Towing performance 35” vs 33.5” tires

I have the towing package, so 4.30 rear end. I currently have 275/70R18 Duratracs. I’ll need new tires soon.

For those of you who have jumped up to 285/75R18 tires, how significant was the towing performance hit? My travel trailer weighs 4400 dry.

I’m walking the tight rope of off road performance and towing performance, which are completely contradictory. I’d like a little more clearance, but don’t want to pay dearly to achieve it.

Thoughts?

 

You might notice it, but it won't knock your socks off. For the most part it's a fairly linear change so we're talking a ~5% performance degradation. If you're struggling to stay in 6th gear now you'll probably be in 5th. If you can accelerate in 6th without downshifting then you probably will stay in 6th gear. Yeet it, 35s are the way.

 

How significant is the change to approach, breakover, and pivot angles by going up to 35s?

 

Minimal from just the tires- 33.5 to 35. Now lifting the front/rear is another story and will have a much greater impact on those angles. And you will lift it for 35s so the combined lift and tires does significantly improve the angles and off road drivability. I've not towed with 35s on a Tundra, but have with other trucks and if you don't regear you will lose some umph. More importantly, you will need to use S drive more often, perhaps even when not towing, to stop gear hunting on anything but very flat terrain. Of course it is all related, bigger tires effectively reduce the gearing and mechanical leverage, the larger tires are heavier, have more rolling resistance, so yes, you will feel it.

 

Sorry, guess I should have included I have already lifted the front about 2” and the rear 1”.