2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission New tire recommendations

[SBoyak]

I have a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Reg Cab and looking to buy new tires. I live in the U. P. of Michigan,, work as a real estateagent, so I do a lot of driving both on road and off road to remote locations. I believe I should purchase all-terrain tires versus all-season since I do go on gravel/and/or two-rut roads frequently. I know my recommended tire size is 245/75R16. What I don't really know is the speed ratings and the load ratings. I very rarely pull heavy loads, maybe a few times a year may pull a heavy utility trailer or boat. If anyone can explain or recommend what specs/ratings I should go with, that would be a great help/. I have done a lot of research on the best or top rated brands, and so I just need to knwo which spec to use. The purchase price jumps $40-$50 difference for the same size tire but with different load/speed ratings.



Thanks ahead of time to anyone is takes the time to help with this.



Sean in da U. P. of Michigan BRRR!!

 

[surfbeetle]

After having my truck since new, one of best things I did handling wise was to put on a set of 3rd gen 17" rims with the 285/75R17 Michellin Load Range E tires on it. Mine's a 2wd but compared to your 4wd but there are others here who have done the same with a 4x4 and were very happy as well.

 

[Road Dog]

The speed rating doesn't mean much. What you want is an LT (light truck) tire, as in LT245/75R16 and not a P (passenger) tire. (1500s often come with P245/75R16 tire. ) With LT tires there's load range C, D & E which generally relates to the number of belts or plys which relates to side wall stiffness, load capacity and tire pressure. With the heavy Cummins motor in front you're stuck with needing load range E tires. A soft sidewall and a heavy load can cause mushy steering, death wobble, and tread separation over time. You can go to a LT265/75R16 tire with no issues which just looks better. If you care, a programmer or the dealer can adjust the speedo for the different tire size.

 

[JR]

Agreed a 10 ply tire is a must my former ctd had 8 plys on it when I bought it I couldnt get them off fast enough. They felt spongy going down the road empty I actually thought I had front end issues but couldnt find anything wrong. I put a new set of 10 plys on and it felt like a new truck. yes they cost more than an 8 ply but the ride quality alone is worth the extra money plus you will get more miles out of them than an 8 ply. As for a brand everybody will have a different opinion on that usually a good indication of a quality tire is the warranty the higher the mileage the better the tire will probably be. Ive personally had good luck with goodyears I had the silent armors I put over 60k on those probably would have lasted longer but Im off the beaten path alot and they had some cuts in them so I bought a new set Im currently running good year duratrac they are a pretty aggressive tire the tread wraps around the sidewall for added traction and protection Ive got over 20k on them so far and they are wearing very well do very good offroad and in the snow.

 

[OldRetiredAFGuy]

Look at the Michelin XPS tires; all steel and regroovable. I use them on my 3 trucks. Expensive, but well worth the $.



Mike

 

[budnate]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Transforce+AT

love this tire in all weather, get the E rating

 

[SBoyak]

Thanks for taking the time to explain that. I have been doing a lot of research to get best tire and at a decent price. I always used to just take it to my local garage and tell them to put new tires on it and never really paid attention, until I started hearing and reading stories of people that did the same thing and were "scammed" by gettting the tires with the correct size but wrong specs and thinking they got such a wonderful deal. Thanks again.

 

[lt1harry]

lt1harry here
i just replace the tires(285/75/16D)on my 2001 4x4 for Cooper 265/75/16 A/T3 tires. i shopped till i almost dropped and the price is the same all over(921 dollars drive out). i liked the tread pattern best and the tires are quiet and the ride is better, new tread no doubt. TEXAS, one and indivisable.

 

[Adubya]

I just put a set of 35" Falken Rocky Mountains on my 03 4x4 and love them. I do a lot of back roads and quite a bit of sand and big rocks and these tires are one of the nicer sets ive ever owned. They perform flawlessly in the rain and snow. But they did set me back about $1200. But its more than worth the money.

 

[MChrist]

After having my truck since new, one of best things I did handling wise was to put on a set of 3rd gen 17" rims with the 285/75R17 Michellin Load Range E tires on it. Mine's a 2wd but compared to your 4wd but there are others here who have done the same with a 4x4 and were very happy as well.

Hmmm... you sure you have your size right? To my knowledge, Michelin not only doesn't make a 285/75/17, it makes no tire in 285 load range E. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[jeepit]

Hmmm... you sure you have your size right? To my knowledge, Michelin not only doesn't make a 285/75/17, it makes no tire in 285 load range E. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

I think the AT2 and MS2 285/75/16 and the 265/75/16 are rated "E".
Correct me if I am wrong!

 

[MChrist]

Surfbeetle said 17" wheels.

 

[surfbeetle]

I could have made a mistake on the tire size, I'm pretty sure they were 285's. I don't have that set anymore. I believe they were the same size as what was offered stock on a 2005 truck as my wheels were take-offs. Sorry for the confusion. In any event, the change from 16 to 17 inch wheels made a huge difference.

 

[ILIANBG]

I could have made a mistake on the tire size, I'm pretty sure they were 285's. I don't have that set anymore. I believe they were the same size as what was offered stock on a 2005 truck as my wheels were take-offs. Sorry for the confusion. In any event, the change from 16 to 17 inch wheels made a huge difference.

I thought about getting a set of 3 gen wheels, but something I do not understand well:
1. I read that the 3 gen wheels have diff. offset-they fit more inward, tire tracks with them are narrower- do they really fit differently?
2. 265/70-17E (OEM size) has smaller payload then my 265/75-16E (OEM size) and cost more per tire when need replacent
So what exactly is better in having the 3 gen wheels on a 2 gen truck?
Thanks.
Ilian

 

[JR]

Ilian, there really isnt a huge advantage to running the 3rd or 4th gen wheels, other than cosmetic reasons. I picked up a set of takeoffs (tires and wheels) off a 2012 for $400. I couldnt pass them up. I had been looking for a set of 4th gens for quite a while as I really like the looks of them. Another plus is you can run the same overall tire size with an inch less of sidewall which helps stiffen the feel of the ride up. If your happy with your 16s than no real reason to change up its all a matter of preference I think. Both 16 and 17 inch wheels have an abundance in selection of tire sizes. Once you go to an 18" and up, the selections drop off in E rating

 

[BDaugherty]

http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/open-country-at-ii-on-off-road-all-terrain-tires



I highly recommend the Toyo Open Country AT II. The size is up to you. You didn't tell us much about your truck so I would probably suggest either the 265/75R16E or 285/75R16E. You can also run a 235/85R16E which will be about the same height as the 265, but narrower. If you have 4. 10 gears or a 5 spd, the 285's should be fine. If you have 3. 50 gears with the automatic, you might want to stay with the 265.

The size choice is up to you. As mentioned above, most tires are available in these sizes in both "LT" and "P" ratings. The "P" tires are much cheaper, but won't hold up to the weight. Make sure you get the "E" rated tires.

 

[jeepit]

Anyone running 285's with 3:55's and with a maunal? If so, do you notice taller tire especially towing? or fuel consumption?

 

[JR]

Ive ran a set of 285/75/16 Goodyear Duratracs on my auto/3. 55 for the last 30k+ miles. My truck is stock other than running a Smarty with a mild tune. Unloaded I could easily break 20 mpg but towing my mpgs do suffer. The only reason for running such an aggressive tire is because Im out in the fields and very poor lease roads about 3 months a year and an AT is not sufficient for me. Recently I acuired a set of wheels and tires (265/70/17) off of a 2012 for $400. I recalibrated my speedo again to compensate for the difference in size and while I havent noticed much difference in mpg running empty, I have picked up 1 to 2 mpg towing. Im going to run my factory 4th gens for day to day driving and save the meathooks for springtime and maybe a month or 2 during the worst of the winter weather we get here.

 

[WaltHess]

I have an 01 dually 4x4, and I am running Michelin XCH 235/85/16's load range D or E-can't rememeber off hand They are rated for 70K, and I have almost 100K on this set. DO NOT get Maxxis tires, had nothing but trouble, and some were so far out of round it wasn't funny. With the XCH's my mileage went up, and the truck rides very smooth now. Pricey -$1,500 for 6 , but they last a long time.