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.