Any tire experts out there?

sharkathmi

sharkathmi

New member
Hi All,
I'd like to hear your comments to my quandary.
I've got an '07 Toyota Tacoma that needs new tires.
The book calls for 265-70R/16 or 245-75R/16. They are both the same diameter ~30.5"
I'm looking at the BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO tire due to good recommendations from friends who use them.
In that tire the 265-70 has a D load rating.
The 245-75 has an E load rating.

Now here is where I get confused...

-One dealer told me I'd get better gas mileage with the 245/E rated tires as they will be stiffer and will have less rolling resistance.
-Another dealer told me I'd get poorer mileage with the 245/E rated tire because they will have thicker sidewalls, greater plies and weigh more, resulting if greater rolling resistance, because of the increased weight.
-A couple friends said that I'd get better traction in the snow with the D rated tire as the E rated would be stiffer and have a tendency to spin on the snow versus grab it.
-Lastly, I don't really need the heavier E rated tire as I will only be pulling a medium sized ATV trailer with a Rhino on it, but I'm going after a narrower tire thinking they will give better traction in the snow. (smaller footprint, greater PSI on the ground)

Since I'm going to spend about $900+ on a new set of tires, I'd like to get ones I'll be happy with and will serve me well.
Which tire do you think would be the better one?
Thanks in advance for any advice or comments you may have.
Mark
 
I have noticed the stiffer (harder tires) do spin more in the cold (ice/Snow). Had two sets of tires with same tread pattern one soft one hard. The softer one got good traction in snow while the harder spun in snow more but lasted longer. Going with the softer once these harder ones wear out. Rather buy tires alittle more often than be stuck walking or digging in 30 below windchills.
 
An E-rated tire is heavier/thicker than a D-rated. The E-rated is better for those rocky, nasty places than the D. Less likely to puncture them. D-rated should give you better gas mileage. We use the E-rated wide tires on our fords because we are not interested in blown tires; primarily because of where we go. Narrow tires do give better gas milage and 'supposedly' better in mud and snow.

Just my 2cts on the subject
 
Feel free to give me a call, Mark. I have managed tire and auto repair stores for 22 years, and am ASE certified, as well as a SEMA certified Custom Wheel and Tire Specialist. I don't really know anything, but I have the credentials....

You are toying around here with a pressure/volume relationship. "D" and "E" are indicators of tread plies. Sidewalls are essentially the same. All BFG AT KO's have a three ply side wall (Tri-guard).

First, metric sizing.

245, or 265. The section width of the tire (widest part, not necessarily tread cap) in millimeters.

70 or 75 (aspect ratio)
The percentage of the section width that the sidewall is tall.

16
Wheel diameter in inches.

The 265 will carry more air volume than the 245, so theoretically the 265 will carry as much or more at it's max inflation (65 lbs) than the 245 will at it's max inflation (80 lbs). I am not able to specifically verify the ratings for these tires at the moment so here comes the next factor...

Load index.
This is a number assigned (usually coupled with a speed rating) that allows a user to view a chart that predicts what the tire's load bearing ability in pounds, static radius and loaded radius are at a given inflation. It might look like 119/120Q or 118S given the application at hand.

The next factor to consider for fuel economy is the tread width footprint and how it may increase friction drag if not properly inflated.


In a nutshell, I would think the 245's might get slightly better fuel economy, but the 265's may tend to survive the camber roll element of the steering geometry a little better without edge wear.

The difference is likely negligible, and I would go with the 265's because they tend to have a better footprint on the factory alloy wheels. I would request that they be balanced, coned from the back, with a Haweka adapter to center it on the cone. Also request that the lugs are hand torqued, as Toyota studs are pretty soft and wont live through impact wrenches, (even with torque sticks), for very long. Since the factory tire was likely a P-metric, (4-ply), you may have to toy with inflation to dial it in. I can tell you how.

Any questions, let me know....
 
Y is the only step up you have left Jack. What the heck kind of car do you have?

Once you get to a Y rated tire some weirdness ensues. A ZR with an index Y is rated to 186 mph, but a [Y] with brackets is above 186. It MUST say ZR in the size. i.e. P285/35ZR19 (90Y)

I would recommend that you look on the door placard if it is a Corvette or something and never buy a tire rated lower than than the original ones.

I admit I don't completely understand how the speed ratings are achieved but I believe it indicates that you can run the tire at the max speed listed for an extended amount of time without a heat related failure.
 
It came with W rated tires but they cheated(saved money) by using the computer to limit the speed. The computer can be reprogrammed to allow higher speeds. I guess that if I want to do that safely, I will have to pay for even more expensive tires?

Jack
 
It's one of the high-end Mustangs, isn't it? Roush or something like that. I don't know why I remember that.

I'm glad I read this post...learned somthing.
 
As to the original post, I would like to try and talk you out of the BFGoodrich A/t tires, I believe they are over rated and expensive. I would look at some Micheline tires for that price. You cant hardly wear down those Micheline tires, not so much with BFGoodrich.
 
Originally Posted By: RubenatorAs to the original post, I would like to try and talk you out of the BFGoodrich A/t tires, I believe they are over rated and expensive. I would look at some Micheline tires for that price. You cant hardly wear down those Micheline tires, not so much with BFGoodrich.
Do you have any suggestions?
I'm looking for an All Terrain tire, not [what I call] a grocery getter tire!
laugh.gif

I'll go check out there site now.
Thanks,
Mark
 
I have been through the BFGoodrich A/T tires, Michelin tires will certainly last longer. Now I will say I am on my second set of General Grabber A/T 2, almost identical tread pattern as the BFGoodrich A/T but a heavier duty tire. I am also a fan of Cooper tires, may want to check those out as well.
 
BFG A/T are one the best tires for the $$. Always had good luck with them. Had one set of Cooper and will be the last.

Just put a set of 265's BFGs on the wife's truck just over a year ago. $776 out the door. Another place I called wanted $1k for the same tire.

My fav tire which do wear alittle faster is the BFG M/T, the look good and hook up well.

All depends on how/ and where you drive.
 
To ad,
I'm no tire expert. Seems since the price of oil went nuts a few years back the cheaper tires just plain suck. The med and better class are getting very pricey. It's painful at first,but don't skimp on truck tires.
 
I have never had a problem with Cooper tires. Their new AT3 looks pretty good, but I haven't got to run a set yet. I am going to be buying a Wrangler before too long, and when I do it will likely be getting BFG AT KO's. The BFG's are not known for a smooth ride, or even being round for that matter, and they will wear out within 28 to 30k miles. I like the traction they get. Off road, snow, even ice, they just plain grip. The Michelin's will ride smoother and last longer, but they don't offer a tread pattern that will hold a candle to the BFG's for traction.

The Grabber AT2 does have a nearly identical tread pattern to the BFG. I have no first hand experience with it, but it looks pretty good. We have watched Continental push General down to become its price-point tire, so I can't help wonder what has happened to their quality standards on it along the way. May be fine, I just don't know.

Have personally had good luck with Bridgestone and Pirelli as well.

Mark,
Unless you are going to quit hunting and turn your 'yota into a touring sedan, I think you will be well served with your initial choice.

My .02



Quote:It came with W rated tires but they cheated(saved money) by using the computer to limit the speed. The computer can be reprogrammed to allow higher speeds. I guess that if I want to do that safely, I will have to pay for even more expensive tires?

Jack

So when are you going to tell me what it is?
crazy.gif

 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeTo ad,
I'm no tire expert. Seems since the price of oil went nuts a few years back the cheaper tires just plain suck. The med and better class are getting very pricey. It's painful at first,but don't skimp on truck tires.

Spot on!

This was also aggravated by hundreds of massive tire plants being built in China and Korea. The tires coming out of there are just now reaching a point where they can be considered safe and reliable. QC was wildly out of control at the onset of all this.

Scary part:

Next time you walk through a parking lot with a lot of cars in it, check out how many non-OE tires there are that you have never heard of before. Sumic, Hercules, Nexen, Sunny, Ching Shen, Riken, Geostar, Nankang, Goodride and so on and on and on....

Heck if you look long enough I am sure you could even find some Spiderman GT's....
laugh.gif
 
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Check out some General Grabber ATII`s in 265 70/16 `s almost identical to BFG`s AT, but less expensive. Higher load capacity than the BFG`s also. I`m on the third set on the wifes Tacoma DblCab, they last about 60k (but mostly street/highway use)
 
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