Truck tire question/option
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: newfi1946moose
24-Dec-21
Getting to the point that new tires are going to have to go on my 2500 Ram. The truck came with 35x12.50R20 LTs. They threw mud/stones all over. At 50,000 I swapped out and went with 35x11.50R20s; less mud/stone throwing, but some. Was in Walmart yesterday and looked at a set of Michelin Defender LTs...295x65R20s. Clerk could not tell me anything if that tire would be ok on my truck. 80 psi inflation and, I believe, 10 ply. Just need a good tire for 90% hard road driving. Thoughts, suggestions greatly appreciated. Merry Christmas from the Heartland.
From: Jack Whitmrie jr
24-Dec-21
Look at Cooper AT# XLT's and see if it fits your needs. I used BF Goodrich All terrain for years but last 2 sets weren't very good so I tried the coopers.
From: Bradford13
24-Dec-21
I have the cooper ats on my ram and luv em.
From: Tilzbow
24-Dec-21
Toyo AT III fanboy here. Used the AT II for 15 years and I like the III better plus it’s got the mountain 3 snowflake rating. The III has excellent hard road manners and is good off-road too.
From: RK
24-Dec-21
Agree with Coopers
From: JL
24-Dec-21
If 90% of your driving is on the hard road, do ya need a 10ply at 85psi? I'm thinking the ride might be a little stiff.
From: Bowbender
24-Dec-21
Cooper Discoverer AT3's. On my Tacoma, and both Jeeps.
From: blackbear62
24-Dec-21
I have had the Michelin Defender on three different vehicles. I love them. 95% of my driving is on paved road. They are great in the Michigan winters. Mark
From: Pop-r
24-Dec-21
The Michelin will be 4x the tire the Cooper is. The Toyo is probably 3x the tire. I can't understand how guys like the Cooper's?! I ran them back in the early 90's and figured out they were junk then. I have a friend that has a tire shop and we had a huge oilfield boom in the last decade. Alot of those companies were running Cooper tires. He bought them by the trailer load. They'd get about 30k out of them after he'd changed about 5 flats apiece on them. He loved them because they made him money and that's what the companies had been told were "good tires" and wanted. LMAO! They're ALL BUT good tires.
From: goyt
24-Dec-21
I replaced my tires with the Bridgestone Dueler H/T Alenza Plus which is more of a street tire than an off-road tire and I am so pleased with them. They are so quiet and smooth that it is like having a new truck. I have not had a problem off-road with them but I have been using an STV or UTV more.
From: Grunt-N-Gobble
24-Dec-21
I've got 20in Faulken Wildpeaks on my F150 that have been doing well so far. My 1st set but manners on & off road have been good. 3peak snow rated too.
From: HDE
24-Dec-21
Toyo AT III's.
Best of all worlds. Running them on mine right now, seem to be better than the AT II's I recently replaced with them.
From: smarba
24-Dec-21
smarba's Link
Yokohama Geolandar AT, surprisingly good traction even in mud and smooth ride. I've abused the heck out of them on my Tacoma with a good track record.
Regarding sizes, just google tire size calculator or use my link, you can enter sizes and compare. Really helpful with the metric sizes which aren't as obvious as the inch sizes.
From: jstephens61
24-Dec-21
Cooper AT3 on my Super Duty. Not MTs, but no slouch. Lot of highway miles pulling a 40’ 5th wheel with zero issues.
From: Glunt@work
24-Dec-21
Michelin are great. I've ran Coopers and they were fine but became noisy well before they were worn enough to change. Thought maybe I had a wheel bearing going out. Running Yokahamas on one truck (good for the price) and Goodyear Duratracs (great but too aggressive for 90% on-road) on the other.
BFG ATs were my favorite for years but haven't had a set for a while. Hope the quality didn't slip as that was my next plan.
From: hawkeye in PA
24-Dec-21
Have tried Michelina's on three different vehicles don't care for them traction and wear both bad. Tried Cooper's in the 90's and didn't care for them. Trying a set of Cooper's now and so far really like them. Haven't tried Toyo
From: JW
24-Dec-21
Toyo ATIII’s for me as well. Great ride on the highway, smooth/quiet ride, wear really well and they do a great job off-road.
From: Milhouse
24-Dec-21
If you're mainly on pavement.... save the $ and skip 10 ply. My driving is probably close to the opposite. Probably gravel/two tracks 75% of the time. That's where 10 ply will pay off. If most driving is pavement, stick with standard ply tires.
From: BULELK1
25-Dec-21
Toyo MT's for 6 months--winter rubber.
Toyo AT's for 6 months-- summer rubber.
Good luck, Robb
From: Proline
25-Dec-21
Toyo’s
From: wyobullshooter
25-Dec-21
Regardless of which brand you decide on, since only 10% of your driving is off-road, I’d go for one with a less aggressive tread design. Smoother, quieter ride and less tread wear. As far as ply (load range) goes, it depends on whether you tow something or not. If you tow a camper, fifth wheel, or boat, I’d definitely go with at least 10 ply (load range E) depending on tongue weight. My guess is the 80# inflation the store quoted you is maximum inflation. The only time mine are filled to 80# is when I’m towing my camper or boat. The rest of the time they’re set at 65#.
From: DanaC
25-Dec-21
On my second set of Cooper AT3's, they're good all-around, not 'super' in any area. Decent ride on highways, good in rain and snow.
From: Old School
25-Dec-21
I have a similar need - I drive 90% on paved roads, but the 10% of the time I don’t, I need a 10 ply tire. Driving through pastures with mowed off stobs,, etc. I went with the BFG KO2. No regrets. Great tire - on my 2nd set. First set I got 77,000 miles out of them. When they get somewhat worn they will give you more road noise than a less aggressive tread, but that’s a trade off I’m willing to accept.
From: carcus
25-Dec-21
Im looking at buying a set of nitto's I want a 37/11.5r20, nitto is the only one I have found to have this size, I need 10 ply, right now I am lt285/75r18s goodyear duratracs great tire this is my third set, they are 34.8" tall but only 11.2" wide, Ive had great luck with duratracs, I went through 2 sets on my last truck which was a 350 diesel both sets I got 100 000 kilometers out of them!
From: Shuteye
25-Dec-21
I have a 2002 Silverado diesel that I used to pull a 38 foot Newmar with. Inflated the tires to 80 PSI and never had a problem. Since is 4 wheel drive off road rated I just go by what the owners manual recommended. Still have the truck and have never had a flat tire and just replace the tires by the book. Have pulled several Ford trucks out of the mud and snow over the years.
From: cnelk
25-Dec-21
Im on my second set of Goodyear Wrangler 'Trailrunner' AT - I will be buying them a third time
From: Shaft2Long
25-Dec-21
As far as Coopers being junk, in the 90’s?! The 90’s?! That’s hilarious! This is 2021. We’re 30 years and a new century removed from that.
I’ve had two sets of the ATP. The last had 50k miles on them when I traded in the truck and still had a lot of life left. They’ve been updated with a slightly different tread and a new sidewall design. Road manners are great. I use them a lot in sand and loose rocky rutted dirt roads, some mud…basic hunting vehicle stuff and they’ve been great. FWIW the tires are on a f250 and I keep them at 65 for the road.
From: rooster
25-Dec-21
I'd go with the Michelins if you are driving on good roads most of the time. Your ride will be smoother and quieter.
From: RT
25-Dec-21
I tow something with my truck 95% of the time I use it. Either my boat or camper. I like 10 ply tires to soak up pot holes, less sag, etc. I've gone through several sets of tires, my favorite are the BFG K02. I am currently using KM3 Mud Terrains which are great off-road but not suitable for most guys who don't get off the pavement much.
From: Heat
25-Dec-21
Michelin makes a great tire and those should fit your needs. Different truck but the next tires I buy will be Cooper ST Maxx. Should hold up well in the dry rocky conditions I'm in a lot.
From: JL
25-Dec-21
FWIW.....if you're in the muddy areas....these Coopers work fairly well. I put them on my Florida Ranger earlier this year and have been out deer and hog hunting with them. They hook up pretty good. The road noise isn't bad at all. I wouldn't use them on ice, but in the mud, slop and offroad work....they will do.
From: WV Mountaineer
25-Dec-21
Cooper AT. I’ve run a lot of tires over the last decade. On quite a few different vehicles. They far out last and out perform anything else.
I’d never run anything less then a 10 ply on a 3/4 ton or bigger truck. I run 10 ply on my half ton. No way I’m running less on a heavy truck.
From: Rock
25-Dec-21
I have ran most of the tires mentioned over the years on various trucks but my all-time favorite was the Perrelli Scorpion AT. which I could not find in the size I needed on my last purchase.
From: Teeton
25-Dec-21
Lots of good opinions here. Here's what light I can shed. If your running single axle tires. In rough ground I nice aggressive tread real helps. In mud or sand a aggressive tread with low air pressure real helps. In snow, a narrow tire with a lot of tread sipes will give best traction. I find that run 10ply on hard roads with no weight in truck, running 50 psi will give good wear and a better ride. If I put 1000 lbs in the bed and only going 20 miles I never pump up the air pressure. Thing is running low air is the TPMS light.
I keep a good air pump in the truck, so if I need to lower the air for max traction I can pump it back up after I get out on a hard road.
From: HDE
25-Dec-21
Cooper makes a good tire.
From: FORESTBOWS
25-Dec-21
I have a few 2500 and 3500 work trucks. Lots of hyw miles. I like Hankcook tires
From: The last savage
25-Dec-21
Im with tiltzbow,, i actually learned about the toyo at 111 off this site, i cannot express or can explain the ridiculous places I've had my tundra, ill give the tires most credit,,, saved my ass many a foolish decisions.. enough said
From: DanaC
26-Dec-21
What do you guys do for rotation, balance, inflation and alignment? My 'tire guy'/mechanic says rotating at 5k miles is key to good wear, along with keeping inflation even. (I get it done with oil change at 5k)
From: cnelk
26-Dec-21
FYI - for anyone looking to buy new tires, you may want to call around to see whats available. Some tire brands arent as available as they used to be - due to shortages
From: Teeton
26-Dec-21
Rotation, I rotate every oil change, back to front,, front x's to rear.. Some tires are rotational so you can only go back to front..... Balance, Mostly standard balance with weights... Bigger sizes sometime add beads. Beads will self balance everytime you drive.... Alignments, some once a year, some when they get tires, other when tires start to wear funny.
Yes tire are hard to get at times. It's because of the tire stuck out at sea putting a demand on tire already here. Fun is I see made in over seas countries names on what you would think was a USA tire company.
From: tradi-doerr
26-Dec-21
Have ran Cooper AT3 the last two set on my old Ram 2500. Will be putting a set on the new 2020 Ram this spring/summer. Put Cooper AT on wife's Honda CRV in 2019 and still lots of life left on them. Over all great traction on/off road.
From: HDE
27-Dec-21
Also, tire prices have been changing. I paid close to 40% more for the set I'm running now compared to what they were 6 months ago.
From: newfi1946moose
27-Dec-21
HDE, I am finding the same thing. Need to stick to similar size on my 2500 and prices are seriously up. Have narrowed choices down to Toyo or Michelin. Based on tread depth and milage, going to have to change them out before April.
From: carcus
29-Dec-21
Well couldn't get the nitto ridge grappler's in 37/11.5r20, unavailable for some reason so I priced out the 37/12.5r20s, $640 per tire before tax and install!fuk! I did some research and found another option, radar renegade r/t's, awesome reviews, and only $340 per tire, I went and had a look at them and they look awesome, I ordered some up, they will be coming in around mid to late January
From: McCree
29-Dec-21
I only saw them mentioned 1x previously but I am a fan of the Falken Wildpeak AT's. I've had 4 sets between my truck and wife's suburban and they have been good tires. I will say the E rated version seems to have a deeper tread. I run 35x12.5 R20s on my Tundra. I probably have 50k on them now with significant life remaining. Good luck in your decision.
From: CAS_HNTR
29-Dec-21
I also have been running the Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws and love them. Not much tire noise for the tread and so far have been awesome in dry, rain, snow, mud, everything.
From: newfi1946moose
30-Dec-21
I will try to take a look at the Falkins. As to prices, the Michelins at the Walmart were $366 each. The tires were not on the racks but stacked up on the he floor. Covered with dust. Sidewall did not show it to be 10 ply. Leary!
From: Lawdog
30-Dec-21
I've run Firestone's Transforce for years without issue on first my dually and then my 2500. Like you I do 90-95% of my driving on hard pavement and pulling my 5th wheel. The dually was not a 4 x 4 and was basically an anchor. So, I was pretty careful where I took it. My 2500 is 4 x 4 and I haven't had any issues offroad, basically mud, water and sand. However, I do not do what I would call serious off road driving. At any rate it's a smooth riding tire. Air pressure is 75 and 80, and no rough ride.
