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How Big of Tires on a 96 silverado Z71?

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189GMCK5

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I just bought a 96 silverado and it has some bald tires. I was wondering what is the biggest size tire I can fit on it? Also what Kind of tires should I get I read that the BFG A/T is a good tire. I am going to be using it as my plow truck and off roader.


Thanks
 
I think that the Z-71's came with a 265/75/16 stock. If it is just a 4x4 then I think that 245's were stock. I would bet that a 285 would fit with a little trimming.

LT.
 
LT is correct, they came stock with 265s mostly. A lot of guys fit 285s without trimming, but it is hit and miss.

265s fit for sure, 285s may fit but may need a slight trim.
 
I haven't heard anything bad of them yet, but the new Goodyear Duratrac is looking good. I am getting a set of these for my Nissan next month. Mix of an all terrain and mud terrain.

duratrac1.jpg
 
I've had the exact same truck since '96, it's a family member. Suspension is just as stock as the day I bought it.

I have 34x10.5x15 LTBs on it right now with zero rubbing, and I wheel the piss out of it in the rocks. Key is to use a narrow tire, narrow rim, and as much backspacing as possible. When you get those wide, offset setups that most of the boneheads out here run, you destroy the IFS, steering, and you start hitting the fenders when you turn. If you keep those sidewalls in the fenders where they were designed to be, everything works gravy and the truck handles great.

Interco and BFG make some 33x9.50s. One of the will probably be the next tires going on the truck. Now that the wheeler is rolling again, I can't wait to go back to a radial on my DD.

Plowing requires a tall, narrow tire to get enough contact pressure to push a heavy load of snow. Interco TRXUS MTs are a great snow tire that does well Offroad. Toyo And Cooper MTs are great too, although I'm not sure how much of a pizza cutter they come in. I currently run triple studded BFG commercial tires on my plow truck back in AK. They are awesome for plowing, but they aren't designed to clean mud out well. I'd take them over the BFG ATs as an Offroad tire though. I don't care for BFG ATs for plowing because they pack up in sticky snow too easily, but I know a lot of guys that love them. 235/85/16s are easy to find, common, and a pretty tall and realy narrow tire.

Of course, absolutely nothing plows better than v-bar chains on all four tires with some gravel bags in the bed. Except maybe a road grader.
 
I have a 97, but I guess I am one of the "boneheads", I run 36 x12.5 x20 Iroks on a 20x10 rim, and have a set of 35x12.50x15 on big offset 15x10 rims for backup. But my truck is lifted, for a stock truck, 255/85/16 is about a 33 x 9.5, if you want a skinny one. If you want a more common size, go with a 285/75/16 which is about 33 x11.50. The bfg A/T is a good tire, but kinda on the spendy side, the Toyo Open Country is the way I would go, for an all terrain. For mud terrains, I love love love my Iroks, and they have lasted longer, stayed truer and more balanced than my brother's Trxus tires.
 
I put nitto terra grapplers on stuff all day long at work. Very quality tire, comparable to a BFG. But typically 40-50 cheaper.

Most I've seen is a set of 285/70/16 or 285/75's, Just turn the torsion keys up some if they rub a bit.
 
I just put 305/70/16 Goodyear Wranglers on my 96, no issues whatsoever with stock wheels.
 
owenst7 said:
I've had the exact same truck since '96, it's a family member. Suspension is just as stock as the day I bought it.

I have 34x10.5x15 LTBs on it right now with zero rubbing, and I wheel the piss out of it in the rocks. Key is to use a narrow tire, narrow rim, and as much backspacing as possible. When you get those wide, offset setups that most of the boneheads out here run, you destroy the IFS, steering, and you start hitting the fenders when you turn. If you keep those sidewalls in the fenders where they were designed to be, everything works gravy and the truck handles great.

Interco and BFG make some 33x9.50s. One of the will probably be the next tires going on the truck. Now that the wheeler is rolling again, I can't wait to go back to a radial on my DD.

Plowing requires a tall, narrow tire to get enough contact pressure to push a heavy load of snow. Interco TRXUS MTs are a great snow tire that does well Offroad. Toyo And Cooper MTs are great too, although I'm not sure how much of a pizza cutter they come in. I currently run triple studded BFG commercial tires on my plow truck back in AK. They are awesome for plowing, but they aren't designed to clean mud out well. I'd take them over the BFG ATs as an Offroad tire though. I don't care for BFG ATs for plowing because they pack up in sticky snow too easily, but I know a lot of guys that love them. 235/85/16s are easy to find, common, and a pretty tall and realy narrow tire.

Of course, absolutely nothing plows better than v-bar chains on all four tires with some gravel bags in the bed. Except maybe a road grader.
Click to expand...

so would i be ok mounting the 34s on stock 15 inch wheels?
 
The new Goodyears look good for an AT, I would try those next time I need tires.

I have been using these http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...REVO2OWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
on my 04 2500 HD no plow and my dads 04 2500HD with a plow. He uses the 265/75R16 and I use the 285/75R16. So far the best all around street/snow tire I have used. He says they have been the best tire he has plowed with and is already on his 2nd set.

If you're going to weigh down the front of that truck with a plow I wouldn't go bigger than the 265/75R16s. You would get more rubbing than simple trimming could fix with the bigger tires with that plow on. Just going by what I used to see when I worked for a GMC dealer back when those trucks were new.
 
Anyone have experiences with both the Nitto Terra Grapplers & Toyo Open Countrys? I'm getting close to purchasing new tires and am wondering about tire wear, balancing and overall quality. I've read so many reviews and still not sure which to go with. My rig will see about 50% street, 25% snow & the rest trail play.
 
I fI were going to buy another set of A/T's they be the Pro comps. I heard hit and miss stories but IMO they were awesome in everything I took them in. Sand, snow, and mud they even cleaned themselves good enough.

BFG would be my next choice.

For the record I had 285's before I got the lift and such with no rubbing
 
Well I did alot of reading and finally decided to get Cooper STT. I was leaning towards the Duratracs but read alot of reveiws sayinf hte sidewall in really weak and they dont handle well So far the STTs seem to be a pretty goode tire
 
That's what I have. It's a great tire. I haven't been dissapointed in it yet
 
If you want a 17" wheel you can get a 245/75 for it. Approx, 32" tall and narrow. I found a set of Toyo A/T's in that size, and I have no complaints about my Toyo's currently on my Yukon, 35,000 miles and some dune jumping, cutting into the sidewall/tread, up to Alaska and back and not one flat. One even has a nail in it but is not leaking fast enough to bother fixing at the moment.

Ditto on the offset. Do whatever you can to keep the factory offset, or you'll destroy your bearings:doah:
 
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