Help me choose LT Tires

[RobWNY]

I plan on upgrading my P rated Goodyear tires with LT E rated tires. I have looked at and received quotes on 3 different tire brands. The Michelin LTX MS2 (70K warranty), the General HTS (45K warranty) and the Cooper A/T3 (55K warranty). The Michelin tires are $150 more than the General and Cooper tires which are within a couple of dollars of each other. I know the ride is going to be a lot stiffer than the P rated tires provide but I would like tires that aren't excessively loud while going down the road. Out of these 3 tires, which would you choose?

[Dandy_Dan]

I got over 75,000 miles on my original BFG Rugged Trail TA's. Put the same thing back on. Have Michelin XPS on the 5er. Good Luck in your search.

[tatest]

Since my friendly family tire dealer switched from Cooper to Bridgestone as their primary brand, I would probably choose Firestone Transforce HT. Had they gone to Goodyear, my choice would be Wrangler HT.

OEM is Michelin LTX M/S2, which I find to be a great tire in this class, but somewhat overpriced. The Load Range E is a different tire, extra body ply, from the tire with the same name sold in lighter weights for the 1/2 ton and SUV markets.

Michelin, Bridgestone, and Goodyear all make some Load Range E LT tires with all-steel construction, which I would choose for my motorhome (most recent replacements were XPS Rib) but I prefer the smoother ride of the polyester body tires on vehicles that are not all the time fully loaded, and the tires are a lot cheaper.

I consider the choice of a good full service tire dealer more important than tire brand, so I'll go with the major brand my dealer carries. Goodyear/Dunlop, Bridgestone/Firestone, Michelin/BFG/Uniroyal all produce equivalent tires, and other European, Japanese and Korean manufacturers have satisfactory equivalents covering some part ot the market. I like the majors because I've figured out where their different tire models are positioned.

If you are buying from big box stores with no expectation of service, you might choose on nickel and dime dufference in prices, so long as you understand what that price includes, because warranties and service policies are alway part of the sale price, whether itemized or not.

[Majja13]

RobWNY wrote:
I had a change of plan. I traded in my F150 for a 2015 Chevy 2500HD Double Cab and it has LTX M/S2 tires so I'm all set for now. Thanks to all that posted!

What a great way to get new tires. Tell the wife you are going out to get new tires and come home with a new truck. I like it.

[Eowens]

I'm running Toyo AT II's on my Dodge 2500 and Toyo Open Country HT's on my wife's Tahoe. Love Toyo's, they balance easy and wear nice.

[Cummins12V98]

RobWNY wrote:
I had a change of plan. I traded in my F150 for a 2015 Chevy 2500HD Double Cab and it has LTX M/S2 tires so I'm all set for now. Thanks to all that posted!

Good call on the tires 😉

You will be much safer with the 2500!

[RobWNY]

I had a change of plan. I traded in my F150 for a 2015 Chevy 2500HD Double Cab and it has LTX M/S2 tires so I'm all set for now. Thanks to all that posted!

[Cummins12V98]

RobWNY wrote:
I guess I should ask another question before making a purchase of new tires. Most everyone says to upgrade from P rated tires to an LT tire but what can I expect? I know it's a much stiffer ride, that's a given with stiffer sidewalls but will it really improve how the towing experience feels? When I am towing, the experience I feel is hard to explain. Kind of like wandering ever so slightly or driving on marshmallows or in a rowboat on calm water where you may move ever so slightly one way and then the other. Like I said, It's hard to explain so I hope you get the idea of what it feels like to me.

From your statement I will bet you are towing a TT.

Upgrade to LT tires then go weigh your axles, now use those weights to compare to the weight/inflation chart for the new tires. Add 5 psi to what the chart says same goes for unloaded weights.

[coolbreeze01]

E rated, aired-up, LT tires won't feel squishy.

[RobWNY]

I guess I should ask another question before making a purchase of new tires. Most everyone says to upgrade from P rated tires to an LT tire but what can I expect? I know it's a much stiffer ride, that's a given with stiffer sidewalls but will it really improve how the towing experience feels? When I am towing, the experience I feel is hard to explain. Kind of like wandering ever so slightly or driving on marshmallows or in a rowboat on calm water where you may move ever so slightly one way and then the other. Like I said, It's hard to explain so I hope you get the idea of what it feels like to me.

[bucky]

You also need to be aware that AT tires do not have the same weight ratings as the comparable tire in a HT. I don't know why, but it forced me into HTs because of my pin weight. 1010tires.com has an excellent tech section if you are interested.

As to the rating for the Ford wheel, I'm thinking it has to be somwhere. Maybe the tire has to be broken down. DOT is all over stuff like this for tire worker safety, that's why some bigger stuff requires cages to protect the worker. If pick up trucks are not classified as "passenger vehicles" than Standard 120 would apply. The following is from the DOT site.

Standard No. 120 - Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other Than Passenger Cars - Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks, Buses, Trailers, and Motorcycles, to Rims for use on those vehicles, and to Non-Pneumatic Spare Tire Assemblies for use on those vehicles
(Effective 8-1-76)
This standard specifies tire and rim selection requirements and rim marking requirements. Its purpose is to provide safe operational performance by ensuring that vehicles to which it applies are equipped with tires of adequate size and load rating and with rims of appropriate size, type designation, and manufacturer identification.

[time2roll]

I recommend Goodyear Wrangler® All-Terrain Adventure With Kevlar®

[dspencer]

I just replaced my P rated Generals on my Silverado 1500 with LT Firestone TransForce AT C rated tires. I haven't towed yet but will do that tomorrow, I tell very little difference in ride not towing.

[RAS43]

I noticed that no one recommended the General tires. Good move! Generals never served me well anytime I ended up with them.

Presently I have Michelin LTX M/S or M/S2 on all three vehicles and they are doing well. The oldest are 9 years old with no cracking but are ready for replacement. They are on our Honda Ridgeline.

[coolbreeze01]

RobWNY wrote:
I plan on upgrading my P rated Goodyear tires with LT E rated tires. I have looked at and received quotes on 3 different tire brands. The Michelin LTX MS2 (70K warranty), the General HTS (45K warranty) and the Cooper A/T3 (55K warranty). The Michelin tires are $150 more than the General and Cooper tires which are within a couple of dollars of each other. I know the ride is going to be a lot stiffer than the P rated tires provide but I would like tires that aren't excessively loud while going down the road. Out of these 3 tires, which would you choose?

Of the three you list, I would buy the Michelin's as I've had good luck with them in the past.
I am currently testing a set of Made in USA Nitto's that are working well, and would certainly consider them when I wear these out.
I just bought a set of Made in Japan Toyo AT II's for the car and at 5,000 miles, I'm liking them.