At just under 37,000 miles, I swapped out the crappy original Continental tires for some slightly larger LT275/70/18 General Grabber HTS60's.
I don't rotate the tires like is normally suggested, I run them in place until the backs wear out(funny how the back tires wear faster than the fronts!), then rotate the fronts to the back and put new tires up front.
The first two rear General tires lasted just about 65,000, and I rotated the fronts to the rear and put a new pair up front, this was at about 102,000.
I also have the Centramatic balancers.
At this point I guessed those original front Generals that got rotated to the back would probably last another 20,000 miles, but they are just now getting down to the wear bars in the tread, at 138,440 miles, so they lasted another 36,000 miles instead of just the 20,000 I estimated, that is a total mileage on that pair of tires of 101,000 miles!!!
Pretty freaking great mileage for tires that cost me only $150 each!
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any more at that price, just bought 2 new Generals for $240 each, and will be rotating and swapping the tires out, maybe next week or right after the first of January.

Anyway, if anyone on here needs some really great highway tread tires that are very tough and long lasting, I can wholeheartedly recommend the General Grabber HTS60's, and the Centramatic balancers.
I don't know how much the balancers extended the tire life, but they have to have been a benefit, and my truck still rolls down the road silky smooth.
It's a winning combination for sure.
Heck, those first 2 Generals that wore out at 65,000 probably would have lasted a lot longer had I had the Centramatic balancers on since I first upgraded the tires.

 

Probably a dumb question, but did you notice a difference with the centramatic balancers? Trying to decide between those and/or balance beads. I have a slight vibration I suspect is tire balance-related.

 

from my experience I’d take centramatics over beads any day of the week.

 

Yes, centramatics made a noticeable difference, had a slight vibration in mine as well, we chased it and never could get it all out, balancers smoothed it out.
Thinking about it now, slight vibration may be the reason those first two Generals only made it to 65K.
Ever since I installed the centramatics, my truck has been glass smooth.
Will be great if the rest of my tires get close to 100k miles too.

 

I've been looking at the Centramatics as well but a little confused about the part number for my '17 F-250. According to their website, I believe the number is 300-318. If so, E-bay has a set for $168. The only negative thing I've heard about them is they make noise while underway below 20mph but who cares if you can get 100K out of a set of tires, lol.

 

Looked on Amazon, they said they don't have them for my 2020F-250 with18" wheels

 

Give Centramatics a call and they will get you sorted out. The only time you really hear them is when you are driving at low speeds with the window down. Sounds like sand rolling around in a tin can

 

Just be like me, have Tinnitus, never hear any of the noises other guys claim they hear, like centramatics making noise at low speed, lift pump buzzing, etc.

Who said they don't have them for your truck??? Amazon???
Amazon doesn't know diddly about what fits, 300-318 is the set for your truck.
As stated, call Centramatic directly, they will get you taken care of, they sell for the same price as amazon.

 

I've been running Centramtaics for two years now and rarely, and I mean rarely, do I hear them. Most likely at the drive thru, but it's a non-issue. Also, they won't extend you tire life to 100K on an F-250 nor likely a truck running 19.5's.

 

Question regarding the Centramatics: Do you have to remove all the existing wheel weights prior to installing? Doesn't seem logical to me, as tires are balanced to the wheel, and I would think that the Centramatics would complement that balance, no?

 

I kept mine on. I've heard you can go either way.

 

No, get the tires balanced as normal, that is what I do.
The Centramatics then do fine tuning and compensate for wear throwing the balance off.
After having the tires on my truck first installed and balanced, they were not rebalanced for their entire more than 100,000 mile life.
And, no matter what someone else said, I believe the Centramatics have helped those tires make it to 100,000 miles.
Now, it has to be considered that my truck is used nearly 100% highway, which makes them last longer, but even so...

 

Just throwing this out there. MANY yrs ago (late 60's-early 70's! ( many of you weren't born then right)? LOL. I worked for a small Mobil distributor. We sold gasoline, Heating oil, Tires, motor oil, batteries etc. That was when The first synthetic motor oil came out, Mobil1! Also radial tires were a new thing! The first steel belted radials recommended something like 20lbs of air. I remember the bosses Mercedes radials look half flat, that was the way they were supposed to be! About that time they came up with the idea of balancing them with Anti-freeze!! There were charts telling how much anti-freeze per tire size. I can't remember just how much but for the average passenger car tire something like a cup per tire. You could have used water down here in Florida but then I was in Maine so obviously you needed anti-freeze!! Boss claimed the tires were smoother than any he had ever owned.

 

O.K. My bad. I did not read the first post. Very surprised to hear a non-19.5 tire came anywhere close to 100K.

My Falken's in 285-75-18 flavor will barely make 60K and mine is a highway princess. I do rotate every 7,500 since 4wd use is somewhat common for me, especially in winter.

Again, I didn't mean to offend.

Adam

 

Another vote for the Centramatics here. Completely eliminated a persistent vibration the only showed up at 72 - 76 MPH. The sound is audible at very low speed - it sounds like a swooshing sound.

Funny story - I installed airbags on my truck. My neighbor down the street is at his mailbox when I drove by for the test drive. I wave as I pass his house and 30 seconds later he lights my phone up. When I answer he tells me that I have an air leak that he could hear as I went by. It was the Centramatics - he has 3 small children so I always drive slowly when I pass his home.