Anyone Running LT Tires with a 10 Ply Rating....Feedback

[Grumpaw]

Grumpaw,

Since I've seen you on the site for awhile and I know from your posts you've been towing for awhile, I assume that you have towed a fair amount of miles with the OEM Pmetric (not LT) tires. I've never seen a post of yours talking about any issues towing with your current configuration Ranger, so I am curious if you have had trouble during that time with your stock tires while towing. Or, put another way, why do you feel the need to move to a 10ply?

I too tow at the upper end of the Ranger capacity and would like to hear your experience.

That said, I do have some closely related relevance to share about putting 10 plys on light duty trucks. I worked in the oil fields for several years. We had company, full size, 4x4, 1/2 ton trucks carrying little weight other than the driver that we got new and took to 100,000 miles before getting another new one. 80% of these trucks lives were on dirt or crushed rock covered dirt roads (when it wasn't mud or snow). The company would give you your new truck and you would run the OEM tire until the first flat you got, which seldom took long (or winter hit). At which point, they removed all the pmetrics and put 10ply tires on the truck all the way around. After that, you never had to change a tire again because of a flat.

A lot of time spent off road can be a challenge for a Pmetric. I recall one hunting trip in a personal F150 of mine where I ruined 3 Pmetrics within a week. So I certainly understand someone who spends a good deal of time off road going with an LT tire, regardless of the ply rating or load range.

I would notice a sizeable difference in the work truck when making the switch to the 10 plys. The ride was significantly harsher, the handling and the engine response was slightly worse. I didn't pay for the gas, so I never paid attention to that. It was a more pleasant driving vehicle before the tire change. However, after a month, you forgot what it was like before the switch and it became the "new normal". So not a big deal. Not having to change a tire in the field again was a game changer though. So totally worth it for that scenario. Especially when I didn't pay for the tires or the gas. Clearly the company had figured that it was more cost effective to go with the 10 plys for their fleet.

However, when it comes to towing with a truck that is almost entirely on pavement its whole life, I'm not so sure. I got rid of my stock tires because of the size. I put 285/70/17s on mine, which already caused considerable increase in weight, width, and height. I didn't want to make it worse by going to an LT on top of that, that would increase the weight and rolling resistance even more, although I did think about it a lot.

I went with a Nitto Ridge Grappler, to be honest, mostly because of how great they look, like a mud tire, while not actually being a full blown mud tire. They are available in my size in Pmetric, LT load range C, and LT load range E. Stats from Tire rack right now for Nitto Ridge Grappler:

	Pmetric	LT-Load Range C	LT-Load Range E
Max Load	2756	2755	3195	pounds
Weight	49	55	55	pounds
Price	282	310	355	dollars

As you can see, LT load range C tire doesn't give any better load carrying capacity over the Pmetric, but there is a 12% weight increase and a 10% price increase.

The LT load range E does provide 16% more load carrying capacity but it weighs 12% more and costs 26% more.

My Ranger has a GVWR of 6050LBs. Like me, I know you run a weight distribution hitch. so let's just assume equal weight on all for corners for a maxed out truck. That's 1513lbs. My Pmetric tire is good for 182% of that, and that's not including the sizeable factor of safety that's engineered into the tire. The load range E tire is 211%

The highest rated axle on my ranger is ( Rear GAWR) 3370 or 1685 per side. The Pmetric is still 164% above the axle rating.

10 ply or load range E tires are what they put on F350's. Choosing to put a 10ply on a Ranger for carrying capacity is, to me, like choosing to put F350 leaf springs under the Ranger for carrying capacity.

I chose to go with Pmetric because I wanted to stay under 50lbs per tire. I'm not concerned about my load carrying capacity while towing my trailer because any configuration is more than enough. My concern would come if I start having problems with damaging tires while I'm off road, which I do some off-roading. So far I haven't had any problem with that. Maybe, a 10 ply might have longer tread life while towing. I'm not really sure about that. But I am pretty sure all the fuel mileage you would lose for the life of the tire and the extra up front cost of the 10ply over the Pmetric would be more than buying new tires a little sooner.

I looked up the Geolandar A/T G015's that you mentioned on tire rack. They don't have a load range C.

	P	LT-E
Max Load	2205	3000	pounds
Weight	35	45	pounds
Price	202	248	dollars
Warranty	60000	50000	miles

While not as robust a max load rating as my Nitto's, the G015 still exceeds (my) GAWR by 131%. The weight of the E is a whopping 32% greater, and the cost is 23% higher.

There's my two cents. I hope it can help you with your own decision making process.

I've towed around 4000 miles or so with the OE Duelers. Aside from better shocks, Sumo bump Stops, and a Roadmaster Active Suspension addition, the truck is stock..It is my daily driver, and street use only. It's a 2 wd, so it dosen't go off road, and I don't need agressive tires....just 10 ply rating.
Stock tires are OK but when towing feel "loose" and not planted, especially over 45-60 mph. My hitch is set up correctly, and although carrying weight in the bed, and the 700 lb hitch weight, I'm still "under" the max.
Although I can pump up the oe tires a bit, and have, to 45 psi, it didn't help that much...still too much sidewall flex.
I'm not concerned about added weight, loss of some acceleration or a loss of mpg....these are of minor concern to me. Also, a harsher ride when running empty doesn't bother me....drove an F-350 dually for years.
I am after a stiffer sidewall tire to handle the load better when towing.
Numerous other member input's indicate that it won't be so bad when their aired down for regular driving. Just like I never, ever cheap out on rv tires, I want the best, for safety reasons for my tow vehicle.
I can't go bigger as it is 2 wd, stock, and front end won't clear anything bigger than a 1 inch up-size.
Not worried about tire longevity will probably go a lot further than the OE while towing.
And price wise, not really bad at all for the tires I'm considering...probably less than $100 for a set of 4 over regular P Metric's.
I am familiar with E rated tires...ran 3 sets of 6 on out previous class c motor home, and before that, ran them on an F-350 Ford dually that pulled several travel trailers up to a 34 foot 5th wheel.

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[Frenchy]

I've towed around 4000 miles or so with the OE Duelers. Aside from better shocks, Sumo bump Stops, and a Roadmaster Active Suspension addition, the truck is stock..It is my daily driver, and street use only. It's a 2 wd, so it dosen't go off road, and I don't need agressive tires....just 10 ply rating.
Stock tires are OK but when towing feel "loose" and not planted, especially over 45-60 mph. My hitch is set up correctly, and although carrying weight in the bed, and the 700 lb hitch weight, I'm still "under" the max.
Although I can pump up the oe tires a bit, and have, to 45 psi, it didn't help that much...still too much sidewall flex.
I'm not concerned about added weight, loss of some acceleration or a loss of mpg....these are of minor concern to me. Also, a harsher ride when running empty doesn't bother me....drove an F-350 dually for years.
I am after a stiffer sidewall tire to handle the load better when towing.
Numerous other member input's indicate that it won't be so bad when their aired down for regular driving. Just like I never, ever cheap out on rv tires, I want the best, for safety reasons for my tow vehicle.
I can't go bigger as it is 2 wd, stock, and front end won't clear anything bigger than a 1 inch up-size.
Not worried about tire longevity will probably go a lot further than the OE while towing.
And price wise, not really bad at all for the tires I'm considering...probably less than $100 for a set of 4 over regular P Metric's.

I can understand all that and really thing it's the type of Duelers vs being a P Metric tire. I will agree with staying with a street tire. My suggestion still stand in the P Metric with Firestone Destination LE3 and Michelin LTX M&S in both P Metric and LT. The LT is a 10 Ply.

 

[Blue Streak]

Since I do my own rotations, I find the heavy LT tires tough to get back on the studs lol

From doing rotation on my old F250, dump truck & mass transit bus tire & wheels I found it easiest when vehicle tire is barely off the ground & a pry bar is used under said tire & wheel. A little leverage goes a long way. That's the way I still do it today even on our crossover.

 

[seanellaz]

Looking for feedback from anyone running LT tires with 10 ply ratings. Ride quality with the stiffer sidewalls and higher psi when running with "empty" truck.
Going to a set for the load/towing capacity...towing heavy travel trailer with high hitch weight.
Curious about day to day driving with them, without load.

I run 10ply / E rated 295/70 R17 Toyo Open Country R/T's on XFX 305 Black Flow Forged 17 x 10 wheels with +12mm Offset. I run them @ 28 pounds rear and 30 front , unless towing my alumline overland trailer, in which case 32 & 32 PSI. Ride is fine. Yes, you can inflate them to 80 PSI if you need to carry 3200 pounds on each wheel. That means you could put another ranger on top of my truck, squash the suspension, break stuff, and the tires would be fine. On rocks n stuff, I air them down to 15 psi. They eat bumps for lunch.

 

[20XLRangerFraptor]

I have 285/70/17 LT tires on mine and daily at 30psi and rides fine to me. I’ve never driven my truck with any other tires tho and don’t know how the stock ones feel. There are some charts you can find online to see what psi tires are rated at up to max psi/weight. I would not see any reason to need to run a tire at 80psi on a ranger.

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