Pay extra for Load Range E's?

[JDgreen227]

My Y2K GMC Yukon XL 2500 still has the OEM Firestone LT245/75R16E tires, and I am going to replace them soon although they still have good tread. Since the truck is never fully loaded nor used to tow a heavy trailer I am considering replacing the tires with standard load range instead of paying an additional $55-70 each for load range E tires. I am also thinking that the standard load tires might soften the very stiff ride. Any opinions on doing this?

 

[salopez]

I would not go below a heavy d rated tire. Should keep you at 10k lbs but a bit softer.

I reason is if something happens and there is an accident you can be found negligent.

 

[PhilY]

I have load range E's on my truck and have found one really nice and unexpected benefit of them. Nails can't seem to do any damage. I have pulled out somewhere in the order of a dozen or more nails from my tires. I have even found one curled up like a pigs tail that most have been about 1.25 long at first. I feel that the extra steel belts in the tread in the load range E's keep these nails from being able to penetrate as they have all been found stuck in the top layer. Never had a flat with any of these tires, but have had several with the standard light truck tires on my old 1/2 ton.

 

[JDgreen227]

PhilY...thanks for the input. I agree with you about the added protection of the E range tires against nail flats, but for what it is worth I have not had a nail puncture in any tire, even paasenger car tires, going back to at least 1996. For what it is worth, I only drive the Yukon about 900 miles a year now, so that really limits the chance of getting a nail puncture.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would keep LR E on it. If for nothing else legal reasons. Also resale.

Chris

 

[RickB]

I would keep the 'E's. I would also suggest that if you are seeing that much spread between LT tires with load range C or D and the E's, you need to do more shopping. When I bought a set of Coopers for my GMC, the spread between C's and E's was so little that C's didn't make sense at any level.

 

[RCman]

Stick with the load range E, as other mentioned for tire toughness and wear life.
FYI, insurance company's can deny a claim if the incorrect load range or speed rating tire is used. Always use equal to or great than factory.

 

[Deere Dude]

If you never load it up and don't drive it much, why not go with Ds.

I punctured a hole in an almost new E on my dually, and Es were a lot higher in price than the Ds so I got a D. I ran it with 65 PSI anyway for the better ride. I just had to remember they are on the truck and also be aware of the reduced cargo capability difference.

Take into account the air capacity is 20 PSI difference, so if a service department adds air to your tire according to the placard on the door-post, they will be over inflated.

If you get Ds and you don't like them, 40,000 miles you can go back to Es. But at 900 miles a year that will take a while.

All that being said, when my D tire wears out, I will put all E's my dually all the way around because I do load it down at times.

 

[murphy1244]

Most tire stores will not put that tire on that truck as they will be lilable too.

 

[puckgrinder85]

I dont see a whole lot offered in that size for LT load D tires. All the chevy owners (2500series) around here went from that ****** looking 245/75 to at least a 265 LT tire. With that most also went with "D" tires as they are more than adequate for the load. I would get the specifics on the weight of your truck and what the tires you're looking at handle for a load rating and go from there. I personally dont hesistate to change tire sizes or load ratings depending on what I use the truck for. My current tundra has load E tires on it, which is way overkill and makes for a very rough ride. There is no way my truck needs E rated tires on it thats for sure and will definatly not be getting them when its time to replace them, unless the size, like yours, kind of dictates I may need to get them to stay with the stock size tires.

Use common sense about it and you'll have no issues.



Ps- the 265 XX load D may have more load capacity than the 245 E tires, I dunno, thats something you'd have to check into.

 

[bdog]

Nothing wrong with d rated as long as you are not overloading them. The insurance argument is bs in my book as long as you are not overloading the tires. I have used d rated tires on one ton trucks before that didn't pull heavy loads with zero problems.

 

[JDgreen227]

Thanks for the input from all of you...I too have not seen any Load Range D's locally in that size. The main reason I was wondering about the issue is that when I was at Wally World yesterday the price for a premium load Range E (Goodyear) was about $65 more than the same size in standard load. Spent a half hour comparing prices at Discount tire online and their price for a standard load tire (midgrade) is only about $15 less than a LR E. I am leaning toward the Cooper Discoverer HT LR E. Tread on the OEM Firestone Steeltexes is still good, but the sidewall are beginning to get very hard and cracking around the rim is getting to be noticable.

 

[Furu]

I agree with you about the added protection of the E range tires against nail flats, but for what it is worth I have not had a nail puncture in any tire, even paasenger car tires, going back to at least 1996. .

Now you have gone and done it. You will have multiple flats in the next year.

I had not had a flat tire from 1970 until 2009, 39 years. Since then I have had 13 flats and one violent blowout in 3 years. Hope 2013 is the start of another 39 years stretch. No pattern to the flats but have acquired a wide range of nails and screws from tires.

 

[mikehaugen]

Thanks for the input from all of you...I too have not seen any Load Range D's locally in that size. The main reason I was wondering about the issue is that when I was at Wally World yesterday the price for a premium load Range E (Goodyear) was about $65 more than the same size in standard load. Spent a half hour comparing prices at Discount tire online and their price for a standard load tire (midgrade) is only about $15 less than a LR E. I am leaning toward the Cooper Discoverer HT LR E. Tread on the OEM Firestone Steeltexes is still good, but the sidewall are beginning to get very hard and cracking around the rim is getting to be noticable.

I wish they still made the steeltex tires. Do a little research, I have had a sneaking suspicion that wally world and possibly even discount tire use a specially made tire to meet a price point. What makes it even more suspicious is that often discount tire has their name embossed on the tire. No real evidence of this, just something I have pondered for a while.

I usually run E's on my 2500 because I like the ability to fill to 80 psi if I am hauling something heavy. Otherwise I run 60 front and 65 rear. Right now however, I have D's because I got a good price on some barely used tires. When I need new ones, I will get E's again. Tires are something I never like to go cheap on. BTW, I also gradually up-sized from the 245-75-16 to the current 285-75-16. Truck sits a little higher and doesn't look as stupid.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Walmart is a place I would not buy tires or batteries. We replace more walmart brand car batteries that are only a few years old (if they make it that long) over anything else, and the tires are cheaper there for a reason and its not bulk pricing.

 

[PhilY]

Last time I bought tires, I went to Sears for them. The reason, they priced match tirerack.com for the Michelen's I got. Originally, Sear's wanted 248/tire and tirerack had them for about 185/tire. So Sears matched at took another 10% of the difference off to get me down to about 178/tire. Totally worth checking around and letting them know about competitor's pricing.

These are the tires I got about 3 years ago from Sears. 265/75 R16 on a Sierra 2500HD
Michelin*LTX A/T 2

 

[Deere Dude]

Walmart is a place I would not buy tires or batteries. We replace more walmart brand car batteries that are only a few years old (if they make it that long) over anything else, and the tires are cheaper there for a reason and its not bulk pricing.

I bought tires at WalMart, Goodyear something or another, and was the same exact tire you get from a GoodYear dealer, only $75 cheaper. A house brand may be inferior but a name brand and specific model has to be the same, unless you know something I don't know. Plus you get service with a smile. I have no problem getting tires at WM.

 

[timswi]

Still trying to figure out why load range E is needed on a Suburban...On my 14,000# class C MH, I get it..Having owned Suburban class vehicles in the past I can say I never bought or needed them unless you're towing a park model TT in a serious HD XL..

Saftey police aside.

I've towed (more times than I can count) 6,000-10,00 loads with LT tires and never had anything that concerned me...

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this but me and everyone I know put the biggest tires that came OEM, regardless of the door jamb sticker and are just fine. That includeds insurance claims that were never denied.

 

[paulharvey]

While we are on the topic, got a 2005 2500hd 4x4, when from stock 245 75r16 to 265 75 r16. When I run 65 psi all around I.swear the tires seem.over inflated, touching only in middle. Truck is used really just for driving now, no loads over 1000#. should I reduce psi to 45 like the half tons? Door says 55 front, 80 back. I did go to load D

 

[mikehaugen]

While we are on the topic, got a 2005 2500hd 4x4, when from stick 245 75r16 to 265 75 r16. When I run 65 psi all around I.swear the tires seem.over inflated, touching only in middle. Truck is used really just for driving now, no loads over 1000#. should I reduce psi to 45 like the half tons? Door says 55 front, 80 back. I did go to load D

I would dial back a little, but probably not to 45, try like 55 and see what happens. As far as I know there is no real good way to tell until you see tire wear problems. It should be easy for you though, since you have a consistent weight. My load varies an awful lot, and lately with gas prices so high, I hardly drive the truck unless I am hauling something.