6 ply or 10 ply??

[Island Creek]

We have an F150 supercrew 4x4, 2010, with 2 ply side walls and 4 ply tread tires. We have been encouraged to change them to 10 ply; however, a tire dealership here says our tires are fine...or at the most go to a 6 ply just to make me feel safer.

We tow a 33 ft Surveyor 295, about 7500 pounds. We have the Reese straight line system for weight distribution and sway.

My husband is willing to put the 6 ply on, but feels that the ones we have are sufficient and safe. Any suggestions from you "old timers" who know a lot more about this than we do? We've been pulling a travel trailer just since November and not very often at that.

We appreciate your advice.

[Island Creek]

Just talked to our Ford dealership. they said the 6 ply is just about what we have now, but that we probably need to upgrade to a 10 ply. Yet, the tire place said we don't need to change tires. We are TOTALLY confused!

[LadyWindrider]

10 ply on an F150 is way overkill. I pull a 7000 pound toy hauler with 2001 Super Crew and standard 4 ply tires and a Reese dual cam hitch. The Gross weight for the rear axle is 3800. The tires are rated at 2500 each, so I will be way over on the axle before I am overloading the tires. That is only a weight issue. If 6 ply make you feel better, it won't hurt to have them, but they will ride much harsher when not towing or loaded. Why do you think you need more tire? besides being encouraged by who?

be careful how you let others spend your money....

[Island Creek]

Our RV repairman mentioned it first. Then the Ford people seemed to agree. Yet, a tire dealer thought we were fine, and he did seem to know about travel trailers, etc. It seems that the heat can cause a blowout in the ones we have now if we go long distances. They all agree we'd probably be ok with what we have if we just camp pretty close to home.

It really has us confused, with experts telling us different things. We really appreciate advice on this one from people who actually two travel trailers. THANKS!

[Island Creek]

How do we find out what the tires are rated for?

[LadyWindrider]

You go out and read the sidewall, everything on it. It should have "number of plies", Max Air Pressure", "Max Weight", size, speed rating, and maybe some other stuff. Might need to take a light and your reading glasses.

[Island Creek]

Ok. Did that after the first post. It says the psi, which I didn't write down, and 114T, tread 4 plies, Sidewall 2 plies, Standard Load, DOT 4B09 o11R, M+S. Didn't see the weight at all...going back out now to check again. THANKS!

[acadianbob]

Your maximum air pressure tells you a lot. 35 to 44 pounds is typically an XL or a SL load. (i think you found SL on your tires) 50 pounds is typically load rating C. 80 pounds is usually load rating E. The higher air pressues might give you a bit less opportunity to sway. But are you having any problems? I would bet not. We are towing a 5,000 pound Surveyor with Reese strait line and have no issues whatsoever; and that's with the standard 35 PSI SL tires that came with the truck. IMO, don't look to solve a problem you don't have. The higher load rating tires WILL ride more stiffly as pointed out in a previous post. And of course, higher load ratings cost more.

[Island Creek]

We are just now (literally...my husband is at the shop) picking up the camper after having the Reese Straight Line put on, so I am hoping we won't have any more problems. We did have a lot of sway when we went on vacation a few weeks ago; that's why we are putting it on. The tires say 2601 lbs.. I don't know what our tongue weight is, but the dry hitch weight is 457. I called the guy where I buy tires for my suv; he said the tires on the truck are rated 4 ply (B).

[Santaclause]

I have a toyota tundra and upgraded tires not just for towing the camper but the stock ones sucked in the snow.I went for the 10 ply got them for the same price as the 6 yes it rides harsher thats for shure probably will try 6 next time but there is none of the squishy feeling I had b4 and as I stated it gets down the road now in the snow.....

[Island Creek]

We don't have to worry about snow down here...don't even get rain this year, much less snow. Lived in upstate NY, though, for a few years and sure can appreciate the challenge of driving in snowy conditions.