16" tire selection madness for an indecisive owner

[Illking]

boy oh boy, ive put more thought into tires in the past few weeks than I have big life decisions, ok i guess for some of us tires ARE big life decisions. I mainly just wanted to share that struggle but... while i have your ?'s I would love to hear others opinions since I still cant make up my mind.

My truck: S-CREW XL, 4x4, e-locker, oxford white, coyote soft topper, Midland GMRS, bedbug, Tigger six controller, traction boards, onboard air, stock UCA's
Purchased mods (not installed yet) : Eiback pro stage 2 kit, Rough Country winch, 589 FAB hidden winch mount, KC Hi lights, KC ditch lights, rock lighting

I am keeping the 16" steelies.. I love them and the utility look. It is a daily driver and off-roading consists of solo trips off-roading and BLM camping with the family. We live in Southern CA and have access to some pretty rugged trails in the desert, eastern sierras and just a short skip down into baja, not much rain or snow. That being said since it is my DD i don't run really hard trails (rock crawling) that risk vehicle damage and my offroad will be only 20% of my driving if that. Being that we never had any shortcomings with 285/75 R16 on our previous rig, a 4x4 Sportsmobile i feel 265/75 R16 would be proportional to the size difference in the smaller / lighter Ranger were in now.

here are the tire options Ive narrowed it down too.
255/85 R16 load E Falken Wildpeak MT01 $255/tire
265/75 R16 load C Goodyear DuraTrac $253/tire
265/75 R16 load E Pirelli Scorpion + $182/tire *Budget option (this Australian review on a Ranger gave me lots of confidence in the tire. Kinda sounds like he says "Don't really recommend them" but its "Throughly recommend them")

My only concern is the 255 option will be too big for a daily driver... is that a thing? It should still fit in our garage and most public parking garages which is important to me iving in a city. Im hopeful the C load DuraTracs with 3 ply sidewalls will have a smoother ride but not sacrifice much offroad durability. And the Pirellis are the "lets just get some affordable tires that perform well enough" drive smart and when my kid grows up and i have all the time in the world for gnarly adventures i can go all in on some aggressive larger tires.

Thanks for the support ?

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[JACKSMYDOG]

In my experience;

-Scorpions are crap, and I wouldn't put them on my vehicle.

-I like Falken Tires, but have no experience with MT01.

-Duratracs are my favorite DD/off-road tire. I'd prefer E rated over C rated if you are doing off-road, I don't find there is as much noise or MPG difference as many suggest. They are also available in 285/75-16 which falls between the 2 sizes you list for height.

If I were on 16s, I'd be getting the Dura 285, of the options you list it'd be the Dura 265, but I'd also be taking a close look at;

Mickey Thompson Baja Legend EXP https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/light-truck-tires/baja-legend-exp

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/light-truck-tires/baja-boss-a-t

Both have 50,000 mile warranty.

 

[subquark]

I love the steelies too! But I'm in New England and winter performance is important to me.

But it looks like you're in LA so that wouldn't be much of a concern, I assume.

I've always been fond of the Goodyears on my old FJ40 which I've run from 1980 to today (they came out in '77).

They've handled serious abuse including catching enough air to break both front leaf springs!

Also rock crawling that's bent the front driveshaft and dented the considerably thick skid plates.

They've also handled several trips from Texas to Canada and about 250,000 miles over a few sets.

I've always like the look of Wranglers ever since I was 18 years old. =)

But looks aside, as far as your Ranger, the advice from @JACKSMYDOG is gold and thoughtfully recommended.

By the way, I appreciate the amount of thought you've put into this - I'm the same with my Ranger with everything from floor mats to bed liners! =D

Whatever you choose will work great for you - good luck! =)

PS - not to add to your choices, as a winter driver, I'd like to replace my stock Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts with Nokian Tyres Outpost ATs.

Edit: forgot to mention that these Nokians are made in the US - that's a consideration for me.

 

[Illking]

They've handled serious abuse including catching enough air to break both front leaf springs!

i really wish i could see this and I hope you didn't crack any teeth or bulge a disc in the process. sounds like a fun time

 

[subquark]

i really wish i could see this and I hope you didn't crack any teeth or bulge a disc in the process. sounds like a fun time

I did crack some ribs before installing 6-point harnesses! =D

And I'd wear an elbow guard on my left arm (right for the passenger) because of where the door opening is (top and doors off most of the time).

Young, dumb, and full of .... but I loved every minute of it, even the 3 days it took to dig out from being stuck, up to the frame, in a swamp.

I've had that FJ since I was 13 years old (full driver's license at that age in Louisiana, back in the day) ... =)

My mom worked nights when I was little and dad would let me watch The Rat Patrol, which shaped what I thought a 4 wheeler should be able to do!

 

[Frenchy]

After doing a bit of looking at the tires you have selected I can't really say that I would recommend them. Mainly due to not knowing a whole lot and two of them are Mud Terrain tires. When if comes to a vehicle that will go OffRoad and still be a daily driver and at the rate you plan to be OffRoad I would recommend more of an All Terrain.

Why an All Terrain over Mud Terrain? Less road noise on the street, generally speaking lighter tire, better wet traction, better MPG(very important where it cost $8 a gallon).

As a personal recommendation I would look into the Firestone Destination XT. It is available in 265/75-16 and you can get it at any Firestone Auto Care Facility. If you have a different tire shop in mind they can get it too. It just might cost more depending on the shop.

Here is a link to that tire. Hope it helps

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...R6DXTOWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

 

[Mid-Size]

I have 265/75r16 Kenda Klever AT2's... took a gamble on them based solely on specs and a few reviews I could find. my personal impression thus far is they're a great dula type tire. Awesome on road performance as the compound is on the stiffer side. But they do have a tread pattern more akin to an offroad type tire... mind you have haven't pushed this aspect to see what they're capable of but the tiny slip test I did in a spot I had traction issue prior on the factory Hankooks, the Kenda's ate it up zero issues.

One HUGE factor I have to mention. The shop that mounted my new tires they suggested bead balancing were these bearing weight roll around in the tire as you go... I was not really sold but the guy said if I didn't like them to just come back and he'll do the traditional rim weights free. Trust me you do WANT the beads. once you get going from a stop up to about I'd say 30mph the beads kick in and start displacing around the inside of the tire synchronized on all four corners the truck rails so true beyond that speed and just hums.

whatever you do, do not buy soft compound, you'll be buying tires again in less than 3 years.

 

[Frenchy]

I have 265/75r16 Kenda Klever AT2's... took a gamble on them based solely on specs and a few reviews I could find. my personal impression thus far is they're a great dula type tire. Awesome on road performance as the compound is on the stiffer side. But they do have a tread pattern more akin to an offroad type tire... mind you have haven't pushed this aspect to see what they're capable of but the tiny slip test I did in a spot I had traction issue prior on the factory Hankooks, the Kenda's ate it up zero issues.

One HUGE factor I have to mention. The shop that mounted my new tires they suggested bead balancing were these bearing weight roll around in the tire as you go... I was not really sold but the guy said if I didn't like them to just come back and he'll do the traditional rim weights free. Trust me you do WANT the beads. once you get going from a stop up to about I'd say 30mph the beads kick in and start displacing around the inside of the tire synchronized on all four corners the truck rails so true beyond that speed and just hums.

whatever you do, do not buy soft compound, you'll be buying tires again in less than 3 years.

I won't speak for the beads as those are normally used for much larger tires that can't normally be balanced.

As for the last bit on replacing tires in less than 3 years?! With the driving I do and thanks to Colorado Law I am replacing a set of tires once a year on my daily. How so you ask? Colorado has a Traction Law for the Winter(Meant for Tourists Primarily) stating that in the winter you need to have a tire that at least has the M&S Rating and no less than 6/32 tread depth. Yes it applies to Snow tires as well. Depending on the drive system your vehicle has and conditions you may need snow chains as well.

So don't say that a soft tire compound will require you to get tires quickly. I can take many tires that are rated between 50,000 to 60,000 miles and have to replace them in a year because of how much I drive and how soon they have to be replaced.

 

[Illking]

Just stopping by to say I appreciate everyone’s opinions. I realize asking about tires is like asking “what should I eat?” or “who should I date?” Very personal questions backed by personal preference and taste. But all of your experience and opinions are helpful.

 

[Mid-Size]

I won't speak for the beads as those are normally used for much larger tires that can't normally be balanced.

As for the last bit on replacing tires in less than 3 years?! With the driving I do and thanks to Colorado Law I am replacing a set of tires once a year on my daily. How so you ask? Colorado has a Traction Law for the Winter(Meant for Tourists Primarily) stating that in the winter you need to have a tire that at least has the M&S Rating and no less than 6/32 tread depth. Yes it applies to Snow tires as well. Depending on the drive system your vehicle has and conditions you may need snow chains as well.

So don't say that a soft tire compound will require you to get tires quickly. I can take many tires that are rated between 50,000 to 60,000 miles and have to replace them in a year because of how much I drive and how soon they have to be replaced.

I had no idea Colorado DOT laws drain all the fun out of life from their residents.

This should help
https://www.realtor.com/

 

[Frenchy]

I had no idea Colorado DOT laws drain all the fun out of life from their residents.

This should help
https://www.realtor.com/

With how many traffic related Deaths that happen in the Winter(Wich is extended thanks to the Rockies) there is a reason for it. Don't believe it? Come out here one Winter and see why for yourself. It gets crazy with all the individuals that don't understand.

 

[cclayton]

I’m running Wildpeak MTs in a 285/70/17. Took a hit on mpgs and get up and go from a stop but I knew that prior to install. They are noisy on the highway but badass looking Duratracs were on my list but the installer got a good deal on the falkens.

 

[JohnnyO]

Goodyears. I wouldn't run 10 plys on a Ranger.

 

[Illking]

After a lot of back and forth and then exploring some of the new suggestions I decided on the Pirelli's . They fit my budget which is a huge factor especial with a 5 tire purchase. I've run Scorpions on my dirtbikes which i know is a apples to bananas comparison but they were always my favorite tire so i figured they're worth a shot. UPS dropped em off yesterday and im drunk with the smell of new rubber and fresh tread depth, they look great IMO. I have an appointment to get them mounted and my Eibach installed this coming Wednesday. Thanks everyone for your thoughtful reply's and suggestions.

 

[Frenchy]

Hopefully things go well with your decision. Something I recommend doing is getting the Revolutions per mile from the manufacturer. This is so you can calibrate the tire size with either the Pro Cal 4 or My Touch Calibrator. Other methods may not require this.

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