Do I need load range E tires?

[MF243RedTop]

Does the door decal give any tire information?

If you're not using the rated tires listed on the door sticker..it's information is irrelevant

 

[RandyT]

Something to keep in mind. Sometimes the E rated tired are cheaper than the C rated tires of the same tire. And I was doing research when I switched my truck from C to E tires. And the minimum tire pressure recommended by the tire manufacturer is like 60% of rated tire pressure. so a E rated tire that is rated at 80 psi should run a minimum of 48 psi.

 

[scootr]

My wife insisted on running E rated tires on her pickup and it sucked to drive empty...which it was most of the time! Plus they costed more.

 

[Egon]

If you're not using the rated tires listed on the door sticker..it's information is irrelevant

There are tire shops that will not install tires that are below the manufacturers recommendations.

 

[MF243RedTop]

There are tire shops that will not install tires that are below the manufacturers recommendations.

Well that's great news and they shouldn't but E-rated are well well above p or c rated tires, which we were discussing here on a 1/2 ton.

If you drive a 3/4 ton or above then, that would be a consideration for the sticker to come into play. Since only E-rated or higher should go on a 3/4 or heavier truck.

 

[crashz]

I ran D rated tires on my 1/2 ton and liked them. You just have to watch out on inflation pressures with alloy wheels. Some alloys will have a max inflation pressure. Exceeding that pressure can crack the bead on the rim. On the other hand, I would run closer to the high end (allowable for the rim) for inflation on heavier tires. I've been told that low pressure and many plys will build a lot of heat and prematurely cause the tire to fail. So if you go to a heavier tire, run a higher pressure and live with the rough ride.

The Load Range D tires had a max inflation of 65 psi and I think my wheels were capable of 60, so I inflated to 60 psi front and rear. The truck rode a little rough but handled the trailer and snow plow much better.

 

[Vigo327]

If you can afford to trade away some impact/puncture resistance for ride comfort, by all means go to a lower rated tire. Since you are actually adjusting inflation pressure according to load, you're gonna be fine with basically anything because you already know enough that you won't let a truly 'underspec' tire end up on the truck.

I would also ask though, have you replaced the struts and shocks on that truck? People underestimate the impact that dampers have on ride quality.

 

[RobertN]

I would say no, you do not need them. You have a lighter duty truck. Your rims, axles, springs etc are not rated for higher weight. If you load to the tire ratings, you are overloading the rest of the truck.

run tires that are in the range of the truck.

 

[RjCorazza]

I put load range E tires on my previous F150 (pre tpms). The ride was a little harsh, but I adjusted tire pressure for the load. In hindsight I should have stayed with D's.

My current F250 has load range E's also, and rides real harsh. Ford's tpms requires 65 psi front and rear, but I can get away with 60-62 psi without setting the stupid alarm off. It's been years since I researched everything, but I believe I could run 40-45psi unloaded if not for the tpms alarm.

The tire programmers and procedures for my truck only allow for swapping front to rear when the fronts are at a lower psi (OEM specified) when rotating tire positions. The only solution to run my tires at 45psi I found was to put the sensors in a pressurized PVC pipe and let it roll around in the bed (YouTube). I have no idea if it actually works.

 

[deserteagle71]

My current F250 has load range E's also, and rides real harsh. Ford's tpms requires 65 psi front and rear, but I can get away with 60-62 psi without setting the stupid alarm off. It's been years since I researched everything, but I believe I could run 40-45psi unloaded if not for the tpms alarm.

There are tuners available that allow you to reset the pressure at which the alarm goes off.

I have "E" tires on my F150 and E350. 40 psi is the max I run in those tires. The "E" range tires on my Jeep Wrangler run a max of 20 psi. Been that way for years with no problems.