Tires for gravel driving

[dpuckett]

It's that time again for Mom's old beater- yup, 6 new shiny tires. Only question is, which kind? She lives down 4mi of gravel road, and drives in and out twice a day (school bus driver). That equals 24mi a day, if my swamp math is correct. So, who has had good life and wear on what tires under similar driving conditions? What should I stay away from? (Besides the Michelin XPS tires on there- 18mo and 20K, but they were cheap). I have had really good wear with Mastercraft Courser A/Ts and they are priced very reasonably. (25K wore 20% off the ones on Old Blue), but I dont do much ggravel travelling any more- live in town, 3/4mi from work. Dont worry, the Green Guzzler gets a weekly workout.



Daniel

 

[DBF]

Better drain the swamp.



Seriously, though, how many miles does she do on paved roads? I know I drove 1,000 miles on gravel last year, but I drove 24,000 all together and 19,000 of that was towing the 5er. So I can't say much about the effect the 1,000 had on the tires.



I can say the same old factory Michelins MS handled just fine towing on gravel.



DBF

 

[MMiller]

I find your comment about the Michelins interesting, as that was the tire I was going to recommend. My folks live on gravel and all the farms are on gravel roads, and the best living tires we have found were Michelins XPS tractions for rears on the excursion, and all the way around dads 4X4. XPS ribs on the front. Heck on mom's old e350 diesel the ribs went almost 100,000 and the tractions were shot around 80,000 miles. Dad and mom are real easy on the throttle tough. The Badyears and Generals that came on the vehicles when new were always shot in about 20,000 miles of gravel. The rocks just chip away the tires.



If you did not have good luck with the Michelins, and they were cheep, I wonder what the problem was, as the XPS is never a cheep tire to buy new.



Michael

 

[pepecat]

I would recommend toyo m55's but I have only experience with the 265 75 r16... don't know what the 235 85's will wear like. ,, they are skinnier

 

[JLEONARD]

Well, Connecticut is 90% asphault :-laf so most of my driving is on hardtop, but I like my Yokohama Geolander HTSs for the occasions I am on gravel because the treads are too small to hold the gravel... . so when I get back on the hardtop the pieces don't whack the fenderwells... or the guy behind me.

They are holding up well as expected.

I agree about the Generals... . they are a 20 to 30K max tire. They handle crappy too.

 

[MTownsend]

I like my cooper tires, they are american made!

 

[dpuckett]

Thanks guys. The tread on her tires is all beat and chewed up looking, to boot. The gravel on the local roads down there (and up here) are made of creek gravel- quite rough and sometimes more boulder like. Anyway, she got her $35 apiece out of them. MMiller, have you guys ever had balance issues with the Michellins? The tires on her truck have never been real smooth, and I'm going to buy some DynaBeads for the ones on the front of mine- g/f's boss and I spent an hour and a half one evening trying to get them balanced, and they still vibrate at 62-67mph. Wheel runs smooth on the balancer- no shimmy or hops. I wonder if something might be in there that moves around- dust or water.



I'd guesstimate about 30-40% of her driving is gravel, and she is quit econservative with her pedal usage. Heck with her sloppy auto, she has no choice in the matter, but that is better saved for another day.



-DP

 

[MMiller]

Usually the Michelins get balanced, installed and stay on the vehicle until they are shot. Usually no balance problems. I just had a set of Michelins put on my F650. Tire guy said "you choose expensive tires, Michelin is terrible to get warranty out of, but we almost never have to replace a Michelin. Michelin just doesn't make bad tires" FWIW... ... . I know dad's excursion has a vibe in the front, he's had the tires off several times for balance, to no avail. Another excursion owner said to dad "If you ever get yours to run smooth, call me. " This other owner had tried 6 sets of tires in less then 100,000 miles.



Short answer... . no balance problems. About the only thing bad about those tires, are they are pretty hard compound for snow and ice, not that you have that down in your neck of the woods.



Are you coming up to INDY?



Michael

 

[bgilbert]

Are you coming up to INDY?

Good question.

 

[dpuckett]

Are you coming up to INDY?

Most likely not. Too many issues to make that long a trip at this time (namely, clutch and transmission- both are on their last legs. ) With arebuild kit from Standard Trans, and put in my like-new extra stock clutch, and I should be good to go at Peru.



-DP

 

[CGauthier]

Hey Daniel,



I second the Cooper tires. I was using the Cooper discoverers on my 1 ton cube van the whole time I had it (6 LOOOOONG years of driving Ford) and that whole time I replaced two tires, both in the front and the front end was goin bad. I don't know how many miles I put on, but I was very impressed by these tires. I believe the compound to be a little hard with those too, but you're not gonna get a real longevity tire on hot asphalt with a soft compound.



Carl

 

[dpuckett]

CGauthier- I had a set of Coopers- rode nice, but didnt wear too well. But then, I was grossing 22-23K, and the fronts wore just fine. Rears lasted 20K. I have had good luck with the Mastercraft Courser LTs- but they are too pricey (dont ask).



-DP