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Tire rating question

922 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  IC31 
#1 ·
Im looking around for new tires and have decided on BF Goodrich AT ko. I want white letters but for some reason only certain sizes come in them. I currently have 285/75r/16's E rating. (1997 F-250 7.3 ex cab long bed. Auto) I can get 295/75r/16's that have white letters but they are D rated 8-plys. Now from what i hear these tires have a higher load rating than the stock tires for this truck Even though these are 8 ply and stock are 10 ply. Will these tire be good enough or should i go with 10plys? I do not haul very much. Maybe 6,000lbs at the most a few times a year. Does the ply's really matter? or is it pretty much the weight rating they can hold.
 
#4 ·
Look at Tire Rack.com. Pick your tire size out then look at the specs for that tire. A tire for your truck - probably needs a minimum of 3042 pounds each with 3400 probably better and will give you another 1200 pounds of capacity. Your truck probably weighs close to 8000 pounds. With 12100 or so total tire capacity, you have only ~4000 pounds of load carrying ability - and that includes you and whatever is in the cab plus the bed. If you have a 2000 pound load (5th wheel) plus whatever other junk you carry. Putting a lesser tire on - well you can become dangerously under tired if you have 6000 pounds of load. Fancy underrated OWL tires are just not worth that danger - then of course, if you do have an accident ....... law enforcement and insurance companies do look at why things happen. (I dislike the OWLs on my truck tho they are the correct load range)
 
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