Tires: Suburban 02 Z71 tire replacement, tire replacement, larger sizes

Question
Barry,

I am just getting to the end of life on the OEM 265/70/17 Goodyear ATs on my 2002 Suburban Z71.  I'd like to get something a little more aggressive for off road and beaches with a little more width, without giving up the great ride we have now.  Can I go to 275/70/17 or even 285/70/17 without any issues or consequences?  Also, we pull our 4000lbs boat from time to time, 40-400miles depending on the trip.  thanx, dw

Answer
David,

I can only partially answer your question:

The rim is OK for the larger sizes, but what I don't know is how big the fenderwells are - they have to be measured.  The folks that do measure them seem to think this gives them a competitive advantage and they don't publish this type of information.  But I'll bet if you find a website devoted to your vehicle, someone has already done this and can advise you what he found out.