Tire recommendations for pick up truck for towing

[Roger745]

I have a 2018 Silverado 1500 LT that use to pull my TT. Looking for suggestions for quality tires for my truck. Not really interested in Chinese products.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Grit_dog]

^On the Toyos, I’d say it’s him, not the tire.

[ksss]

I have now have three pickups with the Wildpeak's on them and one DRW with the Toyo AT3. Very similar tread pattern. Happy with both so far. The WP is a really good tire for the money. Not as HD as the Nitto EXO, but not as expensive and I get better MPG with the WP. A buddy has the Toyo AT3 on his 2500 and they are wearing very quickly. I only have 15K on mine so not sure if its him or the tires.

[Roger745]

I'd like to thank all of you for corresponding to my post. You have given me a lot of great ideas and choices as well as your experiences. I appreciate the assistance very much.
HAPPY TRAILS!!

Roger Singer
KG7NTP

[hondapro]

IdaD wrote:
Falken Wildpeak AT3W. Best tire I've ever run on a truck, and they hold up to an HD diesel. I think they'd be great on a half ton too.

I also run the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W. They are a great tire.

[Grit_dog]

Well, the OP hasn’t been back to provide any more criteria to help the internet jury decide his tire fate! Lol
But since we’re on to snow performance….
I’d rank Duratracs, Cooper AT3s, Toyo AT, Terra Grapplers and Bfg ATs all very similar in snow. And all are even better if the tires are siped. (That works for all tires, even a highway tread tire will be noticeably improved in wet/snow/ice with additional siping)
The Coopers Toyos and Nitto Terras are the quietest, with terra graps being slightly louder. Then the BFG AT and loudest is the Duratrac which is like 90% MT tire slightly toned down with some factory siping of the treads.
I love Duratrac traction and durability. Have another set on my company truck currently. (At least it’s a good set of tires from the factory and not the typical cheap baloney skins that you can’t wait to pop or wear out….) But they basically sound and handle like a mud tire.

[Grit_dog]

valhalla360 wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Whatever you choose be sure it's a "D" or "E" load range.

Look up the axle rating then pick a "Load Index Rating" that meets or exceeds the axle rating.

Load E can have a variety of actual load ratings. The letter grades are an old system from the days when they added extra plys to the tire to make it stronger. The more plys the further into the alphabet the letter grade went.

Modern tires don't add plys. They change the steel in the tire without adding plys.

Load Index Rating gives you the actual capability in pounds.

And yet, any tire in an applicable size for any of the common rim sizes on that truck will have a Load Index that is somewhere between adequate at the very worst case and overkill. Most will be overkill.

Likely but not certain, so why not use a direct measurement of load rating.

No. It’s a certainty. Well unless the buyer thinks they’re buying D or E load and actually buy P load tires.

[Thermoguy]

I got over 70K on the OEM Goodyear Wrangler tires on my 2500 - many of those miles were towing a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer. Went ahead and put the same tires back on. Hope to get another 70K miles out of them. LT tires have the weight rating to match the truck, so should be plenty of tire for your 1500.

[JIMNLIN]

Roger745 wrote:
I have a 2018 Silverado 1500 LT that use to pull my TT. Looking for suggestions for quality tires for my truck. Not really interested in Chinese products.
Any thoughts are appreciated.

Welcome to the forum Roger. Asking a which brand tire (any product) question on a forum and you get answers all over the place.
I use the wifes '16 1500 chevy 4wd 5.3 pulling a couple of bumper pull 10k and 12k flatbed trailers.
Having towed for a living with LDTs I'm not a fan of big tires so I stick OEM 17" for her truck.
After the OEM Bridgestone 684 II P265/70-17 all season wore down close to the wear bars at 38k miles I had Discount Tire install a set of Bridgetone LTH in the same P size. The LTH are a very quite all season tire. The P tires handle both trailers just fine with my tall 7600 lb blue tractor with a cab.
I'm not a fan of D or E tires on a 1/2 ton truck. I've tried using them but always went back to a P or a C load range tire.
I bought a set of used 17" wheels and had DT mount a set of Goodyear Duratrac LT265/70-17 AT C load range for muddy worksites/pasture work and any winter snow events.The Duratrac are called a all terrain but tread is a lot like a MT tires tread. They do the job in mud and snow.

[wowens79]

I’m on my second set of Cooper AT3, and they have been great, and will buy a 3rd set when the time comes. Plus they are American made!!

My daughter has a set of Falken WildPeaks on a 2dr Wrangler that have been great, but it’s really light, so not a great test.

[valhalla360]

Grit dog wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Whatever you choose be sure it's a "D" or "E" load range.

Look up the axle rating then pick a "Load Index Rating" that meets or exceeds the axle rating.

Load E can have a variety of actual load ratings. The letter grades are an old system from the days when they added extra plys to the tire to make it stronger. The more plys the further into the alphabet the letter grade went.

Modern tires don't add plys. They change the steel in the tire without adding plys.

Load Index Rating gives you the actual capability in pounds.

And yet, any tire in an applicable size for any of the common rim sizes on that truck will have a Load Index that is somewhere between adequate at the very worst case and overkill. Most will be overkill.

Likely but not certain, so why not use a direct measurement of load rating.

[blt2ski]

time2roll wrote:
I run top line Goodyear.

Before that GSA on truck when I bought it, then Duratrac. I only have run Unisteel versions in 16 & 19.5" sizes. I liked them.

Looking forward to doing duratrac's in the snow here in cascades and Puget sound lowlands. Have std Eaton locker in rear. Typical front dive axle. Should get around well. The few I know with them, do like them. Do have a bit more road noise than I would like. They are quiet for a traction oriented tire. Not as quiet as AT3's I had on 2500.

Marty

[time2roll]

I run top line Goodyear.

[ksss]

The Duratrac is pretty dam good tire in the snow. I was surprised at how good it was. They were on a ZR2 I had, that little truck was nearly unstoppable in snow, especially with both ends locked up.

[blt2ski]

I went with 10 ply on my 1500, went up a size from a 265-65-18 XL to a 285-65-18. Lost 3 mpg, not sure it's due to a half in taller radius, or that they are 10-15 lbs heavier, or combo of the two.
Reality, I had no issues pulling an 8500 lb trailer with the 265s. They were plenty of tire at 2500 per tire at 45-50 psi. Current tires are good to 4000 at 80 psi. Two tires can carry my legal 8000 gvw! I've yet to have these tires over 40-45 psi, just like previous.
So with this in mind, choose a tread pattern that fits you driving style etc. I got GY Duratrac vs the GSA I had. Duratrac are way better wet traction than GSA. Reality, I was thinking a Cooper AT3, probably be a better tire for how I drive. Not as traction oriented, but good in wet NW concrete snow. I've had those before. No snow driving as of yet with Duratrac. They should work fine. Now to find some chains for them when it's crazy deep and wet where I am, crazies are out with an AWD and hwy tires doing 60 everywhere, then donuts when they hit the brakes....

Get XL or load range C at max. You don't NEED E rated tires if you stay under your 4000 GRAWR! This is the first full size half ton style truck I've owned. A few midgets, ie S-10, Toyota/Nissans from 79's/80's. Then 8lug 25/35 series SW/DW rigs, and MDT's with 14 & 16 ply tires.

Marty