8 ply for gravel roads

[mcdo3920]

I'm sure this has been covered but I couldn't find specifically what I'm looking for in any thread history. Looking at new tires, these would all purpose including just being a daily driver I had been looking exclusively at the Wildpeak At/3's but I didn't realize they were only a 4 ply tire. I'm planning a trip out west this fall for archery elk and we will be doing a ton of driving on forest service roads. I'm not sure the 4 ply would hold up on the shale and granite of northern ID.

I am leaning towards buying an 8 ply tire at the very least but I can't seem to find much of anything out there in my stock 27560R20 size. The KO2's are about the best deal that I can find. Does anyone have any more recommendations out there? According to their site Falken makes the at/3's in a 10 ply tire but I can't find a retailer that carries them in the size I need.

 

[BWL]

Most lt rated tires will be fine. I've found with all my gravel road travel that p rated tires like the stock goodyears tend to have tread seperation and flat tires more often. No issues with the many lt tires I've run over the years.

 

[TatertotScott]

Keep in mind that "ply" no longer applies to tires today. They are Load Range rated, and weight capacity rated. Some tire shop even still use the "ply" terminology...

They are "ply equivalent" at best. You want LT tires 6 ply equivalent (C rated), 8 ply equivalent (D rated), and 10 ply equivalent (E rated) are the most common in these sizes.

I went with E rated LT275/65-20 Nokian Rotiva AT+.....VERY happy with them. I have overloaded my bed more than once, tires gave no extra bulge or squirminess....PSI Adjusted appropriately of course.

No road noise to speak of, snowflake rated, and do very well on our heavily rutted, icy/snowy/wet gravel and paved roads here in the PNW.

We also have arguably the most dangerous snow on the roads here due to our temps hover above/below freezing when we get the fluffy stuff, making it stupid slick compared to most places that get snowfall.

Since we are just about done seeing any snow out here, we are getting mostly tons of rain. Still doing very well.

I run 50 front, 45 rear for PSI empty and very impressed with cornering, stopping, ride quality.

Do be aware upgrading to an LT will diminish your gas mileage some amount. Some report more than others. For me (country roads) I saw about 1/2 mpg drop.

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[ram1500rsm]

Check the Falken website, in factory size 275/60/20 the AT3W only come P rated, but if you go a tad taller with 275/65/20 you can get the E rated ones.

 

[Dinky]

The ply rating is only for load in theory but C rated tire vs a E rated tire will built from different compounds to make a tire stronger. E rated tires will tend to hold up better on rough and sharp terrain just because the tire is tougher. The ride will change going down the freeway but with good shocks you will be fine and in corners the E rated tire will be better due to stiffer sidewall. Also to take in account is the tread spacing if the gap between tread is big you will have more chances of getting a flat but pick up less rocks. I run BFG ko2s and they pick up little rocks like no tomorrow but I have never gotten a flat while up in the woods. We have been on big group atv/motorcycle camping trips the only tires that didn't get a flat was the ko2. Only 3 out of 10 towing rigs had them. That next week everyone went and got ko2s lol. I've ran them for 10 years in the PNW and takes on anything I can throw at them. Like stated above when we get snow its ******. Snow then freezing rain then more snow then defrost then more snow lol. Then you add in how many hills we have it's a wreck. I will stand behind ko2 night and day. I also play in the woods from motorcycles to camping and hunting. I am only 20mins from out mountain range to go play.

 

[smithwessn]

+1 for the KO2

 

[Ramdan32]

Get on simpletire.com they are super fast, free shipping, good prices and I got good info from each tire I looked at. I just put on some 10ply Kanati Trail Hog A/T. I love them so far. Very little road noise and rugged enough to beat around backroads and fields.

 

[TatertotScott]

Those look like Wrangler Duratracs...

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[mcdo3920]

The ply rating is only for load in theory but C rated tire vs a E rated tire will built from different compounds to make a tire stronger. E rated tires will tend to hold up better on rough and sharp terrain just because the tire is tougher. The ride will change going down the freeway but with good shocks you will be fine and in corners the E rated tire will be better due to stiffer sidewall. Also to take in account is the tread spacing if the gap between tread is big you will have more chances of getting a flat but pick up less rocks. I run BFG ko2s and they pick up little rocks like no tomorrow but I have never gotten a flat while up in the woods. We have been on big group atv/motorcycle camping trips the only tires that didn't get a flat was the ko2. Only 3 out of 10 towing rigs had them. That next week everyone went and got ko2s lol. I've ran them for 10 years in the PNW and takes on anything I can throw at them. Like stated above when we get snow its ******. Snow then freezing rain then more snow then defrost then more snow lol. Then you add in how many hills we have it's a wreck. I will stand behind ko2 night and day. I also play in the woods from motorcycles to camping and hunting. I am only 20mins from out mountain range to go play.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm definitely leaning towards the KO2's after reading responses and doing a little more research. They seem to be the best bang for your buck. Sounds like a D load range (8 ply) would work fine for my needs. I don't do a ton of back roads out here in MN but I want to have the option. I actually moved out here from the PNW about 5 years ago so I'm all too familiar with the freezing rain, snow and hills. I'd take the PNW weather any day over this god awful winter in Minnesota though. It got down to -42 air temp at my house during that stupid polar vortex; unbearable!

 

[mcdo3920]

Get on simpletire.com they are super fast, free shipping, good prices and I got good info from each tire I looked at. I just put on some 10ply Kanati Trail Hog A/T. I love them so far. Very little road noise and rugged enough to beat around backroads and fields.

View attachment 162825

Those are pretty beefy too, what size are those?

 

[Dinky]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm definitely leaning towards the KO2's after reading responses and doing a little more research. They seem to be the best bang for your buck. Sounds like a D load range (8 ply) would work fine for my needs. I don't do a ton of back roads out here in MN but I want to have the option. I actually moved out here from the PNW about 5 years ago so I'm all too familiar with the freezing rain, snow and hills. I'd take the PNW weather any day over this god awful winter in Minnesota though. It got down to -42 air temp at my house during that stupid polar vortex; unbearable!

Lmao yeah I'll take the PNW weather over that we only get snow for 2 weeks max. The ko2s get great mileage got 65k out of my last set.

 

[Dinky]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm definitely leaning towards the KO2's after reading responses and doing a little more research. They seem to be the best bang for your buck. Sounds like a D load range (8 ply) would work fine for my needs. I don't do a ton of back roads out here in MN but I want to have the option. I actually moved out here from the PNW about 5 years ago so I'm all too familiar with the freezing rain, snow and hills. I'd take the PNW weather any day over this god awful winter in Minnesota though. It got down to -42 air temp at my house during that stupid polar vortex; unbearable!

Lmao yeah I'll take the PNW weather over that we only get snow for 2 weeks max. The ko2s get great mileage got 65k out of my last set.

 

[TatertotScott]

Lmao yeah I'll take the PNW weather over that we only get snow for 2 weeks max. The ko2s get great mileage got 65k out of my last set.

Not sure where you live in the PNW, but I still got ice this morning....

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[Dinky]

Not sure where you live in the PNW, but I still got ice this morning....

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Hillsboro Oregon. I am only 500ft level.

 

[Ramdan32]

Those are pretty beefy too, what size are those?

They are stock size. 275/60/r20

I’m really happy with them

 

[TatertotScott]

Hillsboro Oregon. I am only 500ft level.

Ahh that explains it. Hillsboro has always been the banana belt when I lived there.. from 1992-1999...

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[Dinky]

Ahh that explains it. Hillsboro has always been the banana belt when I lived there.. from 1992-1999...

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Yeah we get pretty good protection from the mountain range. We only got a skiff of snow that melted in 2 hours this year lol.

 

[hunterdan]

FYI the General Grabber ATx comes in a D rated tire in the stock 275/60R20 size. I've had mine on since December and couldn't be happier.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

+1 for the Kanatis
I'm running Trailhogs too and really like them!
Duratracs are D rated tires and these are E so be prepared for a stiffer ride.
I had KO2s on my wife's Jeep and so far I'm liking the Kanatis better.( for a lot less money)
Too early to tell about longevity, but they were awesome this horrible winter...