LT Tires for expedition travel

[mauricio_28]

Are LT tires sturdier and more durable than their metric counterparts? Or do they simply withstand greater loads? Are they better suited for "expedition" travels?

Any thoughts on switching from P255/70 to LT235/85 on a Nissan Navara? Due to higher pressure and less flexy sidewalls, the ride is likely to be more firm. Is this necessarily a bad thing? What else can I expect?

 

[Martinjmpr]

I'm not an expert by any means but I think it may depend on what kind of terrain you'll be on. I would think that if you are likely to be in a lot of areas where you air down for greater footprint, you might prefer the P tires because of the softer sidewalls. Whereas if you are in areas with lots of rock you might prefer the stronger sidewalls of the LT tire. However, that's just a WAG (Wild *** Guess) on my part.

FWIW, I switched from the stock P265/70R16s on my Tacoma (the BFG Rugged Trail TAs that came on the truck stock) to an LT235/85R16 and so far it's been great (Yokohama Geolander AT-S.) They've been great on the snow and I can't tell any difference in the ride quality as my truck rides like, well, a truck!

Next week I'll be in the Canyonlands so when I get back I'll be able to report how well they worked for me there.

 

[crawler#976]

If you are asking about "P" for passenger rated tires, they are, in my opinion, unsuited for any type of extended off highway use. The sidewall and tread are both much easier to damage or cut.

The sidewall on an LT tire is stiffer, and the tread is usually stiffer, so they will ride more firmly on and off the pavement. To make the ride more comfortable and to gain traction on dirt, rocks, mud, and snow I decrease the air pressure in the tire. My normal tire pressure is 32 PSI, and for general off highway use I drop down to 20 PSI.

In sand, snow, mud, or rock crawling I've gone down to very low pressures to gain both traction and flotation. In those circumstances I've gone as low as 6 PSI. Caution must be excessed at those pressures to avoid unseating the bead of the tire, and you need a source of air to refill the tire prior to driving on pavement or even hard packed dirt at speed.

My primary off highway vehicle is on 32-11.5x15 GoodYear MT/R's, a tire I consider to be the best tire made for the type of conditions I see in the southwest area of the USA. My wifes truck sees less severe use, but still gets out on moderate trails. It rides on 265/75-16 GoodYear Wrangler Silent Armour tires. They are an all terrain type of tire that is much quieter on pavement, yet offer good traction and outstanding toughness. They are made on the same cut resistant tire carcass as the MT/R.

Hope this helps!

Mark

 

[BiG BoB]

LT's if you're serious

I run them on both my work 4wd's and my old HJ60. They deffinatly arent too firm for "normal" use

Sean

 

[michaelgroves]

Are LT tires sturdier and more durable than their metric counterparts?

Just to clarify that of course both LT and P (or HT) tyres can be metric. Also, LT tryes can be of cross-ply or radial construction, though HT tyres are now all radial. The Light Truck designation simply indicates that they are designed for harsher and generally heavier load conditions, whereas Passenger (or Highway Tyres) indciates that they are optimised for higher speeds, better braking, and safer cornering.

I'd definitely go for an LT tyre for expedition use, though I would probably choose one with a radial construction. Crossplies can be very robust, and cheaper than radials (and in some third-world countries, easier to find), but do give a harsher ride, are tougher on your suspension, and generally don't handle low pressures very well.

 

[mauricio_28]

Thanks. The prospective tire is the TOYO Open Country LT 235/85 16 A/T.