I have a 97 4Runner 4x4 and I have two sets of rims, stock 16x7 4Runner Rims and 18x8 Land Cruiser rims. I'm looking at buying a new set of all season tires and winter tires but can't decide what size to buy. I was recommended 265/70 R16 tires on the 16x8 Land Cruiser rims (BFG A/T KO's) and 265/75 R16 tires (Goodyear SilentArmors) for my winter set on my 16x7 rims. I wanted to see what all of your opinions were and if anyone has experience running Land Cruiser rims on their stock suspension. Thanks!

 

Sure, you can run Land Cruiser wheels on your 3rd-gen 4runner just fine. I assume the LC wheels are 16x8 and not 18x8 like you first typed.

265/70R16 and 265/75R16 are common sizes on the 3rd gen. The size difference between them is pretty minimal.

For the winter set, you might consider the 235/85R16 size. It is about the same diameter as the 265/75R16 but is a good bit narrower to better cut through slush and put down good ground pressure on the snow pack for better grip. Given the same tread pattern and rubber compound, a narrower tire usually has better winter performance than a wider one. Skinny tires also do well on the highway and on the trail--you can run them all year.

AT tires like the SilentArmor and BFG all-terrain are perfectly good for running year-round. Why not simplify and pare down to just one set of rolling stock instead of two? Two sets can be a pain, with the storage, switching, and cost and complexity of keeping two sets of tires balanced and fresh instead of just one. I gave up keeping two sets a long time ago and haven't looked back.

 

Yes I did mean 16x8. Thanks a lot for the help. My research I've done shows that the KOs are much better all season, and the silent armors are much better for snow so I think I'm going to go that route.

 

From what I've seen, the snow performance of the Silent Armors and BFG ATs are pretty similar...not different enough to buy two sets.

Here's the survey results table on Tirerack:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey....jsp?type=ORAT

The BFG ATs have an 8.6 rating in light snow, 8.3 in deep snow and 7.2 in ice.
The Silent Armors have a 8.8 in light snow, 8.6 in deep snow and 7.8 in ice.

I think it'd be very difficult to justify buying two sets for such similar performance. Both tires are branded with the snowflake symbol, allowing for use without chains in many chain-restricted areas.

If you are set on a different set of winter tires, I would select an actual winter tire.

 

I'd take a look at the Goodyear duratrac

 

I have a 94 land cruiser I just picked up, all stock. anyone recommend a tire size for that year? Im thinking of going to a bigger tire