New tires

[Stan Laurel]

I'll be getting my travel trailer in the next couple of months, and know that I have to put new tires on the truck first - currently I am running the OEM tires which I realize are not good for much. I've never shopped for truck tires before and would like to find out what tires y'all recommend I go with. The TT I am getting will be between 6K and 7K lbs. Thanks!

 

[Brady]

Just curious as to why you say the OEM tires are no good? Here say or actual experience? They are rated to tow your truck's maximum rating so I'd think they'd be ok. You should maybe give it a couple runs hooked up then make your decision. Just a thought.

 

[Stan Laurel]

Hmmmm that runs contrary to what I've read - I thought they were more suited to passenger vehicles, and "E" rated 10-ply tires were needed when towing decent size trailers. Do I have that wrong?

 

[Brady]

Your truck from the factory is equipped, from top to bottom, to tow the maximum rating given. Are there better tires out there for consistent heavy hauls? Yes. Will you have a catastrophic failure towing max rating with the stockers? Highly doubtful. All I'm saying is it isn't dangerous and is perfectly within limits to pull what you're going to on the OEM tires. Just give it a shot before you drop $1200 on new shoes. Again, all just my point of view.

 

[solarvic]

Shawn said in one of his vidios that he got 60,000 miles on his original tires. He makes his living towing a big trailer. I got my truck April 13 and have no experience with winter roads but will soon. I think my daughters tahoo has the same tires and the original ones had 50.000 miles and still looked good to me. If I knew I was getting this truck I would have ask for them. The mechanic that changed them put them on his old taho

 

[Ofishl1]

I hunt ..fish...shoot competitions that take us to some rough places...when I got my Z71 Avalanche back in 2003 (w/out "robo armor"..really geez) anyway it had wrangler ATs on it which were nice..but at 35000...I flipped them to the BFG AT Ko..and never looked back for 19000 miles...same with my new ECOD.(couldnt wait to get the street 20s off)..BFG 285 /20 KO2s...34.5 inch height got the axle up..which to me is more critical offroad than a hyped up body..(not that thers anything wrong with that ...but 3 sets of of the old style BFGs never let me down in snow..snow melt mud bogs etc..not a shill for them just offering real tested offroad experiences from Gunnison elk hunts to Lees Ferry colorado river boat tows from phx..everyone has a fav tire..these are mine still...and Gawd I love this truck!!
( have a set of new stock RS/A 20s for sale cheep!)...

 

[jdn112011]

Your truck from the factory is equipped, from top to bottom, to tow the maximum rating given. Are there better tires out there for consistent heavy hauls? Yes. Will you have a catastrophic failure towing max rating with the stockers? Highly doubtful. All I'm saying is it isn't dangerous and is perfectly within limits to pull what you're going to on the OEM tires. Just give it a shot before you drop $1200 on new shoes. Again, all just my point of view.

Though I understand the price aspect as I will be running through my factory tires entire life before I replace them I will be upgrading. The factory tire is not rated to handle Max load. It's just not. It's the tire rating that gives the truck it's cargo capacity. My cc 4x4 standard box longhorn has rated capacity for persons and cargo of 711lbs. That's it. Figure tongue weight of a trailer is ideally 10% of a gross weight a 7200# trailer is 720# tongue weight and has already exceeded my tires rated capacity. Not counting me as a driver or anyone else/cargo in the vehicle.

I'm considering going to a 65 series tire, it's a 34vs the factory 33 and has minimal effect and shouldn't sub. Maybe Max turning at entry height would but my factories have done that. And virtually every 275/65/r20 tire is E rated vs being limited to the bf's if you want a e rated 60 series tire.

 

[seiko]

I towed 5,000 pounds plus with the original, No issues at all. Yesterday, I replaced my original with BFG KO2 275/60/20, for all weather use. All season not good below -7 Celsius. They are very quiet and have the snow flake rating, for icy conditions. So far, they are great, cost me complete, installed, balance, etc 1272.00 Canadian at Costco, Calgary, Ab, Canada. I be using them all year, plus they are all terrain too.

 

[jdn112011]

Did you get the E rated tire or just the standard load?

 

[seiko]

Load Range D. EcoDiesel max trailer towing is 9,000 lbs. Here a picture. I haven't got around to cleaning them up.

 

[BoostN]

@seiko they look great, I like how they give an aggressive look but not to much if that makes sense.

 

[seiko]

Yes, I felt the same way. The originals look like car tires, and look wimpy. Now it gives the truck a more off road look, manly. I'm impressed how quiet they are and cornering feels excellent.

Next thing, I need to look at, is winter grill covers. I suspect with the very cold weather, it won't warm up fast enough.

 

[74 PowerWagon]

I put Michelin A/T2 275/65/20 load range E on mine. Love them 60psi and still rides smooth. Truck has the air suspension system and unless in entry mode no rub at all. Pricey? YES! and I lost 1 mpg. BUT they raised truck 1" and I am not fretting about where or when I go or what I tow. Highway, gravel, off road, towing TT, my family and my safety ain't got a price. Picked a 1/2 mpg back up when I installed the BakFlip 2.

 

[jdn112011]

I was seriously considering going to the 65 series tire also but in the Cooper atw

It's an all season but winter siped version of at3's.

You're MPG calculations aren't considering that you're actually traveling more MPH and more miles than your Odo is reading because of the larger tire.

I'm sure your MPG was virtually untouched it just shows less as to odo miles. Try calculating with GPS mileage for your MPG.

Are you planning to have the computer corrected for the larger size tires or just allow it to be off a few MPH and ring up a few less miles on the truck

 

[seiko]

Did some river bed driving with the truck last Friday and off road and everything about the truck handle well and tires showing no wear, quiet still, handles the ice (drove on ice in some area). Nothing negative to report, my two boys, don't like their tires on their truck, they have notice not good at all in the winter. They plan on switching to the KO2. Told them to hold off till fall, by then I have a good test on it.

 

[TJZ2016LMTDECO]

I really like the Nitto Terra Grappler G2, they have a 50,000 mile tread wear warranty. That's what I'm running on my 2500 now (but the old version non G2), I will be putting them on my Eco when I get my lift installed.

 

[seiko]

I have read, that Ford is going to use the KO2 as standard tires for their EcoBoost Trucks. Not sure, if that is a possible endorsement and/or confirms my conclusion on how good the KO2 are proving to be with me, so far.

 

[TJZ2016LMTDECO]

I don't know much about the KO2's, but they are about $45 ea higher than the Nitto's and no tread wear warranty.

 

[jdn112011]

Sra's a just long term dirt cheap highway tires which is why they are original equipment.

Ford has been using the bf's on the raptors for years. But Ford will never justify the use and cost of the bf's on any entry class highway Truck.

 

[BoostN]

I really like the Nitto Terra Grappler G2, they have a 50,000 mile tread wear warranty. That's what I'm running on my 2500 now (but the old version non G2), I will be putting them on my Eco when I get my lift installed.

My only concern with them are if they look "agressive enough" on a lifted truck.