Good Load range for tires

I plan on sticking 285/75/16 tires under my Tacoma once I put in a leveling kit (http://store.revtek.com/p/2005-2013-toyota-tacoma-4wd-prerunner-3-suspension-lift)

What's a good load range for these trucks? I mostly see D and E loads...

 

alot of people say E is overkill for some reason, but me and my buddy with a taco both run E, mine in 245s

 

E IS overkill for a truck that can't haul more than what a P-rated truck tire is rated for... To put it in perspective, E rated tires are what you'd typically see on a 1-ton truck. In my opinion, the only reason to have that high of a load range on a Tacoma is for the stiffer sidewall for off roading. Otherwise, you're just pissing away MPGs.

 

SO lets say I am looking at these: http://www.discounttiredirect.com/d...c=11766&counter=2&ar=75&rd=16&sw=false&cs=285

What should I worry about??

 

Why?

 

I've always had good run with Coopers, had Goodyears and wasn't a fan. Never ran BFG, and this is my first run with these Dunlops.....

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/wheels-tires/27583-p-vs-lt-rated-tires.html

 

Wouldn't MPG's be about the same if not a little bit better since they're stiffer? Or is it the weight? I have E's as of right now and I also believe they are overkill. I think D's would probably be perfect. If you ever need to air down E's are pretty unhelpful...

 

I tested a set of Goodyear MTR load range E on hwy at 75 mph and got 20.7 on a 200 mile trip. Mix of 2 & 4 lane. MPGs dropped off a little with the same size Duramax load range C. I am not convinced that Es will necessarily drop MPGs.

 

The load range has little to do with fuel economy. The issue arises with increased weight usually associated with E-rated tires.

Even off road, E-rated tires are unnecessary on a relatively light truck.

 

Huh?

 

The difference between D and E load rating (for BFG's AT) at 285/70/17 tire size is 3 lbs per tire. Seems negligible?

 

Every pound of unsprung weight roughly equates to 10 pounds of sprung weight. Also, the heavier the tire, the harder your engine has to work to get it spinning. 3 additional pounds makes a fair amount of difference.

 

Some guys have reported getting 50k miles out of E rated Toyota MT's due the trucks lower weight. I've got 15k on my set and they still look brand new. These tires wear like iron on a small truck.

 

Load Range C

D & E give harsh rides

 

for what it is worth my Duratracs are Cs. They are available in C, D, & E. I take these tires through rocks, cactus, and stumps. You are correct on the Duratrac plys. I even wrote zn email to Goodyear but got a run around answer explaining tire construction and why they developed the Duratrac. Bottom line on the Tacoma is why spend the extra money.

 

Alright, so so far if I do go with the 285/75/16s I should suspect a stiffer ride than if I stick with the stock size. Awesome, gonna look more towards the 285s because of the level kit, hopefully I can get a good set-up PLUS some nice aftermarket off-road rims.

 

Now about that leveling kit...

 

Yes, it's the weight of the tires. Highway MPG isn't overly affected but around town you'll notice heavier tires.

So you're saying that the weight of the tire is why load range affects fuel economy

 

I have E and can’t tell a difference from the stupid POS P rated rugged fails. I think they handle even better then the rugged fails did. I was going to get D rang but discount was out and was all out, and i needed tires really bad.

I only lost about 1mpg. if that really.