+1Cars & trucks in my neck of the woods stay that clean with minimal care, just a wash and wax now and then. No rust to worry about here.
The issue isn't if the tires can be purchased- the issue is can you easily obtain the tires.Im pretty sure 245/75 16 and 265/75 16 tires will be sold for a long time. Tires like 235/85 16 are already hard to find though
What size are your tires? I just looked and discount tire has multiple options for 265/75 16 tires near me. Walmart doesn't though. And i don't use Firestone tire shopsThe issue isn't if the tires can be purchased- the issue is can you easily obtain the tires.
A good test- call the Firestone Dealer in the following towns and see if they have a 2002 F350 Super Duty tire in stock:
Bismarck ND,
Springfield, IL
Winslow, AZ
Cookeville, TN
The above towns are all on a interstate. I would not take an even money bet that they have a 2002 F350 super duty tire on their shelf. But I would take an even money bet they have a 2005 F350 Super Duty tire on their shelf.
I've noticed most tire shops don't carry a lot of stock. It gets delivered to them on the truck multiple times per day.What size are your tires? I just looked and discount tire has multiple options for 265/75 16 tires near me. Walmart doesn't though. And i don't use Firestone tire shops
The issue isn't if the tires can be purchased- the issue is can you easily obtain the tires.
A good test- call the Firestone Dealer in the following towns and see if they have a 2002 F350 Super Duty tire in stock:
Bismarck ND,
Springfield, IL
Winslow, AZ
Cookeville, TN
The above towns are all on a interstate. I would not take an even money bet that they have a 2002 F350 super duty tire on their shelf. But I would take an even money bet they have a 2005 F350 Super Duty tire on their shelf.
Here's my group's work truck, a 2002 F350 4x4 6.8 l. We ran this one from 2002 to 2013. We towed three ATVs on the trailer. It served us well.I have the same 2002 F350 but with the 6.8L V10 gasser and a 4.3 rear/ short bed. Very reliable truck. Not an issue, but the front end does have manual grease points, some of the zerks require a special fitting to get to unless front wheels are removed. I just spent $1200 on lower front seat leathers, new lower cushions, and new seat heating element.
The four speed auto trans in this truck is regarded as very reliable.
Yep. Pretty easy in Oregon, Washington, and Lower British Columbia.+1
Same with the PNW, not much attention required
This^^^^I've noticed most tire shops don't carry a lot of stock. It gets delivered to them on the truck multiple times per day.
This route is inevitable for everything car-related. Not just tires. Even for parts it's too hard to have everything in every parts store but with big investments in DCs and hubs it's possible to get almost everything same-day or worst case next-day.This^^^^
Many tire shops cannot stock the myriad of sizes in use today and they buy from a local tire distributor. They are in stock with same day or next day delivery in a big warehouse. There is very little incentive to tie up money in inventory in their shop.
Not sure if you're aware of how many GM Expresss/Savana 2500 & 3500 vans there are on the road! Just about ALL of them take LT245/75R16E tires, 265s will fit but they can rub in the front. 17s & 18s are becoming more common, but IMHO the 16 LREs are still king. FYI-if I need to tow something a long distance, I actually carry TWO spares... Last thing I want is to lose a tire in the middle of "scenic nowhere"! As I've stated before here. we had an '04 E-350 with the 7.3 PSD make it over 660K on the original engine & transmission. Lots of towing, too! By the end, the 4R100 had enough updates that they were getting pretty bulletproof with semi-regular fluid changes.Not sure I concur that the 16's will be readily available by a top manufacturer in "E" rating over the long haul. My life experience says that tire in 16" E rating is a risk in future availability. I went to great lengths to get the 18" rims to mitigate the risk.
A 2500 or 3500 truck beats on you (unless overloaded like most of ours)-the taller rubber is a LOT easier on the old back! Friends of mine have actually had leaves removed from the back springs to try to mitigate the abuse (misguided, drive the car unless hauling).GON, trying to convince you that heavy duty 16" tires aren't a rare thing is a lost cause and a moot point, since you already made the upgrade.
You do know that your truck has a spare mounted underneath it though, do you not?
Did you also upgrade that to 18"? Not sure that it would matter for a spare as long as the total circumference is close enough, just curious.
Personally, I like smaller rim size with taller rubber, vs. the other way around. I feel they ride better and are more forgiving of bumps and potholes and I believe they handle better in wet or icy conditions.
More likely to have problems when it's not driven every day.thats a 24 year old pickup, Its going to have problem if you drive it everyday. There are lot of things to go wrong on a vehicle that have nothing to do with the drivetrain.