Need Tire Input

[JVL IN PA]

Buying tires soon, 17x8 stock rims. B. F. G. 'S all-terrain T/A ko's seem to be the best option LT285/70R/17's are what im looking at. Doe's anyone use these NITTO tires i'm seeing. looking for input on best tire/best size for my stock rim.



04, 3500 S. R. W. 5. 9L QUAD LONG BED 4X4

 

[RankRam]

Here's a pic of mine with a new set of Toyo Open Country A/T's 285/70/17's these are 10 Ply E Rated @ 3750 lbs!



#ad




Here is a closeup.



#ad

 

[GaryCarter]

Check the load and speed ratings. BFG KO not rated equivalent in either category, if that matters for your application. Not many choices are. As I recall, only Michelin, BFG RT, Toyo, Nitto.



Gary

 

[BHolm]

Check the load and speed ratings. BFG KO not rated equivalent in either category, if that matters for your application. Not many choices are. As I recall, only Michelin, BFG RT, Toyo, Nitto.



Gary

The BFG AT KO in a 285/70-17 only gives up a couple hundred lbs of capacity per tire. Unless you have the bugger loaded to the hilt all the time, I doubt you will have a problem. In fact, my experience is that the BFG AT tire holds up well even in light commercial use. One of my trucks ran them for 40k miles pulling a 10-15k gooseneck almost everyday.



Now if you plan to haul a big trailer with a bunch of tongue weight, that set of Toyos in the E range is certainly the boost in capacity many were looking for.



I like the BFG for its all around capabilities. It is a first rate AT tire with the triple ply sidewalls. It is also a "real" snow tire and carries the industries snow tire rating. They also last pretty well, 40-50k in my use. I have run them on my last three trucks.



BTW, there is no speed rating for LT tires.

 

[rbattelle]

I'm probably going with Nitto Terra Grappler ATs in 295/70/17. Tomeygun recently installed a set, so I'll be paying attention to his wear rate.



-Ryan

 

[GaryCarter]

BTW, there is no speed rating for LT tires.

A common belief, but not accurate.



The OE BFG Rugged Trail is rated 121/118R

The Nitto Terra Grappler LT295/70 R17 is rated 121R

The BFG KO LT285/70R17/D is rated 121Q (like most of the 17" KO's)

BFG KO LT315/70R17/D is, however rate 121R...



121 is the load index: 3197 lb / 1450 kg.



Letters are the speed rating:

Q=99 mph rated

R=106



Our trucks aren't governed to 95 mph like the Chevys and Fords.

A surprised Beamer driver found this out today :-laf



I have been looking for a MT type tread "R" or better... haven't been able to find one.



Gary

 

[RMalone]

While were talking about tires, is there really an advantage (off road excluded) to running the rears at 40-45lbs and the fronts at 50-55lb (unloaded). I tried with my stock BFG RT and 285 BFG KO and thought the truck felt a little mushy and springy. I much prefer the ride with both front and rear tires near max psi.



By the way I have been very happy with both sets of BFG's I have had. I wanted the 285's and yanked the 265's at about 44k. I would say the 265's still have about 10k of tread (I kept 'em) but they were sucking real bad on wet pavement. When the aftermarket offers us some reasonably priced rims of proper dimensions for our truck I will mount the 265's back on the stocker rims for burnouts and other related foolishness.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

TOYO tires

I just changed my 235 85x 16 Toyos off of my 01 3500. I did not get 35,000 miles out of them!! Our local Schwab dealer basically told me there was nothing he could or would do to help me on a poor tire wear issue. :-{} I do trailer heavy loads with it but not all the time. I am not a kid and do not do smoke shows with the tires.

This is about 20,000 miles less than the Michelens and 10,000 less than the BFG all terains. I will never go back to Toyos. IMHO

 

[GaryCarter]

RMalone, I've seen some tires wear faster in the center of the tread from running high pressures empty. However some do not... so far the 17" 70 series OEM tires seem to like high pressure and wear evenly across the tread with rotation. I agree steering and handling is less precise at the lower pressures.



Gonzo, I've also seen Toyos and Nittos live a short life; must be a softer tread compound. It's unfortunate that LT tires are not rated for tread life like passenger tires.



Gary

 

[BHolm]

A common belief, but not accurate.



The OE BFG Rugged Trail is rated 121/118R

The Nitto Terra Grappler LT295/70 R17 is rated 121R

The BFG KO LT285/70R17/D is rated 121Q (like most of the 17" KO's)

BFG KO LT315/70R17/D is, however rate 121R...



121 is the load index: 3197 lb / 1450 kg.



Letters are the speed rating:

Q=99 mph rated

R=106



Our trucks aren't governed to 95 mph like the Chevys and Fords.

A surprised Beamer driver found this out today :-laf



I have been looking for a MT type tread "R" or better... haven't been able to find one.



Gary

So I assume you then intend to sustain speeds over 100 mph? You do not need a speed rated tire to just accelerate up to or over the rating for a brief time correct? Just seems like something not really worth persuing since I find it hard to believe anybody spends an hour or more at 100+ in one of these trucks. I have run ~90 or so for hours on end across Nebraska though



Thanks for the heads up on the speed ratings though. I looked carefully(or so I thought) at my BFG pdf before making my erroneous statement

 

[gsbrockman]

A surprised Beamer driver found this out today :-laf

Gary

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[GaryCarter]

Nah, I can't afford the fuel to get past 100 more than five minutes a year now...



My main interest in the speed rating when I was researching replacement tires is I understand it's related to the tire's ability to withstand heat generated by the flexing. I pay close attention to my pressures, but you never know when you'll pick up a foreign object and develop a leak. You might ride an underinflated tire for a while until the next stop, and I figure the higher speed rated tire may give just a smidgen more reserve. Of course I could be way off base with that particular thought.

One of these days I'll bite the bullet and get a tire pressure monitoring system. After seeing too many tread separations on trailers and tow vehicles in the last few years, it's always in the back of my mind.



Gary

 

[JayWm]

BTW, there is no speed rating for LT tires.

Um, respectfully, that statement is incorrect. LT tires are speed rated. If you look at the load index rating its the letter after the numbers that is the speed rating. For example the tire in question here is LT285/70R17 121/118Q D. The load index in this case has two numbers, the second number is the rating if the tire was used in a dual application. The "Q" is the speed rating.

The "D" is the ply rating. The easiest way to compare load carrying between tires is not the ply rating, rather it's the load rating (121/118) So if you're changing sizes and want to verify you have the same load carrying capacity just check the load index numbers.



Jay

 

[Saccowboy]

jaywm, you are correct about the speed rating BUT the amount of weight the tire says you can carry doesnt mean S***, if u cant carry it at highway speeds and around turns and have it feel stable. thats the reasons for the extra plys is the durrability and stability factor. thats really appearant if u look at the amount of pressure that the compared plies max out at. you can not even make a comparison between between an E rated and D rated tires especially with a heavy load say over a 10-12k trailer. i know because i made this mistake already as i've had both type of tires. thats like compairing apples and oranges. didnt mean to attack you or anyone else just wanted to set the record straight.

just my . 02 cents!

 

[BHolm]

jaywm, you are correct about the speed rating BUT the amount of weight the tire says you can carry doesnt mean S***, if u cant carry it at highway speeds and around turns and have it feel stable. thats the reasons for the extra plys is the durrability and stability factor. thats really appearant if u look at the amount of pressure that the compared plies max out at. you can not even make a comparison between between an E rated and D rated tires especially with a heavy load say over a 10-12k trailer. i know because i made this mistake already as i've had both type of tires. thats like compairing apples and oranges. didnt mean to attack you or anyone else just wanted to set the record straight.

just my . 02 cents!

I've done it and not had any problem. I ran 40k miles in my previous '03 on the D rated BFG's. The truck was hooked to trailer almost all the time. The trailer is 8k empty and as much as 15k loaded. Never had any trouble with the tires.

 

[JVL IN PA]

Looks like the 315's are on the stock rims, I was told to not go above the 285's on stocks, I guess its who you talk too. Do you see any change in mph, speedometer. Do you know if the 315's would rub without a lift? Wheel wells are pretty big. .

 

[BHolm]

I know at full steering lock my 285's get really close to the radius arms up front. On stock rims I bet 315's would touch.