Tire talk

[Corbet]

The same tire in a LT is 63lbs, 18.5/32" tread, "E" rated.

 

[allen.wrench]

oh 63# is a lot more than 48#. About 31% more. The max load 3195# is carried by a higher max pressure 80 psi of the LTs. So it could be argued the LT sidewall carries less of the load. Using the same logic, more of an LT's weight is in the tread.

I wonder if the STD sidewall might be better for off-roading. If a sidewall carries more load with zero pressure, then is it stronger & tougher?

Allen

 

[Corbet]

oh 63# is a lot more than 48#. About 31% more. The max load 3195# is carried by a higher max pressure 80 psi of the LTs. So it could be argued the LT sidewall carries less of the load. Using the same logic, more of an LT's weight is in the tread.

I wonder if the STD sidewall might be better for off-roading. If a sidewall carries more load with zero pressure, then is it stronger & tougher?

Allen

Well I can't see 2.5/32" of tread adding that much to the total weight. I'm sure there is more to the overall carcas of the tire. Both rubber and belts/cords.

My personal fear always with tires is a sudden sidewall failure occurring when I'm already at my max limits preventing me from flopping while perched on some kind of shelf road. So I tend to error is the side of durability over ride quality if faced with that decision.

 

[allen.wrench]

Makes sense. I think of rubber in tires being there mostly for traction and air holding/sealing. The other "secret" ingredients, the belts/cords and their arrangements, are what I imagine carry load when there is little to zero pressure in a tire. Thick enough rubber will eventually carry loads, but then the tire would be much closer to straight up solid like on a forklift. I realize it is actually a more complex composite structure, but since manufacturers hardly share design details I have to simplify how I imagine tire components' functions.

I am also concerned in situations like you're describing. I definitely want to know if I can rely on my tires.

So if a sidewall can carry a greater load with less tire pressure, like that STD Mickey, then I imagine the sidewall has more belts/cords. But a lot of people say LTs have stronger sidewalls than lesser rated tires. It is all very confusing.

Allen

 

[Johnny Utah]

Agreed, quite confusing. I’m seeing more tires being offered in Load Range C which is potentially good. Although I’m not sure if I’m ready to try a set yet.

I feel like tire manufacturers moved away from the load range C there for a while, so hopefully they’re making a comeback.

I’ve always been of the opinion that our Land Cruisers (and other similar vehicles) don’t really need a load range E rated tire. It seems that type of tire should be for 3/4 to 1 ton trucks. But, that is typically the only option we have to choose from when buying the tires we want.

I’d love to see some real world applications of similar tires with different load ratings (E,D,C,SL) doing the same trails or obstacles. I want to know how they compare.

If a load range C tire (or SL for that matter) is just as strong off road and on, and it has the potential to be lighter, or cost less (yeah right) I’d be interested.

 

[what now I broke it]

I run load range E LT 285/75r16 General Tires Grabber ATX2 on my 3rdgen4runner. Im not a fan of them. I've had three sets of the Grabbers all in different tire sizes over the years on a 1st gen Tacoma and an 88 extra cab Pickup and and these are not holding up compared to the others. I need to run them at 34psi front and 32psi back at the most to not rattle my bones on the road. They must have changed to a softer compound because they're epic in the snow but are wearing fast and the tread is ripping on the edges and stuff like that. They're also worse in mud.
Luckily my next tire change will be 35's. So hopefully I'll be able to find a better tire.

Dunno if that applies to this conversation but those are my current tire woes.

 

[allen.wrench]

I've never tried General tires. Good to know they're not all that great in your experience @what now I broke it

Faulken MTs and BFG k02s have been good to me on dry, wet, and snow covered pavement. They have done good on wet and dry trails in Moab.

I do also have a set of Kumho E rated LT street tires. Got them about 2 years ago because I wanted the rims. Been burning them bald and they have done fine on pavement. $250 for the rims, the tires were "free", and they have done great for the price.

Allen

 

[Corbet]

I had a set of the first General red label MT’s. Loved them. Outstanding desert tire.

 

[DouglasVB]

I had a set of 35" General GRABBER X3 tires on my old built 4runner. They were surprisingly good tires but boy howdy were they heavy It was not fun getting the spare on and off when I completely destroyed a sidewall with a branch that entered and then exited the tire carcass. Lifting that tire up onto the rear bumper swing out tire carrier which was at about shoulder height for me was not a one man job. I ran them at 25psi on the highway which was just about perfect for a SASed 1st gen 4runner. On the trail I'd run them usually around 10psi but I could comfortably drop them to 5-6psi for snow wheeling.

(Note to self: add small davit crane to my future dream build to better lift spare tires on and off the back of the truck...)

 

[what now I broke it]

To clarify, the first two pairs of General Tires Grabber's were good tires. I got even wear and they lasted 4+ years of daily driving and road trips all over. And that was with zero alignments while running them and having old tierods and such.

I've had two alignments from Lakewood Alignment and Brake in the two year's I've had them and I have all new oem parts up front and drive way less and they're wearing out fast. I'll be lucky to see 3.5 year's on these new ones.

And it's not like tires are cheap in offroad sizes...

 

[DouglasVB]

Wow that sucks! They must have changed compounds.

Are your current set more sticky than the older ones?

 

[what now I broke it]

Wow that sucks! They must have changed compounds.

Are your current set more sticky than the older ones?

They are way more sticky and work really well in the snow and rain on the road. I definitely feel more planted while driving. But I feel like I've been driving snow tires everywhere and just wearing them out like a dingus.

And they're getting chunks taken out of the tread all over. This is just one as an example.
I didn't have that problem before with the previous Grabber's. I am wheeling a bit more and harder. But still, I don't think that's normal.

Is that normal for other guy's and gal's?

 

[Johnny Utah]

I don’t know, seems like par for the course in Colorado. Decomposed granite and hard, sharp rocks and loose stones are a perfect recipe for chunking tires. I’ve run lots of different types of tires and I get chunking.

 

[what now I broke it]

Cool. Thanks for your input. Im always down for opinions as long as they aren't pushy or condescending while online and prefer opinions in person. We all start somewhere. I just started wheeling 5/6 rated trails two years ago and this spring i started wheeling like that every week or two. So still kind of a newb when it comes to it. And tires are kinda one of those mystical voodoo things with so many different codes, numbers and letters that I get lost. Why not just say what the top mph/kph is instead of Q rated etc??? Why not just an expiration date instead of a code to decifer???

 

[Johnny Utah]

And tires are kinda one of those mystical voodoo things with so many different codes, numbers and letters that I get lost. Why not just say what the top mph/kph is instead of Q rated etc??? Why not just an expiration date instead of a code to decifer???

Two words Federal regulations…

 

[allen.wrench]

Two words Federal regulations…

So true. We gotta beat out communism somehow. Might as well confuse them into submission, lol

There's also Reagan's wise words to consider and fear: "I am from the Government, and I am here to help"

I shiver and pee myself a lil whenever I hear that phrase. Fortunately I often listen to big historical speeches while sitting on the toilet.

Allen

 

[what now I broke it]

Fortunately I often listen to big historical speeches while sitting on the toilet.

Allen

You're probably not hearing much of a difference between the two. Just a lot of hot air. If you get my drift...

 

[allen.wrench]

Haha yeah sometimes for sure.

Allen

 

[On the RX]

Note to self: add small davit crane to my future dream build to better lift spare tires on and off the back of the truck...)

When I was still considering a tire swing for my bumper, I kicked around the idea of taking the cable crank for the spare and relocating to the swing. The cable isn't long enough for that but something along those lines seems like a good idea as a lift the mount with lugs. My spare still fits underneath so I have no need for it on my bumper.

I have whittled down my choices between the BFG KM3s and the Falken Wildpeak A/T3Ws and now brain locked Do i go for the stronger sidewall to which I am accustomed (though slightly weaker than the KM3s) or do I try a new to me brand with the Wildpeaks and see how that goes? You will probably find me half rolled off I70 still trying to figure this out after the snow starts flying

 

[allen.wrench]

If all else being equal, then I'd say more experience more better. Try the Wildpeaks if you haven't tried them before.

Allen