Last Thursday, I replaced the OEM BF Goodrich Rugged Trail LT245/75R17 LRE tires with the identical sized BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2 tire.Up until last Thursday, my truck with the OEM tires (always inflated to 55# front/60# rear per the yellow sticker on the door jam) and the Jay Flight 23RB trailer were an extremely stable combo. 99.9% of all passing 18 wheelers never wiggled the combo. Normal winds had little effect.However, the first tow with the new tires and same trailer, loaded about the same, was closer to a white knuckle affair. The air pressure in the new tires was the same as the OEM tires, 55# front/60# rear.Would it help if the new tires were aired up more? Say to 65 or 70 in the rears, and 5 to 10 pounds more in the front?The basic tread design is exactly the same between the two tires. However, the new tires are 3 pounds heavier per tire, has a slightly deeper tread, and counting the heavier, larger shoulder lugs, is about .5 inches wider.Any thoughts?

I had the same problem going from Michelin to Firestone on the rear of my truck.They got better on the return trip from M.B with no pressure change. I think they had to break in a little.

I would give it a try, just don't go over the max pressure on the tires themselves. Also try inflating front and rear the same, see how that works. You have a good hitch setup, probably transferring a lot of weight to the front of the truck.

Yes, they need to go through some heat cycles. Give them a thousand miles. I would also up the pressure as you recommended. I don’t like running “E” rated tires below 60 psi.

Speaking of hitches and weight distribution - try adjusting the hitch for a little more (or less) weight distribution. With my camper, I like to tow with a heavier tongue, feels better. Also, have you changed anything in the camper? Moved things around? Any extra weight anywhere? Try moving stuff around to change the weight distribution inside the camper.

My experience with new tires is a break-in period makes a big difference. They do seem to squirm more, even when not towing, but airing them higher has helped, until adding some miles. It takes some miles, more being better, but by 5K, it is what it is.Jerry

Could it be simply a matter of more air in the tires?

15 Replies

CapriRacer
Explorer II
May 31, 2019
Atlee wrote:
Last Thursday, I replaced the OEM BF Goodrich Rugged Trail LT245/75R17 LRE tires with the identical sized BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2 tire.

Up until last Thursday, my truck with the OEM tires (always inflated to 55# front/60# rear per the yellow sticker on the door jam) and the Jay Flight 23RB trailer were an extremely stable combo. 99.9% of all passing 18 wheelers never wiggled the combo. Normal winds had little effect.

However, the first tow with the new tires and same trailer, loaded about the same, was closer to a white knuckle affair. The air pressure in the new tires was the same as the OEM tires, 55# front/60# rear.

Would it help if the new tires were aired up more? Say to 65 or 70 in the rears, and 5 to 10 pounds more in the front?

The basic tread design is exactly the same between the two tires. However, the new tires are 3 pounds heavier per tire, has a slightly deeper tread, and counting the heavier, larger shoulder lugs, is about .5 inches wider.

Any thoughts?

Seems that the latest mold release compounds causes the tires to initially be a bit squirmy (how's that for a technical term?) until it wears off. This seems to be worse for LT tires than for passenger car tires, but it happens there, too.
Atlee
Explorer II
May 31, 2019
Grit dog wrote:
Sorry, you meant the basic shape of the individual treads was very similar.
Much like 2 trucks can look the same, same bed, same year, same color and be totally different.
Those 2 tires are effectively way different tread.

Yeah, tread pattern would have been a better term perhaps.
grizz272
Explorer
May 31, 2019
I bought a new F350 srw last year> I follwed the break in instructions to the letter. Hooked the Fifth wheel up and took off on a 4000 mile trip. The first 800 miles were a real treat. I had never heard of tire squirm before this. It is a real thing. It will settle down after about 100 miles.
Grit_dog
Navigator II
May 30, 2019
Sorry, you meant the basic shape of the individual treads was very similar.
Much like 2 trucks can look the same, same bed, same year, same color and be totally different.
Those 2 tires are effectively way different tread.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
May 30, 2019
Tire squirm and tread design have nothing to do with each other. NOTHING!

I put some new Bridgestone Duravas street tires on my truck and the thing was so ridiculously lose driving home I thought I was going to lose control several times. (this coming from someone that drives cars at over 140MPH)

It took over 500 miles to get good and over 1,000 miles to get really good. After that they were a good tire.
Atlee
Explorer II
May 30, 2019
Grit dog wrote:
Squirmy new tires, it'll go away.
FWIW, they are not the same basic tread design, not even close.
Rugged Trails (cute name, considering they are one of the harder compound, non snow, non AT, non mud tires out there) are pure pavement pounder tires. Great wear, no noise, smooth.
BFG AT's are almost the exact opposite. Just about as aggressive of an AT tire as you can buy before it's considered a mud tire. Excellent traction in all conditions. Not loud, but louder than highway tires. Softer compound, wear quicker.
Great tires, just different than your previous tires.

The tread design is exactly the same. What I call "dog bone". The center cleat looks like a dog bone.

I do agree the "Rugged Trail" tires aren't that aggressive. This is especially true on the shoulder of the tires. The block tread on the outside and inside shoulder are large and very separated. I think that is where some of the extra 3 pounds and extra .5" width of the tread comes in.
Grit_dog
Navigator II
May 30, 2019
Squirmy new tires, it'll go away.
FWIW, they are not the same basic tread design, not even close.
Rugged Trails (cute name, considering they are one of the harder compound, non snow, non AT, non mud tires out there) are pure pavement pounder tires. Great wear, no noise, smooth.
BFG AT's are almost the exact opposite. Just about as aggressive of an AT tire as you can buy before it's considered a mud tire. Excellent traction in all conditions. Not loud, but louder than highway tires. Softer compound, wear quicker.
Great tires, just different than your previous tires.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
May 30, 2019
Read all about your problems HERE.

Replacing tires on a TV right before a vacation trip is akin to buying new hiking boots right before a big hiking trip. "Some" tires, like boots take a while to break in.
IdaD
Explorer
May 30, 2019
KO2s are squirmy at first. Put some miles on them and it'll go away.
carringb
Explorer
May 30, 2019
^What they said. The first 500 miles (A/T tires especially) are noticeably squirmy. Some brands worse than others but it might just be an affect of how "green' the tires are.

Since the new tires are wider, you actually might see better handling with slightly less pressure, as wider tires carry more load for the same PSI. Running the same PSI can keep the tire shoulders from making good contact.

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Could it be simply a matter of more air in the tires?

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