Hi, guys. I know this is about the ten thousandth tire thread, but I would really like to hear from those who've been there and done that, so I don't make an expensive mistake. I want to do this project from the ground up literally, starting with tire selection. This spring I plan to move to a TC. Candidates in the lead are the AF 990, Lance 950S or 992. I'm expecting 4000 - 4500 depending on options wet and loaded based on my reading.I also will be towing my Jeep. Flat probably, but I want the option to use a trailer, so at least 500# tongue weight capacity as well.Truck is a 2011 Ram 3500 SRW, crew, diesel. On the scale, 3020# on the rear. I'm calling it 3200 with passenger. I like this truck, and would prefer to keep it. And I would prefer to stay with AT tires for preserving some off-road capability. But if it's not capable, I'll do what I need to, whether it's 19.5's or a new truck.So if I do the math, I come up with 8200 on the rear. That leads me to discard any of the 17" tires. Toyo 18" can get me to 4080 per tire, but that would have me right at the max. Looks to me like the solution is go to 265/70/19.5, which have plenty of options over 5000 per tire.Am I on target, or am I missing something?Thanks in advance.Mike

Hi Mike,What are the axles rated at?

Don, 10k according to my research. It's the 11.5 AAM axle.

Mike, your rear axle is the same one used on the DRW trucks and is rated at 9350 by Dodge and 10,912 by AAM. Your 17" option is the 285/75/17 Nitto Dura Grappler rated at 3970/tire. My dad has these on his 06 2500 Cummins and Lance 850. With a trailer he is maxed out. I think you will find that a 245/70R19.5 is your best option. The vision type 81 wheels are rated at 4500lbs and LRG 245/70R19.5's are generally 4540 at 110psi, a perfect match for 9000lbs on the rear. I personally have around 3000 miles on my LRG 245/70R19.5 setup with Toyo M608z mounted on vision type 81's. I have no intention of going back to LT tires for anything but my 2 weeks of elk hunting. They are smoother, quieter, sturdier, and most of all handle a load like no LT tire can. You do feel the road more, but not in a rough way. You already have the same frame/axle as a dually and the main leaf pack is the same. All the dually has is 2 more tires and the overloads. The tires are easily fixed with 19.5's and the overloads with airbags, throw a big wig swaybar on there and hit the road. I don't recommend 265's, with the 0 offset wheels they will likely rub on a stock truck.

Mike go with the 19.5s on the SRW or get a Dually don't mess around with having the load near tire capacitythis was rated at 3750 I was at 7100 pounds with a load rating of 7500. $4500 worth of body damage. I am waiting on my steel Rickson wheels rated at 5000 to be delivered and I will put 19.5 Toyos rated at 4850 on them

Thanks, John for that detailed answer. You can always count on this place to find some great information. Good point about the change in offset- I had not considered that. IIRC that gives about 3" more track width, which should help with stability too?Buzz, what kind of lead time are you seeing on those Ricksons? Seems to be a lot of reports commenting on that. I called several times today and could not get them on the phone...

Help with tire choice | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

AH64ID
Explorer
Mar 27, 2014
I ordered my alum Visions on ebay, best price I found and here within a week.

To me the added weight of the steel isn't worth the cost for 350lbs gain. The 245 gets you 9000, the DRW RAWR is 9350 with a 10,912 axle and 12K worth of tires. IMHO, stay at 9,350 or less.

Buzz, what psi where you running in the 285's? Slow leak, or road hazard? I really doubt it was weight related unless they where under inflated, or heavier than you thought. Just thinking out lout... I see all kinds of overloaded 265/70R17, by thousands of lbs, and rarely see a blowout. Not condoning, just saying. I run 19.5's and rarely top 6200 on the rear axle, so you know where I stand.
Ductape
Explorer
Mar 27, 2014
Thanks, John for that detailed answer. You can always count on this place to find some great information. Good point about the change in offset- I had not considered that. IIRC that gives about 3" more track width, which should help with stability too?

Buzz, what kind of lead time are you seeing on those Ricksons? Seems to be a lot of reports commenting on that. I called several times today and could not get them on the phone...
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Mar 27, 2014
Mike go with the 19.5s on the SRW or get a Dually don't mess around with having the load near tire capacity

this was rated at 3750 I was at 7100 pounds with a load rating of 7500. $4500 worth of body damage. I am waiting on my steel Rickson wheels rated at 5000 to be delivered and I will put 19.5 Toyos rated at 4850 on them
AH64ID
Explorer
Mar 27, 2014
Mike, your rear axle is the same one used on the DRW trucks and is rated at 9350 by Dodge and 10,912 by AAM.

Your 17" option is the 285/75/17 Nitto Dura Grappler rated at 3970/tire. My dad has these on his 06 2500 Cummins and Lance 850. With a trailer he is maxed out.

I think you will find that a 245/70R19.5 is your best option. The vision type 81 wheels are rated at 4500lbs and LRG 245/70R19.5's are generally 4540 at 110psi, a perfect match for 9000lbs on the rear.

I personally have around 3000 miles on my LRG 245/70R19.5 setup with Toyo M608z mounted on vision type 81's. I have no intention of going back to LT tires for anything but my 2 weeks of elk hunting. They are smoother, quieter, sturdier, and most of all handle a load like no LT tire can. You do feel the road more, but not in a rough way.

You already have the same frame/axle as a dually and the main leaf pack is the same. All the dually has is 2 more tires and the overloads. The tires are easily fixed with 19.5's and the overloads with airbags, throw a big wig swaybar on there and hit the road.

I don't recommend 265's, with the 0 offset wheels they will likely rub on a stock truck.
Ductape
Explorer
Mar 27, 2014
Don, 10k according to my research. It's the 11.5 AAM axle.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Mar 26, 2014
Hi Mike,

What are the axles rated at?

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Help with tire choice

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