Lower profile tires

Crazy question; has anyone actually sized down their tires? Specifically, a lower profile, performance oriented sport tire. This would likely apply only to other TRD Sport owners. And still very few at that lol.

I bought the truck because it is setup for precisely how I drive. City dweller with a heavy foot lol. I don’t wish to modify the suspension in any way. But I do wonder how much slicker it might look on slightly bigger and/or wider wheels with a slightly smaller tire… I’m talking subtle, not drastic.

Granted, I am a new member on this thread, but I have lurked for a long time before joining. And I’ve searched this thread, for a couple of weeks now with no luck finding an owner that has done this. I did manage to dig up a couple of images with little to no information/specs, and also a couple of computer renders, but that’s it.

I do realize that the Capstone trim is a decent example, as it sits on 22” wheels and 265/50 tires (and I did see the member that bent those rims in a pothole, unfortunately lol). But I’m looking for an example of a TRD Sport trim, ideally.

I would love to hear from an owner and see their setup!!

Obviously, I’m aware that this isn’t a practical or popular mod. Larger tires are better in a myriad of ways for most circumstances. I’ve owned lifted off-road trucks and I love them as much as anyone. I just don’t ever use them for their intended purpose. And I’m curious about seeing something different.

Feel free to post images that you may have found.

 

Ha!! Touché. I just figure there must be another 90s kid, like myself, that dreamed of owning a Ford Lightning or Chevy SS as their first vehicle. Perhaps, I’m just nostalgic…

In fairness, there are plenty of modern examples from the Big 3 manufacturers, just no Toyotas, apart from that new Taco X-Runner concept. Maybe that says more about Toyota truck buyers than truck buyers in general.

 

I doubt a guy gains much in the way of actual on road handling going to a larger wheel and lower profile tire here. Especially if no other suspension modifications are planned.

Use that money on something more tangible like the TRD engine tuning package Toyota plans to release.

 

I’d roll with the know high performance tires. Throw on some Continentals or Michelins and be done. I’d also throw in a jb4 with about 5 gallons of E-85.

 

I don’t disagree. I didn’t mean to suggest that I expect improved performance. Not at all. More so, that I desire an even more sporty look that doesn’t compromise performance much. And I do plan to strongly consider that package whenever it’s released.

And said wheels don’t have to be larger or wider, necessarily. Even if someone kept the stock wheels and ran slightly smaller diameter tires, I’d still be very interested to see and hear about the feel.

Basically, the stock Yokohama Geolanders on my Sport are boring looking. They perform more than adequately. But I don’t care for the look. When they are due for swap, I’d like to have an idea of what I might want to put on next. For those of you wanting to add larger off-road tires, there’s any number of threads and images to reference. But I can’t find one person that actually went a “sportier” (colloquially, speaking) route. Of course, I totally understand why someone wouldn’t be interested in doing so for practicality-sake. But there are lots of impractical vehicles on the road. I find it interesting is all. And I guess this is my last ditch effort to see one potentially. Lol

 

Word. So that Tacoma X-Runner concept sits on 285/45R21 Michelin Pilot Sport tires. I dig that look a lot. It’s really what sparked my interest in the first place. But the wheels on that are not in production. I could get something similar, sure. That’s kinda what I was hoping to see, had someone else already done so.

 

Here is one, https://www.tundras.com/threads/a-build-for-speed-and-handling-i-know-it-sounds-crazy.82930/

He has done significantly more work than just tires but they are lower profile and slightly smaller than stock.

Hes on 22's https://www.tundras.com/threads/a-b...now-it-sounds-crazy.82930/page-3#post-2158863

 

Very impractical But bold! I like bold!! Now if only he had selected to modify a 3Gen instead… lol. Thx for the link though

 

It’s your money and time, just because I don’t see the point in this instance doesn’t mean it’s a “bad” idea. At least your minor cosmetic modification isn’t going to compromise durability (except wheels maybe), reliability, or on road handling, stopping, and general safety. You use your truck on pavement as you say 100% of the time, so you do you. I’d rather see a mod like that where the vehicle is getting used that way the vast majority of the time. It’s the polar opposite in form, function, and use percentage of 99% of guys on 6” lifts and 37”s who only mall crawl 99.9999% of their miles, and have a pig of a truck all those miles for the tiny amount of time they might be off road.

 

Don't forget your frame chop modification

I still don't get how that is legal/insurable

I mean you change fukn turn signals and if they ain't dot you get fined

 

How are the roads in your city, OP? Going to a thinner tire is going to make your ride harsher and increase the likelihood of puncture over big pot holes.

 

Fer sher. I am guilty of a milder version of that stereotype lol

 

No shit, I learned this lesson the hard way when I was a teenager. Went from a borrowed sedan straight into a lifted F150 super crew on 36s and ran into the back of a Jeep that had hit the vehicle in front of it. I remember hitting the brakes and feeling like they didn’t even work! Lol

 

SoCal roads, so not great. But no longer spending much time in LA, so vastly improved! lol. However, your point still stands. I’m moving out of State quite soon anyway, so probably best to wait and not do something that is inadequate for where I end up…

 

I stay on the highway and occasional gravel roads and am very happy going from a 275/65r18 to a 275/55r20 (stock 18s to stock 20s). The truck rode extremely soft and comfortable on the 18s but felt very vague in the corners. Less sidewall means less flex, so feels more direct through turns. Trade off is slightly harsher over bumps. I am happy with it for how I drive.

I would expect that the trend would continue if you continued going to larger rims. More wheel + less sidewall = more direct handling, slightly harsher ride over bumps.

 

FastLane47

 

Right on. And idk if my beer math is correct (it wasn’t before I edited this lol), but that’s like 1 inch decrease in sidewall. Perceivable visually and feeling more of the road for sure. Drastic change? Objectively, it is a relatively big decrease. But I suppose the feel is still mostly subjective to the driver.

 

you had noted to go smaller "nothing drastic "
265/50 is already a rubber band on this trim level and quite frankly any trim level, so jumping down would be redonkulas. considering a fellow member busted his rim on just a pot hole @ this size.
50's are 50's no matter how you cut it,they maybe great for a photo session (only) but 50's aren't pretty practical unless you drive on the ultimate HWY or have disposable income burning a hole in your pocket.

Just my .02

 

I hear you. My stock tires are 265/60, not 50. But I see that you went up from your 50s. And I totally get why you would do so.

Again, I am just wondering if someone out there went the other direction so that I may see a photo and ask about their experience. Frankly, I’m less interested in smaller than I am in the sportier look overall. I just figured a slight decrease would also add to the sportier look. And I’m no tire aficionado, but I just assume that the sportier-type of tires for which I am referring, like a Michelin pilot pro, do not typically go beyond a certain size ratio.

 

If the roads are not too bad where you drive, go for some 285/50R20 Toyo Proxes and the Torsen rear diff from the Lexus LX 600 F Sport. You’ll lose about 1/2” of sidewall. The smaller diameter will give you the equivalent of a 3.45 gear ratio. It’ll scoot!

 

The Toyo Proxes are sweet looking. Definitely the type of tire I was imagining. I’ll take a closer look. As far as the Torsen diff, that is an interesting proposition… I don’t have much experience modifying vehicle internals, to paint it broadly lol. Just your run of the mill bolt on exteriors. So I’d have to really educate myself about the ramifications of such modifications. I’ve owned the truck for only a month. Will likely wait awhile, like after the factory warranty expires lol, before moving in that direction. But I will read up on the subject. Thx!!

 

LOL, you’re the 1%er’ who uses his lift and 37”s for actual off road shenanigans all the time.

 

You’re better off getting a bigger wheel and smaller tires or you’ll show more miles than you’re actually getting.

 

Very true, but the shorter miles will be “more fun”.

 

Right, keeping the same or close to the original total diameter.