Anyone tried low profile tires for towing stability

[Gearjunkie]

Hello,
I have a 2020 1500 classic with stock 275/60-20 tires. When hooked up to my travel trailer, (WDB’s installed) if you push sideways on the hitch with your foot, you can see the tires roll from side to side. It was suggested I try 265/50-20 tires for better sway stability while towing. This makes sense and I know, the speedometer will be out, it’ll be a little rougher ride and they will look smaller.

I was wondering if anyone out there has tried smaller profile tires and if so, what is your experience.

Thanks!

 

[Tulecreeper]

Hello,
I have a 2020 1500 classic with stock 275/60-20 tires. When hooked up to my travel trailer, (WDB’s installed) if you push sideways on the hitch with your foot, you can see the tires roll from side to side. It was suggested I try 265/50-20 tires for better sway stability while towing. This makes sense and I know, the speedometer will be out, it’ll be a little rougher ride and they will look smaller.

I was wondering if anyone out there has tried smaller profile tires and if so, what is your experience.

Thanks!

What is a WDB? Do you mean a weight distribution hitch (WDH)?

 

[tron67j]

You will reduce the sidewalk height by over an inch. So that is a step in the right direction. Are they rated for towing?

 

[pacofortacos]

Another option with that size tire is to get a set of stock 9" wide wheels vs. most stock 8" wide wheels - it helps.

 

[mrack]

That's an issue with the tires themselves, not the tire size. Stock tires are garbage. Get E rated and don't look back.

 

[Wild one]

Hello,
I have a 2020 1500 classic with stock 275/60-20 tires. When hooked up to my travel trailer, (WDB’s installed) if you push sideways on the hitch with your foot, you can see the tires roll from side to side. It was suggested I try 265/50-20 tires for better sway stability while towing. This makes sense and I know, the speedometer will be out, it’ll be a little rougher ride and they will look smaller.

I was wondering if anyone out there has tried smaller profile tires and if so, what is your experience.

Thanks!

I do something similiar for drag racing.On the 1/4 mile tracks i run a 29" tall drag radial,and on the shorter 1/8th mile tracks i switch to my little short 26" drag radials,just for the torque multiplication gain

 

[ramffml]

Hello,
I have a 2020 1500 classic with stock 275/60-20 tires. When hooked up to my travel trailer, (WDB’s installed) if you push sideways on the hitch with your foot, you can see the tires roll from side to side. It was suggested I try 265/50-20 tires for better sway stability while towing. This makes sense and I know, the speedometer will be out, it’ll be a little rougher ride and they will look smaller.

I was wondering if anyone out there has tried smaller profile tires and if so, what is your experience.

Thanks!

Yes. The less sidewall you have the less the tire can flex. I moved from an 18 inch rim to a 20 inch and noticed increased stability but as mentioned this is also partly due to the tire as some tires have a stronger sidewall than others even in the same size and rating.

However if this is your first time towing with a Ram, then note that the coil suspension is not as easy to get right vs the leafsprings in Ford and GM, just the nature of the beast. You get get better ride unloaded but worse stability while towing.

 

[kirk35]

You might want to consider going to a LT tire instead of the P-metric. The LT tires have a more rigid sidewall.

 

[Gearjunkie]

What is a WDB? Do you mean a weight distribution hitch (WDH)?

Yes, Typo.

 

[Gearjunkie]

You will reduce the sidewalk height by over an inch. So that is a step in the right direction. Are they rated for towing?

I'm not sure what you mean by rated for towing?

 

[mtnrider]

What is the load rating of your current tire? I would Not go to a low profile tire for towing, you need to get a tire with a proper load rating.
Also, what kind of weight are you pulling? What is your tonque weight?

 

[clay282]

If you don’t tow a lot, get a SWAY control hitch. And not that friction brake garbage the trailer sales throw in to make it look like they are helping you.

People really don’t realize the importance, safety and comfort of pulling a trailer with a GOOD QUALITY sway control weight distribution hitch. Then you need to weigh it! Just because it looks right, doesn’t mean its load is distributed correctly for the truck and trailer. IF you tow A LOT, you need LT tires that are made for the load and the wear and tear.

It’s not just a quick tire change thing! The truck, payload, hitch, trailer load… it’s all one and they have to work together. It all has to be dialed in As ONE unit.

 

[OC455]

I have a 2020 1500 classic with stock 275/60-20 tires.

You could air up the tires to help that out.

If you are looking to go with a different tire, look at tires in the same size that have a XL load rating. The XL load rating will give you a stiffer sidewall and a higher load index that will help eliminate sidewall movement.

If you look on your tires, and find the size numbers on the sidewall ie: 275 60 R 20 there will be the load index number there, ie: 114 or 115. XL load rating tires will have a higher number indicating they will carry more weight. A 114 load index can carry 2601 lbs per tire. A 117 load index can carry 2833 lbs per tire.

I went from the OEM Goodyears ( Load Index 114) on my 2018 Ram 1500 to Nitto Terra Grappler G2's in the same size, (275/60R20) but an XL tire with a load index of 116 (2756 lbs load carrying capacity). That eliminated the squirm or wiggle when I was towing.

 

[Gearjunkie]

My OEM tires are also Goodyear with a load index of 114. I absolutely need to replace them. I've been reading more threads about towing and tires since I posted my question and everyone has a different opinion on what is a good replacement. It's a bit overwhelming. I'll look into the XL tire. Thanks!

 

[Gearjunkie]

What is the load rating of your current tire? I would Not go to a low profile tire for towing, you need to get a tire with a proper load rating.
Also, what kind of weight are you pulling? What is your tonque weight?

The load rating is 114. I only tow about 5,600 lbs and the tongue weight is about 850lbs. my rear axle rating is 3900 lbs so a load rating of 111 exceeds that by a couple hundred Lbs.

 

[Gearjunkie]

If you don’t tow a lot, get a SWAY control hitch. And not that friction brake garbage the trailer sales throw in to make it look like they are helping you.

People really don’t realize the importance, safety and comfort of pulling a trailer with a GOOD QUALITY sway control weight distribution hitch. Then you need to weigh it! Just because it looks right, doesn’t mean its load is distributed correctly for the truck and trailer. IF you tow A LOT, you need LT tires that are made for the load and the wear and tear.

It’s not just a quick tire change thing! The truck, payload, hitch, trailer load… it’s all one and they have to work together. It all has to be dialed in As ONE unit.

I agree, a good sway control hitch is best but it adds too much weight to the back of my truck and is out of my budget. I wouldn't say I tow a lot, but need new tires so I thought I would improve from the OEM tires.

 

[nlambert182]

Easiest thing to do is move up to a Load Range E tire. Those will help out a lot.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I'm not sure what you mean by rated for towing?

They should be at least Load Range "D" rated - "E" would be better if you're going to be towing a lot.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I agree, a good sway control hitch is best but it adds too much weight to the back of my truck and is out of my budget. I wouldn't say I tow a lot, but need new tires so I thought I would improve from the OEM tires.

A good WDH comes with anti-sway control. This weighs less than 60 pounds.

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[Gearjunkie]

I was thinking of a proPride.