Community Forums

nicfroo · 01-04-2020, 09:08 AM

Hey all !! I have p 255/70 r 17 on my 2016 GMC 1/2 ton Sierra.. Would like to put a set of BFG all terrain load range E (10 ply )on it---I think these will support a heavier tongue weight than the stock Generals that are on it now-Does any one have any towing comments using this particular tire ? I know it will ride a tad rougher,and with stiffer side walls make sway non existent--not that i have a problem now----but i will feel better about taking my 2019 ORV 21 FQS off road to more boon docking sites--

Ray,IN · 01-04-2020, 11:22 AM

Good plan IMO. The P rated tires are car tires, meant to give a soft smooth ride, are not suitable for towing/hauling.
When you are towing air them up to sidewall maximum for best results of reducing side-sway, truck feeling loose when cornering, sloppy-feeling steering, etc.

Rickeoni · 01-04-2020, 01:51 PM

Ran those for years when I had tiny trucks. They are great tires and will do great off the beaten path. IIRC they also have the mountain snowflake symbol on them.

BPTS · 01-04-2020, 05:20 PM

I will take Michelin any day, but that's just me.

Randy the sly old fox · 01-05-2020, 01:13 AM

If you are having any issues with jounce, sway, or handling issues with your half ton truck - HD tires will not help - nor will shocks. Been there done that bought a 3/4T and never looked back.

As for tires, one thing I will say is that my 1/2T came with LT tires so I stayed with them the best set I had for all around traction and ride came from Les Schwab - I think they were either Cooper or Toyo. They had the snowflake on the side and got me through snow, ice, and were great in sand and mud.

My current truck has Michelin tires (OEM) and they were great in the beginning but are showing wear with only 31k.

My son had OEM Goodyear Wranglers on his Colorado Z-71 at 24k miles they showed very little wear and he had excellent traction in snow, mud, and sand.

while I usually deal with Les Schwab but am thinking seriously about Goodyear.

keymastr · 01-05-2020, 09:48 AM

Tirerack.com has ratings on all tires across most brands that allow you to compare wet or dry traction, snow/mud traction, wear mileage, road noise etc. Very helpful when deciding on tires.

I agree with Randy above that going to load range E tires made little if any difference in the wiggle of my half ton and is why I also have a 3/4 ton. You can make the half ton work if you take the time to set up the hitch correctly at a scale so you can see how much weight you are really restoring to the front axle but it will still wiggle some.

Sorry Randy but Les Schwab is up for sale so you may have to find a new place to buy tires in the future. The family has decided to sell off the whole chain.

Randy the sly old fox · 01-05-2020, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keymastr

Sorry Randy but Les Schwab is up for sale so you may have to find a new place to buy tires in the future. The family has decided to sell off the whole chain.

I saw that as well - perhaps another reason to switch tire brands. We might get lucky and they allow an employee buyout.

Alpine36 · 01-05-2020, 09:30 PM

I run load range E on our Z71 Silverado 1500, no issues at all.
45 psi for everyday driving, 65 psi when towing our 6000lb boat with 550lb tongue weight. Much better than the stock load range D's imo.
No noticeable harshness in overall ride quality.

The John · 01-06-2020, 09:34 AM

I used to be a BFG fan, but haven't gotten the mileage out of them on the last two sets that was promised.

I changed over to the Cooper AT3, and LOVE them. I think that they have better traction than the BFG's and less tire noise. I have a 3/4 ton truck and so far im very happy (I run 315/75/16's on my truck).

Highway 4x4 · 01-06-2020, 11:29 AM

Michelin Defenders, E rated.

1bigmess · 01-08-2020, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highway 4x4

Michelin Defenders, E rated.

And can handle any off-road conditions that your trailer can handle. Excellent traction in all weather conditions that you'd dare drive in to begin with. I've used these tires, previously known as LTXs, for maybe twenty years now and I've never been disappointed.

ModestMonk · 01-08-2020, 08:39 AM

I went with Kumho Crugen HT51 All- Season Radial Tire-LT275/65R18 123R 10-ply. Tire rack had a higher rating, they looked identical.

I run them at 50#’s normal driving and 65#’s towing. We ran them down to Assateague and then to Quebec City. The 1/2 ton truck isn’t built to handle tires that are so stiff for normal driving, so you have to depressurize them when not towing. They’re looking and behaving great so far. They were less than $150 each shipped free.