What tires do you prefer on a big truck?

   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #1  

HCJ

Silver Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
208
Location
upstate South Carolina
Tractor
Kubota M6800 4WD
I will soon be in the market for tires for my 06 F 350 SRW, 4 WD. Size is 275/65-20. Looks like its either Michelin LTX A/T II, or Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2, Dunlop Rover MT, or several versions of the Goodyear Wranglers. BF Goodrich does not make this size, so I would have to go up one size if I choose that brand. Like most, I uses it mainly on the highway, but as this is my hunting and towing rig, I need traction off road as I use it frequently on muddy roads. Not serious 4 wheeling, just getting around the dirt roads on my property, which can be pretty slick. As this is not an everyday driver, I don't need the finest long distance road tire, as this truck is not my primary vehicle. I always have been partial to Michelin, since their headquarters is in my city, and I like to support them. But the Michelin is the least aggressive thread, and I worry about its performance off road. It is also the most expensive. Any of you have experience with any of these or have an opinion? Thanks.
 
   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #2  
I will soon be in the market for tires for my 06 F 350 SRW, 4 WD. Size is 275/65-20. Looks like its either Michelin LTX A/T II, or Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2, Dunlop Rover MT, or several versions of the Goodyear Wranglers. BF Goodrich does not make this size, so I would have to go up one size if I choose that brand. Like most, I uses it mainly on the highway, but as this is my hunting and towing rig, I need traction off road as I use it frequently on muddy roads. Not serious 4 wheeling, just getting around the dirt roads on my property, which can be pretty slick. As this is not an everyday driver, I don't need the finest long distance road tire, as this truck is not my primary vehicle. I always have been partial to Michelin, since their headquarters is in my city, and I like to support them. But the Michelin is the least aggressive thread, and I worry about its performance off road. It is also the most expensive. Any of you have experience with any of these or have an opinion? Thanks.

I've had good luck with the Revo's on a 1500 Silverado. Good wear, fairly quiet on the highway, and decent offroad traction (definitely not full blown mudders though).
 
   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
yes, I have heard many positive comments on the Revos. It does look more aggressive than the Michelin however.
 
   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #4  
I've also always been partial to Michelins, its all I have bought for quite a few years. I'm not far from their Lexington SC plant. Don't know anyone there but like supporting them, even though that plant mostly makes the $50,000 huge earthmover type tires.

I've had really bad experiences with both Dunlop and Goodyear on my personal vehicles although the Goodyears on my company SUV have been good.

I wish Michelin made a slightly more aggressive tire also, I have an F350 4x4 too. I really wish they made trailer tires with all the crap ones out there:cool:
 
   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #6  
I have also heard that the Revo's are (relatively) quiet on the highway.
If you are doing 500 or 600 miles a day, day after day, as in "Coast to coast and back" then road roar can be a major fatigue factor.
It was my opinion (some small number of decades ago) that Michelins were the best and worth the money.
These days ??? The best "value" tires are probably the no-name Chinese tires.
(Yeah, THAT comment alone can start a whole fire storm)
If you aren't driving at 85 fully loaded you probably don't "NEED" the very best anyway, so it can be worth saving some bux.

This will not be a popular thought, but I AVOID the use of wide tires.
{Forget about wall stiffness for the moment}
Given that pressure equals force per unit area it follows that for any given tire pressure on any given vehicle the tire's foot print will have the same area regardless of the width, i.e. wide tires do NOT "put more rubber on the road".
If the area is the same it follows that the contact patch will be shorter for wider tires.
Anyone who has water skied more than just a little bit knows what anyone who has hydroplaned knows, which is that short and wide gets up on the water a lot easier (at lower speeds) than long and narrow, e.g. wake boards and knee boards vs slalom skis.
So, I am running around in a 1 ton with most of the weight of a diesel on 215 front tires and it does not hydroplane at sane speeds.
I suspect that on 275 it could plane out at legal speeds on standing water - just a sense I have from previous vehicles that have planed.

Tread pattern ?
I think use of words like "aggressive" are largely marketing hype, not that racing slicks would be ideal around the barn yard, but for mostly highway, a little bit of fire roads, wet grass and SOME mud, the highway tire, 4WD and limited slip rear axle will get through anything it is reasonable to get into.
I know, reasonableness is subjective and turning back goes against machismo, but if the testosterone can be suppressed for a few minutes the truck can usually get back to the black top, even if it does mean having to use reverse (-:
For getting around your OWN property, you know where the really wet spots and sink holes are.
They're best avoided, or ...Hey, if you have a TRACTOR you could use THAT !
(-:
 
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   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #7  
I give my nod to the Nitto and Coopers. Not sure if they make them in your size but I love the Hankook MT's that came on my new Nissan Titan. I run the Nitto on my F-350.

My neighbor has the new Goodyears on his Dmax. He had the Dunlop and they did not make it 30K.

Chris
 

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   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #8  
I'll be shopping for tires for my '03 F250 soon, too. They run a narrower tire at 235/85R16. The Dueler Revo set I had on this truck only went 30,000 before I hit the wear bars. I'm on some no-name tires from Fleet Farm now and am just about 45,000 and nearing the bars. My best tire yet was the factory set of General Grabbers that I put 55,000 on. I'm going to seriously consider going back to those for the next set.

-rus-
 
   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #9  
I would upsize and go with the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A's. This is my second and I'll be honest I'm not easy on tires either! These pics are from a couple of weeks ago when I got the new ones. I went from a 265-75-16 to a 285-75-16. In my opinion, the best truck tire there is.
 

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   / What tires do you prefer on a big truck? #10  
I will be in the same boat soon and I will not make the same mistake of buying the Goodyear Silent Armors. These have been the worst tires from day 1. They must have some quality control issues because it took 7 tires to find 4 that were somewhat round. To this day they have never been balanced right. Just watching them on the balancer you can tell they are not right.

I got tired of going back and having them mount and dismount tires I just gave up. I hope they wear out fast.:)
 

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