Keep getting flats on stock tires

I think, based on the helpful comments in this thread, that upgrading to a Cooper C load + airing down = good start

 

Believe in the internet!

 

How often are you on those ranch roads?

 

once to twice a month - far drive so .. I need something relatively highway friendly which is why i was thinking c load as a compromise

 

Yea, probably a smart choice. You’ll know soon enough if you really need to move to a tougher tire.

 

Did I miss it or do we know what kind of flats?

Sidewall? Slash? Puncture? What are you pulling out of the flat?

If it's half of those airing down is just gonna make it happen sooner.

 

I've run E tires for a long time and love them. Heavier? Yeah. Toyos are 1-3lbs heavier than the C tires so I think I can live with the extra pound or two. Run them at the correct tire pressure for the actual weight of your vehicle and they ride as nice as anything else. An E tire won't always get you past a sharp obstacle, but I've certainly had less cut sidewalls since switching to Es.

 

good questions and good point - nothing came out, looks like something punctures where the tread is at an angle

 

I rode on 265/70/17 Ko2 in C-rated for years and they were fine in all kinds of sharp rocks and rough conditions. If they offered the size I’m running now, 275/70/17 in a c-rated I would have gone with that again.

 

Imo, its where your driving your truck thats causing the flats. Flats are pretty much unheard of here with any tire.

 

This is a good idea for your situation plus airing down a little bit. I've ran cooper ATs offroad with good luck, know a guy that ran Falken Wildpeak offroad with luck too. I run Wildpeaks as my street tires and love them.

Airing down will allow the tire to more easily form around sharp points.

Try to put the center of your tread on any questionable objects.

 

A lot of myths out there on e load range tires. They are made of the same material as standard load or C load tires. They may have an extra ply and may be slightly thicker. Maybe that rock that goes 7/8 of the way through would puncture a standard load tire, but how often have you found a rock stopping just before it goes all the way through? Deeper tread is an advantage to prevent tread punctures. AT and mud tires tend to be in the 18/32 of tread new vs 10/32 for passenger car tires. That is about a 1/4 of extra tread that has to be punctured.

You also have steel in the tread area to make it harder to puncture. This isn't usually the case with the sidewall with the exception of true truck tires. These a usually known as all steels. They ride like absolute garbage on the street, but give you extra protection off road.

 

I believe that life starts when one becomes decreasingly dumb. While age may be a factor sometimes, in some people, dumb just seems to hang around.

 

I nine years of elk hunting/camping in Colorado WRNF, and renting several SUVs over the years the only time I had a flat(s) was with my Tacoma. Two flats within a week, glad I packed a air compressor and plug kit. Those stock Goodyears are junk. I replaced them when I got home with Cooper ST Maxx and no problems since.

 

i would think 4 ply (SL) versus 10 ply (E load) would actually make an enormous difference. There’s a reason why most E loads are in excess of 50lb versus the 37 pound stock tires. More rubber / material, thicker, def should be more puncture resistant on many levels (tread, tire wall strength and thickness etc)— so I respectfully disagree

 

This is helpful. I agree stock tires are garbage. What kind of compressor do you have? Does it run on the bed outlet?

 

I've run the same goodyears on my tundra and tacoma for years now. Never once had a flat.

 

I know I’m jumping in a little late here but I run the General Grabber ATX’s in E load. I absolutely love them and I do a ton of highway driving. I highly recommend them.

 

That is awesome - maybe everyone’s subjective experience is different but I’m afraid of the weight slowing down the taco and increasing brake distance etc

 

New tires are expensive. A small compressor to re-inflate the tires after airing down isn't.

Id be surprised if that stick in your picture is causing issues, but hard to tell from one small picture