Load Range E vs C tires?

If you're going off road and don't mind fixing flats, get the C's. I'll stick my E's. Never noticed any difference in ride quality or mileage.

 

The E rated tire is significantly heavier than the C rated tire. More rotational mass is going to equal less MPG. This is more noticeable with city driving as you are constantly starting and stopping.

It is a fact the heavier tire (more rotational mass) will decrease your vehicles acceleration time and increase the braking time.

I researched this pretty thoroughly. I'm 95% on road so I went with the C for the above reasons and the softer ride.

 

Audi gets it....

 

When I bought a Jetta TDI, I researched the hell outta maximizing mileage. (I avg'd 55 and bested at 60.4 mpg) I also have a diesel van that I run e rated tires on. In my experience, the extra weight will affect a 4 cylinder much more than a 6. So a 6 cylinder I wouldn't worry about it much. Rolling resistance (tread design) will affect mpg more than some extra pounds.

You can control stiffness with psi. If I tow my 6000+ lb cargo trailer with less than 80r 70f psi, my van handles poorly. Once I'm done towing, I drop psi to 30-40 so I don't feel every crack in the road.

I'm thinking of going skinny tire soon (235/85r16) on an e rated tire. I just plan on finding a reasonable pressure that is the happy medium.

Fwiw, I've never had a puncture/flat on e rated tires in over 120k --- knock on wood.

In the end, I don't think it's worth it to buy a second set of 17" rims *just* to fit a c rated tire.

 

All great info guys, thanks!!

 

True, but mostly relevant if you're running a drag racer where 1/10 of a second can make the difference between 1st and 3rd place. Ride quality and MPG have more to do with the tires width and tread pattern than the weight. I've had them all and once the air pressure is properly set there isn't enough difference in ride quality to matter.

If everything else is the same the fuel mileage between a 45 lb C rated tire and a 55 lb E rated tire is negligible. A lot of guys go from a 35 lb P rated street tire to a new tire that is 2" wider and 2" taller with an aggressive mud tread and complain about the ride and loss of fuel mileage. They blame it on a 20 lb heavier tire when it is really the other factors. The E rated tires on my Tacoma are 15 lbs each heavier, but are the same width and height as stock tires. They also have a very similar mildly aggressive AT tread. There isn't a bit of difference in ride quality or fuel mileage.

But they are a much tougher tire far less likely to fail on rough roads. I've found that in the long run it is cheaper to run E rated tires. I can buy 4 and drive them till I wear them out. With P rated tires I keep replacing damaged tires that can't be repaired long before the tread is worn down.

 

Good points, I think you are right about the weight being blamed rather than the different tire size and tread.

 

If you went from C to E in the same tire size, you wouldn’t notice much. It’s going from stock tires to several sizes larger E rated tires that can be a rude awakening. You’ll get used to it after a few hundred miles though.

Going from stock tires to 285 E rated tires will make it feel like your tires are filled with cement at first haha

 

My E load at3w's ride way nicer than my C load KO2's did

 

There are many factors that affect ride quality such as current suspension build to include driver's interpretation on ride quality. Someone with a poor lift setup such as spacers and aal will not notice the change from C to E load due to a rough ride quality to begin with. Those with a quality setup with CO's/rear leaf pack will notice the difference. Running heavier load rated AT tires with a lower psi will help soften the ride. For trucks that see more on road hwy driving, C load would be more beneficial due to lower weight and smoother ride quality. I would go with D or E for more offroad protection and especially if you have added weight from armor etc..

 

I've got E rated 265/75-16 Toyo Open Country Mud terrains on my 02 DC Pre Runner that has a supercharged 4cyl . The ride quality is very soft not harsh and the 4k ft Cajon pass I climb is no issues at 80mph

 

I’ll add my two cents. Last winter I put a set of E rated winter tires on my truck and hated them. Couldn’t get them to balance and the truck bounced around. Keep in mind that the bulk of my driving is on the highway which makes an out of balance tire more noticeable. My neighborhood shop let me exchange them after a month and I put a set of C rated Michelin Defenders on, best move I ever made.

 

Well, I thought I would add my opinion to the mix as I have experience with both 32" C and 33" E rated tires. For general reference my Taco has Bilstein 6112/5160 suspension with standard duty Dakar rear leafs, removed front anti-sway bar and 285/75r16 Goodyear Duratrac tires. First off, E rated tires are noticeably stiffer than C rated tires! I have tried various air pressures for general purpose driving and at 28-30 psi the tires ride decent enough but fuel mileage was noticeably effected. I have landed on 33 psi front and rear for the best compromise between fuel mileage and ride comfort. When I go on prolonged offroad trips I drop the psi down to 18-20 psi. Also, sharp bumps are a bit harsher probably because of the extra tire weight as well as shocks not being able to control the heavier tire as effectively as a lighter tire. Another byproduct of E rated tires is random VSC activation during slightly aggressive cornering on pavement. I am sure VSC activation is somewhat due to the lack of anit-sway bar but I did not have any VSC random activation with 32" C rated tires with anti-sway bar removed.

I installed E rated tires because 33" C or D rated tires for 16" rims do not exist. What I love about E rated tires are their durability and extra tread depth vs C rated tires. The compromise is ride quality, fuel mileage and in my case random VSC activation. My final take is I will stick with E rated tires beause I am used the the "downsides" of E rated tires and I feel better about having a more durable tire when I am playing in the woods!

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps!

 

I had 265 70 17 KO2s in E and then went to C. I only gained maybe 1.5 mpg so nothing huge, not a big difference. Like others have said not a huge difference in ride quality between E and C, I do run around 35psi in the front and 32 or so in the back on pavement.

 

It’s not the ply rating, it’s the tire. What kind of winter tire did you buy in 10 ply?

I have 10 ply Michelin LTX winters and they are a terrific tire. Balanced well and ride smooth but nice and firm, and they feel pretty bulletproof.

cheaply made tires don’t balance well.

good call on the defenders, btw

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/c-rated-or-e-rated-tires-what-do-you-run.698060/

 

I'm having a brain cramp, not sure but they were not Michelin, Grabbers maybe.

 

This is all really great info!

BUT, funny part is, I'm even more undecided that when I started this thread! Haha.

 

It’ll boil down to what type of off-roading you do, if you do, and if you’re carrying a lot of weight constantly. If you’re at risk of sidewall puncture and need those extra plies, or are driving a mid-size Optimus Prime, go for the E-load

 

I went from c to e on my last tire change. Rides a little bit rougher, but to me worth the added security of a tougher tire for off-road. Mileage didn’t change significantly, but I’m already pulling 400 lbs of armor plus a camper