Towing Tires; (just the facts)

[the ponz]

There is no shortage of opinions when it comes to which tire is the best. I certainly have my own. I’m not a big off road guy, but I do have to navigate the Michigan winters.

My question is, do all “E” rated tires have the same sidewall stiffness? Is one thicker than the other? I am having some difficulty finding this information. They all may have the same minimum number of plys, but is one stiffer than the other?

I am looking for the tire that will provide the most stability while towing, which is another subject area I can find little about. Articles and comparisons for mud and snow and sand and plowing and rock climbing abound, but I can find few that specifically speak to sidewall flexing while towing.

My Excursion has the X/modB springs and F250 Bilsteins, along with radius arms on the rear axle. The trailer weights I pull are between 5000 and 9000 pounds. I would like to stick with the stock 265 tires, but I am open to an education.

[the ponz]

The Excursion has 265 "E" Perelli Scorpions, which were on it when I bought the truck in March. When I tow, I run them at 80 psi.

My previous tow vehicle was a K2500 crewcab short bed. I towed my trailer over 25,000 miles with that truck; first on 285 "E" Toyos that lasted less than 25,000 miles, then with 265 "E" Michelin's. On both sets of tires, the trailer towed super in any condition, even 50 mph Kansas crosswinds. It didn't matter if the hitch height was a little high or a little low. I never used the cam part of my Reese dual cam hitch. I connected the weight distribution bars directly to the snap ups with the chain.

When I was experimenting with the new Excursion, (with suspension mods), I found using only the chains was not enough to eliminate the "truck suck" that occurred when being passed or passing anything larger than a mini-van. I installed the cams and that helped some. I tilted the head back more, and that helped. I downsized from 1200# bars to 600# bars, so I could get more bend in the bar, and that helped a bit more. I installed "E" tires on the trailer, and that helped also. But the rig still wiggles when I get passed or am passing SUV’s and tractor trailers.

I am thinking that the loss in wheel base, going from the crew cab to the Excursion is part of my problem. If not all "E" tires are made equal, (a statement I do not know to be true), I am hoping that a stiffer sidewall might be part of the solution.

I have no proof and I may be wrong, but until shown otherwise, I tend to believe that some tires might have thicker sidewalls than others; even in the same class.

I have had, and currently run "E" Michelin's on my two Subrurbans, and could not be happier with their ride and durability. I got 88,000 miles out of a set. But before I spend the money to put them on the Excursion, I would like to know if there is a tire out there that would perform better while towing. The Ex is not a daily driver, and I do not care what the ride quality would be empty. I anticipate that when I drop the trailer on the bumper, and load the truck for a trip, the ride will be not be harsh at all.

[jdhallissey]

I run 265 75 16 Michelin E MT/S2's.... They are great an I towed my jeep to moab this year and down to North Carolina with the X and she did just fine. I weighed before both trips and to moab I was at 16,6xx pounds combined going to NC with my construction tools in the back of the X. Then to moab was about 15,xxx. The tires still look new and I didn't really get wiggled by any cross winds or anything.