Tires for Tow Rig

[Lud]

Looking at some new tires for my truck as the stock 235x75R16's are just not gonna cut it plus they're about done. They only have 3000lbs weight rating (class E) and I think I need a little more with the camper and Jeep in tow.

I'd like to move to 265x75R16's (around 3450 lb rating) or possibly 285x75R16's (3700lb rating). I think the 285's are about 33" tall while the 265's are the same height (about 32") as the 235's but wider.

So what size and brand should I go for an F350 Diesel? What brands do you all run on your tow rig? Thinking of going to Discount Tire again as I got a good deal on the tires for the Jeep.

[TJDave]

Rob, I just bought some tires from Discount for my F250. They had many to choose from. I would of liked a set of Goodyear Duratracs or the Michellins, but they where too pricey for me at this time. They had a Hancook tire that I almost bought, but the 285's where just a bit big without chopping or lifting. They did not have a full set of the Hancooks in the 265's, so I ended up with the Falken Rocky Mt. AT tires 265/75/16. I just had to hack the little lip of the front bumper to make them fit. Stock width rims would of helped. Also, your 1 ton sits a little higher than mine. They have a little more aggressive tread than the Hancooks. I had them siped, mounted, balanced, and with tax just under 9 bills. Good warranty too.

[Lurch]

Rob you should be able to clear 285's without doing anything. They also look pretty good on a 350.

[Grumpy]

I have 285's on the red truck, and no clearance issues at all.

[Don]

285/75/16 Goodyear MT/R's on my Superduty have served me VERY well. Great all around tire. Think I got better than 40k miles on the first set. All I've had experience with are the old style though.

[Lud]

TJ Dave, you might want to see if your suspension is sagged a bit. I know the 265's fit on my 250 with no mods needed.

It seems like 285s have the vote here. Would there be any noticeable power loss with the 285s (I have 4.10s) Trying to stay with a good set of AT tires that will get some miles and deal with the weight.

My top three choices

Michelin AT2s

Bridgestone Dueler Revo's

BFG AT's

[Lurch]

I really liked the bridgestones I had on my last truck. I don't think you'll notice any power loss. I had 285 bridgestones on my old truck and it towed just fine.

[White trash]

If you want to haul weight take the bfg's off the list. They can handle it but they feel squishy even with the air pressure maxed.

[OldGreen]

Goodyear GSAs. . .

I am totally biased.

[Lud]

Thanks Trash, for the heads up on the BFGs. They were great on my Jeep and wore like iron but I didn't have the weight on them I have now and was wondering how they would ride on a diesel.

Anyone know if Discount Tire will match an online store?

Tire Rack has the 285 Revos for $210 a piece with 74 dollars to ship.

The Michelin AT2s are $209 a piece on Tire Rack and the same to ship.
Thats without the $60 rebate I can get from Michelin for the tires which is a reason I may lean towards these tires.

[Roman]

The Goodyear MT/R's have done us VERY well on tow rigs pulling plenty of weight!

[Lud]

Went with the Michelin AT2s 285s. They came down to 209 from 242 a tire. Got a 60 dollar rebate on the them as well. Bought a new set of 16x8 rims while I was at it. I'll have them on this week when they come in.

[TJDave]

Pics are in order when you get them on.

I wish I would of bought the 285's too, with a leveling kit for the front.
The 265's did not make much of a difference to the RPM's and MPG's on the hiway.

[Lud]

They shouldn't actually. I'm still trying to understand the crazy metric tire system but I believe a 235x85R16 tire can, in some cases, be taller (by a couple tenths of an inch) than a 265x75R16. The 265 is actually wider by about an inch over the 235 leading to bigger weight rating. The 285 tire is an inch wider than the 235 but also an inch higher.

I'm thinking I might see better mileage on the highway unloaded but a little less in town due to the 4.10s I have.

[Lud]

As promised..





At full lock, when going through a dip in the road, they do rub one spot on the back edge of the front bumper, but only on the driver's side. I think I could just cut the little black piece in the center of the pic off.


My impression of these tires is pretty good. They are actually a true 33" tire and are a little more than a inch taller and about an inch wider. My truck looks and rides much better. You're right Tim, I haven't noticed any difference in power and the truck actually runs about 200 rpms lower at 70mph.

[TJDave]

Awesome Rob! The truck looks 100x better. Amazing what tires and wheels will do.
I had the same problem with the way the front bumper has that hook at the bottom. I just cut it off with a sawzall and gained over an inch of room. It is barely noticeable.