LT vs. P Rated Tires
 

Getting ready to put new rubber on my truck. I am torn between The LT E Rated stiffer side wall tires vs. the Pmetric or Passenger/SUV style tire. The heavy multi ply tires show around 80psi while the Pmetric tires show around 40-45psi.

I have been told that there is no problem with airing down the 80 psi tire to provide the same type ride comfort as the P tire aired to its standard 40-45psi.
Obviously you would only air down if you were not hauling heavy or towing which I rarely do, nor do I off road.

Do any of you guys "air down" the higher psi tires for better ride and if so have you noticed a big difference and/or have you noticed any wear problems.


F150 Screw, Lariat Trim, 5.4 liter, 2wheel drive w/6.5' box.

if you dont do any hauling then i would go with the p rated tires-i put Lts on my 98f150 and that was a bad mistake rough ride and tires wore un even

fordtruckowner, If your truck came with p-tires, put these back if you want a comfortable ride. Check on load ratings - similar sizes might have less or greater load capacities from the different companies. This is if you do not drive with loads everyday.
Use the LTs if you need greater load capacities - Like I do. I kinda like the skateboard effect on my truck-

I never air down my LTs.

Why are you looking at E ply? did you see any D ply tires?

p rated tires = crap...they don't wear properly and despite what people claim, they are not fun to drive with. the only positive aspect of them is the slightly softer ride. most P tires are 30-40 psi

get the LT tires...they handle loads better and will wear better. your trucks wieghs anywhere from 5000-6000 lbs. btw, they typically run 40-50 psi unless you get 10+ ply.

why are you looking at E rated tires? a nice C will do just fine, D if you tow occasionally. I run 44 ish psi out back and about 42 psi up front on my truck. about 18k miles now and the tires almost look new

I think any tire dealer worth his salt will advise against running any tire30-40 psi less than what it is designed for. This will increase the heat generated in the tire and thus make it more likely to fail on you. You may never have a problem but it would increase your risk. The manufacturer puts the tires on a vehicle with the specs. to match the vehicles capacities and abilities. This being said there is nothing wrong with increasing the load range on a tire. I myself have gone to d rated simply because I haul a camping trailer occasionally. I do feel that goin to an "e" is overkill and you wil notice it in your ride. "E" rated tires are what come on most 250's so I don't see the need for them on a 150 but it is your choice. Hoped my babel was some help!!

I put on firestone destination at's load range c and they are a huge improvement over the p rated tire the truck handles so much better and the ride quality didnt suffer

Ride on a nice passenger tire and then swap to an 8 ply off road tire and it is like night and day. You will feel it in the way the vehicle handles the road and in your mileage

If you don't go off road/ haul huge loads and just want an aggressive looking tire then just get and aggressive looking passenger tire.

At the end of the day you want your new/ newer truck to feel new

Lt vs P Tires
 

Wife works with Michelin Tire and we get discounts and years of service awards for tires. I am limited to Michelin, BFG and Uniroyal. I am wanting a 275/70R18 so my two choices are the new Michelin LTX A/T2 which is an LT tire and E rated. The other choice is the BFG Rugged Trail which is P Rated. One other option I have is to go with a the Michelin Cross Terrian which they have in a 265/70R18.

All these tires are around 33" overall height which is what I am looking for. So these are my options unless I drop more $$$$$ than I want to change what seems to be an odd ball rim in the 18" x 7.5.

Based on your replies it appears most of you are steering me away from the E rating and that would probably be the right thing to do since I will be doing very little towing or hauling. My only other thought is that this is a truck and if and when I need to use it like one I would be prepared.

Decisions, Decisions!!!

How much are you really saving if you do not get the tire you want.(NEED).
Tires are the most important thing next to brakes, but brakes don't work if the tires are less than good.
I bought a new truck for my GF and her son because I wanted them to be safe.
Spend the money, I am sure it won't put you in the poor house.

There are some things in life worth spending a little more money on. Good tires from an EXCELLENT tire manufacture (Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal) is a good investment.

I have BFG Longtrails D range and these are excellent tires. I would say the best I have ever owned. (better than AT kos on pavement).

So get some LTs with a lower load/ply rating, and drive with peace of mind.
I know there are more than two choices for you stock rims, or adding sharp looking aftermarket wheels sounds like a good deal too. Go to a wider wheel anyway with 33 inch tall tires. 8 plus in width.

To me, it's simple. If you're going to use it as a passenger vehicle get P rated tires. If you're going to use it as a truck, get truck tires (LT). I was taught long ago to use the proper tool for the job. I don't use a sledge hammer to drive a tack.

+1

In my higher testosterone days I would use a 12 gauge to drive a tack lol

...lessons learned

fordtruckowner,
I also plan to get rid of the Goodyears that came with our new Explorer.
I AM going to put either Michelins or BFGs on, no doubt.
The stock shock are coming off too.

It's all about handling and contol.

I decided I am going with the P265/70R18 Michelin Cross Terrain. I do not use my truck like a truck very often so I am going for ride comfort, low noise level, and reliability. The Cross Terrain gets unbelievable reviews and still has an aggressive enough tread pattern that it looks like it belongs on a truck. This tire measures out to 32.6" almost 33" tire. I rolled one up beside my OEM P265/60R18 and it dwarfed it. This tire should handle a pretty hefty load as well because even though it is a P rated tire they are used on heavier Full Size SUVs. I think this will give me all that I am looking for in a tire.

Thanks for the advice.

Took the words right out of my head.

I think you made a wise choice. As you know (being tied to the co and all) the way you described your driving is exactly what Michelin designed this tire for.