Truck Tire Suggestions

[Tennessee Troy]

I have a 2015 F250 6.7L Super Duty that I bought a couple of months ago. It has 35/1250/R20LT Americus MT tires on it. They look great but they are noisy. I was going to just ride them out until I needed new tires and go to something different. I don't think I can wait that long! I would like some input from you guys and gals on what you have on your tow vehicles. I'm looking for a quieter tire that can stand up under 5th wheel towing. Thanks guys! :)

[notanlines]

Troy, if you were to research that topic on this website (no easy task!) you'd probably find that Michelins are at the top and it kind of tapers off from there.
We've always used Michelins on all our trucks with one set of Goodyear's on the Excursion. We usually get about 65K on the last F350's we've had.

[CWtheMan]

Troy, if you were to research that topic on this website (no easy task!) you'd probably find that Michelins are at the top and it kind of tapers off from there.
We've always used Michelins on all our trucks with one set of Goodyear's on the Excursion. We usually get about 65K on the last F350's we've had.

You would probably be more comfortable - noise wise - with the less aggressive A/T tires like the tread design in this reference. Just insure the new tires have a load capacity equal to your OE tires.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202308152384

[Pull Toy]

+1 ^^^ for CW and Jim's posts.

Michelin A/T's for me. Not the cheapest, but in my opinion the best! Quiet, long life, good foul weather traction. Check your pressures, and rotate regularly, and you should be good for 60,000 miles or more.

Good Luck,

[chunker]

If you end up waiting on on them to wear out you could be waiting a long time. Often high mileage tires are hard and have a noisy tread.

[sourdough]

If I were towing a trailer the first thing I would do is not only get rid of the mud tires but also the size. A 35x12.50x20?? isn't an ideal towing size for a 3/4 ton truck IMO. I've ran lots of them on off road play toys and two things they aren't; quiet or responsive in anything other than mud or snow. Trying to control a trailer/truck combo in a panic situation when all that's contacting the pavement are a bunch of hard, widely separated hard blocks of rubber will be far less than optimal - they can't even control the truck well in a situation like that.

If the wheels are stock 20s I would go back with the stock tire size for that truck. If they were 17-18 etc. (look at the sticker inside the driver door) I would find the dimensions of the stock tire/wheel combo and try to match with whatever fits on the 20. Discount Tire can usually cross reference that for you in my experience.

As far as brands, I've owned lots if not most but have landed on Michelins as has been mentioned. More expensive but you get what you pay for seems to me. If you look around you can come up with some acceptable pricing. I run Michelin Defenders on the truck and the same or Premier LTX on the SUVs. The roar from the MT tires on a long trip will eventually pulverize your brain as I found out then they were relegated to a trailer......

[Northofu1]

I like Michelin, but, I was also looking at Sailun for my 2017 GMC 1500 then I figured it was cheaper to trade it in on the 2500 and it came with Michelin AT. Happy as a pig in poop.

[JRTJH]

The "typical sized tire used on Ford SuperDuty trucks with 20" wheels is 275 65R20 LRE. The diameter is 34.3". The 35 12.50 20 tire diameter is 35.02". So while similar, the "big tires" are larger and will affect truck height, axle ratio/towing capacity.

First, I'd suggest verifying that the wheels are OEM wheels (or are rated strong enough to equal the capacity of OEM wheels). Towing puts demands on equipment that stress beyond a lot of "youthful appearance components"... For towing, you want wheels and tires that are "completely up to the task they will perform".

That said, I've always been a Michelin user and have/had excellent results with Michelin truck tires. That is, until this past fall when I needed to buy new tires for my 2015 F250 6.7L diesel. Living in northern Michigan, I was reluctant to go through the winter with the OEM Michelin LTX tires. They just didn't have enough tread remaining for me to feel comfortable in the ice/snow we get. If I were in Louisiana still, I'd have run them for at least another year. I changed them out at around 52,000 miles. In a location other than up here, they would easily have made another 8000 or more miles. So, longevity for my last Michelins was about the same as everyone else, but the weather wasn't, so I changed out tires.

When shopping, a replacement set of Michelins was around $1000 - 1200. I found Sailun Terramax AT4's for roughly half that price. ($644 for 4 tires). So, I decided to try them, based on reports of others on this forum that are using the same tire. So far, I've got about 5000 miles on them, they are surprisingly similar to the Michelins.

Ride quality, traction, noise, performance all seem equal to Michelin, I see no appreciable wear (wouldn't expect to see any in such low mileage) so I can't address tire mileage. I was honestly surprised at how well they perform, both towing and solo on the truck. I'd suspect that if I get 45-50 K miles from them, I've made a good choice. While that remains to be seen, I'm well satisfied with my Sailun tires at just a bit more than half the price of Michelins.

More to come at 10K, which I suspect I'll have on the tires sometime in the spring, until then, all I've got so far is "grins" with Sailun...

[Badbart56]

I've had these on my truck for about 45K miles and I'm happy with them. They're quiet and wear evenly. I've only had to use 4 wheel drive once going up a wet, grassy hill at an angle. The limited slip worked but with no load in the bed the truck started slipping side ways but twisting the knob to 4x4 solved that problem.

https://www.discounttire.com/cart

My tire size is probably different from yours as mine is a dually. You can probably shop around and find a better deal. I will likely put these on again when mine wear out. They have a 55K mile wear warranty.

[JRTJH]

Badbart56,

Your link is to a "discount tire shopping cart" and it's "empty" so there's no way to see which tire line or even brand you might be discussing.

[Badbart56]

Sorry, I can view it from my end. Anyway, it's Goodyear
Wrangler TrailRunner AT
LT245 /75 R17 121S E1 BSW

Discount Tire has them for $179.00 and they're a 55K tire. I have 45K on mine but it honestly looks like I can get another 15-20K out of them.

[Bob R]

I run Wrangler AT Adventure with Kevlar Tires on my 2008 F350 and at appx 35K miles I am very close to replacing them, in fact one has hit the point that it can be replaced with adjustment because they are supposed to be 60K mile tires. When I replace these I am going with Michelin. I was disappointed in these tire because I have been running them for years, when they branded them "Adventure" a few years back is when I got these ones. They must have done something other than just rename them because my others lasted 60K easily on my Jeep, van and truck prior to these.

bob

[Badbart56]

I did notice that mine are stamped "Made in USA" for what it's worth.

[Jfreek65]

I run Goodyear Duratracs in the winter for hunting and snow, then have run Michelins in the summer as a tow/highway tire. I need a new set soon and have been looking at the Sailuns as well.

The duratracs were surprisingly quiet at first but with age they grow louder like most aggressive tread at’s and mt’s.

[JRTJH]

I run Goodyear Duratracs in the winter for hunting and snow, then have run Michelins in the summer as a tow/highway tire. I need a new set soon and have been looking at the Sailuns as well.

The duratracs were surprisingly quiet at first but with age they grow louder like most aggressive tread at’s and mt’s.

That "louder the older they get" problem is the same as I've had with Michelins and Pirelli tires on nearly everything they've been on. I don't have enough miles on my Sailun's to know whether they will also get louder as they gain mileage (and lose tread). Time will tell, I suppose...

Anyway, the Duratrac's are not the only tires that get louder as they age.

[sourdough]

With "street tread" on a car I've not had a lot noise increase with mileage...maybe a tad but nothing to talk about. When you move to ATs that increase becomes larger, when you get to MT tires that sound is exponentially worse.

The preference for whatever tire design is up to the buyer but I will say after decades of trying most of them that 1) MT tires are only good for off road/mud/snow and useless for long distance driving (along with vehicle control) and has no place towing a trailer, 2) ATs, as they were called initially, have pretty much (IMO) become somewhat of a misnomer. With the advanced tread designs along with rubber compounds the "AT" designation just sort of "melts" into the other designations; 3) there are tread designs now that provide the same "traction" and support that have a very mild tread design (in appearance) providing exceptional driving comfort and noise mitigation.

In the mountains, in 3' of snow I always had very aggressive MT tires on my built up 4x4...what else would pull the tractor out of the snow bank (with a winch)? Now, I don't do that. All that to say that the extremes of tire categories; very aggressive MTs off road, very sticky performance tires, summer/winter tires all have a place..somewhere. Towing a big RV requires something in between that meets the critical requirements of towing capability, highway control in inclement weather and the ability to support and withstand the forces of such towing.

Just some thoughts on tire selection for anyone thinking about it. Most have probably already thought through those things but some may have not...All JMO.

[travelin texans]

Another vote for Micheline!
I've ran about every brand of LT tire you can name on & off road with Micheline out lasting nearly all at least 2 to 1 & in some brands 3 to 1.

[Old Mustanger]

Previous '15 F250 came with the Toyo Open Country Tires, they wore great and felt stable towing, maybe not the best in the rain. New F350 came with the Michelin, haven't towed with them yet but they feel pretty sure footed even in the rain.

[Badbart56]

Something maybe some one can explain? We had a Chevy Trailblazer some years ago that came with Goodyear Fortera HL's from the factory. We got 77K miles out of those tires and never even rotated them. I was so impressed I bought another set. SAME EXACT TIRE! The new set was worn out at 35K miles!

[Roscommon48]

I did Michelins on my 2015 F350. I had the same issue that you have. I did wait until Sam's Club had their annual free install day and got them.

[chunker]

Sometimes it can be "location location". 2 years ago the Jeep Wrangler toad was soon to be needing tires. Based on wear I figured I could get a few more thousand miles on them. But we were out west, Oregon, and there were Discount Tires around. I called one in Salem requesting a specific tire model and they could get it. That model was the OEM on the Jeep and with 75K at that point ( and 15-20K being towed), they rode great, smooth and quiet, for a Jeep. Discount Tire has better pricing in my opinion and Oregon has no sales tax. So we diverted to Salem for a few days of tire buying and cheese factory touring.

[Camp CA]

................... I would like some input from you guys and gals on what you have on your tow vehicles. I'm looking for a quieter tire that can stand up under 5th wheel towing..........

My 2016 F350 DRW that tows a 2020 Montana 3780RL fifth wheel trailer has:

General Tire Radial Grabber all season HTS LT245/75R-17 E, load index = 121/118, speed index = S (112 mph), ply rating = E4 (10 ply), 3195 lb load rating, 65,000 mile manufacturer mileage warranty. Front and rear tire pressure is 65 and 80 psig, respectively. They are very quiet and smooth riding and they cost $175 each.

[Dave W]

Unless you are off roading, why would you ever want an A/T tire. Loud, knocks fuel mileage down and are always too expensive for that one in a thousand mile need. I've had Michelins (currently) Continentals, Goodyears (never again), Kumho, Yokohama, General Grabbers, Firestones (ho hummers) and a few others in all season and A/T treads since `1977. The current Michelin Defenders so far are the best of the lot with the Generals not too far behind (though if you factor price, maybe even better:whistling:)

[Tennessee Troy]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I did some more research and the Sailun tires are looking more attractive all the time! Although I have run more Michelines than anything else, the price point of the Sailuns is hard to argue with. Especially when everybody is comparing them to the Michelins! 😉

[msubobcats]

I am on my 2nd set of Michelin tires. The first set were actually aged out. Great wear out of them.

[CaptnJohn]

After 3 sets of Michelin on my last F350 I was going to Sailun. Traded for a dually with Michelin instead. Will go with Sailun when these 7 need replaced.

[WDPatterson]

On my F250, I ran Michelin AT2 LT275-65 R20 (126Q) 34.4-inch tires, which do 606 revolutions per mile... They lasted past the 60,000 mile warranty, at over 65,000 miles, and I ran on them everyday, over a hundred twenty miles per day. They were quiet, they were stable, and they pulled great. What they didn't do was handled mud very well.

When I replaced my F250, they had put Federal tires on my F350. They had replaced one of those Federals with a Cooper. None of those tires were rated for an F-350. So, I immediately replaced all four tires and the spare with Nitto LT295-65 R20 (129Q) 35.47-inch Trail Grapplers. They're not only fairly quiet, they are also 35.47 inch tires, instead of 34.4-inch tires.

Someone else mentioned a huge difference between 34-point something and 35.2 in. Remember, that's diameter, not radius. It's like less than hitting a bump. What you should really be paying attention to is how many times that tire revolves in a mile.

Well the AT2's did 606 revolutions per mile, Nittos only do 586 revolutions per mile, and carry 4080 pounds per tire. The difference in fuel mileage is negligible.

You might ask why I chose Trail Grapplers instead of the street tires. There were two reasons:

1 - We live in a muddy area which requires me to get in and out while pulling a trailer. The Michelins actually got me stuck.

2 - They actually have a higher weight rating than the Michelins. That's 4080 pounds per tire, instead of 3750 lb per tire

Just remember to look at the actual load rating for The Tire in pounds.
The Michelin LT 275 65 R20 126Q is good for 3750 pounds at 80 psi. The Nitto 295-65 R20 129Q is good for 4080 lb at 80 psi.

The "Q number", is actually a more accurate representation of the load capacity of the tire. The Nittos are at 129Q, the Michelins are at 126Q.

Furthermore, when you take a look at tires, always look at the number of Plies in the tread, and the number of Plies in the side walls. The design of the sidewall is equally or more important than the design of the tread. That side wall has to support that tire against collapse, and/or roll. It has to provide support to Bear the Weight of the Load, not only on the straightaway, but through the curves.

I think I said about enough. Happy hunting on your set of tires!!

[firestation12]

One consideration I didn’t see addressed is the load rating of the tire. The 275/65R/20 Michelin tires that came on my 2917 F-250 are rated for 3750 lbs at 80 PSI. I’ve seen several of my friend’s much lager tires similar to the OP’s, that are rated for 600 lbs less.

[WDPatterson]

One consideration I didn’t see addressed is the load rating of the tire. The 275/65R/20 Michelin tires that came on my 2917 F-250 are rated for 3750 lbs at 80 PSI. I’ve seen several of my friend’s much lager tires similar to the OP’s, that are rated for 600 lbs less.

That's the difference between real tires and toy tires.

Take a look at the Nitto Tires and Saluns, not the Mickey Thompsons and BFG's.

Check out my other comment.

[skmct]

+1 ^^^ for CW and Jim's posts.

Michelin A/T's for me. Not the cheapest, but in my opinion the best! Quiet, long life, good foul weather traction. Check your pressures, and rotate regularly, and you should be good for 60,000 miles or more.

Good Luck,

Ditto my choice as well great tire

[WDPatterson]

Ditto my choice as well great tire

I fully agree. If you're never going to see mud, the AT2's are hard to beat.

[wiredgeorge]

Although I have a 4x4, I have four Americus Commercial 18" LRE commercial tires. They have street only tread. They would NOT be my choice if I ever buy new tires. They spin balance but 3 of the 4 tires don't dynamic balance and there is a small vibration at about 45mph. They also have lousy wet weather traction but are fine on dry pavement. I would not think they were useful off road.

Reason for using these tires was because it had two Toyo off road type tires on when I purchased that were a bit long in the tooth and the ride was lousy. Had two new Americus so I bought another two. Would spend a bit more for name brand tires with street tread as I don't go off road.

[mikz86ta]

Been on Nitro DuraGrappler Highway Terrains on the dually. Rears are wearing more of course and even. Did 4 rears first and then 2 fronts. Have to check my mileage to report, but I'm happy with cost vs. performance. Ride as good as this pig can, wet traction is very good and goes well over some terrain nicely.
The Transforce Firestone a we had were horrible. Can't express that fact enough.

[Beachside]

My truck came with 35/12.5./20's Toyo mud tires. I ran them 30k until they were wore down, just because I couldn't justify getting rid of tires while they were still good. Wanted to go down a size for fit and for towing. Went with Pro Comp A/T Sports 295/60/20. Have about 12k on them and really pleased. Wearing well and quiet. Amazing warranty: 60k tread. Load range E rated at 3415 lbs per tire.

[flybouy]

I fully agree. If you're never going to see mud, the AT2's are hard to beat.

Agree fully. The AT2's have been great on my truck for mileage, noise, wear. They have been good in the rain, fair in snow, and absolutely horrible in mud.
JMHO YMMV

[wiredgeorge]

Agree fully. The AT2's have been great on my truck for mileage, noise, wear. They have been good in the rain, fair in snow, and absolutely horrible in mud.
JMHO YMMV

I have never driven much in snow but can't imagine any long bed pickup is much fun to drive; even a 4WD. My old 350 doesn't like rain slick much at all either with the tires I have and I am pretty sure it is not just the tires but the lack of weight on the rear end of the truck.

[flybouy]

I have never driven much in snow but can't imagine any long bed pickup is much fun to drive; even a 4WD. My old 350 doesn't like rain slick much at all either with the tires I have and I am pretty sure it is not just the tires but the lack of weight on the rear end of the truck.

We don't get much snow here (this year none) but it's typically very wet/icy. Great for snowballs, lousey for clogging up the snowblower.

Truck has a cap on the bed, and in the winter (non tow season) I have enough tools in the back to help hold it down so it's not bad. Don't know what it is with those tires but in mud they just pack up the tread with mud and look like a slick on the back of a AA Gasser!