92 3.0 tire recommends
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08-31-2007, 07:51 PM
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: staten island
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#3
09-03-2007, 02:29 AM
Senior User
* MY EXPERIENCE *
I've had success with Michelin more than others. To me they're worth the small percentage increased cost because they return a higher percentage of increased performance and longevity.
A set of Michelin X-Ones I bought for my Aero lasted 60,000 miles before a few treadwear bars started showing. I went back to SAM'S Club looking for new ones and they gave me $22 per tire credit back because the Michelins were 80,000 mile tires and hadn't reached that limit yet!
That credit was nearly enough to buy some cheap skinnier Bridgestones that I chose because i was gonna sell the van. Well, it didn't sell and I ended up driving those lil things off the van. They lasted long but never handled near as well as my fat performance Michelins had (215/65 R15s I think).
* FROM THE FORUM HERE *
1) One said he ran "225/70R14s on his aero" Which are wider than stock.
2) Another "I run 15" x7.5" with a set of 225-75 R-15s on them. I'm very happy with performance, fit, look & all aspects."
3) What I did to stiffen up the ride was 27x8.50R14 LT tires. Those ride nicely, stiffer rubber and high load rating gives it a very aggressive trucklike feel. They are pressure rated to 55 psi.
4) I run 15x6 ranger rims with215/65 15' [Yokohama Avids]. Rides great and has more tread on the road. No rubbing. Same diameter as the stock14's, so speedo is accurate.
Also check out the tire posts in the FTE forum here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum64/index2.html
* GENERAL ADVICE *
You asked specifically about 'brands', but the many 'brands' of tires are made by just a few manufacturers. In North Carolina we have Cooper which makes good tires. They also make probably half a dozen or more 'brands' for other people.
I understand Michelin was the originator & developer of steel belted radial tires in the 1940s & 1950s and still hold patents on their unique tire molds which produce a rounder truer tire than anyone else can easily make. They were selling radials for a decade or two (1950s & 1960s) before the American manufacturers finally picked up on them.
Michelin radial tires used to be especially good, giving a safer ride, handling, long treadwear & improved fuel mileage to cars & trucks that other tire manufacturers couldn't really match for many years. They're still a favorite of fleets. Perhaps Bridgestone and another brand (Toyo?) are nearly as favored in truck fleets now. Pirelli has long made primo sport tires of similar quality to Michelin.
Having said that, all tires are much better now than back in the old days. The cheaper brands are much closer in quality and life to what the primo ones once were, not too long ago. The primo brands have gotten even better now.
When comparing tires in the USA we use traction, temperature, and treadwear ratings to give an idea how the tire will perform. traction A temperature B and treadwear 400+ seems a normal minimum now.
* MY RECOMENDATIONS *
If you want extra strength and performance one way to tell is to feel the tire's sidewall off the rim for strength and thickness. To drive and perform in a truely heavy duty manner you need to actually feel a fairly strong stiffness in the tire sidewall. Most tires feel flabby here.
Next time I'm gonna look for Light Truck tires to fit stock Aero wheels like someone else did here. Light Truck designated tires have an LT before the size, Passenger tires have a P.
* CONCLUSIONS *
For the 14" Aero wheels try choosing a "Light Truck" rated tire if you want the strongest tire for that rim size. Be sure and choose a tread pattern appropriate to your intended use because LT tires come in everything from highway to mud or snow treads. Be sure to see the letters "LT" before the standard metric tire size, or the numeric inch size such as "27x8.50R14 LT" if you want to be sure you're getting a light truck tire.
For 15"+ rim sizes you'll be bound to get GT type low profile tire which all have good performance charactaristics.
By the way, this IS NOT a paid advertisement.
I've had success with Michelin more than others. To me they're worth the small percentage increased cost because they return a higher percentage of increased performance and longevity.
A set of Michelin X-Ones I bought for my Aero lasted 60,000 miles before a few treadwear bars started showing. I went back to SAM'S Club looking for new ones and they gave me $22 per tire credit back because the Michelins were 80,000 mile tires and hadn't reached that limit yet!
That credit was nearly enough to buy some cheap skinnier Bridgestones that I chose because i was gonna sell the van. Well, it didn't sell and I ended up driving those lil things off the van. They lasted long but never handled near as well as my fat performance Michelins had (215/65 R15s I think).
* FROM THE FORUM HERE *
1) One said he ran "225/70R14s on his aero" Which are wider than stock.
2) Another "I run 15" x7.5" with a set of 225-75 R-15s on them. I'm very happy with performance, fit, look & all aspects."
3) What I did to stiffen up the ride was 27x8.50R14 LT tires. Those ride nicely, stiffer rubber and high load rating gives it a very aggressive trucklike feel. They are pressure rated to 55 psi.
4) I run 15x6 ranger rims with215/65 15' [Yokohama Avids]. Rides great and has more tread on the road. No rubbing. Same diameter as the stock14's, so speedo is accurate.
Also check out the tire posts in the FTE forum here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum64/index2.html
* GENERAL ADVICE *
You asked specifically about 'brands', but the many 'brands' of tires are made by just a few manufacturers. In North Carolina we have Cooper which makes good tires. They also make probably half a dozen or more 'brands' for other people.
I understand Michelin was the originator & developer of steel belted radial tires in the 1940s & 1950s and still hold patents on their unique tire molds which produce a rounder truer tire than anyone else can easily make. They were selling radials for a decade or two (1950s & 1960s) before the American manufacturers finally picked up on them.
Michelin radial tires used to be especially good, giving a safer ride, handling, long treadwear & improved fuel mileage to cars & trucks that other tire manufacturers couldn't really match for many years. They're still a favorite of fleets. Perhaps Bridgestone and another brand (Toyo?) are nearly as favored in truck fleets now. Pirelli has long made primo sport tires of similar quality to Michelin.
Having said that, all tires are much better now than back in the old days. The cheaper brands are much closer in quality and life to what the primo ones once were, not too long ago. The primo brands have gotten even better now.
When comparing tires in the USA we use traction, temperature, and treadwear ratings to give an idea how the tire will perform. traction A temperature B and treadwear 400+ seems a normal minimum now.
* MY RECOMENDATIONS *
If you want extra strength and performance one way to tell is to feel the tire's sidewall off the rim for strength and thickness. To drive and perform in a truely heavy duty manner you need to actually feel a fairly strong stiffness in the tire sidewall. Most tires feel flabby here.
Next time I'm gonna look for Light Truck tires to fit stock Aero wheels like someone else did here. Light Truck designated tires have an LT before the size, Passenger tires have a P.
* CONCLUSIONS *
For the 14" Aero wheels try choosing a "Light Truck" rated tire if you want the strongest tire for that rim size. Be sure and choose a tread pattern appropriate to your intended use because LT tires come in everything from highway to mud or snow treads. Be sure to see the letters "LT" before the standard metric tire size, or the numeric inch size such as "27x8.50R14 LT" if you want to be sure you're getting a light truck tire.
For 15"+ rim sizes you'll be bound to get GT type low profile tire which all have good performance charactaristics.
By the way, this IS NOT a paid advertisement.
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