Your experience with factory taco tires

Duratracs^^

 

took them off and put in the garage for another day...put 2657017 e range bfgat ko's on as soon as i got truck....

 

I am curious on why some users seem to have no problem with the stock tires and others seem to have many issues with them. I am trying to find what might cause such a vast discrepancy in actual experience with that should be the same truck/tire for the most part.

My personal experience has been extremely positive. I live in an area that rains.. a lot, in fact we usually count the days between the rains and seldom get to double digits yet my stock tires have never once slipped on the pavement (under normal driving conditions, not while deliberately trying to cause wheel spin or driving in a manor that is reckless).

I also just made a round trip to Montana, deep in the high Rocky Mountains to a small town (Trout Creek) that is nestled right in the mountain range. The driving conditions were snow (both wet on main highway and dry on the side roads/unimproved roads), it snowed while visiting and also had one day of "slushy hail". The average temp was well below 32 degrees. Yet, again, I had no abnormal wheel slip. I had nothing in the back of my bed but did have to use 4wd several times.

I am not debating that others have had really bad experiences, I am trying to find out why there seems to be such a huge discrepancy in user experience with the stock tires.

I have a 2013 Toyota Tacoma SR5 with the stock 16" tires and less then (at the time) 1500 miles.

 

I've got 40,000 mi on my dunlops (waiting for summer or fall to get new rubber) and they still give me good traction on dry and wet pavement. driven through about 3 sizable snowstorms this year and never had an issue with slippage, unless I wanted them to. Even with the high mileage on these tires, they are really quiet with no road noise. Not saying these are the greatest tire out there but they seem to serve me well.
I havent taken them off road much yet (just bought the truck this Feb), but i would be a little skeptical of the puncture resistance. I can literally push in the sidewall easily with my thumb at proper inflation, so its not very strong.

 

I think in some cases it comes down to tread depth, but I think in most cases it comes down to the driver.

 

Driving style comes into play also. An aggressive driver will appreciate better grip. The reason I believe the Dunlops become unstable with age is the shoulders of the tires. The shoulder tread isn't cut as deep as is should have been so when the tread starts wearing down, you lose that ability to displace water and snow and end up hydroplaning at slower speeds.

 

I'll find out how good the Dunlops are in a week when I go up to the Sierra and the NV desert. I suspect they're mediocre. Whatever. I'll run them til they're done then buy Michelins.

 

3000 miles on rugged trails
----
they suck

they round out more than any tire I have ever seen when I want
to put them up to 38PSI. I can do this on LTX and still have a square
footprint. Rugged fails go into a torus shape and lose contact.

they are 'ok' in snow but suck in rain badly. I am going to wear them
out to 20,000 miles [or less if they get really bad], then toss them and get LTX's

 

I can't agree more with the first two statements of the quote above. I have just over 18k on my 2012 (I know, I've taken two REALLY long road trips). I've been through 3 fairly heavy snows and I had to use 4-wheel drive in each one because the grip on these tires is so poor...all the while watching the 2x car crowd driving past me and looking at me like I shouldn't even be on the road. Knowing what I know now about the rugged trail tires I would negotiate a different set tires if I were going to buy another Taco, or ANY 4x4 for that matter. I can guarantee I will never own another set of the BFG Rugged Trail tires. They are junk.

 

Why would you want to put the tires to 38 psi?? That's too much pressure unless you're hauling something heavy. Over-inflate any tire and you'll wear the center of the tire faster than the shoulder...

 

a ton of my driving is empty and 100 miles non stop interstate

so 38psi for that. with a load I'll drop to 29, which is opposite
of what you are thinking, but the ass of my turd and BFG bounces
with a load at higher pressure

I can run LTX at 42psi any they will wear evenly. not all tires
will but Michelins deform less under pressure. in the past 14 years
I have gone through 4 sets of LTX commonly at 40PSI and they all wore evenly

anyhow I am still experimenting and learning as this is my first
tacoma, so my mind is not made up yet on what works best.

 

OP just realized you are in chuck town.
but i have the Dunlops, and yeah they are bad but have gotten me through the some snow when going to the slopes so i'll wear them till they are bald i think

 

I had the rugged trails, they starting chunking bad at 18k, and then completely started seperating at 22k. I replaced them with goodyear authority 265 75 16.

Before the rugged trails failed, they still werent all that great. Got horrible traction in any kind gravel. And mud...forget about it, truck was sideways as if i was on an ice rink.

For a TRD offroad, they should consider just putting all terrains on them, rugged trails absolutley suck offroad.

 

Again, why are you choosing to run at 38 psi? This is downright unsafe. The max safe inflation pressure printed on the tire sidewall is 37 psi cold, and that's only for loading to each tire's 2185 lb load rating (that's 4370 lb per axle, far greater than the truck's weight).

Stick to the pressure specs on the doorjamb sticker. You are not driving fast enough on the highway to warrant a higher tire pressure. Owner's manual says to add 3 psi for continuous driving at 100 mph (160 kph).

 

dude
I have lots of experience with racing and rubber,
and tire pressures and studying the resulting handling.
I am going to be OK with it. I am still experimenting
with tires, pressures, and this tacoma

 

^Oh, then what are your inboard, middle and outboard tire temps after a long highway drive?

 

This makes sense. So for a more mild driver, like me, they work out just fine but someone that demands more performance due to a more aggressive driving style they simply do not grab enough.

 

Where is this said "snow" around here?

Loving the area except north charleston... place is crap shoot.

Update on tires-Dunlops- They are wearing pretty good as of now, still like new without the tits. Doing well in the water but they seem to be getting weak? I noticed the other day on our trip that the truck wanted to wonder a bit on the highway. Is there a better pressue to run these at?

I want to get the M/S2 as I cannot find one bad review on them. I wanted a more aggressive look but can not find a need for them nor do I want to give up our 18-21 mpgs. Trying to decide to go with the 265/70R16 or the stock 245/75. I want that wider apperance of the off road trucks. Just looks right on them.

 

LOL ^^^

 

Saw you in another thread your getting a new 13 right? Get the dealer to switch out for the Michelins before you take it. You will have to eat some cost now but will save on the Michelins.

I am a bit of a lead foot and at 11K on mine they has less than half tread left. The Michelins have what a 60-70 K warranty?