New 1958 stock tire size option from BF Goodrich.
- Thread starter smokindok
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Just installed a set of 4 of these yesterday... I went back and forth a lot between attempting to stick with the stock 245/70R18 tire size or moving to the the much more common 265/70R18 size that's standard on the other trim levels....only "problem" is that there only seem to be 2 options for the 245/70R18 tire size as far as I can find...these KO3s or the stock Geolander tires.
Ultimately I decided to give these a shot because I preferred the "D" load range on these vs the heavier "E" load range on the 265 KO3s...I don't plan on doing any serious off-roading that would likely require a higher ply rating, these tires should have less of an effect on MPGs since they're lighter, and part of me hopes that the thinner 245 width tires actually handle better in the snow...
On a 50 mile trip for work this morning (mostly highway), vehicle displayed a trip MPG of 25.1 ... which is a good sign, but I'll be keeping an eye on it. Pressure current set to 40psi.
Driving and handling feels great, not much effect on interior noise either... over 70 MPH the ride is a bit less smooth than the stock Geolanders, though I supposed that's not surprising when switching to an AT tire (doesn't seem a like balance/vibration issue, just not quite the same smooth "floaty" feel as the stock tires). It has been raining for the past 24 hours here, no issues on wet pavement, but looking forward to get the chance to try them on dry pavement.
Would be interested to hear some feeback from those who have also installed these and what they think...
Ultimately I decided to give these a shot because I preferred the "D" load range on these vs the heavier "E" load range on the 265 KO3s...I don't plan on doing any serious off-roading that would likely require a higher ply rating, these tires should have less of an effect on MPGs since they're lighter, and part of me hopes that the thinner 245 width tires actually handle better in the snow...
On a 50 mile trip for work this morning (mostly highway), vehicle displayed a trip MPG of 25.1 ... which is a good sign, but I'll be keeping an eye on it. Pressure current set to 40psi.
Driving and handling feels great, not much effect on interior noise either... over 70 MPH the ride is a bit less smooth than the stock Geolanders, though I supposed that's not surprising when switching to an AT tire (doesn't seem a like balance/vibration issue, just not quite the same smooth "floaty" feel as the stock tires). It has been raining for the past 24 hours here, no issues on wet pavement, but looking forward to get the chance to try them on dry pavement.
Would be interested to hear some feeback from those who have also installed these and what they think...
I’m considering these over the falken at3w, but i’m wondering: these ko3 give up some heavy rain performance to the falkens, which would be a big deal on my tacoma which is not full time 4wd. Should the 250’s full time 4wd close the gap in heavy rain performance between these two tires enough to make the difference somewhat immaterial? 
I don't feel like I have enough time on mine to legitimately answer your question, but since I got mine a few weeks ago, I have had to drive in a considerable amount of rain, including some downpours... so far, so good, haven't had any issues, not once have they felt "squirrely" at all.I’m considering these over the falken at3w, but i’m wondering: these ko3 give up some heavy rain performance to the falkens, which would be a big deal on my tacoma which is not full time 4wd. Should the 250’s full time 4wd close the gap in heavy rain performance between these two tires enough to make the difference somewhat immaterial?
I have about 10,000 miles on my KO3s and I have not experienced any rain performance issues. In my experience They're rock solid in all conditions.I’m considering these over the falken at3w, but i’m wondering: these ko3 give up some heavy rain performance to the falkens, which would be a big deal on my tacoma which is not full time 4wd. Should the 250’s full time 4wd close the gap in heavy rain performance between these two tires enough to make the difference somewhat immaterial?
I have the 265 E Loads.
Rain performance on the 245 KO3s is good; haven’t had any issues so far. Also haven’t noticed any impact to MPGs.
Out of curiosity, what PSI are you running on yours for everyday driving?
Going strictly by load calculations, I've settled on 40, but if you use the recommended SL tire pressure of 33 psi as a guide, then these LT KO3s should be closer to 45 psi
Mine are at 40 cold and they go up to about 43 hot. I started a little higher but they didn’t feel right.
Yup, same here…thanks for the response
Would one of y'all with the LT245/70-18 BFG ATs mind posting photos straight on from the front and back? I'm very interested in these and curious if they stick out of the wheel well at all or are they flush. Mine came with the port installed 265 Nitto Grapplers and they stick out about an inch and I don't like the look.
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- #54
I’ll be able to do this later today, when I get back home.
???Why would anyone want to put the 245s on? Seems a 99% of the folks out there upsize. That size tire is pretty darn small, must cause wicked speedo error, less ride quality etc.....The smaller OD causes the tach to run higher for same speed as it turns MANY more revs per mile and if you folks are thinking you get better mileage, it's because you believe the gauges not the REAL math.
That’s the stock size on the 1958 so there shouldn’t be any issues. Read up on wide vs narrow tires for off-road. There are pros and cons for each.
The stock diameter on 1958 and other trims is pretty small. Tall and skinny tires, which excel in most offroad conditions, they are not. 245/70 is not a good size for off-roading.
I'm not opposed to 265s, but I'm trying to find an AT tire that will tuck just inside the fender width-wise on a stock 1958. Mine was a Southeast Toyota import where 265 Nitto Ridge Grapplers were added at port onto the stock wheels. They stick out about an inch or so which looks weird to me. I like the thinner fender flares on the 1958 but would prefer tires that tuck a bit.
These definitely don't stick out at all on the stock wheels... you can see the other pics I posted on this thread, but here's another one from head on...
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245/75 will give you a bit more sidewall and is a common size for A/Ts, and 245/80 is even better. 245/75/17 would give you even more sidewall. Anything you can do to improve the abysmal contact patch you get from a 245/70/18 will help.
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