Anyone towing heavy trailers with 285/60/18 tires? If so how is the performance? Any problems? I have a 33ft fiver toy hauler. I have found some MKW wheels and Nitto tires with 3200 lb load ratings (I'm not sure the ply rating) each and wonder if they would do the job. I have also heard that this size tire may not be safe for towing heavy. Anyone input?


Thanks

Hey - i've got the same question = as those are the tires I want to go wtih...

Tire capacity is fine but you may also need to look at the effect on
the over all gear ratio of the truck with bigger tires and GM will not
warranty Ally with tires that are oversized too much. As far as
ply rating, the abilty to run 80 PSI vs 60 PSI in rear tires when
towing (10 ply vs 8ply) will have some effect on stabilty when towing
(the higher the pressure the better)

BansheeBruce


I looked at this size tire from Toyo. I was told both yes and no as far as safety. So I emailed toyo direct and they told me the tire I was looking at would be a misapplication. That particular 285/60/18 was a 4 ply tire. Then someone brought up the insurance issue. If you ever had a tire failure with a less than E rated tire would your insurance cover it? The best summary I can give you is that air carries the load so a bigger tire has more volume of air and can hold more weight. However the ply rating is structural integrity of the tire and will keep that tire from coming apart while under that load. This is a grossly over simplified explanation, stability and heat build up and many other isuues are involved. IMO stick with the E rated tire and relax when you are pulling your trailer down the road at 65mph.

BansheeBruce


I looked at this size tire from Toyo. I was told both yes and no as far as safety. So I emailed toyo direct and they told me the tire I was looking at would be a misapplication. That particular 285/60/18 was a 4 ply tire. Then someone brought up the insurance issue. If you ever had a tire failure with a less than E rated tire would your insurance cover it? The best summary I can give you is that air carries the load so a bigger tire has more volume of air and can hold more weight. However the ply rating is structural integrity of the tire and will keep that tire from coming apart while under that load. This is a grossly over simplified explanation, stability and heat build up and many other isuues are involved. IMO stick with the E rated tire and relax when you are pulling your trailer down the road at 65mph.





Lots of tires are only 4 true plies but 8 ply RATED, really mixed up mess.


The load capacity at 3200# has to be a decent tire.


The lower air pressure for max load gives a better ride and the 60 series sidewall won't have the wonder that a 75 or 85 series tire has.


As long as the tires have a higher weight capacity than stock it shouldn't matter what ply.

No radial tires have the true amount of "plys" of their ratings.
This is a trhough back for the old bias ply days. I do disagree on the
effect of max press though. I have had heavy tag trailers (which are
sensitive to tire sway) on truck with "E" tires at 80 PSI and tire of
lessor pressure and simular capacity and the high pressure ones have
always been better. Soft ride it nice but when I am towing big I am far
more concerned with stabilty than I am a slightly softer ride.

Lots of tires are only 4 true plies but 8 ply RATED, really mixed up mess.


The load capacity at 3200# has to be a decent tire.


The lower air pressure for max load gives a better ride and the 60 series sidewall won't have the wonder that a 75 or 85 series tire has.


As long as the tires have a higher weight capacity than stock it shouldn't matter what ply.





It is really mixed up, send emails to the tire manufatcturers and you will get the facts.


I have never heard of a tire rated D or 8ply that is really 4ply. Does not make sense to me a company would spend the extra money to construct an 8ply tire and then advertise it as a 4ply.


I am unable to find the email Toyo sent back to me when I asked them the same question this post is about, but I do remember: "These tires are a 4 ply tire and would be considered a missapplication. Any tire failure would not be covered under warranty." That made it crystal clear to me!


As far as load capacity a tube might hold 3200#s but I would not strap it to my rim and expect it to get me very far.


Less air pressure will make for a nicer ride....right up too the blowout and that will be a real interesting ride. Ask Firestone and Ford.


Weight capacity and plys are not the same thing!!! Example :


245/75/16E weight rated 3042lbs at 80psi 10 ply


265/75/16D weight rated 3042lbs at 65psi 8ply


285/60/18 weight rated ???? at 50psi 4ply


All tires heated and at 3042lbs, you hit something on the road that could cause a tire to fail (bumper or transmission parts that fell off the Ford in front of you) which tire will fail first? There is a reason why an E load range tire weighs 50+lbs.


I am not in the tire business...I did ask this question over and over and can tell you with 100% confidence 50% of the tire people you ask will know less about it than you. Some will just give you the quick easy lawyer answer and some will give you the confidence they know what they are talking about. The last group is where my info comes from.

I have emailed Nitto and will post as soon as they reply.

Actually again no 8 ply rated radial tire is actually 8 plys. THis is a
throw back from the bias ply days when cords were of a known strenght
and more layers were added to increase air pressure capacity and weight
capacity. Radial tires use stronger materails and can have higher
press ratings than bias ply tires and the "ply" rating stand for air
pressure capacity anyway. I have seen 4 ply rated car radials
with 1 ply sidewalls. (the thinner the sidewal, the less power it will
consume as it flexs rolling down the road)

snoman


I have heard that before. Maybe I should say E or D instead of 10 ply or 8 ply but either way we are talking about the same thing. Construction of the tire.

Something to think about.


If you do have "oversized" tires and have a wreck, the other guys Lawyers will try to get ya on the tech. The other snake...er Lawyer will say that your brakes were not on par with your tires. He could say that the wheel mass was too great for the system, overloading the brakes and circumventing the ABS system. Then, he can cut into ya about the load rating. If he wins.... I don't know if your insurance will cover it? They could just let ya hang by saying you modified the system beyond a safe limmit.....anything they can do to take your money and not cover you. http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/throw%20up.gif


Most of the time you're the only person that can watch your back.......


Burner--------------> http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley4.gif

I have heard that before. Maybe I should say E or D instead of 10 ply or 8 ply but either way we are talking about the same thing. Construction of the tire.








The Nitto tires are rated 3086 @ 50psi so they are more capacity than stock.


Load capacity from company A has to be directly comparable to company B, I think the NHTSB would make sure of this.


A company isn't going to pull load capacity #s out of the air after Firestone lawsuits.


These tires are only .75" taller than stock which is smaller than the 265/75 tires on the 3500 SRW.


U can't mix this into the firestone/ford crap since the tires weren't inflated to max psi for the load they were carrying, also where P rated tires.


I'd rather hit something w/ my 285 tires @ 65 psi than the 245 tires @ 80 psi. the bigger tire w/ less psi has more give and could absorb more shock before blowing IMO.


Try to pop a 3/4 inflated ballon vs a fully inflated ballon.

Still haven't heard from anyone with these tires (285/60/18). Anyone on the forum have these and tow with them? http://dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley5.gif

Guess u can be the first, go for it.


The shorter sidewall will give it more stability.


How heavy is the trailer?

Its a 33' Fiver Toy Hauler. It would be up to 11,000 lbs loaded.

I have heard that before. Maybe I should say E or D instead of 10 ply or 8 ply but either way we are talking about the same thing. Construction of the tire.








The Nitto tires are rated 3086 @ 50psi so they are more capacity than stock.


Load capacity from company A has to be directly comparable to company B, I think the NHTSB would make sure of this.


A company isn't going to pull load capacity #s out of the air after Firestone lawsuits.


These tires are only .75" taller than stock which is smaller than the 265/75 tires on the 3500 SRW.


U can't mix this into the firestone/ford crap since the tires weren't inflated to max psi for the load they were carrying, also where P rated tires.


I'd rather hit something w/ my 285 tires @ 65 psi than the 245 tires @ 80 psi. the bigger tire w/ less psi has more give and could absorb more shock before blowing IMO.


Try to pop a 3/4 inflated ballon vs a fully inflated ballon.





Dmax Tim


E, D, LT, P, balloon, basketball, they all have a different contruction quality.


I noticed you reference firestone and the fact those where P rated tires...would you put P rated tires on your truck if the load capacity was 3086lbs?


As far as balloons, I will take the one made out of kevlar. Put as much air in it as you want.

Yes I would.

Anyone else?

I've been waiting until I pulled for a decent distance to answer.
I towed a steel decked 12' trailer with a small 25hp landscaping
tractor (loader and backhoe) about 950 miles.



I have D rated tires. Aired up to 48 PSI, the truck swayed some,
but nothing too disconcerting. I had the bed full of camping gear
and a lot of tongue weight on it because the tractor is a bit too long
for the trailer so the loader bucket was pretty far forward (over the
front rail). I'd guess the tractor and trailer weighed maybe 7k
and it towed pretty well. I was running pretty fast on winding
secondary roads and it wasn't bad. When these wear out, I'll buy
the E rated version and I imagine they will work great for the loads
and roads I drive.

Thanks for the info Kartattack,


Good choice on wheels. Is your trailer a regular tow behind or a 5th wheel? Have you seen a 285-60/18 in an E rated version? All I have heard of is D.

It was a bumper pull trailer.



I bought the wheels and tires off a former DMax owner here. He has good taste!



It doesn't show it on Nittos site, but several sites I have seen at
least suggest they are available in E rating. I hope so because
I'd like the stiffer sidewall, but these will still do the job.

So what happens to the load rating when people run a 265 or 285 tire on the stock 6.5 inch rim?


I would bet the stock PYO's aren't rated for more than 3200 lbs, and people install 265 E's and think their wheel/rim combo is good for 3415 lbs each.