wadecool

I just put 4 new Wildcat ext mud tires(285/75/R16) on the old girl, and now the steering is very scary. Driving on the highway, if I turn the wheel to the left, the rear end will go the opposite way. I have to change lanes very slowly which I'm getting used to, but if I had to veer sharply I'm afraid she'll roll! I had goodyear mt/r's(305/70/R16) so these new tires are the same height but have an inch narrower footprint. I'm really stumped here. Any advice you guys can give me will help so much. Thanks in advance.

Shovelhead

Might be getting a lot of sidewall flex.
Are your new tires Load range E?
Try boosting the tire pressure to near max as an experiment to see if it feels a little "tighter".

Justin26

I had that happen to me on a new set of tires before. I just got another set of mudders for my truck and it rides great. I was thinking maybe if the tire wasnt balanced properly or something. Also try the air pressure like shovel head said.

Justin

DieselDaze

Some mud'r tires have a sidewall that is too soft for our heavy trucks.
By design, most mud/snow tires are designed to run under-inflated for extra traction in sand/snow conditions. Thus, they often have soft sidewalls for those conditions.
However, that lends them to being poor handlers under the wieght of our trucks.
Shovelhead offered good advice. Take the air pressure up near max and try it again.
Also verify that the tires are indeed load range "E".

Rich.

Dr. Evil

An unloaded truck on the highway doesnt need "E" rated tires. Many "D" rated tires carry the same or close to the same load carrying capacity as the "E" 's. There are LOTS of guys running 8 ply "D" tires without issue.

wadecool have you looked at your front end?

RickCJ

In a state with safety inspection you must have E rated tire on your truck if oringinally equiped.

Shovelhead

While you CAN run a D rated tire (I did ONE TIME, never again)....
The D's have weaker sidewalls and most times will give you wishy-washy handling over the stronger E rated tires.
I had to run my Ds at Max pressure and above, and the fronts STILL wore like they were underinflated due to the sidewall flex allowing the tread to "roll-over" in turns.

boostedte37

I have 285 mudd grips with many miles on them, I had the same problem you have and I had to play with the pressures......

doodah

, I hear this all the time! "you gotta have e-rated tires", I have run 33x12.50x16.5, or 305 and 285s all D' rated since I have turned 16 {im 28 now"} on all my trucks, carrieing big loads, some I know I shouldnt have maybe hauled, and nock on Wood, I have NEVER had a blowout, a tire rupture, or fly apart!, Some guys hear about a tire flying apart and the first thing they say is "OH it must not have been D rated!" , I would take the tires back and have them checked out, sounds like maybe out of balance, or out of round, Now, a C" rated tire on our trucks would be scary, but I have slaped a few of those on to, but just for "entertainment purpose only!!!

LanceD

I had the tread fly off a D rated cooper mud tire while towing, that was pretty scary. sent it back to cooper and they said the tire was overloaded but still repaced it for me.

bnold

Not in Texas... My truck has Ds Towed heavy, light, fast and hard no problems. These BFG MTs are pretty dang stable when they have the correct pressure in them.

latitud_rt

Load ratings on larger size 'D' tires are equal to or greater than the load rating of factory sized 'E' range tires. BUT - thats not the important part...the construction is what is important and there is a big difference in the internal construction of an 'E' rated tire vs a 'D' rated tire. Construction of the tire is a direct result of the expected fitment of a given size tire and the required testing parameters of the given tire. Load ratings are given to a tire from a group such as The Tire and Rim Association (P and LT rated tires). These are basic guidlines given for Tire manufactureres to follow. The engraved loads on the sidewalls of the tires are ALWAYS MAX INFLATION loads...ALWAYS ....period. But that in turn has nothing to due with the construction. As for 8 ply ratings...its a marketing GIMIC - used by tire dealers to say their tire has the same rating as a 8 ply or 10 ply tire....big surprising news flash for you....if you were to cut the tire into two halves and look at the sidewall....you will have 2 or 3 polyester plies. That is the standard construction of RADIAL tires. Not 8 or 10 plies.

Now on to more important things...if you tire placard says 'E' rated tires as factory fitment and a tire dealer or yourself install 'D' rated tires - you my friend are liable if involved in an accident. And trust me that lawyers know to look for such things. After all - we all know that McDonalds coffee is supposed to be hot.....So if you are involved in any accident - something as simple as a fender bender, the lawyers could indeed go after you for under rated tires for the application and therefore they were not able to prevent the accident.

basic example of misinformation.....

durasmack

Not trying to hijack, but while we are on this issue, any where to get E rated mud tires to fit on a 16.5 rim? preferably 33x12.50 165?

RickCJ

That's the point we're trying to make you can't have get a big oversize mud tire with an E rating. You need to get get a big E ply tire 235 85 16 /265 75 16 etc....

Timmay2

Im running my first and last set of D range.