235/75/15 to 255/70/16's

[dburton07]

so i just bought 2 sets of 255/70/16 tires from a guy i work with. one set is on rims from an 01 explorer. the tires are in good shape and have a good amount of life left in them. so i said, f-it, im gunna take them. he also threw in 2" wheel spacers and lug covers.....all for $260.....he was desperate to get rid of them. right now i have a set of 235's on my truck. how much would 255's effect my gas mileage? i know itll mess up my speedo, but i care about the g-m more.

also, since i dont do any wheeling with this truck since it is my dd and i cant afford to break it, will i be fine with the wheel spacers? all they do is make the wheel stick out to where the stock fender flares are, not any further, w/o them it looks gay cuz the wheel is in (i put one on to see how it would look)

thanks guys

 

[JohnnyO]

Not enough difference in size to matter. Go for it. IMO the spacers are not necessary to make them fit, but a Ranger rear axle is slightly narrower than an Explorer rear axle.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, for all practicality the 255/70-16's on my F-150 measure the same as the 235/75-15's on my Ranger.

The only thing that might effect milage is the 255's are probably a tad heavier, and if they are aluminum rims they are also usually usually a tad heavier than steel rims. On the plus side alloys both ride better and help cool the brakes.

I would try it without the spacers first, it should be pretty close to the same. Most 'sploder wheels also came on Rangers from the factory.

 

[dburton07]

i did put one on with out the spacer to see what it looked like n i just looked goofy to me. but i put them on yesterday before the sun went down, and i am happy with the results, i like how it rides. yea it f's with my speedo, but oh well. and yea, theyre aluminum rims.

 

[mhughes165]

pics make it possilbe, show them off

 

[hihoslvr]

The only thing that might effect milage is the 255's are probably a tad heavier, and if they are aluminum rims they are also usually usually a tad heavier than steel rims. On the plus side alloys both ride better and help cool the brakes.

Are you sure about that? I mean the part about steel rims being heavier than alloys...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Are you sure about that? I mean the part about steel rims being heavier than alloys...

It takes more aluminum to be as strong as a equal piece of steel.

 

[dburton07]

before:

after:

the said theyre explorer rims, i think it looks pretty good on my truck. deffinatly need some leveling coils in the front since the rear leafs arent even 2 months old. and i need center caps for the rear.

 

[98ranger4x4]

It takes more aluminum to be as strong as a equal piece of steel.

im sorry, but i strongly disagree, i have worked at a tire shop for two years and have never seen a steel wheel that is even close to being lighter than a comparable aluminum wheel, true it takes more aluminum but aluminum is way lighter than steel and that still results in a much lighter wheel.

 

[mhughes165]

before:

after:

the said theyre explorer rims, i think it looks pretty good on my truck. deffinatly need some leveling coils in the front since the rear leafs arent even 2 months old. and i need center caps for the rear.

personally i liked the steelies better....

 

[pillen140]

im sorry, but i strongly disagree, i have worked at a tire shop for two years and have never seen a steel wheel that is even close to being lighter than a comparable aluminum wheel, true it takes more aluminum but aluminum is way lighter than steel and that still results in a much lighter wheel.

exspecially on ranger steel wheels, those things are tanks! but some small cars like tercels and other junk, the steels are about the same as aluminum, if not a tad lighter. they are made really thin!!!! and they almost rust all the way though. but i would say about 95% of the time aluminum wheels are lighter than steel wheels. if you thought those ranger steel wheels were heavy.... have you ever lifted a spare for a full size bronco? i would say close to 40lbs!

 

[pillen140]

truck looks good, now you can mount 35" mud tires on the steelies, and use the alloys for the road.

 

[hihoslvr]

yah, I do like the look of black steel, but those are the same alloys my truck come stock with

 

[kisforkyle]

yeah, i just bought new steelies to replace the aluminums you just got, but whatever everybody likes something differnt, the truck looks good man!

 

[dburton07]

i do still like my steels, but i like to change things up every once in a while and i figured this would be the perfect chance......and because i got them mad cheap. i am keeping the steels to put a set of snow tires on though. thanks for the comments