Is it time for new upgraded ATs due to repaired damage?

2022 TRD, almost surely stock suspension (2nd owner ... me). No lift applied by me. Goodyear Wrangler Territory, 265/70R16.

One tire just needed a plug, performed by the Toyota tire people. This has been around 2 months longer than the trail I talk about below. From service advisor description it was a nail max 1/8 th in. Since the dealer cannot/will-not plug it again, that suggests a serious degredation in tire structure. Is it worth taking off-road again?

One option is to move the spare onto that position, putting the plugged tire into "reserve position". As close to zero-cost as possible.

Alternate: since I was getting nervous driving at least 30 miles of the 60 mile Senator Rd (I had to double-check the sign that said "Prescott, right down that mule trail, 38 miles), I am considering a tire that is really considered "all terrain" despite the fact the Territorys survived even with the 1/8 th in nail embedded.

I suppose 265/75R16 is an option (sidewall too tall?) and a variety of C/SL/E tires that have their individual recommenders. Is it necessary to walk this "more aggressive AT" path?

 

If you're going to be spending a reasonable amount of time/mileage in the dirt especially in the desert upgrading to a quality A/T is a wise choice. Also moving up to 265/75/16 will give you a little more height while still maintaining clearance.

My stocks were off before I hit 100 miles. Just read too many issues of the factory tires not holding up with extensive dirt use. I went E load 265/70/17. They served me well for about 35k miles before an unfortunate incident on some volcanic rock chewed up a couple sidewalls which resulted in some expensive decisions into how my truck sits today. At least 6000 offroad miles in that first 35k not a single puncture despite some hard (fast) dirt driving


Pic of sidewall damage.