Switching from P rated tires to LT rated tires

Does changing your tires from P rated to LT rated affect anything ?

 

Lower fuel economy, rougher ride with E load. The trade off is that they are tougher and tend to last longer.

 

There’s no reason to do this.

 

Okay thank you

 

I regret it on the highway, but off-road im happy to have the insurance of a thicker tire.

Im on gravel daily though.

 

I run E rated tires. I still average 22mpg on the highway and the truck rides just fine. Better than with the crappy stock toyo highway tires that came on the truck, in my opinion.

If you go off-road frequently, tow frequently, or have a truck with a lot of added weight then E rated tires would be a good idea.

 

I've tried quite a few sets, went from factory to 265/70R17 SL at first. Then went up to 285/70R17 E first and then back to C. Then upgraded to 315/70R17 E and recently went back down to C in the same tire. You do not need E unless you are rock crawling every week or doing some gnarly stuff where you need to go below 10 psi so they don't come off the bead.. If you look at the weight ratings you'll notice E is made for full sized trucks and if you are wanting to match the weight rating for your truck to E tires it's often difficult unless you run low pressure. For example my Falken Wildpeaks AT3W 315/70R17 the max tire pressure is 35psi for C and 65psi for E so there is a large difference. The E felt like I was driving on bricks on road even with a loaded bed, I did the whole chalk test thing to find optimal pressure but still found it way too stiff I could feel the paint lines in the road. Much happier with C load now and will continue to run that after these ones wear out. I wheel every weekend and I find C is a happy medium and so far have not encountered anything that would require E load and the C I get a bit better fuel mileage.

 

I haven't had a problem with my SLs.




Heavy duty tires are overrated.

 

I traded my E-rated tires for a set of P-rated when it was time for new tires. But I hardly ever drive off road. We all have our own choices and results to live with.

 

I like peace of mind. So I roll on Toyo M55. Not the most comfortable ride but they last forever and I’ve never gotten a flat. (Knock on wood)

 

Just switched over to E load KO2 in 265 75 16 from SL rated Toyo AT3 in the same size.
I just finished a 1200 mile road-trip and here’s what I’ve found with E load KO2’s
1) gas mileage from Missoula, Mt to Roslyn, Wa (403 miles) was 19.4mpg driving between 70 - 80mph, over two mountain passes. Coming home it was 19.2mpg. Less than 1mpg lost from the Toyos.
2) The tires on the interstate we’re extremely quiet and roll smooth. Quieter than the Toyos. I’m at the recommended 37psi cold per BF Goodrich and warm was 41psi.
3) you will feel the road more due to the stiffness of the tire. Cracks and other asphalt abnormalities will be felt more but it’s not overly jarring.
4) I do feel the weight of the tire more with acceleration and breaking but I’m not a lead foot so it doesn’t bother me at all.
5) the KO2 handles very well on the road overall. Doesn’t wander, tracks straight and rolls very smooth. A good balancing is critical in these heavier tires and don’t be surprised if you see that they take more weight to fully balance.
6) on gravel and rocky forest service roads you’ll want to air down if you’re travel any long distances just to soften the ride. If you’re only going a few miles, just stay at the same psi and you’re good.

I went with the E load KO2’s for two reasons:
1) only E load was available in the size I needed and I didn’t want to change wheel size to go to a C load. I’ve always wanted to run the KO2 so I went with E load.
2) we spend a fair amount of time traveling on gravel and rocky forest service roads and are usually wandering around some Montana backroad for an adventure and I’d prefer to not get a flat miles from anywhere. I had to repair my Toyo’s several times for very minor punctures and I’d lost confidence in the tire.

The ultimate test was asking my wife on the road trip as we were on some very rough asphalt on the old highway between Ellensburg and Cle Elum if she thought the truck rode too stiff with the new tires. She said she didn’t even think about it and it rode fine to her.

So, it’s really up to you and what your needs are. You’ll get a million different answers on this one…none are 100% right and none are 100% wrong.

 

If you like the M55's, try the Toyo CT's for a smoother quieter ride, very similar tread pattern and traction, just as durable, at they have the 3PMSF designation.

I ran both on a full size and really like the CT's. They are the ultimate on/off road tire.

 

I run the same tire, same size, same psi. My experience is the same.

 

I’ll look at them, thanks. I like the 255/85r16 size so my options are somewhat limited.