1) Family budget is tight right now. The dually is a dedicated TV, not a DD. I have 2 tires that really need replaced and four that are at about 35% tread life. Thinking of replacing 2 tires that need it now and 2 a few months later, then the final 2 about 2 months later. (3 sets of 2 tires) Any reason NOT to spread the tire purchase out? At my rate of driving there may be a 5,000 mile discrepancy between set 1 and set 3. 2) Assuming its OK to buy the tires in 3 sets of 2.... should I always put the new tires on the steer axle?3) Since I will be buying tires in 3 sets of 2 for the second set of two, should I put the good tires on the inside dually or on the outside?4) I will probably be buying Firestone Transforce or Cooper tires...However, I am open to other brands, anyone have experience with Kumo, Hankook, or other brand tires on a dually? I have heard that the two best dually tires are Firestone Transforce and Michelin's. I really want GOOD tires. 5) I run Simulators on my factory steel wheels. I can check my front tire pressure without removing the simulators, and the outer Dually, but the inner dually is impossible. Can I run "valve extenders" successfully for the inner dually tire?6) Should I have steel valve stems installed? Currently there is regular old rubber stems. Seem to be ok too. Thanks!Jeremiah

When I bought a new pair of tires for my dually motorhome, I put them both on the same side, so the outside diameters are equal.I would start with the front pair, then move to each side as you have the funds. However with 4 wheel drive, all the tires need to be the same outside diameter if in 4 wheel drive, so replace all at once.

Just match them by corner. Yes, I would to front first, then when you do the back, do one side, then the other. Of you mismatch diameters on the same corner, the tall one will wear faster, and if you're towing could get too hot.Valve extenders work just fine as long as you have steel valve stems. Tire stores around here usually mandate steel stems on duallies (proabbly since most end up with extensions). Best tires I have ever had at Toyo M55 tires. They are a commercial traction tire developed for the NW logging industry. Super good traction and mud, snow, and standing water. Dry traction is nearly as good as the Open Country A/Ts I used to run, and the ride is better. They have stood up well to very primitive rocky-road driving, sometimes at speed. And even towing at capacity at high speeds (80+) through the dessert when its over 110F degrees, the tires never get too hot (unlike the trailer tires).Main downside is cost. Also, you can hear them hum when the windows are down, they have low speed rating (89 MPH), and they are a heavy tire so it takes a little extra work and weight to balance them. I get about 50,000 out of my rears, and about 80k on the fronts. That is nearly double what I could get out of the Open Country tires.

Golden_HVAC wrote:WHowever with 4 wheel drive, all the tires need to be the same outside diameter if in 4 wheel drive, so replace all at once.Only if you're driving in 4WD on pavement. You get more tire scrub just turning, compared to a 1/2" difference in tire height. Some trucks don't even have perfectly matched front and rear axle ratios (4.09 rear with 4.10 is common).I would avoid really mismatched tires on the rear axle though if you have limited slip.

Awesome responses. I never thought about replacing the sides together. This truck is an open diff 2wd. I forgot to mention that.

The outers will 'usually' wear slightly faster than the inners. Ever thought to bring the spare into tire rotation and burn on it some? I remember seeing a rotation diagram in the owners manual on one of the trucks (might be in my current Dodge one...) Simple to do since you have steel wheels.

Random Dually Tire Questions | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

ksss
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
I would not run caps on the front. I have had issues. Granted on Class 8 trucks but I would never put a cap up front, even a pickup. My last set of caps I put on a Mack 613 have all failed, and I mean catastrophically failed. Tire store is standing behind them but certainly not an event to have happen on the steers. Personally I would not run caps on a pickup at all, but it is an option, I guess if you chose to do it.
Jarlaxle
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2013
jerem0621 wrote:
Jarlaxle wrote:

Treadwright.

Tell me more about these? How do they hold up? I called and they said they could send me a set on Michelin carcasses.

Thanks

Jeremiah

They hold up very well. If you do not use the truck in snow & ice, do NOT get the Kedge Grip...the non-KG will last longer. I will never run anything else. Mine are on BFG casings, my last set was on GY casings. I hale also seen Yokohama, General, and Michelin.
blt2ski
Moderator
Jun 23, 2013
ANYTHING BUT a michiblow carcass! Toyo, cooper, Good year, bridgstone....... The ones with all steel casings would be best if you go the retread/cap route! WHile it is legal in your case to run caps on fronts, most do not recomend you do so. I have to admit, I have done so, with no more issues than non capped tires. WHich is zero so far. rears on the other hand, have had issues with both capped and non capped thru the years.

Marty
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2013
Jarlaxle wrote:

Treadwright.

Tell me more about these? How do they hold up? I called and they said they could send me a set on Michelin carcasses.

Thanks

Jeremiah
ksss
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
I like the Hankook tires.
blt2ski
Moderator
Jun 23, 2013
You could do as I do, I run 245-75-16's on the front axel, and 215-85-16's on the rear. I replace the fronts as needed, rears as a set ie all 4 as needed. Need to get 4 for the rear right now, trying to decide on M55's again, at 1200, or Coopers at 800! Or firestone HT's at about 600-650 IRRC. Then again, I have gotten 80K outo f the m55's, just not sure if I will keep this truck or my c2500 in the next few months.......so there we go!

I do the same with my navistar, tractions in the rear replaced as a group of 4, and the fronts are hwy treads......granted the K3500 is a 4wd.....I do run 245-70-19.5 in the front of the IHC, and had 8r19.5's in the rear, but last set went with LR G 225-70-19.5s, as they will carry one heck of a lot more than the 8rs would. 245's were too wide for the rims.

If you have 235-85-16's, you could put a 265-75 up front, and 235's on the rear. I find the 75's seem to last up front longer than when I ran 85's.

Marty
Goose2448
Explorer
Jun 22, 2013
jerem0621 wrote:
Goose2448 wrote:
Do the fronts first, then just do all 4 in the rear. I run Mich's and they wear pretty good, as long as I dont do power slides and stuff. HAHA Don't know if you have 19.5s but if you do, you can just run the cheapest tire out there and and still get 100K+ on them. We did that on the old work truck I used to have.

Makes good sense. The rears would be fine to wait to replace all four. Y'all won't make too much fun of me for running a pair of Michelins on the front and four Firestones across the rear for a while....lol

Nope, used to run Hancook Steers and GY Drive tires. Then it was a mismatch of steer tires because it had an alinement issues we couldnt get fixed, and we would just buy the cheapest tire we could get. I do suggest getting the same load range. I run E on my truck and used to run J on the F550
Jarlaxle
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2013
jerem0621 wrote:
1) Family budget is tight right now. The dually is a dedicated TV, not a DD. I have 2 tires that really need replaced and four that are at about 35% tread life. Thinking of replacing 2 tires that need it now and 2 a few months later, then the final 2 about 2 months later. (3 sets of 2 tires) Any reason NOT to spread the tire purchase out? At my rate of driving there may be a 5,000 mile discrepancy between set 1 and set 3.

Shouldn't be an issue.

2) Assuming its OK to buy the tires in 3 sets of 2.... should I always put the new tires on the steer axle?

You always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS want the better tires on the REAR axle, one hundred percent of the time, no exceptions!

3) Since I will be buying tires in 3 sets of 2 for the second set of two, should I put the good tires on the inside dually or on the outside?

Each pair of duals should match.

4) I will probably be buying Firestone Transforce or Cooper tires...However, I am open to other brands, anyone have experience with Kumo, Hankook, or other brand tires on a dually? I have heard that the two best dually tires are Firestone Transforce and Michelin's. I really want GOOD tires.

Treadwright.

5) I run Simulators on my factory steel wheels. I can check my front tire pressure without removing the simulators, and the outer Dually, but the inner dually is impossible. Can I run "valve extenders" successfully for the inner dually tire?

I would throw away the "simulators" and would NEVER run extenders...but yes, it can be done.

6) Should I have steel valve stems installed? Currently there is regular old rubber stems. Seem to be ok too.

ABSOLUTELY YES! DO THIS IMMEDIATELY ON ALL SIX WHEELS!

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Yer welcome. :)
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2013
Goose2448 wrote:
Do the fronts first, then just do all 4 in the rear. I run Mich's and they wear pretty good, as long as I dont do power slides and stuff. HAHA Don't know if you have 19.5s but if you do, you can just run the cheapest tire out there and and still get 100K+ on them. We did that on the old work truck I used to have.

Makes good sense. The rears would be fine to wait to replace all four. Y'all won't make too much fun of me for running a pair of Michelins on the front and four Firestones across the rear for a while....lol
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2013
Supercharged wrote:
If the tire become unsafe, maybe it is time to stop RVing and go fishing.

Thanks Supercharged!!

Or I could just trade the truck in because it needs new tires. Lol

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Random Dually Tire Questions

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