Uncle Coot Wants YOU!!!!! well, your opinion

[GMGuy]

I'm not disputing that.

However, we are talking about a pickup truck here, so that OEM load rating takes into account the full rating of the truck (ie: how much junk you can throw in the bed, and how heavy the trailer you will tow). If you are not doing either of those things (which is what I gather from the original post), you are never approaching the limits for the original tire spec. ie: You don't need a diesel dually to pull a garden trailer, when a mini-pickup truck will have more than adequate capacity. Given that, you have room to open your tire choices a little wider. Maybe an ideal rain tire only comes in a load range C, which is more important to the OP than being able to haul a trailer he will never hookup.

My reasoning goes back to the Grand Marquis and Pickup comparison (fullsize pickup, 1983, 4500pounds vs 4200pounds Grand Marquis, 1989, which also has a 5000 pound tow rating incidently) back up for comparison. Similar weight, but my grand marquis gets loaded down (with humans) more often than my pickup. Yet, that load is perfectly fine on a P tire with ~1400 pound capacity from the factory. My arguement is, if the tire is more than adequate for my Grand Marquis, it is more than adequate for my pickup truck based on the usage it is subjected to--No trailer, light loads). Saying I would have to have LT tires on my pickup simply becuase the OEM says so does not apply in my situation based on usuage. If that was the case, my Grand Marquis should be speced from the factory with LT tires as well.
But as I've stated before, its up to the owner to be honest about how the vehicle will be used and select appropriately. Which I believe is something all of us agree on.

Alex.

 

[CapriRacer]

GMGuy,

I understand where you are coming from, but I think the flaw in your arguement is 2 fold:

1) Do we know what GM used for ....ah....we used to call it "safety factor".....but let's call it reserve capacity. That is unused capacity. To do that we need to back calculate, which means we need the GAWR's and then what the payload is, etc.

2) May be I can illustrate this next point by using something other than a tire. How about a bolt?

An 1/4" SAE grade 5 Fine Thread has a tensile strength of 4350# - which means it could pick up a pickup (OK, I couldn't help myself!) The question is, would you stand underneath the truck with just this one bolt holding it up?

I wouldn't! After all this is just a minimum rating and there is so much more involved in selecting a bolt than just the load capacity.

Plus if it fails the consequences can be pretty tragic.

So what should be done is use a fraction of the capacity - Like may be use 2 bolts - maybe 3, particularly considering that an earthquake might hit at the exact moment I am standing underneath - something I wasn't planning on happening.

The same is true for tires. It is just a rating - a minimum from the designer's perspective - a maximum from the user's point of view. If the load capacity is exceeded even once, then the tire is overloaded and it could fail - and those results could be tragic as well.

But the bigger issue here is that this forum is viewed by quite a few folks who are not as exact and precise as you and I are. My fear is that they will say "Since I read it at BITOG, then it must be OK." Then completely forget they undersized their tires when they need to haul the concrete mix from Home Depot.

I want to avoid advising folks to use the load capacity of their tires at face value. If it is just us and it's more or less an academic question - well, we can debate it all day.

Nevertheless, we still don't know if obbop has a 1500 or not.

 

[obbop]

It's a 1500 with the Z85 suspension (not smooth ride) with the optional trailering package.

All it does is allow a small increase in payload.

Came originally with the "P" tires.

Will likely stick with the "P" since usage doesn't require the LT fellows and the choices are greater with "P."

Still reading all opinions, tips, suggestions and sundry mumblings to assist in the endeavor.

Looking at an approximate purchase date at the end of March when I typically uninstall the snow tires.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Obbop, you'll get laughed off the road by all the blue-haired ladies driving their big LT tire equipped SUVs, if you do indeed equip your truck with P-metrics. Be a man and put a set of white-lettered BFG A/Ts on that rig. They have 'THE LOOK',and will allow you to ride in style.

All kidding aside, the BFGs are very good tires, and will allow you to traverse those ice/snow covered Nebraska roads when you do venture out from the Shanty. I've owned several sets over the years, and they're hard to beat for an all-around truck tire.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

The Michelin cross terrains are a very good tire. I will be replacing my #@$%! BF goodrich rugged trails with those tires when I manage to scrape the rubber off of them onto pavement.

My wifes vehicle has the X-terrains and they have excellent wet traction as well as a smooth stable road feel.

 

[obbop]

I have dedicated snow tires mounted on 4 steel wheels for winter use.

I am seeking a NON-winter NON-off road tire that excels in wet weather tractions.

After even more arduous prowling through the Web abd reading posts here I have, so far, narrowed down the choices to:

Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO
Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza
Goodyear Fortera TripleTred
Yokohama Geolandar H/T-S G051
Dayton Timberline H/T

If price was not important I believe I would go for the Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO. But, legal tender is scarce in the ghetto I may have to go for the Dayton offering. The trade-off in wet weather capabilities is not too extreme and I will not have to collect as many aluminum cans in order to purchase them.

Still researching and hoping that a wondrous sales event occurs to bring prices waaaaaaaay down.

Interestingly, when doing the price peeking locally and on-line; I can get the tires at a cheaper total price locally. NO savings buyinh on-line 'round these parts.

I wonder if Web competition has forced locals to drop prices?

 

[occupant]

I think it may be the other way around, that online tire stores are increasing their pricing. At least it seems that way looking at smaller car tires.

Of those five I'd go for the G051 Geolandar or the Fortera TripleTred. Keep calling various stores, maybe you will be able to negotiate yourself a deal over the phone to a tired assistant store manager who is getting sick of phone calls about those two brands?

 

[tom slick]

have you considered these yet?
http://www.tirerack.com/tire-12/Kumho/ECSTA+SPT+Colored+Smoke.shtml