First of allà WELCOME!


M/Ts arenÆt the *best* tire option for snow use, but as it just so happens, I have a set of 265/75/R16 Goodyear MT/Rs (on a Rodeo û sorry), and I can tell you all about their snow-handling capabilitiesà

(Probably more than you ever wanted to know! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> )

Good -and- Bad (plus Good again)

Somewhere in there, between the two links, youÆll probably find enough information to help you make an informed decision about whether or not a set of MT/Rs are right for youà (and youÆll probably also learn that your first post here at 4x4Wire really wasnÆt very long at all <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> )



To answer a couple of your questions directlyà

--- Yes, you can fit 255/70R16s on your Trooper without lifting ità and according to everything that I have read (and seen in person), a set of 265/75R16s should fit on there too (although the 265/75s will be a little more snug). --- HOWEVER, you probably wonÆt see the highway mileage gains from the 265/75s that youÆre hoping for, because your engine will have to work quite a bit harder going uphill, and the transmission will be downshifting a lot sooner than it would with stock-sized tires.

--- While the weight of the tires is a somewhat of a factor (felt mostly when braking) û depending on which size you choose - the wider you go, the more rolling resistance you will experienceà And the wider the tire, the less Contact Pressure it will have; meaning that as the width increases, in average snow situations, youÆll actually LOOSE traction versus an otherwise identical narrower tire (*except in extremely deep snow, mud, or on dry sand, where flotation is actually a desirable trait).


Something else to considerà
On our recently acquired VehiCROSS, I installed a set of 255/70R16 Bridgestone A/T REVOs, and I simply cannot say enough good things about them! --- Granted, theyÆre not M/Ts û but æWOWÆ, do they ever get around in snow! (Yes, even better than my MT/Rsà a whooooooooole lot better!)

A friend in NYC (Rubo) picked-up a set of Pirelli Scorpion A/Ts for use in snow (and a bit of off-roading) - I had a set of them originally myselfà Both of us think pretty darn highly of their overall capabilities. --- Again, theyÆre not M/Ts, but from what youÆve said about your intended uses, IÆm not so sure that an M/T is really what would serve you best.


Anyway - hope this helps <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />


Cheers! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Smiley