4 years ago when I put higher load rated wheels and tires on my 2500HD I went with 17x8.5" wheels with Nitto Dura Grappler 285/70R17E tires rated at 3750. This was a fairly new tire at the time and Nitto also sold the Terra Grappler in this size rated at 3750 and Toyo had the Open Country AT in this size rated at 3740. I figured by the time the Dura Grapplers wore out there would be more options. I was dead wrong. Nitto discontinued the orig Terra Grappler and replaced it with the Terra Grappler G2, the 285/70R17E for this tire is rated at 3195. Toyo replaced the Open Country AT with the AT2 rated at 3195. All that's left rated at 3750 is the Dura Grappler and unfortunately it is aweful in the snow which is bad in New England. I should have stuck with 16" wheels, tons of tire options rated at 3750 in the 285/75R16E size and very good prices too. Somewhere along the way the tire MFG got together and decided that 17" wheels were not going to be good for heavy loads. Newer trucks will have to go 18" due to rotors being so big, my 2007 classic came with 16s so I'm going back to them now.

Tires are so complicated now days.

Manufacturers are only going to market what they can sell. Most likely they were getting very few sales to folks with 17" and needing 3750# tires.

Yep...much more to pick from in 16" wheels/tires.We are running 16" GM steelies and Nitto Duragrappler in 285/75/16 rated at 3750#Great combo...VERY beefy tire.Bill

New trucks do not require 18" tires to clear the rotors, least not Ram. I could have gone with a 17" tire on my new truck but would have lost ~1,000 pound cargo capacity.Will have to check with my father, but he is running a 10 ply 3750 17" tire and it isn't any that you mentioned. He isn't after an aggressive tire so that may be the issue.

I have Cooper HT3 LT265/70R17 that are 3195 Thats all Cooper does with theirs too.

For all considering 17" wheels read here first!

AH64ID
Explorer
May 15, 2015
It does not work according to standard logic and is frustrating for owners of 17's that need extra capacity.
SlideInDad
Explorer
May 15, 2015
AH64ID wrote:
...
I understand there is a federal reg limiting 17's and that is why tires are dropping from 37xx and 39xx to 3195lbs.

I thought this sounded ridiculous but in looking at these screenshots from Toyo's website maybe it's true. Notice how every tire size from a 245/75R17E to a 35x12.5E is rated at 3195! Since load rating is a calculation using air volume, heat and tire design this makes no sense. In both 16" and 18" the loads climb as the sizes go up. These are all the same Toyo Open Country AT2 tires?

Somewhere along the way the big 3 truck mfg got together with the tire mfg and decided that going forward all 17" wheels will be for 3/4 ton trucks that will never need more than 3195lbs tire capacity. 1 ton SRW must have 18" or 20" wheels. They then decided it was too much effort and too late in the game to make all the tire mfg change there 16" ratings. Of course I'm speculating all of this but starting to think I just put any Nitto or Toyo 285/70R17E tire on my truck I want and it will be fine even though the print says 3195.
AH64ID
Explorer
May 14, 2015
Those are a good looking wheel.

It appears they have been discontinued.

Leveling kits on these trucks actually decrease clearance to the firewall, but add it to the bumper.

I run a 1" with my truck and clear the 19.5s easily, but chains wouldn't fit due to the offset. I can clear chains with my 255/80R17s on OEM wheels.

I went from a 2" to a 1" level several years back and my ride was remarkably improved. The OEM control arms are at too much of an angle with the 2".
smooth1
Explorer
May 14, 2015

1st time with pictures... I do have a 2" leveling lift I put on when I had 35 x 12.5 Hankooks. Not sure if I would need it for these 295's or my 245 19.5's.
smooth1
Explorer
May 14, 2015
AH64ID wrote:
SlideInDad wrote:
smooth1 wrote:
Toyo MT's at 3970lbs --- 295-70-17. Running them with American Racing wheels rated at 3,800lbs. I switch to 19.5's in the summer to tow the 7,000lb boat camper combo and save some tread life on the MT's.

I may need to consider this tire and get it siped. This and Dura Grappler appear to be the only tires still being mfg for 17" wheels with ratings above 3195. Damn heavy tire though but truck will look mean:) May need to tap into those Dmax reserves with some diesel goodies like air intakes and exhaust to counter the added rotational unsprung weight;)

Smooth1...Thats a decent rated aftermarket wheel, which model is it? I searched and never found any that high last year.

They are the 889 Dagger wheels. The pictures online show a 22" x 5-lug wheel and it looks nothing like the 17" x 8-lug set-up for our trucks. I will try to post a picture...
SlideInDad
Explorer
May 14, 2015
Grit dog wrote:

Toyo MTs siped are great in the snow. About as close to a true snow tire as you can get.
Anyone who thinks siping tires with big tread blocks is destroying the tire or dangerous etc is f o s! I don't think it increases tire wear either but hard to tell since I burned mine up quicker with the camper on the back. Way too many variables between road conditions, load, tread design, compound etc to say without head to head long term testing.
I can say that siping the center 2 tread blocks made for some sticky tires in the greasy wet WA snow.

I am leaning this way as it actually increases my load capacity 440lbs as rear tires are currently my weakest link even at 3750
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 14, 2015
SlideInDad wrote:
AH64ID wrote:
They look good!

Don't forget about the Durra Grappler, still a 3,750lb option.

Yes but the original point of this post was to find a better snow tire with 3750 or higher rating for 17" wheels, or just simply gripe about the fact that there are none;)

I currently have the Dura Grappler 3750 and it did not do well at all in our record snowfall year in the greater Boston area. My Jeep Rubicon ran circles around my 2500HD in the snow and the stock BFG MT tires on that are not known for snow traction. Since I'm trying to avoid the Dura grappler my only current options appear to be trying to find four of the original Terra Grapplers in 285/70R17E, ebay has some, or the Toyo M/T 295/70R17E. Neither M/T nor TG rated for snow but I've read the M/T(if you get them Siped) is good in the snow. TG doesn't have great snow reports from what I've read. Short of that I have to change to either 16" or 18" wheels.

Toyo MTs siped are great in the snow. About as close to a true snow tire as you can get.
Anyone who thinks siping tires with big tread blocks is destroying the tire or dangerous etc is f o s! I don't think it increases tire wear either but hard to tell since I burned mine up quicker with the camper on the back. Way too many variables between road conditions, load, tread design, compound etc to say without head to head long term testing.
I can say that siping the center 2 tread blocks made for some sticky tires in the greasy wet WA snow.
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 14, 2015
billtex wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
Yup but actually 20s are the new 18 now.
FWIW all Ram wheels will fit on 8x6.5 GM axles and my GM hubcaps fit over them. There's a lot of 18" Ram takeoff wheels for sale now. 20s too but they have a molded in hubcap so you're stuck with a ram s head on your chebbies wheels!

Aren't the 20's bling wheels though...Low profile-light weight index?

I don't think you would want these for hauling...

Some are I suppose but not for HD pickups.
20s are now stock on a lot of 1 ton pickups and not really low profile. 60-65 aspect ratios leave more than enough sidewall for bouncing off rocks, curbs and potholes.
A lot of 20" LT tires in the mid to high 3000s for load cap and a couple over 4k.
SlideInDad
Explorer
May 14, 2015
My bad, duplicate ^
SlideInDad
Explorer
May 14, 2015
AH64ID wrote:
They look good!

Don't forget about the Durra Grappler, still a 3,750lb option.

Yes but the original point of this post was to find a better snow tire with 3750 or higher rating for 17" wheels, or just simply gripe about the fact that there are none;)

I currently have the Dura Grappler 3750 and it did not do well at all in our record snowfall year in the greater Boston area. My Jeep Rubicon ran circles around my 2500HD in the snow and the stock BFG MT tires on that are not known for snow traction. Since I'm trying to avoid the Dura grappler my only current options appear to be trying to find four of the original Terra Grapplers in 285/70R17E, ebay has some, or the Toyo M/T 295/70R17E. Neither M/T nor TG rated for snow but I've read the M/T(if you get them Siped) is good in the snow. TG doesn't have great snow reports from what I've read. Short of that I have to change to either 16" or 18" wheels.