P Rated Tires vs. LT Rated Tires......necessity vs. look vs. added weight.

Arch Stanton

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Looking at the Michelin 265/70 R17 LTX AT/2's in the LT rating and the P rating which are cosmetically identical. If I don't go off road or haul anything, am I better off with the lighter weight P version of this tire? I've noticed that many manufacturers offer the same tire in both versions. The Hankook 265/65 R17's on my Ranger now are P rated. Do I really need to add 13lbs. to each wheel for a slightly bigger tire just to have an LT rating? Any advice?
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Robert Jones

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Sometimes the added steel in the sidewalls needed to get to the LT rating can adversely affect the temperature specs and weight.
I know nothing about these Michelin tires, but compare the specs and see if it matters to you.
 

MTB-BRUH

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I went from stock bridgestones to Cooper ST Maxx 32” tires 10 plies? I think... And definitely noticed a power loss but I tow almost max capacity and needed a snow mud tire. But I am keeping my stock wheels with the bridgestones and may swap back in the summer. My recommendation would be stick with the whimpy tires
 

jhndeergrn

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I went with a 265/70/17 passenger tire to make it easier on the drivetrain during acceleration and braking in city driving. I don’t tow or have any off-roading in the area... Still getting 19.5 mpg city with the low octane, softer-shift Livernois tune.
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Looking at the Michelin 265/70 R17 LTX AT/2's in the LT rating and the P rating which are cosmetically identical. If I don't go off road or haul anything, am I better off with the lighter weight P version of this tire? I've noticed that many manufacturers offer the same tire in both versions. The Hankook 265/65 R17's on my Ranger now are P rated. Do I really need to add 13lbs. to each wheel for a slightly bigger tire just to have an LT rating? Any advice?
I bought the same size as the ones you're looking at in the Nitto Ridge Grapplers and I love them! Still averaging around 21 mpg. I do go off road a bit but besides that I don't tow or haul anything heavy so there's really no need for the LT rated tires unless you want worse gas milage. :)
 

Hounddog409

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Looking at the Michelin 265/70 R17 LTX AT/2's in the LT rating and the P rating which are cosmetically identical. If I don't go off road or haul anything, am I better off with the lighter weight P version of this tire? I've noticed that many manufacturers offer the same tire in both versions. The Hankook 265/65 R17's on my Ranger now are P rated. Do I really need to add 13lbs. to each wheel for a slightly bigger tire just to have an LT rating? Any advice?
Unless you are hauling/towing consistently, LT are of no use.

Definitely not worth the big MPG hit with heavier tires
 

FULLSCALE

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I went out of my way looking at tire weights and for the size I wanted in a P-metric tire... I have no need whatsoever for an LT tire.
 

HenryMac

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Unless you are hauling/towing consistently, LT are of no use.
Definitely not worth the big MPG hit with heavier tires
Big MPG hit?

Not sure why but the dealer that ordered our truck, ordered it with LT Hankook Dynapro's. We've almost got 4,000 miles on the truck and it's averaging 25 mpg.

Funny thing is when you look at the spec's. the LT's have a lower Max Load capacity?

Tire Pressure Sticker Rotated No Vin.jpg


LT vs Non-LT Comparison.jpg
 
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IdriveG5

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Big MPG hit?

Not sure why but the dealer that ordered our truck, ordered it with LT Hankook Dynapro's. We've almost got 4,000 miles on the truck and it's averaging 25 mpg.

Tire Pressure Sticker Rotated No Vin.jpg
Luckily those are C rated tires and only weigh 44 pounds, probably why they do not make much difference. Probably when you start pushing 50+ pounds and if you go with wider contact patch and/or more aggressive tread tires which start creating more rolling resistance is when you probably start seeing the hit.
 

Hounddog409

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Big MPG hit?

Not sure why but the dealer that ordered our truck, ordered it with LT Hankook Dynapro's. We've almost got 4,000 miles on the truck and it's averaging 25 mpg.

Funny thing is when you look at the spec's. the LT's have a lower Max Load capacity?

Tire Pressure Sticker Rotated No Vin.jpg


LT vs Non-LT Comparison.jpg
Most LT tires/sizes that are being used in the Ranger are 50 plus lbs each. Thats a lot of weight to add to the drive train.

My duellers on the stx weigh 35lbs i believe. Adding 60 lbs to the drive train is a big deal.

I went from GY p tires on my F150 to LT Falkens. Mpg went from 21.5 to 17.

Weight and tread on the LTs do not lend to good milage
 

HenryMac

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Most LT tires/sizes that are being used in the Ranger are 50 plus lbs each. Thats a lot of weight to add to the drive train.

My duellers on the stx weigh 35lbs i believe. Adding 60 lbs to the drive train is a big deal.

I went from GY p tires on my F150 to LT Falkens. Mpg went from 21.5 to 17.

Weight and tread on the LTs do not lend to good milage
I think you are confusing people modifying their trucks with bigger tires... and the topic at hand which is"Light Truck" tires.

My point was, I have LT tires, in the stock size, and I'm still getting 25 mpg... which is good mileage on a 2019 Ranger 4x4.

On your F-150, when you changed from Goodyear to Falkens, did you also change tire size?
 

Toytec

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Looking at the Michelin 265/70 R17 LTX AT/2's in the LT rating and the P rating which are cosmetically identical. If I don't go off road or haul anything, am I better off with the lighter weight P version of this tire? I've noticed that many manufacturers offer the same tire in both versions. The Hankook 265/65 R17's on my Ranger now are P rated. Do I really need to add 13lbs. to each wheel for a slightly bigger tire just to have an LT rating? Any advice?
I like your choice as I've been eyeballing the same. I'm seeing a lot of the full size Tundra's coming in with the Michelin AT/2 but they're LT. For us, I'd definitely get the P tire.
I've also noticed a change in a more aggressive looking shoulder pattern but that might be because it's an LT tire I'm seeing. They wear like a Michelin. Very long lasting and never see cupping. Their rolling resistance has been traditionally low.
Please, post pictures of them on your truck here if you get them put on. You would be the first as far as I can tell.
 

Hounddog409

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I think you are confusing people modifying their trucks with bigger tires... and the topic at hand which is"Light Truck" tires.

My point was, I have LT tires, in the stock size, and I'm still getting 25 mpg... which is good mileage on a 2019 Ranger 4x4.

On your F-150, when you changed from Goodyear to Falkens, did you also change tire size?
I did not change size. LT was 15 lbs heavier than the P's i replaced

Easy to look at specs on line. LT's are usually heavy tires.
 
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Arch Stanton

Arch Stanton

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Yeah, the P rated Hankooks on it now are 37 lbs. and the Michelins in the larger 265/60r17 P rated are 43.5 lbs. versus the LT's at 49 lbs. Think I'll go with the P rated.
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