Tire options for heavy duty 17 tire?

c7train

Observer
I need a tire in the 35" range (285/75/17) or something of the like that has a weight rating of 3750 at least. Currently I'm running Toyo Open Country A/T 285/75/17. I like them because they don't rub at all and are almost 35" tall. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
c7,
There are a few, very few 17 inch tires that are up to the rigors of the truck camper mode. I made a survey of 16 inch, 17 inch, and 18 inch tires to see what the maximum loading would be. The sad fact, it least in my survey, is that 17 inch tires, as a group had the lowest load rating. Then came 16" and finally 18" tires had, as a group the highest load rating with some getting up to the 4000 pound range, plenty enough for your TC lashup. So, I could not find one recommendation for you.
The highest load rating of AT3's or GeoLanders, LT285/70R17 size was 3195. That's not going to get it. My 315/75R16 AT3's are 3860 pounds load rated. That's 7720 pounds, per axle loading.
If you have the wherewithal, check out some 18 inch wheels, preferably steel, with a high load rating and use any of the many sizes that get you to the high 3XXX range or higher.
I wish it weren't so.
jefe
 

locrwln

Expedition Leader
What Jefe said. If you look here : http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/172606-17-quot-or-18-quot-rims-for-travel-to-South-America
.

I asked a similar question.
.

I have come to the conclusion that 18's are in my future for the very reasons he pointed out and I am currently running 285/75R17's. 17's seem to have been forsaken as the truck manufacturers are using 18's as the base rim size with 20's as the optional size (I know that 17's come on the very base models). 18's come in some serious load ratings up to the 4k per tire mark and are easily found in a 35" range. The only problem I am finding is that I cannot find a steel 18" rim. Everything, including the factory 18's are aluminum only. Unless you want to go with an aftermarket custom rim.
.
Jack
 
Last edited:

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
Regcab,
I could find no actual number regarding the load rating in pounds on any site i tried, re: your new Nittos. E rating means nothing if it's only 3195 pound rated. Also, 10 ply rated means nothing if not connected with an actual load rating in pounds. My take on the bargain counter tire mfgrs. is that the sidewalls are pretty flimsy. Your rig is about 1K pounds lighter than mine, but I still like over kill when it comes to tires in the game for the long haul. I'm also suspect of their tread pattern. I've had run ins with Nitto Mud Grapplers and they were noisy. No, make that THE noisiest. Not at first but down the miles/road the din kept getting louder. The tip off here is the repeated every-two-lugs pattern I see. This must be a company policy. If it's not totally random, you will develop a harmonic hum or pitch that will grow into a howl over time. I don't know, some people like the noise. Not me. The Cummins is noisy enough. If you come out of this unscathed, i'll be happy. Let us know after 20K miles what the VU meters read. Unfortunately, you won't have a board to turn it down.
The AT-3's on my wife's 2011 Gr.Chero started out very quiet, but over time and now @ 55K miles are tre noisie. Other than that, they have been excellent on snow and ice, if not so much in mud.
Hoping for the best, jefe
 
Last edited:

GlennA

Adventurer
What Jefe said. If you look here : http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/172606-17-quot-or-18-quot-rims-for-travel-to-South-America
.

I asked a similar question.
.

I have come to the conclusion that 18's are in my future for the very reasons he pointed out and I am currently running 285/75R17's. 17's seem to have been forsaken as the truck manufacturers are using 18's as the base rim size with 20's as the optional size (I know that 17's come on the very base models). 18's come in some serious load ratings up to the 4k per tire mark and are easily found in a 35" range. The only problem I am finding is that I cannot find a steel 18" rim. Everything, including the factory 18's are aluminum only. Unless you want to go with an aftermarket custom rim.
.
Jack

Not intending to highjack this thread. If you are looking for 18 inch steel wheels, you may want to check out the chrome clad ones that are stock on the Ram 2500 Tradesman. Bolt pattern is the same. I am not sure about the bore.
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
Good info here. The Dura Grappler with a 3970 pound load rating? Good enough. Much of the weight carrying ability is built into the sidewalls. I'd like to hear from someone who has actually used them. Again, if you look closely, the tread blocks are evenly spaced leading up to a gradual crescendo in the DIN factor. Better news is the reducing of the voids and increasing of the tread block coverage. This translates directly to longer wear and slightly better mpg. I'm one who used stock 16" steel wheels for the front axle. Made in Brazil and found only on 2000-2002, lowest trim level Dodge 2500 trucks, AND also used as the steel spare on all trucks of that era that had cast aluminum wheels. They were much more H.D. than any of the 90's Dodge truck steel wheels, chrome or painted. Thicker steel and smaller cut outs meaning more weld grab on the hub, 7-1/2 inch width; inside bead to bead. All good.
I also took the most expensive custom route getting Stockton Wheel to make some 10 inch wide, so-called, "Power wagon" wheels with DOT approved rims and cutout free, 1/2 inch steel plate center hubs; all welded/both sides. I'm thinking they make these in 16, 17, and 18 inch sizes, maybe more. Refer to their kind of cheesy website for info. I had to call to get any info out of them. I'm happy with the results, but if I were to do it over, I would go for the 18's for so many more choices and for a better disc brake fitment. Much of my contorted path to drivetrain nirvana can be viewed in this piece, if you haven't seen it before:
http://truckcamperadventure.com/2017/01/extreme-truck-camper-drivetrain-build/
Another option for those that want to keep 17's is to go for Alcoa machined aluminum wheels.
jefe
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
Glenn and Jack,
You make a good point about the Tradesman Mopar wheels. I'm wondering if they still have the even lower, entry level H.D. steel wheel in paint, probably made for the SRW 3500. The good news for Jack is that Chevy and Dodge have the self same 8 on 6-1/2, lug centric pattern. The only thing I don't know is the difference between GM and Dodge width, inside bead to bead and back spacing. The two steel painted 16" wheels I picked up at a truck wrecking yard came off a city maintenance pickup with the absolute lowest trim level.
Here they are after cleanup and a little pigment. H.D. enough for me. jefe
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
Jim,
Good catch. I learn something every day. It looks like mfgrs. just round up to the nearest 10th. I wonder how much R&D and especially ground level torture testing goes into the tire load rating code?
jefe
 

Mundo4x4Casa

West slope, N. Ser. Nev.
David,
I've run 2 or 3 sets of BFG K0's and had a sidewall cracking problem every time. On one I had a tread-sep woe that could not be fixed, no matter I put 8 or 9 plugs in the tread. The separation just kept migrating. I t got old stoppiong every 10 miles to put air in the tire just to make it to White Horse, Yukon Territory. We were on the lonely road to Inuvik and stopped to fix the tire. This was after reading a sign some miles back that announced we were in GRIZZLY Country and to be careful. Jeanie stood as a lookout as I quickly slipped the plugs into the tread. They had another tire in White Horse.
So, just an update on my Cooper 35 inch AT3 tires: they are great on dirt, sand and the highway, if not so much in gooey mud. They are good enough as a snow tire, which is what I need on the West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada. Here's a little vid of our trip last month to The Anza Borrego Desert. We drove up the sand hill called Diablo Drop Off with 20 pounds of air in the tires and selected the proper gear (4th low range) to be able to downshift to 2nd for the deep mogols near the top.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bfj5y93wsd7vfkw/jefe does sand hill at dry wash of the devil Anza.m4v?dl=0
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
David,
I've run 2 or 3 sets of BFG K0's and had a sidewall cracking problem every time. On one I had a tread-sep woe that could not be fixed, no matter I put 8 or 9 plugs in the tread. The separation just kept migrating. I t got old stoppiong every 10 miles to put air in the tire just to make it to White Horse, Yukon Territory. We were on the lonely road to Inuvik and stopped to fix the tire. This was after reading a sign some miles back that announced we were in GRIZZLY Country and to be careful. Jeanie stood as a lookout as I quickly slipped the plugs into the tread. They had another tire in White Horse.
So, just an update on my Cooper 35 inch AT3 tires: they are great on dirt, sand and the highway, if not so much in gooey mud. They are good enough as a snow tire, which is what I need on the West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada. Here's a little vid of our trip last month to The Anza Borrego Desert. We drove up the sand hill called Diablo Drop Off with 20 pounds of air in the tires and selected the proper gear (4th low range) to be able to downshift to 2nd for the deep mogols near the top.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bfj5y93wsd7vfkw/jefe does sand hill at dry wash of the devil Anza.m4v?dl=0
That video's nuts. Happy that the tires have passed the Mundo test.
I just missed some 18 x 8 steelies off of a '14 Ram. 1/4" more backspacing than my stock 17's.
I was going to store them and put some 18"s on there next time around. I just like the look of the steel wheels.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,531
Messages
2,875,588
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top