255/70/16 255/70/R16 DO fit on a Pilot

[phenryiv1]

This is my first post, though I have been lurking on here and searching for the last year or so. I had a set of 255/70/16 tires from my Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the oh-so-crappy Integrity tires on my wife's 04 were on their last leg, so I decided to roll the dice and mount them up on the Pilot.

I had done a lot of searching on here about fit and rubbing, and there were simply no solid answers about the fit of the 255s. As for 245s, the evidence was that they worked fine, but no real evidence about the 255s was out there.

At first, it shocked me that noone had gone and just tried them before, but I thought about how much it would cost the average person to roll the dice in hopes that they would fit and it made more sense why there was no earlier endevour into 255 land.

At any rate, I am happy to say that after taking measurements on the stock 235-70-16s and the 255/70/16s, I was certain that they would fit, though you never eally know until you bolt them on and set it down.

So after rolling the dice, I successfully mounted and bolted a set of 255/70/16 Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires on my wife's 04 Pilot.

Let there be no more ambiguity as to whether 255s can fit- they can. I ran figure 8s in both directions, went in forward and reverse at full lock, and went over your normal parking lot terrain elevation changes with the wheels at full lock in both directions without any rubbing on anything. Tires are 30.1" by a 10.2" section width.

Now, I understand that different tire models may differ, but the tires above fit. Check specs on your tires before buying.

Pics below:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...t/Fender01.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ilot/Front.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...Pilot/Rear.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...Pilot/size.jpg



Wheel articulated to full lock in pics below:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ontWheel01.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ontWheel02.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ontWheel03.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...ontWheel04.jpg

[deryzzle]

there may be no rubbing while driving on a flat surface, but how about turning into a steep driveway?

[jestmaty]

Wow!!!

Thanks for the final, definitive, all-questions-answered post regarding the 255's. I really, really, wanted to go with 255's when the time came, but I chickened out and got 245's.

I frequently tow a boat with a pretty saggy rear end. ( Not my rear end... the Pilot's ) The clearance issue was my concern that eventually prompted me to go 245.

The added 'potential' drag by a wider tire might have affected my gas mileage. A 255 could cause my mileage to suffer and I got my tires mounted when gas was $4.00 per gallon back in September. Ultimately, I went with the compromise of the 245's.

Thanks again for the great pics showing not only the fitment to the rim, but how well it tucks up into the wheel-wells of the Pilot.

You can't imagine how many questions you will have answered regarding the 255's for both old and new members to the board. I'm glad someone finally stepped up to the plate and got the big 'uns mounted.

They make your Pilot look like a street fighter now!! Good job!

Jestmaty

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by deryzzle
there may be no rubbing while driving on a flat surface, but how about turning into a steep driveway?

I tried that, as well as speed bumps at full articulation. I am not going to say that there is no time that they WILL rub, but I spent about 45 minutes yesterday LOOKING for challenges and found no rubbing.

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by jestmaty
Wow!!!

Thanks for the final, definitive, all-questions-answered post regarding the 255's. I really, really, wanted to go with 255's when the time came, but I chickened out and got 245's.

I frequently tow a boat with a pretty saggy rear end. ( Not my rear end... the Pilot's ) The clearance issue was my concern that eventually prompted me to go 245.

We currently do not tow anything, though I would like to get a hitch to tow a small utility trailer around town, but chances are 50/50 that I get an old beater truck from my father in the next few weeks when he upgrades to a newer one, so if I do that the towing thing, it will be with the truck and not the Pilot. If we ran around with the back end loaded, I'd have had to re-think the tire size.

Originally posted by jestmaty
The added 'potential' drag by a wider tire might have affected my gas mileage. A 255 could cause my mileage to suffer and I got my tires mounted when gas was $4.00 per gallon back in September. Ultimately, I went with the compromise of the 245's.

As of right now, my wife only commutes abotu 5 miles, and with gas under $2, it is not too big of a deal. However, if she changes jobs or gas gets expensive quickly, I may have to rethink it. At any rate, with these tires being essentually free and a set of new 235/70/16s running $400-500 (plus mounting and balancing), I can stand to lose 1-2 MPG for quite a while before these actually cost me money. I'd do the math to calcuate the breakover point, but it makes my head hurt!

Originally posted by jestmaty
Thanks again for the great pics showing not only the fitment to the rim, but how well it tucks up into the wheel-wells of the Pilot.

It really looks better with the 255s (versus the 235s), but part of that is the whimpy tread of the Integrity tires versus the more aggressive RT/S tread (which will also not help MPG, but you have to give somewhere!).

Originally posted by jestmaty
You can't imagine how many questions you will have answered regarding the 255's for both old and new members to the board. I'm glad someone finally stepped up to the plate and got the big 'uns mounted.

That was the point. I talked to the tire techs before we started and I told them that I would pay the dismount and remount fees if they rubbed, and fortunately, it worked out for me. Having the tires already in my possessiojn made this easier for me than for someone who would have to buy them and then roll the dice that they would fit. At only $42 to mount and balance them,. this was a cheap experiment, if they did not fit.

Originally posted by jestmaty
They make your Pilot look like a street fighter now!! Good job!

Jestmaty

Well, they make my wife's Pilot look good- I don't drive it that often. I have always been more of a Jeep guy, as far as SUVs go. I have had 4 Cherokees (86, 95, 98, then another 95), and a Grand Cherokee, plus I had a Comanchee and may be getting another one from my father. I have a 100-mile commute, so I drive a 4-cyl 5MT sedan.

[rocky]

How about a picture of the entire vehicle so we can see it in all its glory?

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by rocky
How about a picture of the entire vehicle so we can see it in all its glory?

Sorry, been busy. Will do in daylight tomorrow.

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by rocky
How about a picture of the entire vehicle so we can see it in all its glory?

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...iloton255s.jpg

Sorry for the delay. Took this today, since they tires are coming off today for something a little more quiet (235/70/16 Kumho Solus KR 21).

After driving on them for about 9 months, we never once experienced rubbing in the front or rear, no matter what approach or departure angles we took in normal urban and suburban driving. Never really took it off-road (I have a Jeep for that).

We ran it loaded up with about 500 lb. or solar salt and did not feel any rubbing or bottoming, so I am confident that 255s are fine for normal use.

If I had to pick a size, I'd say that a 245/70/16 would be just about perfect on the Pilot. Your opinion may differ.

[Hogan773]

Originally posted by phenryiv1

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...iloton255s.jpg

Sorry for the delay. Took this today, since they tires are coming off today for something a little more quiet (235/70/16 Kumho Solus KR 21).

After driving on them for about 9 months, we never once experienced rubbing in the front or rear, no matter what approach or departure angles we took in normal urban and suburban driving. Never really took it off-road (I have a Jeep for that).

We ran it loaded up with about 500 lb. or solar salt and did not feel any rubbing or bottoming, so I am confident that 255s are fine for normal use.

If I had to pick a size, I'd say that a 245/70/16 would be just about perfect on the Pilot. Your opinion may differ.

Why do you all want fatter tires? They will do worse in snow and ice won't they?

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by Hogan773


Why do you all want fatter tires? They will do worse in snow and ice won't they?

They look cooler (halfway joking, there), and have a larger contact patch. In general terms, that can have both good and bad impacts on handling and grip, depending on conditions.

In my case, we ran them because I had them sitting around and they became nearly free to use, as opposed to $400+ on new tires.

[Hogan773]

Originally posted by phenryiv1

They look cooler (halfway joking, there), and have a larger contact patch. In general terms, that can have both good and bad impacts on handling and grip, depending on conditions.

In my case, we ran them because I had them sitting around and they became nearly free to use, as opposed to $400+ on new tires.

All else equal, wider tires also get worse gas mileage, although in your case using "free" tires would obviously more than make up for that.....

[phenryiv1]

Originally posted by Hogan773


All else equal, wider tires also get worse gas mileage, although in your case using "free" tires would obviously more than make up for that.....

Correct. The additional rolling resistance does impair fuel economy, albeit slightly, in this case. The additional rolling diameter and its resulting reduction in emgine RPM at highway speeds may have actually negated the decrease in MPG from additional rolling resistance.