Big News of the day.
Yesterday, BFG began shipping it's new 18" size All Terrain KO Tire. This is the only somewhat aggressive tire we've found for the G500 stock 18" wheelset.
BFG's product PDF has just beeb updated:
LT285/65R18/D
121Q RWL 95290
439-907
8.0 - 10.0
11.5 on 8.5
32.8 16.0 634.0
3195@65
Tirerack.com has just listed them today as available, although stating quantity as N/A?
285/65QR18
Raised White Letters Price: $211
Estimated Availability: 11/25/03
Rating: QR
Qty: N/A
The price is a little steep but, that is just what the G500 needs. While not as ideal a solution as the 16" wheel and tire combo, I think the AT KO is a great all around tire and would be a perfect compliment to a G seeing occasional trail use.
Lets see..... now I just need a G500 to fit those tires to[:D]
Because it's 65 series instead of 60, and more importantly the 18" rims are 7.5" wide... it looks like that tire needs 8-10 in rims correct?
It is also wider than the stock tire at 285mm vs. 265mm stock. These are larger tires period. The stock tires are about 30.5x10.5-18, these would be 32.5x11.5-18. That is about the largest possible without lifting the truck. The rim width reccomendation is just that, a reccomendation. If it makes you uncomfortable, stay with the stock tires. I personally think it is a perfect size if you want to get away from the street SUV look and do some off-roading.
I have 285/75-16 tires on my G320 with 7.5" rims, no problems. I also have that same size on my pick-up that has 7.0 inch wide rims, no problems there either, and lots of guys out there have made that switch.
It is an aftermarket fittiment and not for everybody. I think it is great, and about time!
Just getting ready to spend a little over two weeks in CO over x-mas[:)] We are pretty excited about the whole thing, checked out the school and everything. We should be nearly permanent residents by summer.
Of course I still have to travel back for work some[8)] Gotta keep the cash cow lactating[8D]
These tires have actually been available for several months now. I saw a G500 in Oregon with these tires in June. There is also a fellow on the yahoo list that I think has been running these tires for a while now.
Earlier G500s (with 63mm offset vs. 43mm offset) will definitely need to have the steering stops adjusted and the later G500s may need this done as well.
In my opinion, these tires are too big for a stock G500. They may work fine on the street but offroad in a loaded vehicle they will rub.
I think Brent summed it up best in his first post that it's certainly preferred by far to run the 16" wheels, but for someone that's just got to have the G500 wheels, at least there is an option now.
Interesting that George has already seen them, seemed like a new release. Sorry to have missed that!
The rim width is no issue. And it will mean a little narrower than spec on the top (which will help with clearance only in steering, which I don't think is the issue here). George is right in regards to limited articulation, but if someone has such concerns, they definately should not be running with 18s period.
The place I found it to be an issue (with other vehicles, I don't have a G500!) was in trying to get a good, even wearing, flat contact patch on the road. The heavy carcass of the BFGs mean that if you pinch the beads together, you bend the flat tread to an arc. When I ran MTs on rims too narrow for them (an inch under recommended) I had to run crazy low pressures to get an even contact patch. With the pressures I was comfortable maintaining on the street (32-35 psi) they always wore down the center when they were on the narrow wheels.
That said, I've also found that ATs, run on the spec rim width wanted to be kept pretty pumped up to run a flat contact patch. I had to run 40 psi in my D90 to keep the center from going light.
I am running a 285/75-16 on my Chevy truck with a 7 inch wide wheel. There is definately a slight crown in the tire. On this vehicle it actually seems to work in my favor. The powerful turbodiesel likes to burn off that center section of the tire. When rotated to the front, the wieght of the same engine bears down to wear the edges even when turning. After 10k miles they seem to be wearing very well, no cupping and very even, rotated once at 5k, due again at 15k.
I see your point on the contact patch though. Obviously I am not using it optimally when running empty. It was done mostly for looks[:I] The original tires on the HD series GM trucks just look silly.
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