RWD Tire suggestions

[ratdude747]

Originally I was looking for LT tires but no matter what I do it'll be "wrong". For primarily highway use... don't really need AT tires, and I certainly don't need anything agressively off-road!

I was also originally looking for 215's (stock size), but 235's seem to be easier to find and what's on the truck now.

$125 a piece would be more reasonable...

Edit: my main beef with the Hankooks are that they are Passenger tires (Extra Load rated) that I've heard will blow up if I actually tried to tow/haul my truck's full capacity (then again, the stock tire size was P, not LT per the door tag???). And that they're Hankooks... I mean, they're not Linglongs or something really terrible like that, but it just doesn't feel right putting Korean tires on a classic American truck. Maybe it's because many of the Korean things I've ever owned/worked on have been junk. Or maybe I'm afraid I'll get laughed at... I dunno. I only put them on the truck because they were the best thing available at the time (and it got my mom off my butt for running worn tires).

I probably need to get over my predjuces and just throw another pair of Hankooks and hope the tire/alignment shop gets it right this time (or find a different shop; the shop did my Ranger well but it didn't have adjustable ball joint bushings like this truck has?)... Seriously though, they replaced the front tires and aligned it back in June 2020. I didn't rotate the tires so I don't know if the treadwear warranty is still valid... or since it's alignment related wear, maybe I'm up the creek?

Edit- Hankook says it's a 70,000 mile tire... but since I didn't rotate them every 7500 miles (with proof no less), the warranty is void. So yep, it's on me.

Yet another edit: The local shop doesn't sell them in that size any more anyway. So I get to look elsewhere or at something different...

[ArdWrknTrk]

There are SO many oddball (Chinese) brands out there.  
And I see what you mean. The 235 are more available and mostly less expensive than 215.

I saw "MS" in the Michelin designation but now that I looked them up they seem to be an 'all season' tire, rather than truly mud & snow.

The Mastercraft (Cooper) AS IV in 215/75 R15 are really economical $406 for 4, delivered from eBay.
These are sold as an SUV tire. I've heard people say good things about the brand.

In 235/75 I see Goodyear Wrangler Trail runners $450 for 4, delivered.
They are a bit more aggressive and seem to have good ratings.

In that vein there is also the Khumo AT51 (also right at $450/4 delivered)
I can attest to these as I had them on my Ex's truck and on the front of mine right now.

[ratdude747]

I have cooper cobra's on my 1995 Ranger. Other than the back tires wearing in the center (May be because I'm 5PSI overinflated) they're doing great. But that truck is more of a utility pony car than a true truck in it's current usage, so those tires make sense.

That said, those Mastercrafts look like what was on the the front of the F150 when I bought it... got a year out of them before I was showing cords (about half the durability of what I have now). They seem to be built to be cheap... reminds me of Cooper trendsetter tires. IMHO they're like cheap oil filters and noname chinese parts: good for flipping, bad for keeping (also, why I refuse to buy flipped cars, or flipped anything!). Not to say cooper doesn't make legit tires... they do, but those aren't them. I'm not that desperate.

I'd be OK with AT tires if they didn't break the bank, ride like , have a lot of road noise, or kill my fuel economy.

[Nothing Special]

ratdude747 wrote

....  Seems on a lot of 1/2 ton trucks (even today!) P-tires are indeed stock... and it sounds like since I don't tow often, "extra load" P-tires are probably OK....

(yes, I know I'm responding to a 2 month old post...)

My '95 F-150 also came with "extra load" P-series tires (P235/75R15).

What I've heard about P-series tires on trucks is that they're fine as long as you de-rate the load capacity by 10%.  So a P235/75R15 Extra Load has a max weight rating of 2271 lbs/tire.  If you keep it to 2043 lbs max you are OK with them om a truck.  And that generally will handle the rear axle weight of a half ton truck.

Interestingly, an LT235/75R15 load range C is only rated for 1985 lbs.  So go figure.

[ArdWrknTrk]

You started this thread saying you liked the Goodyear Wranglers.
Are you happy with the Hankook's you have? Something like their Dynapro AT2's are @ $175.
It seems there's a big gulf between 'economy' tires and that $800 number you flinch at. (Nothing made from petroleum is reasonable these days)

I hope you find something that suits you!  

[85lebaront2]

You are running into somewhat the opposite I ran into years ago on my 1971 Mercury Colony Park. It called for P235/75R15 tires and I could not find them anywhere let alone at a reasonable price. My tire store manager (friend) suggested just going the the LT235/75R15 tires. In his words "That beast weighs more than some trucks, so why not use the LT tires?" Car was 5500 lbs empty weight.

[ratdude747]

Getting these today:

https://tirediscounters.com/tire/kenda/KR217/KN41082

Cheap enough to be worth a try. Ideal? No. But they're better than what I have.

[ratdude747]

Got the tires... But the alignment was a rain check. Couldn't get my tie rod adjusters loose... Yay.

My records were wrong... They were the shop that aligned the Ranger. (And got it right) So I'll see about getting the adjusters free tomorrow and hitting them up on my way out of town Wednesday. Or replace the entire tie rod set after the trip.

The tires aren't fancy but they'll get the job done and were in stock. Made in Vietnam sadly, but I'll give them a chance. I've used kenda bicycle tires for years and they've been good.

I kept the one of old tires that was still good and not plugged... Once I have a rim, It'll become my spare.

[Gary Lewis]

Tires won't change the alignment.  But it is a good time to check the alignment so you don't hurt the new tires.  Hopefully you can get the adjusters loose, but they should still be able to check the alignment even if you don't.

[ratdude747]

I did break them loose... just took some prying with a massive flatblade and plenty of liquid wrench. They're still a bit stiff but they can move. I didn't do a full disassembly as I didn't want to mess with the current alignment (it's still drivable...)

I'll be back tomorrow (taking a half day at work)...

[Gary Lewis]

Good.  No better time for alignment than with new tires.

[ratdude747]

Especially when it comes free with the tires!

(That's a Tire Discounters thing. Why I went with them instead of Discount Tire, who doesn't do anything outside of tires).

[ratdude747]

Got the alignment done...



Needed done all right...

[Gary Lewis]

Ready for a road trip!