Losing traction while braking after new tires

Bman12

Member
Hey all,

I just put 265/65/17 BFG K02 ATs (replacing 285/60/r17 road tires) on my first gen prerunner. Now, when I brake I lose traction much earlier than before to the point where i start sliding (wheels lock up) if I do anything close to a hard brake. Has anyone had issues with this or have a solution (yes I’ve been told not to brake so hard)? I’ve read that the truck may be too light for the tires and hence losing traction earlier. Just hoping I haven’t wasted a money on a set of tires that won’t stop me fast enough in an emergency situation . Thanks!
 
Sometimes that can happen with brand new tires till they wear in. Other than that....too much air pressure in them?
 
Most likely air pressure. Shops tend to inflate to near max instead of looking at the info the manufacturer publishes about pressure versus weight.
And as mentioned new tires are generally smoother than slightly worn ones and don't have as good traction.

By the way, ever notice that when vehicle manufacturers publish recommended tire pressures for pickups it's the same pressure front and rear. Think about the weight loading difference between front and rear on most pickups. Since the rear is obvioously much lighter you should have less air pressure in them.
 
Agreed. Most likely air pressure is high.

Also the heavier tires have added to the truck's weight, so braking distance is increased a bit.

My Gen2 is riding on 265/65-17 and it will stop very quickly without lock up or ABS firing. But, the tires are not heavy off-road type tires.

Final thought. If your tires are "locking up", then something is wrong with the ABS system.
 
I've heard the trd models have a weird feel to the petal when you use it vs other models like the sr, sr5 that has a conventional feel.
 
Agreed. Most likely air pressure is high.

Also the heavier tires have added to the truck's weight, so braking distance is increased a bit.

My Gen2 is riding on 265/65-17 and it will stop very quickly without lock up or ABS firing. But, the tires are not heavy off-road type tires.

Final thought. If your tires are "locking up", then something is wrong with the ABS system.
No ABS on mine. I’ll try fixing the pressures. The shop put them to 35 I think but truck stock is 29 I think. Also breaking them in a bit may help in addition to learning new braking skills. With my old road tires I could almost stand on the pedal before locking it up.
 
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