I have a 04 F350 DRW 4x4. When I got the truck it had 265/75 16 and it seemed to handle ok. I then added a Lance 980 truck camper and it till handled ok. It was time for new set of tires and I wanted something a bit more aggressive. I put on some BFGoodrich AT KO's same size 265 75 16. It went from being OK, to a E Ticket ride at Disneyland. The truck was all over the road. I pulled into Ford in Bishop Ca. They said it was the steering box. I told them do what ever you need to, just need it to stay on the road. It handled better, but the rear wanted to sway really bad and feels mushy with the tires at 80 lbs. Has anyone run the BFG KO's with heavy loads? Should I be running a commercial T/A instead? Should I go to the factory size of 235 85 16 with a commercial T/A? your thought?

 

I've run a couple of different sizes of them. Can't say I'm real happy with them these days, 1st set tread delaminated (more my fault as they were too big for the rim). Second set has an unbalanceable issue in one tire.

But they aren't causing sway. Do you have the camper package on your truck? Rear anti-sway bar and extra leaf "helper" springs in rear. Next up would be rear air bags.

If you don't have any of the above get the bags -- they make a world of difference in that wallowing feeling, plus you can use them to help level in camp. I'd suggest the Firestone Ride-Rites as I just like their build quality out of all of them. I've had no problems with 4 trucks with Air Lifts tho either.

Skip the on-board compressor and buy a cheap plug-in-cigarette-lighter compressor that will go up to say 120psi (bags max at 100). Run your air lines to your Schrader valves inside your fuel cap door -- very clean and easy to get to with the camper on.

Ask away if you have more questions, I've had a number of slide-in campers over the years...

 

Oh good then your the guy I want to talk to. I forgot to mention that yes, indeed I have air bags on it. and it does help, just feels wrong. I guess I just want to see if anyone else is running the T/A KO's and hauling heavy weight. I also have factory Larriate rims. I think they are 16x16.5, and I have read the 265 75 16 are more suited for 17.5 rims. could that be an issue?

 

What load rating are the new tires, D or E?

 

tjguy: some of your rim numbers don't make sense. You likely have 16x7 rims (guessing) which are just fine according to BFG for your tires between 7-8" wide rims. Your tires should only come in E rating...

So next, how much air in your bags? What kind of shocks do you run? The bags will cause some bounce, but with good shocks and all that weight likely not a big deal. I think you should set your bags to the right pressure 1st:

Find a flat parking spot, and I mean level. With your camper loaded like you travel -- that means water in the tank, fridge loaded, LP full and all your other chit where you put it.... Get out and look at your truck front to rear stance and side to side. It's likely you will have different pressures in your bags when it looks good (level) going both ways. I'm going to say you should be in the 50# + range right off the bat.

You actually can't set your bag's pressure right unless you are near level, btw.

You didn't say anything about sway bar/helper springs, so I'm assuming you don't have them? Get an anti-sway bar next and let's hear about what you are running for shocks. You can read my sig for what I'll recommend -- anybody that goes from unloaded to loaded like you go, needs an adjustable shock. Not my opinion, it's my experience...

BTW: welcome to FTE!

 

Dan,

04 rims that came stock on a Larrette rim are 16x7? I thought they were 16x6.5. I will have to look at the rim tomorrow morning. all tires are a E rating. The stock tire size according to the sticker on the door is 235/85-16, that's why I assumed they were 16x6.5. They could be 16x6?

Shocks, I have the factory shocks on it, I am looking at 3, KYB, Rancho and Bilstiens. The Rancho's are just expensive, so I am leaning towards the KYB MonoMax,

No SwayBar or helper springs. Been told that it would make a drastic change.

I am just don't understand why the sudden change in handling when I swapped highway tires for A/T tires. The truck would handle pretty good with highway tires and no air bags. I made the swap to the BFG's and it was scary. added air bags and it was better but still scary. perhaps the tread is to aggressive and pulling on the front end, maybe I should have a shop look at the front end for worn parts? I don't know. I don't want to start thrown money at it to fix it. I am thinking just going back to the highway tire.

I was also thinking maybe I am not adding enough psi in the air bags? what do you usually run in yours?

have a trip coming up in August, cant wait to go, man I need a vacation.

thanks Dan,

-Joe

 

I run 65-70#, but we also have the trailer in back. Sway bar will make more difference than shocks will since you have the bags. The sidewalls on the BFG ATs are stout, so there are other possibilities. You could have a radial pull -- you'd rotate tires to see if it changes anything. I had to fight a tire shop on one of these (with a car) but it does happen. And yes we should make sure your steering and all else up front is tight, checking it on an alignment machine would be good (make sure they check for square).

Factory shocks are marginal to start and likely shot by 40k or so, but let's go through the rest before we sink money there. So does it feel like the tail is wagging the dog, or does the steering feel sloppy, or both?

I can check with a bud that has an '04, but I'm thinking you have 7s on a Lariat -- are they the Alcoa's? (aluminum w/ holes around rim).

I'd probably 1st try rotating tires and see if it changes to rule out a radial pull. Then I'd check front end next. I'd add a sway bar in the rear no matter what.

How long had you had the camper before getting the new tires?

 

I didn't read through all the previous posts,, but I've burnt through some rubber. What you are feeling is tread squirm. You can lower the tire pressures,, but it isn't gonna fix it. The only fix is to put some miles on them. I run mine at 80# all the time. The prob is,,, there is no tire out there that is actually made to be at 80#. All of the ones I've had ride on the center of the tire when new. Until you get the tread burnt down square (across the tread), it's gonna b a bit squirrely. I do about 5k mi at 65, then 5k at 70. And so on..... Until I get it to 80. It normally takes me about 15k miles til it gets back to normal. But I'm mostly highway tho.

 

I have had the camper a few years, 3 years I think before I got the BFG T/A's. I had a Chevy 3500 dually with a 6.5 diesel. that was a good handling truck. way better then the Ford. Got the Ford cause the Chevy loved to overheat with the camper on it. Made no sense to keep it when I wanted to use the camper.

I'll take it to a shop in town for a front end and alignment check. I'll post the findings.

The tires in the back are 16x6 stamped right on the factory aluminum rim. looked at the front and I didn't see a stamp so I assume they are the same. With the 265/75 16's on them these tires might be a little squished?
there is not much space between the backs either. I guess I made a bad call on tires.

 

Guess im invisible,,, oh well,, good luck

 

run6.0run,

Sorry, wife was talking to me about her car issues, it never end with an Audi. so I got side tracked.

as far as that tread squirm, could they be caused by to wide of a tire for the rim? your right about the pressure, the more I put into the tires the worst it got. your saying to just drive the heck of the tires and they will break in so to speak?

 

If you look at them,, are they rounded on the top? Or drive through a puddle n see how much tread is hitting the road. This would show if you can roll thru a puddle then straight to dry concrete. I would say it is prob running on about 4-5 inches of tread. Does it feel like you are slipping in mud when on dry road?? It's this that causes me to only buy two tires at a time. I put two new ones on the back,, burn them square, then put them on the front til they're dead. Yes that's what I do guys,,, I am not a fan of rotating. If I get funny wear on the front,,, then I've got problems that aren't about the tires. I never put new tires on the front. They always get put on the back. My first ever set of michelins got ran for 25k mi on the back,, then I put them on the front. Left them alone,, and at 190k total miles, the front pass one blew out. It still had about 1/4" tread on it. I was expecting it to blow, but I wanted to see how far I could go with it. I found out!! Lol. I look at it that if I rotate, with a funny wear pattern,, then all 4 tires end up as crap.

But I'm not sure about driving the heck outta it,,, that's freakin dangerous with it squirrely. Plus if you roast em off to get em square,,, then ur just wasting tires n money. I always just take it easy for a while n it has always gone away as the miles go by. But if you like to run 80#, like me, then gradually raise the pressure as you get some miles on them. I start at 65# btw.

I hear ya on the Audi tho,, I'm in that club.

 

I recently replaced my BFG A/T's with Michelin LTX A/T's. Night and day difference in handling. I still have some road walk (probably my steering box or front end) but it's nothing like it was before. I also don't seem to have the cupping issues on the front axle like I did with the BFG's.

 

tjguy - You are in good hands with these guys. Diesel Dan has helped me a lot getting ready for my first truck camper. I still have a few items to get (leaf springs).

Just to add to this conversation from my research and experience.
Sway bar - When you get front and rear sway bars get poly bushings that are pretty stiff and last longer than a stock bushing.

Shocks - I LOVE my Ranchos. Just recently got mine on sell at Advanced Auto. Also Rancho offered a $100 rebate. It is nice to have a quick dial right on the shock.

Tires - Run6.0run hit the nail on the head (at least in my experience). When I first got my new tires (Goodyear Duratracs) I thought something big was wrong. I was all over the place. After a while the settled in and feel fine now.

Good to see another truck camper guy on the forums. Big Howdy!

 

Your right on the wheel size. All duallys were 16x6 till '05. I'm not a fan of running that big of a tire on the stock rim either. I imagine you rub the tires together, especially with a camper on there. Which can lead to what you are feeling now. The BFG's have more sidewall tread then does a highway tread tire, so at the shoulders you have more tire. You sway a little going down the road, tires hit and make it worse...

Switch tires, or get wider wheels and spacer kits.