Do A/T tires really help THAT much?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 962
Likes: 114
From: Middle TN
Do A/T tires really help THAT much?
Hello all! I have a smaller bumper pull toy hauler (GVW 9100#) pulling with my 2015 F250 PSD 4X4. Here in California, we do mostly desert riding, with 1 trip per year to Glamis sand dunes.
Currently my truck has Toyo Open Country AT2 tires on it. After 41K miles, these things are toast. I don't like the idea of spending a 1000 bones every couple of years or so. Looking for other ideas, considering highway A/S for more longevity. Do A/T tires really make a difference if your not doing mud? In the sand dunes I had to deflate these Toyo's to around 20 psi to get un-stuck even with 4 wheel drive. In the desert, its to and from the campsites on roads varying from hard pack to a little sandy.
Anyone else doing light off road with highway tires and not really regretting it?
Currently my truck has Toyo Open Country AT2 tires on it. After 41K miles, these things are toast. I don't like the idea of spending a 1000 bones every couple of years or so. Looking for other ideas, considering highway A/S for more longevity. Do A/T tires really make a difference if your not doing mud? In the sand dunes I had to deflate these Toyo's to around 20 psi to get un-stuck even with 4 wheel drive. In the desert, its to and from the campsites on roads varying from hard pack to a little sandy.
Anyone else doing light off road with highway tires and not really regretting it?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 962
Likes: 114
From: Middle TN
Lt's for the F250. I bought the A/T's because I thought they were needed for any off road, and they looked cool.
A quick look at their website shows the Toyo's in my size (LT275/70R18) have a load capacity of 3640 lbs. Searching around, highway all season tires from Firestone, Bridgestone, and Michelin have the exact same load capacity. I am just disappointed in the Toyo's longevity,,,,or lack thereof.
A quick look at their website shows the Toyo's in my size (LT275/70R18) have a load capacity of 3640 lbs. Searching around, highway all season tires from Firestone, Bridgestone, and Michelin have the exact same load capacity. I am just disappointed in the Toyo's longevity,,,,or lack thereof.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,182
Likes: 7
From: Saint Augustine, FL
My current truck ('17 F250 FX4) still has the OE Wranglers but it and all of my previous trucks have lived almost exclusively on the highway. I really only go "off road" when looking to park my car hauler, and that's usually grass, or when my wife and I go camping with our 26' travel trailer. Previous trucks always had A/S tires (previous trucks were always 2wd) and I never had any problems getting anywhere. The Van did remarkably well actually.
That said, when out on the Drive-On beaches in St. Augustine, the trucks I see getting stuck are the ones with big lugged mud tires. This is because, in sand, the big lugs do a great job of digging holes. The All Season tires, if you are careful with the throttle and steering, don't dig holes. Or maybe its just idiots showing off
Either way, when its time to replace the OE tires on my '17 Super Duty, its getting All Seasons for highway use.
That said, when out on the Drive-On beaches in St. Augustine, the trucks I see getting stuck are the ones with big lugged mud tires. This is because, in sand, the big lugs do a great job of digging holes. The All Season tires, if you are careful with the throttle and steering, don't dig holes. Or maybe its just idiots showing off
Either way, when its time to replace the OE tires on my '17 Super Duty, its getting All Seasons for highway use.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 962
Likes: 114
From: Middle TN
I think A/S is what I will get. My time off road is probably less that 10% total. Besides, I think these A/T's cost me about 2 mpg.
Worst case scenario is I switch to 4X4 a little sooner. I really can't see all terrain style tread lugs being the fix all for driving in dirt.
Worst case scenario is I switch to 4X4 a little sooner. I really can't see all terrain style tread lugs being the fix all for driving in dirt.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 412
From: Washington Coast
I do mostly hiway but have done 30% off road and have been caught in the snow zones a ton. Ever since being sideways on I80 coming off the Lincoln summit coming down off the Lincoln summit into Laramie, I run ATs and stay clear of the AS. If I was still down in SOCAL still I would probably run the AS due to cost and longevity. You can definitely get the right load range and capacity in the AS.
That being said I live where there’s 35 miles of beach I can drive when I want and see others with the big Mudders getting buried to their axles and laugh when they call my buddy George to pull em out (see Hill Autobody and Towing on U-Tube https://m.youtube.com/user/HILLAUTOBODY ). He’s got some good ones there. He records most every tow he does even his brothers when they get stuck.
I’ve learned a little more weight and a light touch on the throttle keeps me going even in the dry loose stuff. When the rear end starts to shudder and bounce time to back off. I also have onboard air so I can drop the pressure to give me a little more contact area then just air it up coming off the sand.
That being said I live where there’s 35 miles of beach I can drive when I want and see others with the big Mudders getting buried to their axles and laugh when they call my buddy George to pull em out (see Hill Autobody and Towing on U-Tube https://m.youtube.com/user/HILLAUTOBODY ). He’s got some good ones there. He records most every tow he does even his brothers when they get stuck.
I’ve learned a little more weight and a light touch on the throttle keeps me going even in the dry loose stuff. When the rear end starts to shudder and bounce time to back off. I also have onboard air so I can drop the pressure to give me a little more contact area then just air it up coming off the sand.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,676
Likes: 379
I have no idea what tires work best in sand but A/T tires are much, much better on greasy wet dirt driveways and roads (where there's little gravel). They're also much better on rain slick grass compared to all seasons. Nothing short of super swampers are much good in soupy mud or soft, rain soaked clay.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 962
Likes: 114
From: Middle TN
Well I was all set to find me a good set of all season tires,,,,until I started looking around on the internet and reading other reviews.
The all terrains are much better over rocky terrain in protecting the tire from chips and stone bruises.
I guess it's another set of Toyo's for me. 45,000 miles I guess is good enough out of a set that actually does see some off road use.
The all terrains are much better over rocky terrain in protecting the tire from chips and stone bruises.
I guess it's another set of Toyo's for me. 45,000 miles I guess is good enough out of a set that actually does see some off road use.
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Tuned
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 376
Likes: 22
From: Ustoned
I'm running a set of these on my F-250 currently. Dealer put them on when I bought it last year.
Ironman All Country A/T LT275/70R-18 125 load at 3600 q rated at 99 mph.
I have about 8k on them with 80% of that towing a 9k loaded TT.
Griz
Ironman All Country A/T LT275/70R-18 125 load at 3600 q rated at 99 mph.
I have about 8k on them with 80% of that towing a 9k loaded TT.
Griz
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 962
Likes: 114
From: Middle TN
The toyo's are a 60k tire, and just to clarify, I do replace mine when they are low, but not to the wear bars yet. Prior to these, I was used to getting 60-70k out of a set of bridgestone highways and still had some meat left.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,483
Likes: 273
From: Tulare U.S.A.
I run Micheline defender LTX M/S on my 2011 F250 CCB 4X4 pulling a 12,000lb bumper pull toy hauler and mostly go to Oceano Dunes with some desert. I do have to air down the truck and trailer but these tires work great and should go 60,000 miles, my last ones did. They don't look as cool as some of the big lug tires though.
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