I currently have 285/75/16 Load Range E tires on my '03 250. What is the difference between Load Range D and E Tires? I was thinking of switching to load range D due to cost. I do not tow anything on a regular basis, the most I do is a 4wheeler trailer maybe once or twice and a boat once or twice if that. So my question is would I be ok switching to load range D?

 

Personal opinion here,

Load Range D tires have less side wall strength, therefore can not hold the same load or handle the same stress/flex as a load range E tire (10 Ply)

When I purchased my 06, F-350,6.0, DRW (New to Me) it has load range D tires on it, Nice Dick Cepek FCII's with less than 10,000 miles on them.

I was concerned about the load range because I do tow alot, but figured that I would be fine...... Not so much...

While traveling thru Kansas this last summer, (No Load, just passengers) I had a catastrophic failure on one of the front tires, it desintegrated....

As I contacted the tire manufacturer and did a ton of research, I was repeatedly told that the load range E tire is specifically required for these trucks because of how heavy the front end is (which is why we have so many ball joint issues, etc),

as I inspected the other tires all were fine except the other fron tire, it was exhibiting the same wear paterns and the characteristic overload bulge that a thinner walled tire will develop.

Once I got to Denver, I purchased some nice Nitto Trail Grapplers, AWESOME tires, Load Range E, Quiet, smooth and incredibly tough.

The bulge on all the tires is gone, especially on the front end.

Bottom line, You can save a few bucks now and pay alot more later due to the faster wear, mechanical issues and potential damage to your vehicle from a failed tire.

Or you can spend a little more now and have a set of tires that will last you for a VERY long time.

 

Tough call really. To me, it wouldn't be worth it. That one time you do need to tow or haul something a little on the heavy side could be worth your safety IMO. So I'd stay with the E load.

 

I won't use anything but an E. But I do tow frequently, and I do go off road. In some sizes you can get a D with the same load rating as an E, and if you never haul heavy and don't go off road, you may be okay. But keep in mind that even though the load rating may be the same, the D tire carcass will not handle road hazards like an E will. Off road to me mostly means rocky desert, sharp sage stickers, and ranch roads. The D is more likely to be cut and punctured. So no D's for me, but there are some folks who can get by with them.

 

TOTALLY agree!

 

To me if you don't need the load range E's you don't need a Super Duty with 6.0. JMHO.

 

here the other issue. I have been told and it has been sugested that the tire rating on the door sticker is what needs to be on the rim do to dot requirements.
I have no info or proff to varify the statment so take the advise as being as good as what you paid for it in this case.

 

Cheezit, as usual your advice is golden. LOL

 

there are other golden things in this world some good some bad...

 

Prior to sinkking my F-250 I had always had E range on the truck, but due to the economy I went with a set of D tires. I had to get them from SEARS to put them on the card as I needed them and didn't have cash up front. Anyway, they (SEARS) have a good table to compare tires and also descirbes the speed ratings and load ratings and what each designator stands for. T he D ratings I purchased were only 30# less each tire than E rating. I overloaded the truck with logs and pulled an overloaded trailer of wood and never had a problem. This was only a few times prior to getting the truck wet though.
Bottomline- I would still strive for E range tires but never know if I'll be there again.

 

I've only put E's on mine and never even priced D's.
Is there a big price difference??
Just curious, I'll stick with my E's but there's a lot of mention of price savings going on.

 

Load range E for sure here w/srw.

 

I like mine, but they get wicked weird unless the fronts are at a full blown 80psi. Maybe it's the diesel and my bumper, but the steering goes sloppy unless I'm fully aired up. Even with my 265/70R17E stockers, I could tell when my fronts were at anything less than 75psi because the steering feel was horrible. I wouldn't run D's just because I'm worried the sidewall flex would make that squishy feeling permanent.


Just my .02c

 

Most seem to be in agreement here on the E's, as am I... and i'll tell u my long sad story to back up my reasoning

I tried D's at Discount tires 'tire expert' advice that proved the d's had the same load carrying capacity as my stock e's....

that week we left for a trip from dfw to memphis and I was a nervous wreck by the time we got 60 miles out of DFW....
this was with NO towing - just two people and a few pcs of luggage....

once at hwy speed the truck would dart side to side if I didn't have a death grip and constantly correcting....

As soon as I got back to DFW I reamed the 'expert' and had them replace them.....
no more darting side to side..... my logic is that the side wall flexed too much under the load on small undulations in the road and would change the steering geometry enough to send us into the other lane...

next trip was one finger and ez driving like the Ex loves to do @ 130k miles now...

but as always, just my opinion and YRMV

 

Here's one of many sites that might answer some of your questions:

Tire Tech Information - Load Range/Ply Rating Identification

Good luck!