white lettering. they ride just like stock but look way better. the C rating definitely helps, run them around 37 psi. so far, zero issues or concerns and zero rubbing and no need for relo bracket on spare (nitto 285/75 might want that bracket)

Have you lifted yours or is that stock height

 

[passingnotes]

Have you lifted yours or is that stock height

that’s stock height

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