Truck Tires

widnert

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
177
Location
Three Forks, MT
This was only slightly brushed over above but, I think it deserves much more attention from folks, when discussing a tire's ride and longevity.

Most tire shops will inflate tires to their Max PSI rating. Now, on cars, and some SUVs, this is okay. On trucks, pretty dumb. This wears out a tire from the center first, creates abnormal wear on your front tires and causes a more harsh ride on your truck. Why? Just about every tire shop does max-out the tire pressure though. How many of you load up your truck bed every time you drive, to it's max capacity? Most likely, most of you hardly have any load at all in your truck bed, most days. Why would you max out the pressure in your rear tires? Or, even your front tires for that matter?

Go to the tire manufacturers websites directly and read up on their recommendations. You might surprise yourself what you find. A lot of them are referring folks to the vehicle manufacturers label on the vehicle, in the door jamb. Even that doesn't provide "good" info a lot of times. It seems the Firestone tire tread separation issues from the late '90's got everyone scared so now they just don't tell you or, tell you to max-inflate your tires.

As a reference, I have a 2011 F-350. Stock tire size is 275-70/R18. Calls for an "E" load rating. I currently run BFG KO2 all terrains - stock size. On the sidewall, I read that the max load capacity for each tire is ~3700lbs @ 80psi. That's 7400lbs combined, per axle. The back of the truck only weighs ~3000lbs empty. Why would I want to max out my tire pressure and run up on the center of the tread and give myself a harsh ride during day-to-day driving? When the truck is empty, there is less than half the carrying capacity sitting on those back tires.

I drop the rear tires to 55-60lbs psi. Makes them run with a nice flat patch on the ground and wears them evenly. On the fronts, I run 65-70lbs psi. Diesel engine adds some weight up there. Again, looking for nice flat patch and as much even wear as possible without being too flat. Basically, 3 to 4 treads on the ground when sitting still.

When I load-up the slide-in truck camper, then I go to max pressure because it loads up the truck to just under it's max carrying capacity. All tires go to 80 psi. Then, the patch of tire touching the ground matches what I see when the truck is unloaded.

Under-inflation is very bad so use your noggin' when doing this. Too little pressure and your tires will run hotter than they are supposed to. A little experimentation as you figure out the best pressure for your tires on your rig, is something everyone should do. You'll improve your ride and get the full life out of each set of tires by spending a little time working through this. Back in the day, this was common knowledge at all tire stores. Now, not so much.

FWIW - I've been running the BFG's on my rig since the stock set wore out at 26k. I get 50-60k out of each set doing this. Just some advice, take it or leave it.
 

SWOHTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
1,439
Location
Briney foam
This was only slightly brushed over above but, I think it deserves much more attention from folks, when discussing a tire's ride and longevity.

Most tire shops will inflate tires to their Max PSI rating. Now, on cars, and some SUVs, this is okay. On trucks, pretty dumb. This wears out a tire from the center first, creates abnormal wear on your front tires and causes a more harsh ride on your truck. Why? Just about every tire shop does max-out the tire pressure though. How many of you load up your truck bed every time you drive, to it's max capacity? Most likely, most of you hardly have any load at all in your truck bed, most days. Why would you max out the pressure in your rear tires? Or, even your front tires for that matter?

Go to the tire manufacturers websites directly and read up on their recommendations. You might surprise yourself what you find. A lot of them are referring folks to the vehicle manufacturers label on the vehicle, in the door jamb. Even that doesn't provide "good" info a lot of times. It seems the Firestone tire tread separation issues from the late '90's got everyone scared so now they just don't tell you or, tell you to max-inflate your tires.

As a reference, I have a 2011 F-350. Stock tire size is 275-70/R18. Calls for an "E" load rating. I currently run BFG KO2 all terrains - stock size. On the sidewall, I read that the max load capacity for each tire is ~3700lbs @ 80psi. That's 7400lbs combined, per axle. The back of the truck only weighs ~3000lbs empty. Why would I want to max out my tire pressure and run up on the center of the tread and give myself a harsh ride during day-to-day driving? When the truck is empty, there is less than half the carrying capacity sitting on those back tires.

I drop the rear tires to 55-60lbs psi. Makes them run with a nice flat patch on the ground and wears them evenly. On the fronts, I run 65-70lbs psi. Diesel engine adds some weight up there. Again, looking for nice flat patch and as much even wear as possible without being too flat. Basically, 3 to 4 treads on the ground when sitting still.

When I load-up the slide-in truck camper, then I go to max pressure because it loads up the truck to just under it's max carrying capacity. All tires go to 80 psi. Then, the patch of tire touching the ground matches what I see when the truck is unloaded.

Under-inflation is very bad so use your noggin' when doing this. Too little pressure and your tires will run hotter than they are supposed to. A little experimentation as you figure out the best pressure for your tires on your rig, is something everyone should do. You'll improve your ride and get the full life out of each set of tires by spending a little time working through this. Back in the day, this was common knowledge at all tire stores. Now, not so much.

FWIW - I've been running the BFG's on my rig since the stock set wore out at 26k. I get 50-60k out of each set doing this. Just some advice, take it or leave it.

+1!!! I've never understood people running their tires at max air pressure unnecessarily!
 

GregB

WKR
Joined
Aug 5, 2017
Messages
811
Location
Idaho
I switched to BFG TKO2s last year and they worked great on several hunting trips last year. I would stay away from the Yokohama. I had a pair of geolanders and after only a couple of hunting trips the rubber started to cut and chip, and then the sidewall on one blew out.
 

Titan_Bow

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
1,116
Location
Colorado
I just got 265/75/16 e rated BFG TKO2's for 187 a tire, then a $50 mail in rebate. I've also put a total of about 90,000 miles now on 3 different sets of Treadwright Claws. They are a bead to bead retread, typically built on BFG carcasses. They are a bit heavier and louder on the road, but at $120 a tire, makes a good option, especially for a beater rig. I've driven from Colorado to Montana several times, all through forest service roads and jeep trails, trips to Moab, etc. and never had any issues with the re-tread tires.
I'm a cheapskate by nature, so it hurt the wallet to drop the extra coin on the BFGs LOL, but I have a big road trip with the family planned next week and the wife would be miserable with hours of "waaa-waaaa-waaaaa-waaaa-waaa-waaa" from the retread mud tires!
 

xcutter

WKR
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Messages
1,398
Location
Connersville, IN
Just bought a set of 33x12.5x18 Toyo Open Country AT2 Xtreme's for my Ram 2500. Really sharp looking tire and ride better than the stock tires. From the research I did before purchasing these were the best AT tire review wise I could fine. Reviews were based on mileage and off road ability. I'm also a fan of the BFG TK02s. Get good wear and decent mileage out of them.
 

boom

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Messages
3,185
99% of my driving is on the road. i would be lying to myself if i said otherwise. knowing that, i started my shopping there. i wanted GREAT road manners, since even with hunting, i will be driving on the roads to get there.

i have been into some nasty stuff hunting. my last two tires have been Michelin products. previously, i used 4-seasons, and now i used the AT/2 an all terrain. to be perfectly honest, both tires are EXCELLENT. i dont do much ice..but snow, rain and mud. yea..pretty good.

the bonus of Michelins, they seem to last forever. i have driven my truck 130,000 miles since buying it used. it had 30k when i bought it, and the tires were slick bald. so in 130,000 miles i have had TWO sets of tires. that is a crazy marathon!
 

satchamo

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
706
BFG ATs all the way. I have 40k on mine with plenty of life left. They have picked up 4 screws in that time and none of them ever caused more than a tiny leak. All patched fine.

I'm primarily on pavement except for the occasional trip off road to hunt.

I don't think there is a better AT tire made
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
Location
Colorado Springs
I don't know what they're making tires out of these days, but I never had a problem getting 60k+ out of a set in my F-350. These days I'm lucky to get 35k miles out of a set of Michelins, and that's setting the pressures for heavy loads and normal. At this point I don't care what else the tire has.......I'd just like to get at least 50k. $1000 on tires every 35k miles gets old.
 
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
Messages
31
Location
CO
IME AT2's have been great for me on SUV's but wore fast on my truck. I went to siped Toyo AT last fall and was happy with snow and highway performance. No complaints with off-road use either. Hopefully I'll get one more winter out of them and they'll last longer than the Michelins. All of these referenced are D range.
 

mtmuley

WKR
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
585
Location
Montana
Toyo AT2's are great on pavement and mild dirt. Quite possibly the worst truck tire I've ever used on ice and snowy mountain roads. I've said before that tread life is a secondary issue for me personally. I like to get where I am going without issue. mtmuley
 

Jordan Budd

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
2,743
Location
NW Nebraska
I just put the Falken Wildpeak AT/3 on my pickup and I love them. Road noise doesn’t seem to be bad and the tread wraps around the edges pretty good. Worth a look I believe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
567
Location
sw mt
I have two sets of the toyo at2s right now, one set wearing great 3/4 or better tread with 15k. the other set is half tread at 8k. Traction isn't really anything special with them....about like any AT tire. For a daily driver, As I get older, I look for less aggressive longer lasting tires, and plan on running chains when I need them.
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,034
Location
ID
What rim size you running OP? If 285s were an option I'd sell you a set of Wrangler Duratracs that came off my Tacoma with about 12k mile on them. Plenty of tread left on them. 285/75 16s though. Just sitting in my shop collecting dust now. I run Cooper ST Maxx on my truck in 265s now.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Gr8bawana

WKR
Joined
Sep 14, 2016
Messages
333
Location
Nevada
+1!!! I've never understood people running their tires at max air pressure unnecessarily!

My idiot brother-in-law said his truck tires were defective because they were wearing out in the center. So I asked him what they were inflated to and of course he said 80psi. I tried to tell him that is the max inflation for max load. Heaviest thing he carries is his 2 dogs.
Since he thinks he know everything he didn't believe me. He said it was because his diesel has so much power it wears them out that way. He got mad when I asked him why his front tires were wearing the same way even though they have no power going to them.
 

unchained

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
226
Location
Wisconsin
I just put the Falken Wildpeak AT/3 on my pickup and I love them. Road noise doesn’t seem to be bad and the tread wraps around the edges pretty good. Worth a look I believe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I run these. Excellent tires at a really good price.
 
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