Hello All,I am probably way over thinking things but I am brand new to towing and currently have just purchased a new Jayco White hawk 25BHS Travel trailer which has a dry weight of 5360 lbs and a hitch weight of approx. 600 lbs and GVWR of 6500 lbs. I plan on towing the trailer with my 2010 Dodge Ram SLT 1500 with 5.7 hemi and 3.92 gear towing package capable of around 10000 lbs towing.My truck came stock with Goodyear Wrangler HP 275/60R20 which I have never been happy with at all. I am constantly slipping and sliding in the rain and to be honest I don't even drive the truck in the snow because my car handles better even with the truck in 4x4.I plan on replacing the tires and figured it would be a good time because I just purchased the travel trailer. I have been looking online and phoning around but for the life of me I can't find an "E" rated LT tire with the size of 275/60R20. The one I did find is the Nitto Dura Grappler but I heard they aren't that good in the snow. Not that we get that much of it on the West Coast. They are also expensive in Canada coming in at $405.00 each. Before my question here is how I use my truck and trailer. Most of my driving is on the highway and we will probably be towing the trailer to go camping 5 times per year. These will be full service sites.I also might take the trailer dry camping about twice a year towing on a gravel or dirt road to go lake fishing.My question is this and I'm sure it has been answered a hundred times and with different opinions:1. Do I need an "E" rated LT tire or Can I go with a better "P" rated tire like the following:Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2Cooper Zeon LTZ "load range XL"BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KOHankook Dynapro ATM RF10Thanks for the help,Pete

Welcome to the forum!1. Do I need an "E" rated LT tire This is a ply rating, or sidewall strengthrating of the next higher class tire: "LT". LT's do come in otherply ratings. E=10 ply, D=8 ply, C=6 ply. I like the Bridgestone Dueler Revo's. They come in both 'P' class (passengercar) and 'LT' classAgain, the 'E' is just the number of sidewall 'plys' from the old days. Todaytires normally have 1, 2 to maybe more sidewall plysGoing to the next higher class tire will have 'LT' tires require more PSI tocarry the same weight as a 'P' class tire. So, check your wheels to make surethey are rated for themAlso note that 'P' class tires used on pickups are required to be de-rated a minof 9% of their sidewall listed rating. Whatever your truck came with from thefactory...the OEM has already calculated that de-rating of 9%

I am in the process of Buying a Ram 1500 diesel, and one of the things I looked at was the weird size tires that the Ram comes with. You are correct, the only LT tire in that size are the Nittos. That is why, I am planning on getting the Outdoorsman with the 17" LT tires standard. Then, I have much more to choose from. Just waiting for the $$$ if you know what I mean.Difference between LT and P rated is that the LTs are more stout and heavier. A big complaint about towing with P rated is the Jello feel from the tires. LT tires get rid of that feeling.Do you need LT tires? Probably not. But, you will probably feel a lot better with them.Could you possibly get a set of P rated snow tires for your current rims and get another set of rims, maybe 17" or 18" with a similar to stock sized tire as a replacement?

Your truck is required (by law) to have tires capable of handling the maximum weight your truck is rated to carry. This can mean either truck tires or passenger car tires. Truck tires (LT) are much more stable and make towing more comfortable but not absolutely necessary. I'd recommend you try it with your OEM tires and replace them with truck tires (if OEM is passenger car tires) if you feel it's necessary. For what it's worth, those brochure numbers for tongue weight are with an empty trailer so expect it to be quite a bit more when loaded. Best to ASSUME it will be 15% of the actual loaded trailer weight. Conventional trailers RANGE between 10% and 15% so plan on the worst case and go with 15%Good luck / Skip

Your best bet is to probably replace your wheels with something like a 16" or 17" rim. This will open up your choices for a true LT tire. Likely a D rating is plenty for your truck. Over the years you will buy several sets of tires and it will be easier every time to find the right size. Also, if you're in the middle of nowhere and put a large hole in one somehow it will be easier to find a replacement.I would tow with P rated tires. They will squirm around under the load. They're designed to ride soft, not hold up weight.

Have you considered "D" rated tires?

Tires for Towing | Good Sam Community

CKNSLS
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
chevor wrote:
You're really limited with 20" wheels. Switch to 18s or even 17s and tire choices are better. Possible switch to 19.5 commercial wheel but they are expensive.

His trailer is 5,300 pounds dry. There are plenty XL rated 20" tires he can run with the weight he is towing.

The General Grabbers come to mind, as well as the Nitto Crossteks. And many others.
chevor
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
You're really limited with 20" wheels. Switch to 18s or even 17s and tire choices are better. Possible switch to 19.5 commercial wheel but they are expensive.
CKNSLS
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
DJsFolly wrote:
Went to my local tire dealer concerned about tire weight rating. Trailer fully load 9,995 lbs. Four tires rated at 2,200 each, they pointed out 15 - 20% would be on my pin (5th wheel). Their suggestion if I wanted to upgrade my tires - Carlisle (made in the USA) Radial Trail RH LRE. They stock ST225/75R15E, they've had no problems with Carlisle. Please let me know if the dealer is just trying to sell tires.

The Carlisle Radial Trail has been improved about three years ago. Since those improvements there hasn't been any substantial complaints on this board. With that being said, I do believe they are made in China and not the USA.

I don't know if you already mentioned it or not, but what tire brand are currently on the trailer?

BTW-you have those on this forum who ran these tires 20 years ago tell you that they are not any good. As I mentioned, they are not even the same product.
kedanie
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2014
We're his lips moving?

Keith
DJsFolly
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
Went to my local tire dealer concerned about tire weight rating. Trailer fully load 9,995 lbs. Four tires rated at 2,200 each, they pointed out 15 - 20% would be on my pin (5th wheel). Their suggestion if I wanted to upgrade my tires - Carlisle (made in the USA) Radial Trail RH LRE. They stock ST225/75R15E, they've had no problems with Carlisle. Please let me know if the dealer is just trying to sell tires.
CKNSLS
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
Mr.Beebo wrote:
I was towing a 5500+lb camper with a half ton Chevy several years ago and went with E rated goodyears. Great tires but there was an obvious difference in the ride quality and mpgs did suffer a bit. E rated for what you are pulling may be a bit of overkill.

As I stated....I pulled a 5,000 pound TT all the way to the East Coast on "P" rated OEM tires. No issues.
Mr_Beebo
Explorer
Jun 23, 2014
I was towing a 5500+lb camper with a half ton Chevy several years ago and went with E rated goodyears. Great tires but there was an obvious difference in the ride quality and mpgs did suffer a bit. E rated for what you are pulling may be a bit of overkill.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Jun 22, 2014
minz wrote:
Snip...
Maybe I should start a new thread on if tire height could have hurt me so badly as to cost me from 55 MPH to 40 MPH over the hill?

Nawwww. All that would do is start a war between those who think you should be able to keep your speed up as normal when going up a mountain and those who think you should not. We really don't need another debate on that. :E :W
Barney
minz
Explorer
Jun 22, 2014
I just got new BFG’s All terrain T/A KO that you mention it the OP. I went with a 1” taller tire. I loved the tires until it was time to pull over the mountain. My truck is very similar to yours but a 08 2500 and this last year I was not able to pull over Mt. Hood at speed. I kept running the what had changed scenarios through my head and the only thing I could think of is that I got the extra inch to fill out the wheel well decent.
Maybe I should start a new thread on if tire height could have hurt me so badly as to cost me from 55 MPH to 40 MPH over the hill?
MitchF150
Explorer III
Jun 18, 2014
I've got the 20" wheels on my F150 and the tires are the Bridgestone Dueler, but the 'hwy' version.... Nice tire, but it's gonna suck in the snow! ;)

Towing my #5000 TT with the tires pumped up to the max 44 psi feels just like it did with my LT C 16" tires I had on my old F150..

I don't have any mushy or soft feel with the P tires at all.. Probably due to the lower "55" series profile my tires have. (P275/55/20).

I'm probably going to see how these do in the winter time and decide from there... I'll probably go with a P or XL tire regardless, just in an "A/T" tread design, as they have gobs of choices for those in my size...

Good luck!

Mitch