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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / 4x4 Cars / June 2007Tire load ratings
I have been running Les Schwab XTX tires on my half-ton Chevy 4x4 with good results, though I still get an occasional flat from rock punctures on gravel roads. The tires are "C" load rating. The all-up weight of the rig is 6100 lbs. I would like to get better protection from punctures, as at my age it is a real chore to change a wheel. My question is what are the trade-offs of upping the load rating on the next set to "D"? Will I see any difference in tire tread wear? Any difference in the ride? Any adjustment to air pressure? Any reduction in punctures? Thanks . . . Kurt Kurt Herzog Grants Pass, Oregon >I have been running Les Schwab XTX tires on my half-ton Chevy 4x4 with >good results, though I still get an occasional flat from rock [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Grants Pass, Oregon The problems you are having are more the result of dside wall thickness than ply rating. Truck radials can have thin side walls. They are designed that way to reduce power loss to flexing , run cooler and allow tread to stay in better contact with road. You need to try a LT tire with thicker and stiffer sidewalls. You might look at a BGF AT tires because they are known for their 3 ply sidewalls and thicker rubber too vs most other radial LT tires only having 2 plys there. They may be other tires too out their but the BFG's are know for this and have been for years. The ride a bit stiffer because their is less sidewall flex but they are a lot more durable in sidewall area and may be the answer to your problems. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com >I have been running Les Schwab XTX tires on my half-ton Chevy 4x4 with >good results, though I still get an occasional flat from rock [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >Grants Pass, Oregon Load range letters mean virtually nothing, do not correlate to any specific load rating in pounds (or kilograms, or whatevers) nor do they translate from one tire size or brand to another. The only useful thing is the rating in pounds/kg. And if you are getting punctures from rocks through the tread, something is seriously wrong! >>I have been running Les Schwab XTX tires on my half-ton Chevy 4x4 >>with [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > specific load rating in pounds (or kilograms, or whatevers) nor do > they translate from one tire size or brand to another. Wrong information. For a given size/type, the loading ratings for a particular "letter" will be the same regardless of the manufacturer. This doesn't necessarily mean that one brand of tire might not be better than another, but they will all be rated the same. For example, here is an example of one size of load range C light truck tires from four brands: Michelin LT235/75R15/C - 1985@50 (single) BF Goodrich LT235/75R15/C - 1985@50 (single) Goodyear LT235/7515/C - 1985@50 psi (single) Cooper LT235/75R15/C - 1985@ 50 psi (single) Notice they all have the same maximum load rating at the same maximum pressure. The actual load rating at the recommended pressure for a particular application will be less of course. See http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=55 > The only useful thing is the rating in pounds/kg. > > And if you are getting punctures from rocks through the tread, > something is seriously wrong! Light truck tires are generally better able to handle rocks that than "P" series tires. Over-inflation makes any tire more vulnerable to rock damage. I can remember a few years ago when on of the neighbors got a new truck. He lived down a 3 mile long gravel road. In the first month he lost 2 tires to rock cuts in the tread area (Firestoen P Metric Tires). My Father asked him what pressure he was running. He was running them at the max pressure listed on the tire's sidewall. My Father told him to reduce the pressure to the recommended pressure shown on the vehicle's inflation placard. Problem solved - he didn't loose another tire. Ed >>>I have been running Les Schwab XTX tires on my half-ton Chevy 4x4 >>>with [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >This doesn't necessarily mean that one brand of tire might not be >better than another, but they will all be rated the same. You are correct. Load range "C" means it has a 6 ply rating and is a 50PSI tire as a D can be 60 or 65 *depending on brand, a E 80 PSI and a F 100 PSI and so on. Higher PSI rating mean tires have to have stroung sidewall plys to withstand extra pressure. Like I stated earlier though the BFG A/T has a tri gaurd 3 ply sidewall that offer much better rock protection >For example, here is an example of one size of load range C light >truck tires from four brands: [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > >Ed There is too schools of thought on tire PSI and rock cuts. Some seem to think that lower pressure muake cuts lees likely while others say not. It really depends on the "rock" If you are driving down big chunky gravel roads, you want higher pressure because you want less squat in tire and therfore less bulge as ground level of sidewall to be cut by rock. As stated earlier, try a BFG A/T with thicker. storunger sidewalls or if you want max durabilty get some old 8 or 10 ply rated non radial bias ply tires as the sidewalls have the same ply strength as tread. I have never lost a sidewall with then off road. I also use these low tech tires on my plow trucks in winter as their sturdy design resists damge from hidden object and curb in the snow. The trade off it is somewhat reduced handling and increased rolling resistance and shorter tire life than a radial but they will take a lot of abuse otherwise off road. ----------------- TheSnoMan.com |
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