2008 Chevy 2500HD questions

[KB9UDE]

My cousin owns a 2008 Chevy 2500HD standard cab truck with 8ft bed. He wants to know if he can:
1. Install LT285x75x16 tires on this truck without mods
2. What tires for great traction in mud and Load Range E
3. Can he install extended cab short bed nerf bars so he has a step along the bed of his SC truck?

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

This won't answer your question, however, may provide good info for tire comparison purposes and also data to compare diameter & RPM for various sizes.

 

[jwstewar]

On number 3, I would say probably not. The way they build these attachments now, they are so integrated with the manufaturer so close, that everything is already there and you just bolt it in. If you want to do something out of the "norm" it will take a lot of fabrication. I recently took an old set off Mom & Dad's 2000 ECSB Silverado. They were GM accessories. They had a funky mount to them. Looked like they would've been a pain to mount. Installed a set of Chinese made Stainless Steel ones. They actually mounted easier and what I consider to be more secure than the GM ones did. But the thing they had in common. No holes to drill for either one. Same thing for the ones I installed on my sister's Trailblazer.

 

[crbr]

My cousin owns a 2008 Chevy 2500HD standard cab truck with 8ft bed. He wants to know if he can:
1. Install LT285x75x16 tires on this truck without mods
2. What tires for great traction in mud and Load Range E
3. Can he install extended cab short bed nerf bars so he has a step along the bed of his SC truck?

1. yes
2. Michelin
3. Factory fit? no. Custom fit at home? yes.

 

[dwhite]

What is the stock tire size? You may run into trouble with hitting the plastic off the bottom of the bumper in certain turning situations.

 

[KB9UDE]

Stock size is LT245x75x16 with lots of room to spare. I know he can get 265's but on my 98 chevy we had to crank up front end to clear 285's.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not sure about a 08 but on both my 05 and my neighbors 07 we could not. I had 265's and so did he since we had 3500SRW trucks, the 2500's back then came with 245's and I am not sure what they come with now since I have not looked at them since.

My neighbors brother has a 2006 2500 4x4 that he put 285's on and it looks much better but he had to cut the plastic up by the bumper on the front and turn up the torsion bars about 2.5" to get the clearance needed. It still will rub if on uneven terrain and turning hard.

Hankook MT... for tires. Nitto also makes a good tire then my next choice would be BFG.

Not sure about the steps. Anything can be done but he should have just bought a FORD with a MAN STEP. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Chris

 

[Builder]

What I have seen with 285's is that it depends on the front bumper. Guy I talked to with a chevy said he had to dremel off about 1/2" of plastic off the back side of the bumper valance and his 285's fit fine. GMC's have a little different front bumper.

 

[newt92]

KB9UDE

On the tires, if the 285s would fit, with the speedo at 60 your gonna be going 64.7, and with 265s, 60 on the speedo will be going 62.3.

On the boards, go with a crew cab boards for a reg cab. The front step part is where its supposed to be and the rear step is right where your tool box would be. I just scored some brand new chrome bars for a crew cab Ford and put them on my reg cab Ford. The front bolted right up, the rear I had to fab up a bracket. Factory boards on the Fords bolt up to the rear rocker panel, but doing this the rears end up at the bed, there is nothing to bolt to back there, so you have to do some fabbing up. I can get you some pics if you want to see what it looks like. Kinda like full length boards.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

I've seen several threads from GM owners replacing their LT245 tires with LT285s. Many reported handling issues as the truck came with stock 6.5 wide wheels for the 245 tires. A 285 tire requires a 7.5" to 9 " wide wheel. Those narrow 6.5" wheels with a wide 285 tire were balloning the treads centers especially with higher pressures for carrying loads.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Looks like I forgot the link in my previous post:

Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels

 

[Ford tractor]

I've seen where an odd ball size of 255/85-16 will fit both the truck and the wheel.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I've seen several threads from GM owners replacing their LT245 tires with LT285s. Many reported handling issues as the truck came with stock 6.5 wide wheels for the 245 tires. A 285 tire requires a 7.5" to 9 " wide wheel. Those narrow 6.5" wheels with a wide 285 tire were balloning the treads centers especially with higher pressures for carrying loads.

This is very true. All that I know who have done it have put on new wheels.

Chris

 

[MaJYk]

I know this is a few weeks old, but I have an 08 chevy diesel reg cab
1. Had to trim the fender behind the tire ( pro comp makes an inner fender relocation kit for about $30). Nothing done to the bumper. I also cranked the torsion bars about 1.5" more for looks/stance. No rubs whatsoever.
2. I run Goodyear duratracks (not the best for mud but fair and they're loaded with siping for wet/icy conditions), but there are numerous
3. They make several types of aftermarket tubes that go from wheelwell to wheelwell, but they will only mount in the center an front of the bar. 2 years later and mine are about an inch lower in the rear (more so on the drivers side). So u may want to fab a rear mount.

 

[Builder]

I may try 285's next time around, but there's a limited selection to load range E's in the 285 size.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Watch your wheel width. Most tire manufactures list a min and max wheel width for each tire size. Just going from 265 to 285 you will probably not have a issue but get too crazy and tire ware will be a issue.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I had 295 BFG's on my skinny stock Ford rims for years with no wear issues.

 

[RobertN]

My current tires are 265/75-16E rated Goodyear Dura Trac(on a Ram/Cummins 2500 4x4). I have towed my 5th wheel a little with them, and was hunting last weekend in the mud and rain in the Central Sierras. They have worked very well so far.

Previously I had Dick Cepeck 285/75-16D rated Mud coutry's. I really like that tire. Although it was D rated, the weight rating was within 100lbs of the 265 E series. I towed the 5th wheel from Sacramento Ca to Corpus Christi Tx and back; handled the load perfect.

I like the Cepek better I think, but they were more expensive, and had a softer compound. Worked great out hunting. But, did not last so long... Have to look, but I thin I got about 40k out of them.

FWIW, I went back to the stock 265 size cause my tire budget was limited.

2. What tires for great traction in mud and Load Range E