What size BFG KO2’s for stock TRD Pro suspension?

The stock tire size for the 2021 TRD Pro is 275-65-18 but it doesn’t appear the BFGoodrich AT KO2’s are made in that size unless you go with load range E. Is there a comparable size equivalent that I could run on a TRD Pro that’s not load range E?

 

37's

 

Most tires in larger size that fit our trucks are E load. Also, you listed the stock size, a Pro can handle larger than that with no issues. 275/70-18. 285/70-18 are both easy no fuss fits on a pro. With some effort you can go larger. There are thread dedicated to tires and tires sizes for the Pro in the pro forum here, check it out.

Also, you may want to consider other tire brands. There are some great options out there that may cost less or perform better than K0s, or both!

 

I was planning on sticking with the stock size since the truck is brand new. I don’t want to mess around with changing the speedometer, transmission shift points, or killing the already poor gas mileage. I’ve had BFG A/T’s for years dating back to a Chevy Silverado I had back in the early 2000’s, and I’ve always been very happy with them. Any recommendations of a tire you think performs better but achieves the same long tread life and low noise on the highway?

 

Gotcha. Well here is a listing from DT of AT tires available in that size so you can easily see whats available- https://www.discounttire.com/fitmen...ry:allTerrainTires&sort=bestSeller-asc&page=0

For me personally, I want a tire with a good tread warranty (50k miles +), quiet for an AT tire, good traction in wet, decent in snow and no issues balancing. Your needs may be different, but the tires I could consider are the following: Toyo AT, Wildpeak, Grabber ATX, Cooper will have several models, Hancook dynapro. Some of those are more mild AT, others are more aggressive but all have 50-60k tread warranty, will be decent on street/quiet and have some decent off road traction.

BFG is not a bad tire and ive run them many times on other vehicles. Still have them in C load on a 4runner. However, they are not as good as they used to be. Wet traction could be much better and with age the rubber gets harder, less traction and less comfortable ride. They can sometimes be a problem to properly balance. Plenty still run and love them and again they are not bad, but for the $ I think there are better options, depending on your needs. Now if you are a desert offroad guy, they could be a good option because they are pretty tuff and do really well in sand, loose dry soil, rocks.

 

I have the Cooper Discoverer XLT AT3 295/70 R18 on my Tundra and have been very pleased. These tires are lighter than most and get excellent ratings. I just put a set of Toyo Open Country ATIII on my '98 Taco and I'm very pleased so far. These tires also get good reviews from many and are offered in SL, C and E ratings. I lean toward a C rated tire whenever available because it is a good compromise for my needs.

Best of luck.

 

Are you running the stock pro suspension with those 295 Coopers?

 

Yes. TRD Pro suspension. I just had a little rubbing to deal with but no big problem.

 

Good to know. I’m running the 275 Coopers now, but will need a new set in the next couple months. Thought about adding a Coachbuilder kit, but good to know I could fit the Cooper 295’s without the kit.

 

Here's a pic. of the front wheel and side view. I did add the CB 1/4" shim to give another 0.5" of lift in the front, but this was after I already had the 295s. I also have 1" BORA wheels spacers.

 

Looks great. Do you happen to have a pic of the wheel poke with the spacers?

 

Not the best pics, but the outside edge of the tire tread is basically flush with the side of the truck. I had 1.25" spacers before and going to the 1" spacers made a huge difference in crap being thrown onto the side of my truck.

 

Agree, that’s the amount of poke I’d be looking for…for the same reasons. Sorry, last question. What kind of MPG’s are you getting with this setup?

Thanks again!

 

No worries and happy to help.
If you're running TRD Pro wheels, the "pockets' in the wheel will accommodate the approx. 1/8" of rear wheel stud protruding beyond the 1" spacer should you decide to go that route. Of course, there's nothing sticking out for the 1.25" spacers.
It's hard to know exactly, but I lost between 1 and 2 MPG when going to the larger tires. I really didn't notice any power drop-off, although I'm sure occurs when adding about a 2" tire OD and effectively changing the designed gear-in. I think keeping the overall wheel/tire weight as low as possible is an important factor here.
Best.

 

Not bad at all. Thanks again.

 

Are load range E tires a bad choice for the TRD Pro? Getting ready to replace the stock Michelins with BFG KO2's but all I'm finding is load range E. I don't want a stiff ride. Anyone with experience running E's on their Tundra?

 

I would recommend against Load E at all costs, I’m kicking myself for doing it because I was really second guessing it before pulling the trigger. I’m running load range E BFG KO2’s right now, they look awesome and perform great off road but I’ve been fighting balance issues the whole time. They’re less than 6 months old and I’ve had them balanced 4 times, the last time being a $190 road force balance and even that isn’t 100% perfect. I’m hoping tire rack will warranty them but based on the fact that the truck calls for P load range tires, I’m thinking they’re going to tell me to pound sand. I will never buy load range E tires again for a 1/2ton pickup despite a bunch of people on here saying “I have no issues”. I guarantee a large portion of that is not objective and is just post-purchase rationalization for our expensive new purchase. The suspension is too soft and you feel any little imperfection in the tires, plus the ride is noticeably stiffer. Never again.

 

I have been looking hard myself. My tires are at 32,000 and probably have 40k in them.
I love the way they ride and drive. I know that a heavier tire will hurt the ride, hurt gas mileage and hurt acceleration.
I want a better looking tire and would like white letters. I would like bigger too but if that comes at the cost of the ride and drive, I will stick with the LTX A/T.
I had two sets of these A/Ts on my last Tundra and then put a set of LTX M/S on. They were AMAZING but they really looked "old man".
I will likely go back to another set of these Michelins but I am wide open to options. They have to be lighter than the load range E tires that are out there. I am not interested in a 60 pound tire when the suspension is calibrated for a 40 pound tire.

 

I know you didn’t mention it, but if you don’t want to sacrifice suspension and driveability, especially steer clear of wheel spacers. People chasing a specific look often do things to vehicles without the knowledge of the negative repercussions. It’s not their fault for not knowing, but they shouldn’t be changing things they’re not knowledgeable on. Before you know it, you end up with a vehicle that’s a handful to drive over bumps or at highway speeds and usually performs worse than factory. Wheel spacers change the scrub radius angle of suspension and negatively impact bump steer and steering wheel returnability after a turn. Not to mention they put a lot more wear on wheel bearings and ball joints.

With my tires, I went with 275-70-18. They’re a touch bigger than factory. The speedometer is actually more accurate with these tires than the factory tires. They’re a good size IMO. I personally don’t like the 295-70-18 look on the stock TRD pro suspension, I think it looks kinda goofy, like the tire is too big for the ride height of the vehicle. If it’s lifted, then that’s a different story, but why buy a Pro if you’re going to change the suspension? Goodyear makes the Duratracs in a load range D, that’s what I would go with if I could do it all over again, but my needs may be different than yours. I’m often traveling deep into the woods and need good off-road and snow traction so I’m willing to accept an increase in road noise. They’re almost as heavy as the BFG KO2’s but given they’re not as many ply (not sure of exact figures), I’m imagining I would have a softer ride and less balance issues.

 

That's kind of what I was thinking. Sorry you are having problems with balance, but sure glad I asked. Thank you.

 

I did not comment on spacers because I have no intention of using them for many of the same reasons that you posted.
When you went with the bigger tire, did you notice a difference in the ride quality? My fear with a heavier tires is that my ride quality will degrade. More weight that needs to be contained by the suspension..... and this TRD suspension drives so nice.
I do want to step up to the 70 series rubber but I am concerned.

 

I did notice a difference in ride quality, but not because of the size, it was because I went to Load Range E. If you stick with something like a stock load range, you’ll likely not experience one bit of a difference in ride quality. Personally I am happy to give up a little bit of ride quality if it means getting a tougher tire. For me, I think load range D would have been perfect but the selection is severely limited. I wish I had gone with the Duratracs in load range D because of the balance issues. However, if BFG made the KO2’s in load range D, I wouldn’t have even considered the Duratracs. I’ve had the KO2’s on previous vehicles and loved them.

 

I am finding that there are a lot of options in the 275/65R18 in standard load. However, if I want to step up to 70 series rubber or anything bigger than what I have, I am automatically in a higher load range AND a much heavier tire.
I do some off-roading but nothing radical. The stock Michelins are decent for what I do. They are excellent if you look at the whole package (Quiet, smooth, nice ride, and reasonable off-road).
I have looked at several other options in the stock size. I need to do some more digging to see if Michelins are again in my future.

 

People hate on the stock Michelins but they actually perform very well for what they are. They just don’t look the greatest. Watch this and tell me they suck, you won’t!
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3u3j0l

 

I have seen that. I really like them but like you said, I would like a better look. I know that my inner engineer will win the day and I will put some more boring looking tires on that work really well
That really should be enough. I mean, I drive a Tundra with a grandpa topper and not a Raptor. I want a solid, reliable, well designed, and well performing truck albeit old school and boring. Why not say the same about the tires

 

I wanted to post a follow up to this…

I continued to fight balance issues with the BFG KO2’s. They were balanced five times with the last try being a road force balance, yet they continued to shake at highway speeds. I emailed Tire Rack and they contacted BFGoodrich on my behalf to see if they would do a “good will” replacement. BFG agreed to the goodwill replacement. I was instructed to order a new set of tires that I would be reimbursed for when I returned the old ones. Well I did just that, but on top of the BFG KO2’s in load range E, I also ordered the Goodyear Duratracs in load range D. I installed the Duratracs and sold the new KO2’s. I’m so much happier with the Duratracs!! I cannot understate the difference in ride quality and smoothness driving down the road. Despite having bigger lugs, they even get better traction in the rain. Yes, they do have a little more noise, but it’s not bad at all. Duratracs are original equipment on several different makes and models, they’re not going to put overly loud tires as original equipment.

Overall, I would strongly caution people against going with load range E tires on a half ton truck. The lighter suspension of a half ton truck doesn’t absorb the imperfections in road force like the suspension would on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. It’s not to say you won’t get a set that rolls nice and smooth going down the road, but the probability of ending up fighting a balance issue is much higher. The difference in ride quality is hugely noticeable too. I love driving the truck again, it soaks up bumps much better and is back to being smooth at highway speeds.

 

I'm running Discount Tire's Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT 275 /60 R20 115S SL SBL | Discount Tire
In my size, 275/60/20 they are SL rated.
They ride much better than my D-rated KO2s...

Perfect combination of a street and TA tire..