Hi all,
I've decided to stick with the stock tire size on my 96 2500 4x4 auto CTD (245-75-16). That means I can keep the stock wheels and only buy 4 tires (2 of my existing tires can serve well as spares), which makes the cost more reasonable.
My truck has an Alaskan camper loaded on the back (about 2000 lbs dry). I have the "camper package" on the truck (2 additional springs and sway bar on the back) so weight capacity is not an issue with this camper. The tires I will get will be E rated obviously.
Though the truck will be driven mainly on highway, I do intend on taking it "off the beaten path" sometimes (gravel or dirt roads), and also intend on driving it to Labrador and up the Alaska and Dempster highways (which are mainly gravel). For this reason I want a tire that is very tough so I don't have to worry about sidewall damages or other issues on the remote gravel roads.
My choices have narrowed to these:
1. Toyo M55 (cost and road noise are the two main negative marks I see in reviews and testimonies).
2. Toyo Open Country HT Tuff Duty (more of a highway tire so I don't know how well it would handle 100's of miles of gravel roads)
3. Cooper Discoverer AT3 (newer tire so not much track record on it, though its predecessor ATR seemed to be well rated)
If not for the potential noise issue of the M55, it could probably be the perfect tire for me. Some people say noise is an issue, some say it isn't. My CTD is not totally quiet, but I'm concerned about a persistent noise that could drive me nuts after a while.
I realize that my needs being rather varied, I may have to find the best compromise in my choice, in the end.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have the AT3's and so far I love them, granted I've only had them a couple of months. They are very quiet and handle a load well. They also have a 55,000 mile warranty on them which is very uncommon for an all terrain tire.
Quote: 2. Toyo Open Country HT Tuff Duty (more of a highway tire so I don't know how well it would handle 100's of miles of gravel roads
I'm very happy with mine. I drive on pavement the majority of the time and enjoy the quiet ride versus a more agressive thread. There should be no problem with gravel roads. The next step to the M55 is more about traction in sloppy conditions.
Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Camper: 2007 Eagle Cap 850
Boat: 2003 Jetcraft 2125 - Yamaha 150 HP & 8 HP Kicker
Quote: 2. Toyo Open Country HT Tuff Duty (more of a highway tire so I don't know how well it would handle 100's of miles of gravel roads
I'm very happy with mine. I drive on pavement the majority of the time and enjoy the quiet ride versus a more agressive thread. There should be no problem with gravel roads. The next step to the M55 is more about traction in sloppy conditions.
X2
03 F350 Diesel 4x4 Crew Cab long bed, 08 Lance 1055, Rancho 9000xl, Air Lift air Bags, Torqlift tiedowns,stable loads, super hitch, 48" super truss, Toyo 285/75R16 Opencountry HT
I'd put a vote in for Firestone Transforce HTs. Use them on my dually and rarely if ever have to go to 4x4 even empty and in a mud hole. Kind of an all-season tire but great traction and great road manners.
hmknightnc wrote: I'd put a vote in for Firestone Transforce HTs. Use them on my dually and rarely if ever have to go to 4x4 even empty and in a mud hole. Kind of an all-season tire but great traction and great road manners.
My experience with the Firestone Transforces was that they don't hold up well to gravel. They tend to chunk out alot.
I haven't run M55s, but they are interesting. When I quizzed a Toyo rep about the noise, his reply was "If you drive a diesel you won't hear them."
The last set of tires I put on my truck are Hankook Dynapro ATMs. So far they are doing very well. Reasonably priced, not noisy (on most surfaces), behave well on pavement, good in snow, decent in the slime we call mud, and don't seem to get cut up by the gravel.
plstokes wrote: I have the AT3's and so far I love them, granted I've only had them a couple of months. They are very quiet and handle a load well. They also have a 55,000 mile warranty on them which is very uncommon for an all terrain tire.
X2. Nice tire at a reasonable cost. I have about 6000 miles on mine and really like them.
06 Dodge 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto,QC,4X4,Torklifts,Fastguns
2008 Northstar 8.5 Arrow, 100W AM Solar
US Navy 1964-1968, 2-Tour Vietnam Vet
Thanks to all for the input. Sounds like Toyo HT Tuff Duty and the AT3's are well received.
As was said, the M55 noise would probably get lost in the wash when driving a Cummins Turbo diesel! Plus, as someone else told me, you won't hear any noise driving on gravel!
The main reason I got the truck and camper was to fulfill a dream of heading out on Northern roads (Alaska, Dempster, Labrador), so maybe I should get the tire that is best suited to those long stretches of gravel, and live with the compromises on pavement. Maybe that tire is the M55... I've read a lot of stories about people getting a lot of flats and sidewall punctures on the Dempster Highway, sounds like the M55 would be the toughest of the bunch for that kind of road. I've also read about the M-606 but I don't believe that's sold in Canada.
Other people have suggested getting 265's for more floatation with the camper, but as I said I'm trying to keep the costs reasonable by not having to buy a new spare. I figure the stock 245's should be ok with the camper I have.
I think I've about convinced myself that my next set of tires on the F350 dually will be the M55's, in 235/85-16E size (which is stock for my truck). The diesel is plenty noisy that I doubt I will hear any tire noise. Even if I did, I doubt it would bother me.
I'll try them on the dually first and if I like them, I'll put them on the SRW F350 too, instead of another set of BFG AT's, if they make them in 285/75-16E size.
This is all providing that I can actually afford the M55's when the time comes. They're almost double the cost of BFG AT's or Commercial TA's....
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