4ply or 10ply tires?

I don't like getting flats in the middle of nowhere. To insure against this I pay the premium of a rougher ride and a mpg or two.

A good suspension and light weight wheels offsets the negatives of 10 ply somewhat.

 

My truck had load range E tires when I bought it and I have put two more sets on it. I question the comments about the heavier tires costing MPGs as mine typically gets over 25. I would prefer load range C tires, but they seem to be harder to find. I have had bad luck with the standard tires when 4 wheeling.

 

Well I decided to go with the 10ply (E range) and give them a shot. If I feel like I'm getting bogged down I might replace for the 4 ply. Thanks all for the input.

 

1 of two differences I've seen is gas mileage. More specifically highway mileage. Much higher with load range C. I've had many flats on load range E tires and a couple flats on load range C. I had BFG AT KO for a while and I like the way they ride better than Duratracs Range C I currently have. I prefer a stiffer ride and the BFG's provide that but I love the better gas mileage with the Duratracs.

 

NOOOOOOO

 

Load E here - 285/75/16 Toyo Open Country AT2 - LOVE these tires, I can air them up considerably when towing and still be able to take them down between 12 and 15psi off-road - I cannot recommend these tires enough!

 

Bought C rated wildpeaks at discount tire and noticed later that they put E rated on my truck. They ride just fine. The tread is a little deeper so it is a slightly bigger tire than the C rated. I have not noticed anything negative about the E rated. I went through the same thing you just did in this thread with all the different opinions. Believe me, you will be happy with either one.

 

They were running a special at my dealership and I decided to go with the Michelin LTX AT2. After they were mounted--I noticed they were E rated--. They actually ride great and with 34000 miles on them, there's plenty of tread left. The MPG hasn't noticeably increased either.

 

Load E (10 ply) will last longer, but the weight penalty = reduced mpg (probably 2-3 mpg) and increased wear and tear on the front end is not worth it. My vote is C range as well
Maybe if you were hauling heavy a$& crap all the time or heavy wheeling.
Ive only ever bought them due to great sales and I regretted both times. Lesson learned.

 

Quick question. Im debating if I should get a P 4 ply Wildpeak tire weighting 50lbs or a C 6 ply tire weighting 57lbs.

 

Which E rated size did they accidentally install? I'm about to purchase some Wildpeaks and cant decide between a P285/70/17 4 ply at 50lbs or their LT275/70/17 C range 6 ply at 57lbs.

 

There is no downside to "E" rated tires. The "E" rated tires in 265/75/16 are 15 lbs each heavier than the "P" rated 265/70/16 tires that came on my truck. There is no difference in ride quality or fuel mileage. But they are a tougher tire less likely to be damaged by rocks or other road debris encountered driving off road, or on unimproved gravel roads.

Tire weight alone has nothing to do with fuel mileage. Tires with aggressive mud treads have much greater rolling resistance than street or all terrain tires and will cost you about 2, maybe 3 mpg, especially when you go up significantly in size. Those tires do tend to be heavier and people incorrectly assume that it is the weight that is hurting fuel mileage. I stayed with a mildly aggressive all terrain "E" rated tire and have not had any issues with loss of performance or fuel mileage. Even with a tire one size larger than stock. The Wildpeaks aren't a mud tire and you should be OK.

The other part of the equation is air pressure. Too much and the ride suffers, too little and your fuel mileage takes a big hit. There is a suggested PSI on the door panel for the factory "P" series tires. You're going to have to go off the charts to figure out what works best with "E" rated tires. In order to carry the same weight you actually need LESS air in an "E" rated tire since it is stiffer. You just have to experiment, but there is a point where you'll get good fuel mileage and still get a good ride. The stamp on an "E" series tire says 80 PSI for max loads. That is about right for a 3/4 ton truck, but you should probably never have much over 30-35 PSI in an "E" rated tire on a Tacoma.

I do not advise "C" rated tires on a truck. Look at the specs carefully. The "C" rated tires are rated to carry LESS weight than factory "P" series tires in the same size. They are designed for lightweight SUV's like Jeep Wranglers that are not rated to haul or tow loads that you would in a Tacoma.

 

An E rated tire is the only way to go. Drive dirt roads daily. P simply doesn't last.

 

10 ply rated, they are not 10 ply's you plan on hauling a couple of tons or more in your bed or 7 or 8 hundred pound tongue weight camper? Yes tire/wheel weight can be a factor in mileage it takes more energy to get and keep them turning that's why race cars use aluminum wheels. How much don't know but yes there is a difference.

 

E wildpeaks ride rougher, I wouldn't bother with E rated tires unless you like the look or air down for trails.

I've gone standard load all terrains this time around and I'm much happier.

 

Wow. Check this out regarding Wildpeaks from Falken's website. The top circle one is the P285/70/r17 4 ply and the bottom circled is their LT275/70/r17 C rating 6 ply. So strange. I dont tow or haul anything really. Just some light trails here and there when we go camping.

 

Don't forget road debris........

I'd bet the E rated will fair better than SL on schidt laying on the highway

 

I switched to P from E on my last tire switch and it was a terrible decision. Had a tear within 1,000 miles and now at 15,000 miles all 4 tires have had punctures. I didn’t see any increase in mpg or ride quality either. New tires this weekend and they will be E.

 

some around here, actually no it's just me, run E's in the smallest size available for the Tacoma. 30" E's (265/65-17) are as firm a tire as you can run on this truck. they are MUCH firmer than even 31" versions of the same tire. they are the center of my truck setup (either Cooper STMaxx or Cooper AT3LT, same E range tire carcass in both of them), and they will either rattle your teeth or allow you to throw the truck around like a kart depending on what you can or cannot do with them.

just saying there are other ways forward than "omg did i just feel a bump in the road?!" crazy, and I'm older than all these guys. don't get the aversion to feeling things.. like, the road you're driving on.