1998 2500 Looking for New Highway Tires

[Michaelsloft]

I love my Cooper Discoverer. I have the 265 size but for a 90% highway 10% snow tire it's a great one. Long lasting, less money then most others and quiet and smooth.

I'm considering a set of Cooper tires. Which 265 Discoverer tire do you have?

 

[rotohead]

I'm considering a set of Cooper tires. Which 265 Discoverer tire do you have?

265 75R/16 Discoverer AT3 M+S load E rated
Adequate in the snow but excels on the highway and towing. Can't really tell yet on the wear but so far i think it's better then my BFGs, Goodyears and Toyos.

 

[Michaelsloft]

265 75R/16 Discoverer AT3 M+S load E rated
Adequate in the snow but excels on the highway and towing. Can't really tell yet on the wear but so far i think it's better then my BFGs, Goodyears and Toyos.

The Discoverer AT3 looks like a good tire and offers the 10% off road capability over the HT3. Do you have the 265's mounted on the stock 16 x 6.5 steel wheels? And if so how do they seem to fit and track.....overall feel etc? Thanks for the input....

 

[rotohead]

The Discoverer AT3 looks like a good tire and offers the 10% off road capability over the HT3. Do you have the 265's mounted on the stock 16 x 6.5 steel wheels? And if so how do they seem to fit and track.....overall feel etc? Thanks for the input....

I have Eagle Alloys. First thing I did almost 20 years ago when I bought my Dodge Cummins was ditch the OEM wheels. One of the best money I've ever spent on this truck. Those oem stamped steel wheels from Dodge gave me all sorts of trouble on a 94 gas Dodge I have before the Cummins.
Anyway, I went with the Coopers after talking to 3 or 4 of my fellow truck owners that have run them for years. I've become a believer.

 

[rotohead]

I will add I'm very fortunate to have a straight frame. I've never needed a alignment. I have a fair amount of work/attention into the front end to get the truck tracking straight. DSS brace, new ball joints, 3rd gen track bar, Bilstein shocks, PSC steering box, new wheel bearing hub assemblies, tie rod ends, drag link, etc. These trucks weakness (one of many I guess) is the front end. Initially not designed to handle the added weight of the Cummins. Once you modify it enough to handle that extra weight then it can be a fun truck to have. Until then it's a big problem.

 

[Michaelsloft]

I will add I'm very fortunate to have a straight frame. I've never needed a alignment. I have a fair amount of work/attention into the front end to get the truck tracking straight. DSS brace, new ball joints, 3rd gen track bar, Bilstein shocks, PSC steering box, new wheel bearing hub assemblies, tie rod ends, drag link, etc. These trucks weakness (one of many I guess) is the front end. Initially not designed to handle the added weight of the Cummins. Once you modify it enough to handle that extra weight then it can be a fun truck to have. Until then it's a big problem.

I too am very fortunate to have a straight frame along with the optional heavy duty steering on the 1999 and have never needed an alignment at more than 252,000 miles! Have two sets of stock wheels; one set of five of the SL painted wheels that took 8 wheels to start with and sorted out 5 good ones, and a 5 ( 4 came with the truck) set of the chrome SLT wheels that have proven to be the best of the two. I installed Bilstein 4600's at 75K and have used Michelin 245/75/16 on the chrome wheels and Yokohama AT 235/85/16 on the painted set of OEM wheels.
I'm thinking of going with a set of the Cooper AT3's in the 235/85/16 size to give them a try and go from there and maybe get some alloys at some point in the future to go with a set of 265/75/16s.
The 235/85/16 tires are even less money and have proven to work well on the truck over the years. The Centramatics are tempting too!
Thanks again.

 

[rotohead]

I too am very fortunate to have a straight frame along with the optional heavy duty steering on the 1999 and have never needed an alignment at more than 252,000 miles! Have two sets of stock wheels; one set of five of the SL painted wheels that took 8 wheels to start with and sorted out 5 good ones, and a 5 ( 4 came with the truck) set of the chrome SLT wheels that have proven to be the best of the two. I installed Bilstein 4600's at 75K and have used Michelin 245/75/16 on the chrome wheels and Yokohama AT 235/85/16 on the painted set of OEM wheels.
I'm thinking of going with a set of the Cooper AT3's in the 235/85/16 size to give them a try and go from there and maybe get some alloys at some point in the future to go with a set of 265/75/16s.
The 235/85/16 tires are even less money and have proven to work well on the truck over the years. The Centramatics are tempting too!
Thanks again.

I like your thinking. I love my Cetramatics too. I've often thought about two sets of summer/winter tires but I just don't put the miles on the truck as I use to when I was working. I can get through most winters here in the Tahoe area (even last years record winter) with these Coopers and then the summer driving is so good. I love these things and the entire setup I have now.

 

[Michaelsloft]

I like your thinking. I love my Cetramatics too. I've often thought about two sets of summer/winter tires but I just don't put the miles on the truck as I use to when I was working. I can get through most winters here in the Tahoe area (even last years record winter) with these Coopers and then the summer driving is so good. I love these things and the entire setup I have now.

With the money saved buying the Coopers - would go a long way toward a set of Centramatics!!! I really appreciate how you have thought out your tire/wheel combination and set-up with the Centramatics too! The Coopers would most likely be a great set-up for me to use year round use and I may use the 245/75/16 occasionally when I need more pulling/towing power with the smaller diameter tire.
Awesome! Thanks

 

[Michaelsloft]

I like your thinking. I love my Cetramatics too. I've often thought about two sets of summer/winter tires but I just don't put the miles on the truck as I use to when I was working. I can get through most winters here in the Tahoe area (even last years record winter) with these Coopers and then the summer driving is so good. I love these things and the entire setup I have now.

I just noticed you are in the Reno/Tahoe NV area. Are you familiar with the Caravan Toppers made in Reno?

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I have had these ceramic balancing beads http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php in my tires for probably close to 200K, work good, an alternative for the Cetramatics.

 

[Regcabguy]

I've run XPS rib Michelins on my 98 standard cab Dodge for 14 years. They last about 150,000 miles. Some of those miles are towing a 10,000 pound fifth wheel. They do ride hard compared to the LTX but feel better to me when towing, "I ran LTX's before." They are also heavy since they are an all steel belted tire. I'm an X Fed X contract mechanic and they switched to the XPS on the front of their Sprinters in our tire size about five years ago. Fed X fleet management doesn't make many mistakes.The XPS rib is not recommended for cold temperature use.

Aren't Fedex and UPS getting away from the Sprinters? My driver told me that. They're eliminating diesels too aside from interstate semi runs.

 

[Gumby79]

Thumbs down on Toyo HT 235/85R16 for Highway tread they're awesome I got 70,000 miles out of my 50000 mile rating. Work good in dry, the rain in Portland Oregon but had to go when I move to Montana. getting stuck in a flat parking lot at the grocery store they had to go. With a Close shoulder Tire( Highway tread) design the front tires freeze to the ground/slush , is not all it takes to strand the 1 leged D250 at the grocery store.