LT tires

My door sticker says 43 psi. 2016 1500 I have to go over 43 psi just to turn the light off.

Many people run LT tires for other reasons other than weight carrying capacity.
They are also generally far superior than the P radial in tire puncture resistance.
It really doesn't take much of a rock or stick to puncture many P radials - and most people with trailers go off road to some degree - maybe not the back country but even campgrounds often have rocks or sticks where you have to drive.

So...

Even if you derate the those P metrics 10%, they STILL exceed the axle rating, which already exceeds the GVWR.

LT tires definitely have more rubber between the pressurized air and the sticks and rocks. Sometimes this may be important. Most of the time it's not.

LT tires definitely perform better in off-roading scenarios, but you have to get serious about it before that difference becomes apparent. The vast majority use their trucks at worst just off forest service roads. Yeah, there's sticks and rocks out there. Be careful.

P metric tires perform better in 95% of the use I ever see for half tons. They can haul the occasional load of gravel, or lumber from the big box store, or pull the travel trailer or boat.

They provide less wear and tear on the suspension, provide better gas mileage, provide a better ride, provide better handling characteristics (under typical conditions). On top of that, they're cheaper and have a better warranty.

billyw said:

So...

Even if you derate the those P metrics 10%, they STILL exceed the axle rating, which already exceeds the GVWR.

LT tires definitely have more rubber between the pressurized air and the sticks and rocks. Sometimes this may be important. Most of the time it's not.

LT tires definitely perform better in off-roading scenarios, but you have to get serious about it before that difference becomes apparent. The vast majority use their trucks at worst just off forest service roads. Yeah, there's sticks and rocks out there. Be careful.

P metric tires perform better in 95% of the use I ever see for half tons. They can haul the occasional load of gravel, or lumber from the big box store, or pull the travel trailer or boat.

They provide less wear and tear on the suspension, provide better gas mileage, provide a better ride, provide better handling characteristics (under typical conditions). On top of that, they're cheaper and have a better warranty.

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All good points. Which is why I’ll never lift my truck enough for the sole purpose of fitting larger rubber into the wheel wells because it seams like almost every tire manufacturer out there has followed suit into thinking the only reason people desire 35’s and up is to use them for what they were designed for in the first place, which was to have a tough tire to off-road with which means that if your only purpose of a lift and big tires is for looks, you gotta settle for thick-ass 8 or 10-ply LT tire because there ain’t much tall rubber out there that isn’t a LT tire.

I dunno, maybe a 35 or 37 inch 10-ply tire rides better than the stock-sized 8-ply BFG-A/T’s I had for a short while but, I’m leaning more towards not. I don’t know, and I would just have to take someone’s word for it if they said otherwise because I’ve never had a truck with that large or heavy of tires. But I do know this, those BFG’s I had, took away the smooth ride that was one of the major selling points on my truck.

Even for the first couple of months they were only aired to 39psi, they still allowed me the courtesy to feel every single bump in the road but it wasn’t until I aired them up to BFG’s recommendation of 55psi when they really made a grasshopper feel like a boulder...lol. They handled way better at that point, tho. Braking and cornering was tremendously improved but now the tires really rode like solid rubber forklift tires or skid-steer tires.

I’d have to be taking my truck in some pretty hairy places on a daily basis, or being practically permanently attached to a lead-sled trailer in order to make that mistake again. Lol.


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pacofortacos said:

If you have 20" wheels, you can also run X-load tires instead of LT. Just depends on the style tread you want.
I have 275/60/20 General HTS-60 X-Load tires on mine - the load rating is only about 400 lbs less than the E-Loads. They handle the towing well but are more of a all season tread vs. off road tread.
Still gives you almost 6000 lb. tire capacity for the axle on a 3900 lb rated axle.

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I got a HTS60 on mine and its 275 55 r20 handle the towing real well and rides well too...snow is ok but rain and such is good.... overall its a real good tire..not flashy but does what it made for

Russell44 said:

I got a HTS60 on mine and its 275 55 r20 handle the towing real well and rides well too...snow is ok but rain and such is good.... overall its a real good tire..not flashy but does what it made for

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I agree, they tow and handle real well - a vast improvement in handling over the 17" Michelin Defenders I had prior but that isn't a fair comparison as it is a 17" vs. 20" wheel (same diameter tire). To be honest though the Defenders have a very soft flexible side wall (they were E-Load Defenders).

Overall I like the HTS60, except in mud.

I keep the truck in a carport around back and not a prayer of getting it out when it's been sloppy out.
The yard is 2-3" of dirt/grass on top of shale - which when wet is like basically ice, even the deer slide on it.
What really makes it hard, I have to come out by making a sharp 90 deg left turn right at a slight incline ( with a 6' cliff directly on my right side).
I have almost slid off once already.
I dont' remember it being as bad when I had the Michelin Defenders on - but maybe the grass wasn't as torn up or the yard as wet as we have had record rainfall the past 2 years.

I'll just keep on running my 10 ply LT's with the tall sidewalls and some strength as my truck see's "off road" use frequently.
That being field roads and pastures, I've seen what corn stubble can do to light duty sidewalls.

IMO, for my towing, and out west off-roading, I have found, LT, AT e rated 10 ply tire's tow as if on rails with a WD sway hitch. Almost no flats.
ST D rated 8ply tires M rated to 81 mph. almost no flats
On 1500 and 2500, both. Fords, Chevy"s Rams.
Yes they cost more and are stiffer, less mpg, but... peace of mind its worth it.
Have you ever had to replace one or two tires on an RV trip , or off-roading ?
On a Sunday? 200 miles from a tire store?
I have.
I carry 2 spares for my RV trailer. Not brand new but good.

What matters is the load rating for your tires as they are supporting the rear axle load and the tongue weight of a trailer if towing. Start by paying to have your truck and trailer weighed at a CAT scale. That will provide you with the load at each axle.

If the load at the rear axle exceeds the load capacity (times 2) of the tire then you need a higher rated tire. LT has little to do with the specific load capacity. My truck came with LT tires rated at 1195 lbs and I replaced them with ones rated for 3750 lbs. to get more load capacity at the rear axle.

AT refers to the type of tread and whether it is designed for use off the pavement. My SUV with AWD came with 4-season tires but the owner's manual specifically states that they are not for use off the road and to put AT tires on the vehicle if one plans to go off the pavement. Nothing to do with load capacity, only the traction provided.