[tex2018]

With no suspension mods etc, you should be 200 % safe upsizing to 265 / 65 / R17 . Truck will look better though you might loose 1 mpg . No cons that I can think of.

If you want to live dangerously, you can upsize to 265 / 70 / R17 and deal with some minor rubbing, and slight loss of mpg , acceleration etc

 

[tex2018]

Thanks for the input! I do a lot of road driving but do like going off-road as well. I got a puncture in the stock tires within 6-months of owning the truck. where I live the roads aren't in great shape, tons of potholes and sharps on the road. Off-road, lots of sharper rocks and gravel etc.. I typically haven't ever driven on tires that weren't E-Rated since I drive a larger truck for work. I know on our trucks they typically recommend C or D rated which is what I am likely going to go with. When you call the tire shops they all start scratching their heads when you ask for a good LT tire on our mid-sizes.

Based on your above info, if the 245 and 265 are almost identical in size, am I safe to go with whichever size has the best tire options? Are there any benefits of one the 265 over the 245 in terms of ride quality? Thanks again!

I'd go 265 / 65 / 17 in your case . It also perfectly matches the stock spare in diameter / width .

The only possible advantages of the 245 that I can think of are

1. in snow / shallow mud where it can cut down easier to the hard packed layer underneath.
2. possibly slightly better mpg due to less rolling resistance

 

[tex2018]

For what it's worth, .. comparison between 255/65/R17 vs 265/65/R17 . Subtle but looks / performs better .

And as others have mentioned .. you don't need LT rated tires for this truck unless you have a very specific application in mind (heavy towing , off roading in thorny terrain , sharp rocks etc )

 

[tex2018]

If snow is one of your prime concerns and you are looking at all terrain tires (as opposed to a dedicated snow tire) , try and pick a tire that is 3-peak rated . There are quite a few choices out there. For what it's worth, I can vouch for my Yokohama G015 AT if your main usage is maybe 90 percent on road and primary concerns are smooth ride, low noise, comfort and more than decent wet weather performance . They don't look as aggressive as some other tires but have served me well on and off road . They worked well in the snow / ice storms we occasionally get down here in Texas

For example

The Best All-Terrain Tires with the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake Rating – Video – Tires-Easy Content Hub