P vs LT tires
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P vs LT tires
Bought a used F250 4x2 Diesel. It has P265/75R's on it and gives a nice ride. I have read a lot of the scuttlebutt here. I am planning on pulling a 9000 lb 5er. The tires have a 2601 load capacity giving me 5202 across the rear axle. These tires should be more than enough for thr trailer and give a soft 35 PSI ride when I take the date out for dinnner.
These tires are brand new.
Please tell me again why I have to spring for new LT tires or can I safely sneak around with these P's.
P.S. This truck is rated at 13,100 fifthe wheel capacity.
These tires are brand new.
Please tell me again why I have to spring for new LT tires or can I safely sneak around with these P's.
P.S. This truck is rated at 13,100 fifthe wheel capacity.
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Several things to consider.
A passenger tire is not designed for towing. You need at least Load Range D or E tires. D tires are 60lbs --E tires max inflation 80lbs.
If I remember correctly max load for each "E" is 3200lbs per tire and I think 2800lbs for the D range.
If you use your passenger tire for any length of time towing sooner than later you will be on the side of the road. They are not designed for save towing.
Go to the TrailerLife.com Website and you will find lots of discussions of what tires are used for different towing situations.
A truck is a truck. From past experience----lower tire pressure is not going to give you a much better ride. It's still a truck.
Check around. I have been trailing for almost 20 years and would never put passenger tires on a tow vehicle.
A passenger tire is not designed for towing. You need at least Load Range D or E tires. D tires are 60lbs --E tires max inflation 80lbs.
If I remember correctly max load for each "E" is 3200lbs per tire and I think 2800lbs for the D range.
If you use your passenger tire for any length of time towing sooner than later you will be on the side of the road. They are not designed for save towing.
Go to the TrailerLife.com Website and you will find lots of discussions of what tires are used for different towing situations.
A truck is a truck. From past experience----lower tire pressure is not going to give you a much better ride. It's still a truck.
Check around. I have been trailing for almost 20 years and would never put passenger tires on a tow vehicle.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Western NC
No way I would start out going anywhere with passenger car tires on a SD pulling a 9000# camper. Get yourself some E-rated tires, air them up to about 75#, and don't worry about them. Also, make sure you don't have P tires on your camper either.........
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The big differance in P / LT tiers is the side wall construction(plys as marked on the tire). Lt's have stiffer side walls for the added weight of towing/hauling heavy loads.
The side walls are the weak link in the tire, add lots of weight + speed and turning puts further stress on the side walls, which leads to tire failure.
D & E load ranges vary by pounds per tire, there is no set standard for pounds per load range. One tires D range is anothers E load tire. Most people like to go with a tire that has enough load range to cover there needs with out going to far over. The heavier the load range the harsher the ride from the tire.
The side walls are the weak link in the tire, add lots of weight + speed and turning puts further stress on the side walls, which leads to tire failure.
D & E load ranges vary by pounds per tire, there is no set standard for pounds per load range. One tires D range is anothers E load tire. Most people like to go with a tire that has enough load range to cover there needs with out going to far over. The heavier the load range the harsher the ride from the tire.
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From: Whistler, BC, Canada
My D rated 295/75-16D BFG ATKO have the same 3415 pound capacity at 65 psi as the E rated 265/75-16D BFG ATKO. The 285/75-16E carries 3750 pounds. Comparing D and E tires of equal size I noticed that tread depth is less on Es.
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I have an 88 Bronco, that was originally equipped with LT tires.I came across a deal on P metric Goodyear's that were taken off a new Bronco. I thought this was a great deal, and also thought the lower tire pressure would result in a much better ride.
DON'T DO IT! They were the worst tires I've ever had on any vehicle I've ever owned. I couldn't wait to get rid of them, and replace them with LT Michelin's.
Fords decision to switch to P metric tires left a lot to be desired, and I now realize why the tires I bought were taken off, and replaced with LT tires from the get go.
DON'T DO IT! They were the worst tires I've ever had on any vehicle I've ever owned. I couldn't wait to get rid of them, and replace them with LT Michelin's.
Fords decision to switch to P metric tires left a lot to be desired, and I now realize why the tires I bought were taken off, and replaced with LT tires from the get go.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 425
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From: Park Ridge, Illinois
Put the right tires on the truck, especially if you are towing! Don't want to see you on the side of the road in a ditch! If Super Dutys could live with passenger tires, they wuld have shipped tham that way a long time ago. Check out any good tire site. they will have plenty of information on the differences between the two tires.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Lowell, MA
Another thing to consider is the tread pattern. If you never go off road, you can get a load range E tire with a tread pattern designed for street use. It will offer a quieter ride than a tire with a off road type of pattern and will still carry heavy loads safely.
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Appreciate it wolf man I guess we all want are trucks to do all things but have to make these choices. Toady I am thinking D or E and the street pattern sounds like a good idea for all around use. When I get stuck in the mud I will call my tow service.
This is my first use of the Forum. You'se guys have all been great.
Thanks!
This is my first use of the Forum. You'se guys have all been great.
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Citation 2
Several things to consider.
A passenger tire is not designed for towing. You need at least Load Range D or E tires. D tires are 60lbs --E tires max inflation 80lbs.
If I remember correctly max load for each "E" is 3200lbs per tire and I think 2800lbs for the D range.
If you use your passenger tire for any length of time towing sooner than later you will be on the side of the road. They are not designed for save towing.
Go to the TrailerLife.com Website and you will find lots of discussions of what tires are used for different towing situations.
A truck is a truck. From past experience----lower tire pressure is not going to give you a much better ride. It's still a truck.
Check around. I have been trailing for almost 20 years and would never put passenger tires on a tow vehicle.
A passenger tire is not designed for towing. You need at least Load Range D or E tires. D tires are 60lbs --E tires max inflation 80lbs.
If I remember correctly max load for each "E" is 3200lbs per tire and I think 2800lbs for the D range.
If you use your passenger tire for any length of time towing sooner than later you will be on the side of the road. They are not designed for save towing.
Go to the TrailerLife.com Website and you will find lots of discussions of what tires are used for different towing situations.
A truck is a truck. From past experience----lower tire pressure is not going to give you a much better ride. It's still a truck.
Check around. I have been trailing for almost 20 years and would never put passenger tires on a tow vehicle.
Citation is right. P-metric tires are not designed for heavy load carriyng. You see them on the F150's for ride comfort. When you load a tire - any tire to it's max repeatedly you are stressing the tire. A P-metric will work for a while but every time you load it it will break down from the heat generated from the sidewalls flexing. This heating will eventually cause the tire to fail - at the worst possible time. If it doesn't fail outright it will wear very quickly.
If you want to wear the tires out before you change them - make sure they are properly inflated and check the inner and outer sidewalls before and during your trip. If you see bulges, ripples, dimples etc. Get the tires off and checked.
If it was me I would put the correct tires on. Especially if you're planning on towing. Be safe
BTW- I've been in the commercial tire business for 17 years. I see a lot of tires fail due to overload / underinflation
Last edited by jimvh2; Oct 1, 2005 at 11:44 AM. Reason: added info
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
People are kind of confusing the different terms about a tire. A Load Range (A,B,C,D,E,etc) is an indication of how much a tire can take HORIZONTALLY. A tires MAX LOAD (usually in pounds) is a measurement of how much a tire can take VERTICALLY. So saying that your load range D tire with a max load of 3000 pounds is better than a load range E tire with a max load of 2500 pounds because it has a higher max load is not an accurate comparison, and could be dangerous if you haul or tow a heavy load. The tire may not blow when you dump the load down on it, but the moment it gets a sideways load put on it, such as going around a corner, the tire may blow off the bead. A good rule of thumb is to always replace your tires with a tire that meets or exceeds the OE tire in both load range and max load. Just thought I'd throw this in there. 
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Originally Posted by EnviroCon
People are kind of confusing the different terms about a tire. A Load Range (A,B,C,D,E,etc) is an indication of how much a tire can take HORIZONTALLY. A tires MAX LOAD (usually in pounds) is a measurement of how much a tire can take VERTICALLY. So saying that your load range D tire with a max load of 3000 pounds is better than a load range E tire with a max load of 2500 pounds because it has a higher max load is not an accurate comparison, and could be dangerous if you haul or tow a heavy load. The tire may not blow when you dump the load down on it, but the moment it gets a sideways load put on it, such as going around a corner, the tire may blow off the bead. A good rule of thumb is to always replace your tires with a tire that meets or exceeds the OE tire in both load range and max load. Just thought I'd throw this in there.
