Tires tires tires

[Bertram65]

Right, but there is a separate rating number. I'll get the table:



The number/letter column is called "Service Description". It supposedly has to do with what the tires are designed to handle (according to Cooper).



Discoverer STT 33X12. 50R17LT 114 Q 0 D OWL 8. 5 - 11 10 12. 54 32. 76 9. 8 2600 20. 5

Discoverer STT 35X12. 50R17LT 119 Q 0 D OWL 8. 5 - 11 10 12. 67 34. 76 9. 8 3000 20. 5

Discoverer STT 37X12. 50R17LT 124 P 0 D BLK 8. 5 - 11 8. 5 13. 1 36. 9 10 3525 23

Discoverer STT LT245/70R17 119 Q 0 E BLK 6. 5 - 8 7 9. 6 30. 7 7. 6 3000 18

Discoverer STT LT265/70R17 121 Q 0 E OWL 7 - 9 8 10. 8 31. 9 8. 25 3195 18

Discoverer STT LT285/70R17 121 Q 0 D OWL 7. 5 - 9. 5 8. 5 11. 5 33 8. 85 3195 18

That number is the load index, the number equates to a lb range the tire can handle, the letter is the speed rating. The trucks should have load range E tires, the load range is a rating of sidewall strength and ply rating, 8 ply rating is D load range, 10 ply is E. The "ply" refers to cotton plys that used to be used in tires, most tires refer to ply ratings at PR as they do not actually use cotton plys in tires anymore.

 

[SKing]

As I have heard and Rhestand posted Cooper tires are falling apart. There are a number of law suites filled in the last two years due to deaths, and cooper has not corrected the problem yet. They blame low pressure and over loading is the problem.

 

[BTighe]

http://www.hankooktireusa.com/product/RT03.pdf

been real happy with these. 35" 10ply 3525lbs per tire. 1k mounted and balanced

 

[nauidvr1]

I have the Toyo 285/70/17 Open Country AT load range E tires, they have been great. Much better than the stock bfg rugged trails. I balanced them with Dyna beads, 8oz per tire, worked very well for me.

Where did you order them? I used www.tiredeals4less.com best price I could find by a long shot.

I also bought from www.tiredeals4less.com, as they had the best price by far. I did some reading of old posts and found the link - saved me a bundle. I even checked with several dealers within 100 miles of my location and they would not beat it. Doesn't bother me a bit to throw the tires in the bed of the truck and cart them to a tire shop to have them mounted.



Hey, by chance do you know the revs per mile that I will have to have set in the ECM to correct the speed? (will go to a dealer and have them re-calibrate for me with DRB tool)

 

[timroberts]

I am also looking at new tires toyo 285/70/17 open countrys ATs . Any problem with tire clearance on stock 2004. 5 4x4 srw

 

[Bertram65]

I also bought from www.tiredeals4less.com, as they had the best price by far. I did some reading of old posts and found the link - saved me a bundle. I even checked with several dealers within 100 miles of my location and they would not beat it. Doesn't bother me a bit to throw the tires in the bed of the truck and cart them to a tire shop to have them mounted.



Hey, by chance do you know the revs per mile that I will have to have set in the ECM to correct the speed? (will go to a dealer and have them re-calibrate for me with DRB tool)

I do not know the revs, I did not bother having it re-calibrated, my speedometer shows 70mph my GPS says 72mph, not worth the agravation of dealing with the dealer for such a slight difference.

 

[JHern]

http://www.hankooktireusa.com/product/RT03.pdf

been real happy with these. 35" 10ply 3525lbs per tire. 1k mounted and balanced

I had these tires on my previous truck(05F-250) SIZE 285 70 17 I liked these tires as well they had 20k on them wheni traded the truck for my 06 CTD (great tires horable truck ford should be ashamed of the selfs) i was thinking of putting them on the new truck. On the old truck i made 2 tripps to Vegas (1200 miles round trip) & 1 trip to Oregan dunes same milage round trip & many to more local areas towing a 26 foot toy hauler 4 atvs weight about 10k & tires wear was great only down side a little noisy but very toleable



2006 ST,QC, 4x4,G56,LB, Jake brake, air ride air bags, ultralining bed liner,988s

 

[nauidvr1]

I do not know the revs, I did not bother having it re-calibrated, my speedometer shows 70mph my GPS says 72mph, not worth the agravation of dealing with the dealer for such a slight difference.

Bertram65,

Received tires on Monday, got them mounted an hour later. Nice ride when compared to the stock (optional) BFG Rugged Trails. Today I ordered a set for my wife's Nissan Xterra. I do like these tires!



What Air pressure are you running in them front and rear? How is your front/rear wear so far? How many miles?



I am running 65 PSI front and 55 PSI rear, but when running down the road today I rocked the steering wheel back and forth a little bit (you know how you can do that to check for waddle - then you know you have a low tire) and the back end waddled/swayed a little more that I am used to. I am thinking that I might have to increase the pressure in the rear tires. I do understand that going to a 285/70/17 vs. a 265/70/17 is a little taller in the side wall (199. 5mm vs. 185. 5mm), but 14mm difference divided by 2 (for diameter) only equals a 7mm difference - I should not even notice it, maybe I just need a little more air pressure.



Any input from you guys running the Toyo Open Country AT's is appriciated!

 

[FullSack]

I'm looking at the Nitto Terra Grappler in 285/70/17 - they are E rated and have a load rating of 3750@80. The tread pattern is exactly what I'm looking for, a mix between an AT and an MT.

 

[Bertram65]

Bertram65,

Received tires on Monday, got them mounted an hour later. Nice ride when compared to the stock (optional) BFG Rugged Trails. Today I ordered a set for my wife's Nissan Xterra. I do like these tires!



What Air pressure are you running in them front and rear? How is your front/rear wear so far? How many miles?



I am running 65 PSI front and 55 PSI rear, but when running down the road today I rocked the steering wheel back and forth a little bit (you know how you can do that to check for waddle - then you know you have a low tire) and the back end waddled/swayed a little more that I am used to. I am thinking that I might have to increase the pressure in the rear tires. I do understand that going to a 285/70/17 vs. a 265/70/17 is a little taller in the side wall (199. 5mm vs. 185. 5mm), but 14mm difference divided by 2 (for diameter) only equals a 7mm difference - I should not even notice it, maybe I just need a little more air pressure.



Any input from you guys running the Toyo Open Country AT's is appriciated!

I am running 60psi all around, I only have a couple thousand miles on them so far, no wear that I can see. I have not noticed any sway in the rear, they seem very solid.

 

[BHolm]

I want to hear from somebody why exactly an E rated tire is "more stable" than a D rated tire? You guys keep coming on here and preaching about the evils of D rated tires, but beyond hearsay I have yet to see physical evidence that what you say is true.



The ply rating is a pretty funny thing to get hung up on. Radial tires don't use anywhere near 8 or 10 plys. In fact the D and E tires within the same line have nearly identical construction. They use the same number of tread and sidewall plys to construct the tires. So tell me what makes the sidewalls stiffer? The only difference is the additional 15 psi they are rated to hold.



The tire guy is right, and the sooner the urban legend is dimissed the better. The tire load rating is what matters. I am now on my fifth set of D rated tires on third gen trucks, nearly 200k miles of personal experience. I have hauled a lot of big loads on D tires, pulled them halfway across the country more than once. Never had a single issue. I just make sure my inflation pressures are correct for the load.



Now different manufacturers do things differently. My motorhome has 235/85-16 tires. I once had to buy Firestone replacements for the Michelins on there. The Michelin tire once dismounted had a sidewall easily double the thickness of the same size, and weight rating, Firestone "equivalent". I can feel a difference on the road too. This is from two different E rated tires. I just wish people would get over this D vs E thing. It isn't nearly the "risk" everyone seems to assume it is.

 

[RobertP]

i am suprised that no one has commented on the BFG AT KO's i know alot of guys who run the 285/70/17's and have been very happy. i got caught up in the D VS E thing last time i bought tires and ended up with the nitto terra grapplers 285/70/17 and have 15,000 miles on them and i may get 10,000 more if im lucky. they have worn even all the way across but IMO thay were not designed for aggresisve drivers or more than stock power. i have decided when i buy tires again which will be soon im going with the 285/70/17 BFG AT KO'S that are D rated i have heard that they last a good long time. that what im looking for. i never really tow anything over say 15,000 lbs anyway.

 

[Bertram65]

It is the sidewall strength rating, the E are stronger and have less flex, there is more to it than just the weight rating.

If there was no difference between D and E do you really think Dodge would pay the additional expense to put E rated tires on the trucks if they were not nessisary to make the trucks be able to safely handle the capacities they are rated for?

 

[Andersonville]

Yeah! What He said! I got Firestone Transforce HT's. So far I like them very much. Better ride and traction than the Ameritracs. I got 67K out of the Ameritracs.

IF you ever have an accident(God Forbid) involving a tire failure,rollover etc, and your insurance adjuster/cop happens to notice that the tires are rated less than vehicle spec OR less than the LOAD you are carrying, You may be denied insurance coverage.

I pull RV's for a living. Some of the DOT guys will walk out and check your tire ratings when you cross a DOT scale. It is an OUT OF SERVICE violation if your tires aren't rated for the load you are carrying! OUT OF SERVICE means you can't leave the scale until the defect is REPAIRED! WHy take a chance on a hassle? Just my . 02 AND THE DOT/COPS are looking for ways to make revenue!

 

[Strick69]

There is a difference in E and D. If there was not a difference then the tire makers would not make both. The plys do not neccessarily have anything to do with sidewall strength. The overall construction does. The biggest killer of tires is heat. The heat that kills tires is not generated by rolling and friction, it is generated by carcass flex. The more a carcass flexes the more heat it will generate.

 

[JasonCzerak]

295/70/17 D nitto vs the 285/70/17 E vs sotck 265/70/17 E.



Never again will I do a D range. the 295's you have to over steer and under steer to stay in your lane under breaking and acceleration. the 285's are great! just a little low on the traction, tend to spin. the 265 took a beating and held up great as well.



Now the mission is, summer tires and rims for just straight traction. Does any one make a good 18" (maybe 20) rim and tire combo for a 33" over all diameter. I'd like to be able to punch 3rd gear and have the truck stick and go.



But id like to have some hauling abilities... 95% of the time I'm empty or a few pounds of stuff in the back. If I need to tow 5000#'s, I swap the rims and tires out fro the winter ones for a few days. that's no problem.

 

[NC_Mog]

i am suprised that no one has commented on the BFG AT KO's i know alot of guys who run the 285/70/17's and have been very happy. i got caught up in the D VS E thing last time i bought tires and ended up with the nitto terra grapplers 285/70/17 and have 15,000 miles on them and i may get 10,000 more if im lucky. they have worn even all the way across but IMO thay were not designed for aggresisve drivers or more than stock power. i have decided when i buy tires again which will be soon im going with the 285/70/17 BFG AT KO'S that are D rated i have heard that they last a good long time. that what im looking for. i never really tow anything over say 15,000 lbs anyway.

I just bought my second set of BFG AT KOs for my CTD. They have held up well in all types of conditions including snow/ice and unmaintained gravel trails. All while towing 11k. I debated some less expensive tires, but I figured that these have performed well and when I needed their extra traction and toughness I really needed it. My wife also wanted me to spend the extra money because we once spent 15 hrs on the road in a Chevy with BFG ATs in an ice storm. We were one of the few vehicles that could still plod along while everyone else ended up in the ditch or median.

 

[RobertP]

I just bought my second set of BFG AT KOs for my CTD. They have held up well in all types of conditions including snow/ice and unmaintained gravel trails. All while towing 11k. I debated some less expensive tires, but I figured that these have performed well and when I needed their extra traction and toughness I really needed it. My wife also wanted me to spend the extra money because we once spent 15 hrs on the road in a Chevy with BFG ATs in an ice storm. We were one of the few vehicles that could still plod along while everyone else ended up in the ditch or median.

how many miles did you get out of your first set? i have driven a dually with them on it and they were great in the snow. i cant complain about the nitto terra grapplers in the snow or ice they have done great. i just think they didnt last long enough. all of the reviews i have gotten on the BFG TA KO's have been good.

 

[BHolm]

It is the sidewall strength rating, the E are stronger and have less flex, there is more to it than just the weight rating.

If there was no difference between D and E do you really think Dodge would pay the additional expense to put E rated tires on the trucks if they were not nessisary to make the trucks be able to safely handle the capacities they are rated for?

So they are stronger because you guys say so right?



Dodge uses them on 3500 trucks to handle the wieght rating of the truck. If you fit a larger size 285 D rated tire it will carry the same load. So they use the same 265 size but have to upgrade to the E tire. The same result could be accomplished with the larger D tire but the cost would be higher.



As for the DOT and the insurance companies... They don't care about D or E ratings either, they will look for the wieght rating stamped on the tire in lbs. Once again THAT is the real factor, not this D and E rating stuff.



The myth grows... . :-{}



If it is the sidewall construction, and it is directly related to the D or E rating, why is it that such large discrepancies can be found in the same size, same rating tire just from diffrent manufacturers?



I have run the 285 BFG AT on a few trucks now. If you are good about rotating them they will go 40-50k on these trucks. The snow and ice traction is great with these tires for the first 30k then it falls off and they are just OK. I changed this last time and went with the new Goodyear Wrangler silent armor. These, like the BFG AT KO are a rated snow tire. They also have a 50k warranty and are a few bucks cheaper than the BFG. I think BFG is about to discontinue/replace the AT KO soon too. Replacements may become hard to come by.

 

[Bertram65]

So they are stronger because you guys say so right?



Dodge uses them on 3500 trucks to handle the wieght rating of the truck. If you fit a larger size 285 D rated tire it will carry the same load. So they use the same 265 size but have to upgrade to the E tire. The same result could be accomplished with the larger D tire but the cost would be higher.



As for the DOT and the insurance companies... They don't care about D or E ratings either, they will look for the wieght rating stamped on the tire in lbs. Once again THAT is the real factor, not this D and E rating stuff.



The myth grows... . :-{}



If it is the sidewall construction, and it is directly related to the D or E rating, why is it that such large discrepancies can be found in the same size, same rating tire just from diffrent manufacturers?



I have run the 285 BFG AT on a few trucks now. If you are good about rotating them they will go 40-50k on these trucks. The snow and ice traction is great with these tires for the first 30k then it falls off and they are just OK. I changed this last time and went with the new Goodyear Wrangler silent armor. These, like the BFG AT KO are a rated snow tire. They also have a 50k warranty and are a few bucks cheaper than the BFG. I think BFG is about to discontinue/replace the AT KO soon too. Replacements may become hard to come by.

It is no myth or because someone just says so, E rated tires are stronger than D.