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Old 10-09-2017, 01:21 PM   #1
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Thoughts on tires

I have a 2010 Traverse and I’m looking at new tires in the near future. I’m trying to decide on what would best work for this vehicle on a normal day and for towing. I know most are going to say LT tires is the way to go for towing a 183 TT but I don’t want to mess with the ride to much. I have been also looking at XL rated tires. The XL tires have a higher weight rating than the P rated but does that mean there is a thicker sidewall? The tread life is also reduced on some LT tires as well so that’s also a small factor in my questioning. What are your thoughts. Pros/cons to either tire?

Thanks
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Old 10-09-2017, 01:37 PM   #2
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My butt is not that sensitivity to the ride but, if yours is you might consider not changing anything. Myself I would never run P tires on anything other then a passenger car. Around here most trucks run 10 ply rated tires to keep from putting stones and such thru the tire.
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Old 10-09-2017, 01:41 PM   #3
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I have had the P rated tires on a 2001 Dodge van. I then went with the LT tires, and did not notice any ride difference except maybe felt a more sure footed while cornering... thicker sidewall and less sway side to side of the tire...

I have had Goodyear Wranglers that I liked and got great tire wear... at 60 K miles they still looked new with plenty of tread.

I now have Michelin Defenders on my '14 RAM. Costco has them on sale right now, and I got mine there last January. Very quiet riding and sure footed in the rain.

look at tirerack dot com to compare different tires...
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Old 10-09-2017, 01:49 PM   #4
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It is my opinion that a P rated tire is just that a Passenger tire. Of course some cross overs and such use such tires as the recommended tire due to most SUV being used for caring the kids to socker games and such. If you use your SUV for towing or any truck like work, I would recommend a good quality LT tire. The side wall will be somewhat stronger and stiffer but the ride quality will not suffer in my experience. If your butt is overly sensitive or you demand the mush mush type of ride you may be able to tell the difference.
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Old 10-09-2017, 02:18 PM   #5
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Thoughts on tires

I should have stated I do plan on going away from the P rated tires regardless so just trying to get a feel for what people think. And as far as the ride it’s more of my wife than me issue [emoji16]

So are XL tires still considered in the Passenger category?
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Old 10-09-2017, 03:09 PM   #6
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Some info I've found from other sources:

If you see a “P” in front of the tire size displayed on a tire’s sidewall it is a P-metric tire. If there’s no P, it’s a Metric tire (also called Euro-metric or Hard-Metric). In the past, P-metrics were the most common size designation found on domestic cars, minivans, and light-duty pickups and SUVs. Foreign cars generally came with Metric tires. These days, however, you may find P-metric and Metric tires on all types.

Three tire-sizing systems are used on OE tires that are fitted to today’s light trucks: euro-metric, P-metric and LT-metric. Many 1/4-ton and 1/2-ton vehicles use euro-metric and P-metric sized tires, while 3/4-ton and one-ton vehicles use LT-metric sizes.

P-metric sized tires offer lighter weight, lower rolling resistance and less-aggressive tread designs for improved ride comfort, less noise and better fuel economy as opposed to typical heavy-duty tires.

LT-metric sized tires are built very strong and use higher inflation pressures to carry a given load.

According to Cooper Tire’s John Pecoraro, manager of product marketing. Heavier body plies and larger bead bundles allow LT tires to be inflated to higher pressures, thereby increasing the tire’s load capacity. It is the air inside the tire that carries the load. Usually LT tires have deeper tread depths than their P-metric counterparts. There are some occasions where an LT tire may be a better replacement application than the OE P-metric, such as when better off-road durability is desired.

A P-metric tire may be acceptable for a light truck or SUV application, providing the tire offers sufficient load rating (to handle vehicle weight), and providing the vehicle won’t be driven in an off-road situation. In addition to a concern for load carrying capacity, LT tires feature heavier construction in sidewall, shoulder and tread areas to better withstand rough-terrain exposure.

Tire load-carrying capacity of P-metric tires is rated as either Standard or Extra Load. Standard Load tires are limited by the load that can be supported with a maximum inflation pressure of 35 psi. Extra Load-rated tires are limited to the load that can be carried at a maximum inflation pressure of 41 psi.


My reading of the above - euro-metric, p-metric, and LT-metric WITH appropriate load ratings will all carry the load of a trailer safely. How far, how often, and where you will be towing all impact which type of tire you decide on. Also, it seems to me, a lot of folks recommend LT-metric tires to reduce sway, if your hitch doesn't control it sufficiently.

If you change tires, make sure your wheels are rated for the pressure required for the new tire. If the tire size changes, be aware of the impact that has on vehicle speed. Buddy of mine recently got a ticket because he was exceeding the speed limit. He was going faster than he thought because the speedometer didn't show correct speed (also impacts distance traveled).
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Old 10-09-2017, 03:48 PM   #7
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Following because I need new tires on my 4Runner and am having one heck of a time making a decision!
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Old 10-09-2017, 06:28 PM   #8
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I am replacing the tires on our 2013 Tiguan. It currently has Continental Contipro 235 50 18's . We tow a trailer that is 2200 lbs. I have done a lot of investigation and have settled on Goodyear Eagle Sport GT's in the same size. They are an all season tire with a "W" speed rating instead of the original "H" of the ContiPro's. This means a stiffer wall and better heat tolerance. When you narrow down some tires of choice check the speed ratings as well.
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Old 10-10-2017, 09:34 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SailorSam20500 View Post

If you change tires, make sure your wheels are rated for the pressure required for the new tire. If the tire size changes, be aware of the impact that has on vehicle speed. Buddy of mine recently got a ticket because he was exceeding the speed limit. He was going faster than he thought because the speedometer didn't show correct speed (also impacts distance traveled).


You hit on one of my main concerns I was just starting to look into about the factory wheels and being able to hold the pressure of a LT tire. I’m not sure if they will or not so I guess a little more research I have to do.
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Old 10-10-2017, 09:26 PM   #10
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Ok I’m looking at a couple different tire brands right now. I’ve been looking at the Nitto Terra Grappler G2 in the XL and the LT, Nitto 421Q XL the cooper discoverer atx LT I believe that is the model and I have looked at also the Michelin one but wow those are expensive. Just wondering if any brands you may have tried. Sizes I am able to go with that won’t throw a huge issue with speedometer is factory 255/65/18 and the size that gives me the most options with little speed change is 265/65/18. Thoughts good or bad. As always thanks!

Tim
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Old 10-11-2017, 05:13 AM   #11
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Yes the Michelin tires are expensive. In my opinion they are worth every penny.
They last a long time, get great traction, ride smooth and quiet.
You're getting what you pay for in the Michelins.
No experience with the Nitto tires they might be just as good for all I know.
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Old 10-11-2017, 05:50 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mopwr4me2003 View Post
Ok I’m looking at a couple different tire brands right now. I’ve been looking at the Nitto Terra Grappler G2 in the XL and the LT, Nitto 421Q XL the cooper discoverer atx LT I believe that is the model and I have looked at also the Michelin one but wow those are expensive. Just wondering if any brands you may have tried. Sizes I am able to go with that won’t throw a huge issue with speedometer is factory 255/65/18 and the size that gives me the most options with little speed change is 265/65/18. Thoughts good or bad. As always thanks!

Tim
The speedometer would only be affected if you were to go from 18" to say...20's or larger. My 2014 GMC, I can run 17"...factory or I can go to 18" option with no recalibration needed on speedometer. The sizes you're looking at, a change in speedometer isn't an issue at all.
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Old 10-11-2017, 06:09 AM   #13
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Thoughts on tires

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82 View Post
The speedometer would only be affected if you were to go from 18" to say...20's or larger. My 2014 GMC, I can run 17"...factory or I can go to 18" option with no recalibration needed on speedometer. The sizes you're looking at, a change in speedometer isn't an issue at all.


From everything I have researched on tires it is not just the diameter that will affect your speed but sidewall height and tire width all play a part in it. This is why I only consider certain sizes. Not only do the numbers play a part in speed they also play a part in fuel mileage and distance you travel over a period of time. I’m not disagreeing with your statement but just adding that all the numbers play a part in this not just wheel diameter or rim size if you will. Here are a few pictures of what I’m going off of. The tire on the left is my factory size and the right tire is the other size I have chose to go with. Based on several of these calculators saying pretty much the same thing. This size gives me minimal differences between them. I hope this helps anyone looking into switching tire sizes. This is the site I used. There are several others out there to.

https://tiresize.com/calculator/

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Old 10-11-2017, 07:23 AM   #14
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Actually... the size of the rims (18" or 20") doesn't matter, it's the height or really circumference of the tire that will affect your speedometer. You can get a low profile tire on a 20" rim that will be smaller than a tall tire on a 15" rim.
Going up one size like you said, shouldn't affect the speedometer much, most are calibrated a little optimistic anyway so a little taller might actually correct it
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