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Tire Tales and Questions

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Wheelskins gaping at spokes

Moving the engine back behind the front axle.

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I'll make this brief. Last August 2019, I came into ownership of another Gen 2 2500 Dodge Cummins. It is a 1999 Quad Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 that has about 156,000 miles at this moment.

The truck came with oversized tires and I'm looking to return the truck tires to its stock size--245/75-16. The question now becomes, which tire should I select?

The last set of truck tires I purchased for my 1998 2500 truck was in September 2012. They were Michelin LTX A/T2 tires and I have now put about 45,000 miles on the tires with normal wear. I fully expect to get about 60-65,000 miles from this set of four--a typical experience for with Michelins and my driving. I am satisfied with the brand, overall. The tire now being offered by Michelin remains the LTX A/T2 tire that appears to be the same tire that I purchased in 2012.

Here's my concern: I had a hell of a time with these tires when they were mounted on my 1998 truck in 2012 It became a lot of work just to keep the truck going straight, especially when towing. I sort of blamed the tires but I confess that the truck had over 210,000 miles then. I was busy at the time so I just lived with it.

In 2018 I decided to attack the steering system on the truck. The first thing I did was put in a new RedHead steering box. That alone corrected 50-60% of the wanderings. I redid everything--ball joints, u-joints for the axles, linkages---everything that could be replaced with new. As you might imagine, it is close to being as new a truck as it ever been. Easy to drive straight down the road.

So my question is what kind of experience have others had with this tire? Should I be cautious again over steering issues? (The new 1999 2500 has had a new steering box installed and it tracks well.)
 
Other than the tires that came on it all I've ever used is Michelin LTX. I've got as much as 110,00 out of the steers and normally get at least 80,000 on all six. I never rotate because it is too much work, for one, and if I did I would always have to buy six tires at a time. One word of caution, if your tires are over 8 years old I recommend you replace them.
 
Not to ditch Michelins, maybe just my bad luck? I got a set of the LTX's (4) for mine, had them roadforce balanced and rotated around every 8k or so. Around 40 k they showed sings of dry rot between the lugs/ribs and then started to show cords. Same experiences with 3 other cars I put Michelins on as well as 2 bicycles? Never again. Over the years (since 5/2001) I've had many sets of tires, truck (@ 75k when I bought) came with Firestones that were pretty decent shape. Switched to Coopers lasted around 50k, went to Nittos lasted around another 50k, 2nd set of Nittos 50k, Michelins around 40+k, went back to Coopers presently. None of our autos have, or ever will have again, Michelins. Lot's of folks swear by them, but based on "just my bad luck" with 4 autos and 2 bicycles I'm done with em.
 
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