I have a set of 315 BFGs on my truck and run around with 2400 lbs in the bed and while they do hold up the weight, they don't wear that well. Mine all have couping and other signs of over inflation.

Now that they are just about gone I'm going back to 265/70R17's. The 315s are just to large. They put my snowmobile deck so high up in the air that loading is a pain, the truck is too tall for my family to get in and out of, they spaced out my gearing too much so towing performance has suffered, and my fuel milage has gone down.

I looked really seriously at the cooper discoverer ATR in the 285/70R17 size, but in the end ordered the a set of REVOs in 265/70R17.

 

This WAS a Goodyear Workhorse Extra Grip Load Range E tire. Seemed to be a heavy built, well mannered, work tire for the truck. It uncapped at 80 mph on the turnpike and did $1200 to my truck. The only thing I can think of "D" and "E" standing for is "DA** EXPENSIVE" when either blows out! The tire still had a whopping 55 PSI in it after it uncapped! I was surprised.

 

Yep the same for NC it must be as good or better to pass the state rules.
Some people don't look at it real close if you know what I mean. But my tire guy will not put a D on for a E was told to bring the old tires and rims in off the truck then he would put mototcycle tires on it If I wanted.
Talked to my insurance guy the other day on this and other stuff like add ons and it is now after the Ford roll over deal they look at tires and other stuff and try to find fault. He said on this one CYA and "get same or better". I Work for DOT and called a DMV friend to ask and now at the crash if a trailer or large load is found DMV runs it by the numbers. Both say it is treated as something you changed say going larger or some thing you did not when you should like tires the have been used up and slick. In this state from what I was told its a fault no fault state say you hit someone that ran a red light they are at fault, in the same case you hit someone that ran a red light but you are doing 10mph over the limit you are at fault and they are to so you both get tickets and each pays for there own. Sucks don't it but that is the way they look at it.

As for "You can be sued for anything"
Yep you can but I look at it this way with what I tow going down I77 or I40, Have a tire blow and I take out the guard rail and that cost a lot to fix plus trash my truck trailer or lord help anything else and looking at 100K or more to get everything back into shape the last thing I want is My insurance guy or DMV/HP to tell me it was all my fault and that insurance will not cover it because of something I did like changing tires. Its like a drunk crashing a car most of the time they will cover what you hit another car but will not always cover you, your car or anything like that.

Not telling anyone what to do just putting the info out there.

 

It's all propaganda I tell you.

 

Also...

There is absolutley no comparison in tire durability, load handleing, sidewall stiffness, and performance loaded or unloaded between the E OEM cheapie's and my inferior D's. Inflation PSI is only a factor of contact patch. Have you looked at the max PSI of supersingles? Are they inferior to regular OTR tires?

OEM 265/75 Michelen E is rated at 3,200 lbs at 80 psi. My BFG 37 MT is rated at 3,500 lbs and change at 50 psi. Sounds like less of a timebomb.

You should sue the guy for his driving mistake...not the tires. Wow...a perfect example of the "American way".

 

Looks familiar...I had a sidewall blow out on me at 70mph...took the tread and wrapped it around my brand new bumper and molding, that I changed the week before. Only soct me an extra $500. Lucky it didn't scratch the paint!!

Chris

 

Lucky for me, my father owns/operates a body shop and tow service and fixed it for me. Also, Goodyear made me a check for the $1200 plus $250 for the tire and expenses. At least they made it good.

 

So tell me this for the people that think the D and E mean nothing it is the load weight.


The guy that got my truck got new tires on it D LR XL's they were shot in no time like 12k miles and the thing that made him change them was in a tight turn they peeled off a rim at max air, so on to replace them all the guy said we should have used E we will credit them and put the same but E rated and they went for miles more with no problem and with 3/4 air the wheel turned all the way they will not roll over or come close to coming off the rim. BTW he does not tow hardly anything . It would seam the E rated tire held up better and was stronger and so on.
Thats real world stuff.

 

Run whatever you want! I didn't think you'd cheap out on tires after reading your sig.

 

I appologize for a brash post.

Anyways...I just think there is alot more to consider than the "letter" load rating.

Not all tires are created equal.

 

You can get sued for ANYTHING!

SCENARIO # 1 –

Sir, are you a trained and qualified mechanic.
“No.”
Well then, you had 35,000+ miles on your vehicle, did you not?
“Yes.”
What qualified mechanic trained in the latest brake inspection techniques checked your brakes?
“Well, I do my own brake jobs and I fixed my own brakes.” Sir, I ask you again, are you trained and a certified mechanic?
“No.”
So, you chose to do your own brake inspection even though you are not a mechanic nor do you have the latest equipment and know-how on brake systems?

SCENARIO # 2 –

Sir, after the accident your vehicle was towed and impounded. The insurance inspector found that you had a device installed on the vehicle that boosts HP and torque. “Yes, I have a box.”
Does no that power adder VOID your factory warranty? “Yes.”
Yet you chose to install such a device. Let me add, not only does that device VOID your factory warranty BUT the DC engineers and your factory manual explicitly state NOT to alter or add such devices as they cause PARTS to fail on your vehicle. Your vehicle is not meant to handle such added power. It stresses specifically engineered parts, SAFETY equipment, on your vehicle that when tampered with, such as you did with your power box, can cause it to fail, thereby causing an accident. Not only that but you drive a 7000+LB truck and adding such power adder parts make it an UNSTABLE, unsafe and lethal out of control object.

I can go on and on….

The FACT is this.

Look at the vehicles rolling down the streets. The soccer mom with her SUV. When is the last time she checked her air pressure? Maybe a year ago, maybe never. Or that guy driving his beat-up work vehicle. When is the last time he checked his brakes? 50,000 miles ago, 5 years ago?

Look, I have seen my fair share of UNWORTHY road vehicles. The FACT is most of the cars rolling down the streets are NOT properly maintained or inspected. MOST of all accidents are DRIVER RELATED.

HERE IS MY CONCLUSION:

An E LOAD RANGE tire “may” have a stiffer sidewall but the weight carrying capacity of a LOAD D (3,100 LBS) and the LOAD E (3,000LBS) ARE THE SAME OR EVEN BETTER with the LOAD D. The sidewall “may” be a bit softer causing a “squishier” feel when carrying or hauling heavy loads. Does it make it unsafe? Any lawyer can state what they want BUT the fact remains that the LOAD D is CERTIFIED and meant to carry that same or more weight as that LOAD E tire.

The government agency over-seeing this, as any other Bureaucratic agency, they only know the "letter of the law" and don't know any common sense, are inefficient and should be privatized. But that is another topic.
Tell me where I am wrong….

 

That's right - in the real world, you get what you pay for, so it's no surprise a cheapo d-rate will be even worse than the cheapo factory e-rates.

In the real world, the letter ply tire ratings are an anachronisim from the old bias nylon days... the reason that weight capacity ratings are ON the sidewall is so the vehicle operator can determine that it's safe to drive!

I can't believe this is still an issue
All this info became common knowledge a decade ago with the F**d Firestone rollover fiasco - I was able to be in court for some of the testimony/expert witnesses.

Letter ply ratings are a great starting point for the neophytes, but it's actual weight capacity that tells the informed types what they really need to know.
Maybe not the best analogy - but would you rather get paid with stock certificates ("should" be worth this much) or the green stuff (printed with how much it IS worth)?

 

Yes, it can be unsafe the “squishier” feel you get builds up heat and heat is a big killer of tires.

Never said what YOU need to do just putting out the info and what I like.
You are able to pick what you want to use or do and that is OK with me just pointing things out.

 

I will not attack you, but you have no clue what tire I was talking about did you?
So You are saying that BFG tires are cheep and junk?? Man I just looked, you run "cheapo d-rate " ( your word) BFG?
OEM Michelin Junk to?
OEM Goodyear Junk to?
OEM BFG Junk to?
Love to hear what you think is good?
Please add to it don't just bash people...

BTW my stock junk Michelin tires have 53+ k on them and I was loaded gross at 20K for the last load. They work for me.

SO you know a lot about tires?
Dad and Gramps worked for more then 40+ years for Goodyear Tire and Rubber
Just going off what people say that build tires and worked for years doing.

 

I was saying that the OEM tire is not as capable as my aftermarket tire in every aspect. No disrespect to the manufacturer (or there workers) intended...

Goodyear/BFG/Michellen etc all make some great tires...and some not so great tires.

For example...IMHO...Rugged Trail...not so good. AT or MT great!

Only an opinion.