Falken Wilkpeak AT3W

I want to purchase a set of these for my 2022 TRD Sport 4WD. This upcoming week my shop is installing a Stage 1 Icon suspension lift and a Icon add a leaf in the rear. I want to purchase the 265-70-17 size tire.

I daily drive this truck for my job duties, mostly highway and I want to do light off roading maybe 6 times a year in the Sierra's near where I live in Central California.

My question is should I get the Standard Load rated ones or should I get the E rated heavy duty tires for my situation. I was just going to buy the E's because I assume their better, but maybe I'm wrong. Any useful advice is appreciated.

 

For your situation I would NOT get the “E” rated tires. They are heavy and rigid and you will feel them. They have their purpose but for what you described I would get something in “C” rated.

 

I just went through the same decisions to replace my worn C-rated KO2’s. I decided to just go with SL AT3W’s. The reality is >97% of my use (mileage and hours in the truck) are paved roads with some moderate (2,500lbs) towing. My C-rated KO2s worked great wandering off-road in California and in Moab too so I decided I did not need the cost or weight of the E-Rated.

They are quiet, smooth and I think they will work great when I get a chance to try them off the pavement.

YMMV, sharing having just gone through it. Happy so far.

 

Get the SL. No reason to get the E unless you want terrible fuel economy

 

I had the SL AT3Ws and ran something over a mile down a dirt road and blew a chunk out of it on the tread area. Seemed really thin and lost all confidence in those SL tires. I now have C rated Falken MTs and back to full confidence while offroading, lol.

 

I run 275/70/17 falken wp at3w but I also don't put alot of miles on my truck since I started working from home 2 years ago

 

I'm running 285/70-17 Falken AT3W's in the SL. I've put about 18,000 miles on them. They've seen every type of weather and many different terrains, I have zero complaints and my concerns have been curbed. Have not had any issues. I had the same questions as you when making my purchase and ended up going with the lower load...

Here is what Matt from Discount Tire had to offer when I asked:
"When it comes the LT 10-ply rated version, you could certainly move to this version if you want to. LT tires are a solid choice if you plan on spending a lot of time off-road in rugged conditions as they have a little more material built in for heavy duty use. On road they will ride a bit stiffer/harsher due to the heavier duty construction. The LT version also weigh more; in this instance the LT weigh 60 lbs versus 50.5 lbs with the SL. Also it's worth noting that the SL version does perform a little bit better under inclement weather due to rubber compounding." (Weights are in relation to 285's, not your ask of 265's)

Hope some of this helps you in making your decision!

 

Thank you for the info Jon.

 

If it was up to me, I'd get the 33" 255/80/17 E Load WILDPEAKS. You already got the lift!

Do it, Do it!

 

Lol, maybe,,,,,,,

 

If you offroad a lot where the sidewalls of your tires to come in contact with rocks or you travel to areas like Mexico where the roads aren't as well maintained , more debris on roads, etc, then I would recommend E rated tires for the added strength of thicker sidewalls. Otherwise, I'd go with C.

 

Thank you for the information.

 

Sure thing Mike. When I lived in AZ, tire dealers were big on the E ratings for people who travelled to Mexico (Baja) a lot.

 

So let me throw a question into the discussion.

Do E rated tires handle towing better ?

 

Do you go up into the mountains/snow in Cali at all?


If not the LT tire will be fine for you. Either will. But this is one of few tires that are actually entirely different from standard load to LT tire versions.


The Standard load tires have the better/softer rubber compound for ice/snow. They do better in winter conditions.

The LT tire actually have deeper tread depth and better wear long term. It’s better in dry, rocky, warm, hard use areas (like Cali), and will give you more miles on the highway and be better off road in the rocks.

Yes the ride quality will be slightly different, but the tread difference is more important since they’re different versions of the same tire essentially.

If I lived in Cali (well, I’d move, but I digress) I’d 100% get the LT version (greater tread depth). But I live where it snows 7 months of the year, so I have the softer compound better on ice/snow.

 

For loads near GVWR payload max, for sure.
For a 1,200 lb trailer across town, not needed.

 

My $0.02. No, a Tacoma itself can’t handle much tongue weight and runs out of payload even before an SL tire runs out of load rating.

My 3/4 ton Suburban ran E’s and that load capacity was absolutely required with a seats-full Suburban dragging around a 31 foot travel trailer loaded with stuff.

If you actually tow anything needing an E load tire a different tow vehicle is required.

 

My tire shop (in Southern California) steered me to the SL’s (versus the LTs) precisely because of snow performance. Multiple winter trips a year to Big Bear, June Lake, Mammonth and even once a year to Tahoe to visit my son. For my do-it-all (including snow) the SLs are what my shop recommended.

 

Perfect. All I was going to say was same as them. If in snow regularly a lot of people don’t know the rubber on the SL outperforms the (albeit deeper/better wearing tread) of the LT.


Enjoy!!

 

Is the LT the E tire? I don't go in the snow ever, but the occasional trails I go on are pretty mild but definitely small rocks on the trails