Need new tires on my F350 as the OEM's have worn out. So I am shopping tires where we usually get them but that's always been passenger vehicles without any concern about load rating. So I call them up and tell them what I need - 275/70/18's with an E load rating. Guy tells me they have Michelin defenders (good tires, my wife has them on our CRV) but he seems confused about load rating. He said they are an R rating. I said that's rotation/speed not load. He tells me they are rated for 3,000 lbs. That sounds beefier than an E rated tire and I have concerns about harsh ride? He went into some spiel about how the quality of the rubber really matters more than load and sidewall flex. I was like , "Huh"? Anyway, the load rating seemed elusive to him and his price was $323/tire which seems high. I think the obvious choice is to call around, but this dude who is normally great about anything cars, seemed confused about truck tires. Or am I?

Not sure who is confused more. Tire guy or you.First, it's just too hard to look at your current tires and see the load rating, or use the internet, I guess?275-70-18 E is a common OE size they are (all) 125 load rating or 3638lbs rated. How soft or harsh a tire rides is 90-95% air pressure and very little to do with it's load rating or treadlife. Price for the tire you picked out is not horrible. Online they're about $280-$310. Again something you can find out yourself pretty easy with the ole googler or calling other tire shops.

No, he needs to read about tire specs (with a pair of spectacles). QRSTUV...Z are speed ratings, Load ratings are usually CDE and F. E load rating is around 3000lbs.

Well I would say 3000lbs for that size in E load is a bit short should be more like 3680. And in fact the Michelin Defender m/s tire in that size is 3680lbs @ 80psi with a speed rating of R (106 mph). I would suspect that if you looked up your oem tires you would find the same perhaps different speed ratingYou are not confused he is and if you hadn't used them in the past I would be moving along to the next salesperson or tire store. I personally am not sure I could hold a straight face or not make some sort of snarky comment while walking out the door based on his comments about rubber quality vs load rating. Both are important but doesn't matter how high of quality the rubber is if it cant handle the load.I am looking at new tires as well and was also surprised at the cost, they have certainly gone up since my last set about 2 years ago. My tire needs are probably different than yours but looking at some Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs same size and load range are in that range. However at Tire rack those duratracs are 338ea those michelins I looked up are 281ea. so I would say it may be worth your while to shop around and or at the least find a more competent salesperson.

Shopping new tires - is my shop confused or am I?

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Oct 19, 2022
Grit dog wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
My 14" tires on my boat trailer OE were "C" full inflation 50psi and I went to same size in "D" and I run them at 50psi. Weight/inflation chart dictated 45psi based on load. I always add 5psi (per GY Tech) when up sizing load range so 50 is the perfect number as I have towed at least 25k at that pressure with perfect tread wear.

Bonus of having extra capacity if needed was when I recently had a total hub bearing failure and aired up the one tire to 70psi and towed home on back roads for 60 miles with the single tire only getting to less than 120 degrees.

God bless torsion axles. Didn't even need to chain up the dead wheel!

I actually put the "C" spare on and it was 1/2 flat and I knew that would not have worked!

I have an extra complete hub assembly on a spindle now and the tools to change if needed in about 15 minutes. That stays on the Boat.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 18, 2022
Cummins12V98 wrote:
My 14" tires on my boat trailer OE were "C" full inflation 50psi and I went to same size in "D" and I run them at 50psi. Weight/inflation chart dictated 45psi based on load. I always add 5psi (per GY Tech) when up sizing load range so 50 is the perfect number as I have towed at least 25k at that pressure with perfect tread wear.

Bonus of having extra capacity if needed was when I recently had a total hub bearing failure and aired up the one tire to 70psi and towed home on back roads for 60 miles with the single tire only getting to less than 120 degrees.

God bless torsion axles. Didn't even need to chain up the dead wheel!
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Oct 18, 2022
My 14" tires on my boat trailer OE were "C" full inflation 50psi and I went to same size in "D" and I run them at 50psi. Weight/inflation chart dictated 45psi based on load. I always add 5psi (per GY Tech) when up sizing load range so 50 is the perfect number as I have towed at least 25k at that pressure with perfect tread wear.

Bonus of having extra capacity if needed was when I recently had a total hub bearing failure and aired up the one tire to 70psi and towed home on back roads for 60 miles with the single tire only getting to less than 120 degrees.
CapriRacer
Explorer II
Oct 18, 2022
mkirsch wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
The ABCD... is an old system based on how many nylon plies the tire is made from...

I'd have to go back and look to verify, but I don't think that the OEM 245/75R16 tires off Dad's 1989 Chevy C2500 Scottsdale have an LT designation or an ABCDE load range rating. They just say "10 ply rating."

So ply rating was how it started. Then at some point in the 80's or 90's they must have adopted the LT-ABCDE system. Later on they started this load index/speed rating deal. Now pickup truck tires have ALL THREE which makes it confusing. IF you're not up on the legacy nomenclature you and the customer are talking two different languages.

Here's a copy of a page from the 1970 Tire and Rim Association Yearbook that has Load Range and Not Ply Rating: Barry's Tire Tech: 1970 TRA, page 2-04

The TRA yearbook from 1960 still uses PR, so somewhere in the 1960's is when they started using Load Ranges.

And according to Tire Guides, your 1989 C2500 will show an LT245/75R16 Load Range C or D and it had Load Range on the placard and the tire. Nowadays, you can only get Load Range E's in an LT245/75R16, but that's OK because the load carrying capacity of a Load Range E at the same pressure as a LR C or D is the same.
PastorCharlie
Explorer
Oct 17, 2022
High mileage tires have a harder rubber compound than low mileage tires. That is why tires have 40,000 miles or 80,000 miles ratings.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Oct 17, 2022
Mike134 wrote:
BB_TX wrote:
pasusan wrote:
Tvov wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
I would take a hard pass on any Michelin tire.

Look for an E rated tire in another name brand. I had Generals on my Excursion and was very happy with them.

What happened with Michelin? On these forums they are usually considered one of the best brands.
Yeah - Michelins are our go to tire now - and we have been buying tires for a looooong time.

Same here. Been using Michelin for over 30 years on my trucks and my wife's various cars and SUVs and never any problem with any of them. And great mileage from them also.

Yep same here.

Every one I have had and have seen is dry rotted and cracked after 3 years, so much so I wouldn’t trust them. And I sure wouldn’t spend the money on one.
Oh well, data point of 1 that had bad luck.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 17, 2022
valhalla360 wrote:
The ABCD... is an old system based on how many nylon plies the tire is made from...

I'd have to go back and look to verify, but I don't think that the OEM 245/75R16 tires off Dad's 1989 Chevy C2500 Scottsdale have an LT designation or an ABCDE load range rating. They just say "10 ply rating."

So ply rating was how it started. Then at some point in the 80's or 90's they must have adopted the LT-ABCDE system. Later on they started this load index/speed rating deal. Now pickup truck tires have ALL THREE which makes it confusing. IF you're not up on the legacy nomenclature you and the customer are talking two different languages.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Oct 15, 2022
Tire Size
LT275/70R18 Single Tire - the OEM 20's have similar ratings.
35 psi 2070 lbs
40 psi 2270 lbs
45 psi 2470 lbs
50 psi 2680 lbs (C) 115
55 psi 2840 lbs
60 psi 3020 lbs
65 psi 3195 lbs (D) 121
70 psi 3360 lbs
75 psi 3530 lbs
80 psi 3640 lbs (E) 125
95 psi 3970 lbs (F) 128
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 14, 2022
I agree the tire guy was confused or mixing up some terminology with sales talk. Needs more tire technical training.

I always direct the salesman to the exact tire I want. Only thing to discuss is price.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Oct 14, 2022
I can legitimately claim near one million miles on Michelin's. I have used BFG's, General's along with a few others. Michelin hands down netted at least 20% more miles. ONE set only made it to 40k on my DRW, next set has 55k with lots of tread left.

Only reason one may not get good mileage with Michelin's is they are simply hard on tires and usually over inflate the rears and under inflate the fronts.