I'm going to get rid of the Goodyear RT/S tires that came on my Screw as I think they are lousy in the rain (and we get lots of that here). I'm looking at some Goodrich TAs in 285 as well as some Rossi or Modern wheels. My question is will this change affect my acceleration and towing? I will be staying with a 17" wheel.

 

With that minor of a change (should be talking about an inch or so in diameter), any impact on the performace of your truck should be negligible.

 

That change would effectively reduce your fian ldrive ratio by 3.5%, and likewise performance. That is very minor.

 

yes, your acceleration and towing will be effected, but only if you change the overall diameter of the tires (not width) from what you have now.

A larger diameter would reduce your towing ability a bit, and make the truck a little slower on the start. It may increase your highway gas milage when empty. It would also reduce braking ability slightly.

A smaller diameter tires would have the exact oposite effect, but usually don't look as good as larger tires, JMHO.

It just depends on what is more important to you. There are pros and cons with every size/diameter choice.