So I almost bought 295 Nittos, but after looking at many of the rigs on this site, decided that 315s would look quite a bit better. I went with Hercules Tera Trac ATs. I like the tread, and the price is right. Only problem is, I don't like 'em. They look great, but the truck drives like crap. Changing lanes on the highway feels like I'm driving a 20' boat on the water. It is all mushy feeling, and just kind of sways all over. Maybe the sidewalls aren't as good as if I'd have bought BFGs or something. Anyone else have this feel? I'm kinda worried about towing my camper with these tires. If I get a big wind gust, who knows what might happen.
If anyone has had this experience and has helped it in some way, please chime in.

 

Try bumping up the tire pressure?

I've tried other tires, but keep coming back to BFG's.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

I'm guessing the load rating is a bit low on those Hercules AT's. I'd really like to add the Nittos but only if they have an E-rated available. On these big, heavy trucks you really need to stick with an E-rated tire.

 

The load rating on all the 315s is a D instead of an E, BUT, they are all also rated for as much or more weight than the stock tires.

 

Yep, BFG's of the 315 variety are D rated. I just got the 295 Nitto Terra Grappler and I love 'em. They look great. The sidewall rating is about 3200 lbs @ 65psi. That's still pretty stout.

 

I think toyo and maybe nitto make an E range 35" tire wich as you all know would be the same as a 315.

If I can scrape up the cash I will be runnin 35" ssrs on my next set but at 250+ a tire and buyin 6 of em I may not.

However for what its worth I THINK the swampers have the highest rating of any 35" tire at 3640, its still D rated but they are 10 ply. The E range tires on my dads ford dually are only 3042 so I figure I could get away with it.

 

I'm pretty sure that 295 is the biggest you can get for a 17" rim as far as Nitto Terra Grapplers are concerned. I think you have to go to an 18" to score some 35's. But yeah, you're right about them being E's. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that as well when I was researching my tires.

 

You are right about the terras, I guess I got a little carried away, I was talkin about the mud grapplers but that is prolly more tread than he wants. Sorry if I got off subject a little.

 

No worries!!

 

Try reducing the tire pressure on the fronts. Most tire shops max the tires out when they put 'em on and they will ride a lot nicer with something like 45 lbs instead of 65 or whatever. Start at the max, go down 5 psi, drive, swerve, etc.

Andy

 

I just checked Toyo's website (I believe they are like a sister company with Nitto) and you can get their Open Country A/T in an E-rated 285/70-17. A touch smaller than the Nitto but they have a 3750 lb load capacity at 80 p.s.i. versus the Terra Grappler's 3195 lbs at 65 p.s.i.

 

Like an idot, I trusted the guys at the shop to inflate them properly. The tire is rated at 50psi. They had 70 in them! Idiots! YOu can actually see that the little stringy things from the injection mold are gone on the center of the tire but still exhist on the outer edges. I'm guessing I was running on about 7-8 inches of a 13 inch tire.
After I drive to work tomorrow, I'll update my findings.

And yes guys, a mud terrain is not the tread I was after.

 

ok first of all the weight of a tire is on how wide and the size first off then you go to the load range a 285 load range D will carry as more weight at less air that a 265 E the feeling you are getting is tread squirm the tera tracs are a deep tread with a lot of siping in them after wou get the air set and some milage on them it should go away you get this a lot in semi tire's good luck

 

So I dropped the pressure to 49psi and they are a lot better. They still aren't quite what I would like, but I am not really worried about pulling my camper anymore.
All is good - well except that the truck is a little slower now. Oh well, my next mod will fix that.

 

just watch now if you take your truck in for an oil change, most oil jockeys will look at the door jam for the tire presure, right back to 70 psi is where they would put it.