I have the Michelin 265/75-16's on it now. They are Load Range E. I want to go with 295's or 305's but can't seem to locate any with a Load Range higher than D. Are they OK? I don't haul much weight and pull a 24' travel trailer (bumper).

 

I'd find some "E"s.

I have 315 D's on mine, and even though the load range is the same as the E's I replaced,
the sidewall bulge and squirrely steering aren't good.
And riding on only 50psi doesn't seem as safe as being able to put 80psi in there.

If you are towing, and have the D's, and have a blowout,
the insurance company (either yours or theirs) might not like it, if you cause any damage.

There are big E rated tires out there, Parnelli Jones for instance ($$$), you just have to look hard.

Unless something else comes along, PJ Dirt Gripz will be going on mine when these wear out,
if not sooner.


phox

 

I, too, have 315/75/16 D rated tires. As far as weight ratings, they are identical to the 265/75/16 E rated tires that came on the truck. BUT, they do not have the same load rating, meaning that the D rated tires are only 8 ply, whereas the E rated tires are 10 ply. Running these tires at their max psi of 50 psi, I have also noticed squishyness and vagueness while under load. You just can't beat the safety and handling performance of an E rated 80 psi tire. As much as I love how the 315 rubber looks under my truck, I'm most likely going to drop back down to an E rated tire with sidewall height near or at stock levels. Yes, there are E rated tires in large sizes out there. Nitto makes some as well as Parnelli Jones. Be prepared to drop some serious cash 225 to 350 bucks a tire, depending on brand, size, and who you're talking to. Since my truck is seeing more towing and heavy loads now than when I put the 315 tires on there, I am looking forward to wearing out these 315s and getting some affordable 265/75/16 E rated tires back under this truck. They tow safer, are less prone to trailer sway, less prone to overheating and blowouts, cost less, and probably willl yield better mileage than these big meats. If $ is an issue, stay with the 265 E-rated tires of your choice. If you have money pouring out your ears, get some larger 10 ply rubber and let us know how it goes!

 

BFGoodrich D"s carry more load by rating than your 265 E"s do. Go to the manufacturers web site to find the load wieght for each tire.......Pete

 

I did as you suggested and here is the comparison. I guess Load Range doesn't necessarily mean load carrying capacity.

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A

Tire Size - LT295/75R16/D
Service Description - 123R
Sidewall - RWL
MSPN – 53444*
Rim Width Range - 7.5” - 9.5”
Section Width on Measuring Rim Width - 11.5 on 8.0
Overall Diameter - 33.2”
Tread Depth – 17/32”
Revs per Mile @ 45 MPH – 626
Maximum Load – 3415 lbs. at 65 PSI


Michelin LTX M/S

Tire Size – LT265/75R16/E
Service Description - 123/120R LRE
Sidewall – ORWL
MSPN – 52169
Rim Width Range – 7.0” – 8.0”
Section Width on Measuring Rim Width - 10.7 on 7.5
Overall Diameter - 31.8”
Tread Depth - 14/32”
Revs per Mile @ 45 MPH - 652
Maximum Load – 3415 lbs. at 80 PSI

 

I tried to say this in my earlier post. Yes, you can get an E rated and D rated tire that are rated to carry the same weight. That is easy to find. The difference is resistance to blow outs and sidewall stiffness (which improves handling and resists sway issues). Like I said before, the only way to beat an E rated tire is to go to 19.5 inch rims (Rickson's for example) and get an F or G rated tire.

The BFG All-Terrain D rated 295's are rated to carry the weight. But how they will perform, and how safe they will be, is another issue. D = 8 ply. E = 10 ply. F = 12 ply. G = 14 ply.

 

I guess what I don't understand is why they are called 10-ply when they don't really have 10 ply. The tires have molded into the sidewall:
Tread: 2 polyester ply + 2 steel ply
Sidewall: 2 polyester ply

No matter how you figure it, it doesn't add up to 10.

 

The Super Swamper SSR's that I am running are 10 ply (35x12.5x16.5). If you go to a 16.5" wheel, you should find more 10 ply tires.

 

rattle_rattle,,,,,its because the cords or wire that makes up the tire represent 10 plys by industry standards,, not 10 actual plys..................Pete

 

hey rattle...Good news!!! if you want an E rated tire in a bigger tire, Nitto makes a tire called the "Terra-grappler" in a 315 E range and they are fairly cheap, but a really good tire

 

Unless Michelin changed something, the maximum load on the LT265 on the spare on my 2000 shows 3415 lbs @80 PSI single, 3085 lbs.@ 80 PSI dual.
The General's on the ground show the same weight rating. Also the BF Goodrich that you are comparing to is NOT the same size. A larger tire even in the same load range will have a heavier rating. Example a 245 E load range is 3042. The 265's is 3415. You have to compare apples with apples.

 

rattle,

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...threadid=46337

Here's what I learned when I asked a similal question

 

I stand corrected. When I copied the info from the web sites, I screwed up on the column for dual and single.

Still.....

Why are they the same weight rating and have different load ratings?

 

I think it's the size of the tires. The larger the size the more weight carring capacity.

 

Ok, that makes sense. I guess I just don't understand what Load Range means.