Tires: C,D, or E YES but do I really need AT?

[Stereo]

We spend as many weekends as possible heading into the Colorado mountains with our ancient pop-top Skamper slide-in on a 4WD (NOTE: I erred on initial submission be saying I had a 2WD) first-generation Tacoma. We're loving it!

I've milked two extra years out of the Wranglers that came on the truck when I bought it used with over 128k, but we got a puncture on a sharp-rocked trail that couldn't be repaired so it's time to replace them. (Riding at 60+ mph hwy after coming off the trail, I wondered why I felt more sway than usual. The wind? Gee, the trees weren't moving... As soon as we stopped and the air in the tire cooled, the tire flattened like a pancake. Lesson learned!)

I've been a bit confounded by all the advice - often conflicting - about tires but I've finally decided to get at least a C-rated tire and may go as high as an E if it saves me money. Even though the load rating of many passenger-rated tires match or exceed the load rating of at least the C's, I have come to believe that if nothing else, the "thicker" tires will resist puncture a bit better, especially since I have to max out the air pressure in the passenger tires to cover the weight whereas I could have less pressure in the higher-rated tires to carry the same weight. My understanding is that airing down helps tires roll over rocks rather than popping like a balloon under pressure. (Though I admittedly don't know squat...yet...about manipulating the air in my tires depending on conditions.

So now my question is, do I need an AT tire or can I stick with an on-road tread? The consensus is that AT's are noisier and reduce gas mileage (ugh) so I'd rather steer clear. If you think I should go with the AT for safety in the back country, I'll decide between the Yokohama Geolander and the Firestone Destination.

Here's our driving pattern: I don't drive the truck much with the camper off 'cause I commute by bicycle so I can afford gas for the truck. However, we often do a lot of highway miles to get to locations we want to explore so ride smoothness and better gas mileage are important. When we are off road - which we do frequently when traveling - the paths are often rocky/rutted/rough but nothing really scary and we don't do sand or rock shelves. We're often a little over our maximum weight what with the camper, two adults, and the dog despite carrying little water. We're typically driving in dry conditions but downpours are not rare so it can get slick fast. Being in Colorado, snow is a given in winter (and spring and fall, and even in June in the higher peaks) but we don't have the camper on then. I don't want to buy a separate set of snow tires since I rarely need them.

Have any of you run non-AT tires successfully under similar conditions? If so, do you have brand recommendations? Tough sidewalls is key. Or would I be foolish if I didn't go with an AT? (We did make it two seasons on the P's.)

Thank you for your feedback. (P.S. For those who remember my "project," I got the roof fixed. SOME day I'll post on all my fixes/customizations.)

 

[redthies]

Tires are your only connection to the road. It is not a place I would choose to skimp for the sake of a few dollars. If you are going off of forest service roads onto trails, or unmaintained roads, I would advise you to get a proper truck tire. Unless you change sizes, you mileage will not drop by much going to an AT. The extra weight and drag of the camper will take care of 90% of your fuel economy losses. In short, P rated tires have no business under a camper. Period.

 

[ExpoMike]

Given the camper, I would go no less than a D rated tire. These will have a firmer sidewall and resist sway motion. With the camper off, you can just lower your air pressure (especially in the rear) to help keep the ride nice. Not knowing what size tires/wheels you have now, I can't tell you what options you have for tires.

 

[java]

Get an AT tire, If your going off highway at all i think its wise. Especially in a 2WD.

 

[summerprophet]

Go with AT tires, with a load range E, as mentioned above. I don't know about the Firestones, but the Geolanders are nice. Another option is the BFG AT's. They are pricy but have a really good lifespan, (which makes up for the price) quiet on the highway, and reasonable in the snow. Particularly as you are in 2WD, you don't want to skimp on tires.

 

[sprint]

Go with the AT tire, but you need to make sure your wheels are rated for the higher air pressures of a D or E load range tire.

 

[bill harr]

I
"E" rated for the weight, AT if you are on slick roads. I am an honest four wheeler, only use 4x4 once or twice a year. When off road it is 4 wheel lock. I run Michelin "E" LTX all seasons lets me drive in the snow without having to chain up here in CA.

 

[Stereo]

Well, this is the first tire information where there's been a consensus. Thank you!

I do have to make one correction. I incorrectly typed that I have a 2WD. I do have a 4WD and I'm loving it. When I first ventured out with it after 30+ years of 2WD driving, I was burning up my clutch trying to keep from stalling while trying to control my speed on steep grades. Then I got the great advice of keeping the truck in low 4WD; that allows me to practically sit at idle without the engine dying. Thank God for all you contributors on this forum.

 

[bftank]

2nd the geolander a/t e rated. awesome in the snow, bfg not so much. a/t because of offroad, snow and ice. a/t have a tougher carcass than michelin, or other street tires do. the stiffer e rated tires will help to not drop your mileage as much as a softer rated tire will. think less rolling resistance.

 

[RHINO]

if you want to try a non AT tire, and want a tire that is every bit up to the task, take a look at michelin LTX MS2. great tire.

 

[Jr_Explorer]

I just did this whole tire decision "thing" a few months ago. Look at the load rating vs your load. I have "E" rated BFG A/T's because I have a 3/4 ton diesel. I have Firestone Destination LE all seasons on my strictly pavement bound Chevy Trailblazer and LOVE them! I considered the Firestone A/T's. If you look at ALL the big "Tire Debate" threads here and elsewhere they seem to have one thing in common... A lot of people like this tire or that tire but 50% swear by the BFG A/T's. I just went on a nice run with about 13 rigs and it looked like half were on BFG A/T's. They just work. I went with them and after they "season" a bit they are pretty awesome and not noisy (can't hear them over the diesel at least!).

 

[bajajoaquin]

I got 75,000 miles out of my first set of BFG Rugged Trails and never got so stuck I couldn't get out by lowering air pressure. So I went with what worked, and replaced them with like.

On my old F150, I went all over Baja with highway-rib commercial tires, and also never got so stuck that I couldn't get out by lowering air pressure (although I had to air down considerably more with the stiffer sidewalls).

You have two-wheel drive, though, so might want a bit more traction. I don't know what you do with your truck, but I echo the comment about the mid-tread pattern, like the Rugged Trail. No off-road flats, quieter than my diesel, long-wearing.

But if you have to skimp on something skimp on the tread, not on the tire type. Get an LT tire in the proper load range for your application.

 

[Stereo]

D vs E on a Tacoma

This.
An LT should be a "tougher' tire more suited to carrying a load (camper) and off highway roads. It will probably be heavier, more expensive and require a higher pressure than than your old P metrics. The higher air pressure will likely mean a firmer ride.

This is where I get confused. As far as ability to carry a load, plenty of P-metrics can easily handle my GVWR. The benefit of going with the D or E's (I'll drop the C's since they appear non-existent for a 16" wheel) seems to be in their additional plys ("tougher tire") which should keep the tire from splaying as much and hopefully will be more resistant to punctures. I'd prefer the lighter D's because they should be more than adequate for my load and lighter is better for mpg and engine wear. (One post suggested 10 pounds extra on tires is like carrying 100 more pounds overall. I'm not sure why.) However, D's are harder to find in the size I want.

As for E's, I'm unclear about the wisdom of running tires that can hold 80 psi at half or less of their capacity which is recommended for Tacos so as not to exceed rim strength and to get a more comfortable ride. Low air should also help the tire mold around rocks better than a fully-aired tire. But doesn't underinflation lead to uneven and premature tire wear?? It would seem to be a better idea to have D's which are rated for about 65 psi tops which still exceeds recommended run psi. But again, it's a lot easier to find E's.

Size-wise, 245/75/16 looks like the best one for me. It's skinnier than the 265/75/16's that I have now and skinny is good for my driving needs. That size is closest to stock (only -.5% difference in diameter) and falls within what one treatise (http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html) suggests is optimal for my GVWR (9.5 - 10.5" width); 215's are said to be for lighter loads.

However, in the tires I'm considering thus far, I can only find 245's in E's. The Firestone weighs only 2 pounds more than my current tire and the Geolander is 10 pounds. (Score for the Firestone.) If I go to the 215's, the Geolander weighs a pound less than my current tire! So tire weight is not my main concern. My main question is whether getting an E tire is problematic because of low psi.

 

[Stereo]

I got 75,000 miles out of my first set of BFG Rugged Trails

Thanks for the suggestion, but they don't come in my size.

 

[Stereo]

Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac (C-rated) - weak sidewalls?

I just spent a lot of time on Tire Rack checking out available tires in all my option sizes. There is ONE "C" tire and it's in the size I want: 245/75/16. It's a commercial traction on/off road tire and gets great reviews overall: great traction including in snow (but not in thick mud), long-lasting, and not overly noisy on the highway. One person says he does aggressive off-roading in rock and has never had a problem but a couple of others felt the sidewalls were weak. Perhaps one describes the E-rated tire and the others the C; the ratings don't specify. Anyone have any first-hand experience driving on sharp rock with this tire?