Oversized Off-Road Tire Setups For 2nd & 3rd Gen Tundra

We Asked 6 Toyota Tundra Owners What Oversized Off-Road Tires They Are Running On Their Trucks & Why – Here’s What They Said!

This Week’s Topic: Oversized Off-Road Tires

Hey guys! Welcome back to another Tundra Feature. If you missed our previous feature post, we looked at some 2nd Gen Tundra front bumpers.

This week, we asked owners which brand and why they added larger and more aggressive off-road tires to their Tundras.

The 3rd Gen Tundra requires minimal modification to add larger tires. Toyota added new felt fender liners and easily removable crash plates which in turn, allows for running 35″ tires with pretty much zero effort.

The same can be said for the 2nd Gen Tundra as well, especially when compared to its little brother, the Tacoma. God forbid, you try to put anything larger than a 32″ or 33″ tire in that wheel well. It’s possible, but you’ll need to do some serious work.

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Why Add Larger Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

Larger tires have to be the first thing new Tundra owners upgrade on their trucks, hands down. There are several reasons why this is such a popular upgrade, so let’s now talk about some perks you get both on & off-road with oversized tires.

Increased Overall Ride Height

There are several ways to increase your Tundra’s overall ride height. Aside from lifting your truck, running a larger diameter tire for your Tundra will help increase your overall ride height.

A higher ride height results in increased approach and departure angles, which is crucial while out on the trails. Also, larger-diameter tires just simply make your truck look even better!

Increased Contact Patch

Most of the time, larger-diameter tires also come with increased width (unless you’re going for pizza-cutter wheels). Increased surface contact while aired down will help significantly with traction on rough terrain.

You may be thinking, well if I want my truck to perform better off-road without airing it down, why don’t I just get a stock-size tire with a more aggressive tread pattern? That may work, to an extent. While airing down helps increase your tire’s contact patch, it also helps immensely with overall ride comfort and puncture resistance on the trail.

Bigger Tire CONs

MPG will always suffer with larger tires. Toyota intends for these trucks to have light-duty all-season tires on them, not heavy 65lb+ all-terrain tires. With that said though, both the 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen Tundras move bigger tires with relative ease. If you thought your Tundra was thirsty in its stock form, be mentally prepared for more frequent trips to the gas station.

1. Jonny Newton (@Jonnys_tundra) – Toyo

Tire Details

• Model: Open Country RT
• Size: 35X12.50R17

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

I decided to run Toyo Open Country RT tires on my Tundra for its aggressive yet road-worthy tread. The RT is a solid mixture of an aggressive mud tire with the road manners of an all-terrain. As my daily driver, I knew I wanted a tire that would perform and last on the highway. As my adventure mobile, I knew I needed an aggressive tire to access remote allocations and handle technical trails.

For me, the Toyo Open Country RT just made sense and has been an amazing tire.

2. Adolfo Lopez (@Lopezzz31) – General Grabber

Tire Details

• Model: X3
• Size: 35X12.50R18

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

The reason I upgraded to 35X12.50R18 is for the more aggressive look and style that all Tundras should have. I chose the General Grabber X3 because they offer maximum traction for off-roading on the weekend while still having decent on-road manners in the city during the week. 

3. TJ Grant (@boba_fetts_tundra) – Toyo

Tire Details

• Model: AT3
• Size: 37X12.5R18

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

I decided to go with larger and more aggressive tires for a wider range of applications as I have a very active career that results in me driving off-road a lot. I also have two sons who enjoy going off-roaring with me, so I needed a tire that was safe and reliable.

Having 37s allows me to have a larger tread print when I air down; not to mention they look cool.

4. Rey Fernandez (@Reywcms13) – Mickey Thompson

Tire Details

• Model: Baja Boss M/T
• Size: 37X12.50R17

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

The build goal with my Tundra was to be able to tackle various terrains from Baja to snow, and everything in between. These tires from Mickey Thompson have done that for me and more with ease. The larger size and the M/T compound make it perfect for any terrain. 

5. Antonio Cordova (@Wheelin.Yeti) – Kenda

Tire Details

• Model: Klever R/T
• Size: 35X12.5R17

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

As I started to build my Tundra with the intention of doing heavy overlanding, I knew I needed a more aggressive tire. The Kenda Klever R/T is a perfect example of an aggressive tire that is still great for daily commuting. With an aggressive 10-ply sidewall, the tire has performed exceptionally through all the off-roading I have done.

6. David Franco (@el)supersave) – Toyo

Tire Details

• Model: AT3
• Size: 35X12.5R18

Why Did You Add Oversized Off-Road Tires To Your Tundra?

For me, the upgrade in tire size and the tread was purely for appearances. Rolling up next to Ford Raptors and Ram TRXs made my Tundra TRD Pro look super weak on the stock 33s that came from the factory, lol. I had to make her stand out a bit more, so that’s why I upgraded to 35s. 

Final Thoughts

What an awesome blend of trucks for this Tundra Feature post! Are you already or considering running larger tires on your Toyota Tundra?

If so, which brand and why? Let us know in the comments below!