Tire load rating

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vlad588

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I’m looking to buy new set of tire 24/75/R16 to go with Moab wheels and i’ve ran into a load rating dilemma. Most all terrain tires come with E load rating which from what i gather is going to create a rougher ride and higher gas consumption but will aid with puncture resistance. A C rated tire on the other hand should give a better ride, better fuel economy and conform better to offroad obstacles when aired down, but for some reason i’m finding them harder to come by. I’ve narrowed my choices down to General grabber atx E rated or Falken wildpeak atx C rated. What your guy’s thoughts on load rating for Liberty’s, which one is better?
 

duderz7

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I put c rated on mine for the reasons you stated. If I were doing extreme offroad excursions where a sidewall tear or other tire damage are likely id consider the E rated. Another reason to consider the heavier tire is if you're doing a lot of towing or heavy loads.
 

lfhoward

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Goodyear Duratracs also have a C rated 245/75R16. I ran them for 100,000 miles and liked them a lot.
 
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vlad588

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I put c rated on mine for the reasons you stated. If I were doing extreme offroad excursions where a sidewall tear or other tire damage are likely id consider the E rated. Another reason to consider the heavier tire is if you're doing a lot of towing or heavy loads.
I do tow an overland trailer and a boat but I don’t think it’s heavy enough to justify the E tires, so I’m leaning towards the C rating. They are just a lot fewer choices in this load range for some reason.
 

vlad588

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Goodyear Duratracs also have a C rated 245/75R16. I ran them for 100,000 miles and liked them a lot.
I looked at Duratracs and couldn’t find C rated 245/75R16. Do you know the product code by any chance?
 

lfhoward

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I looked at Duratracs and couldn’t find C rated 245/75R16. Do you know the product code by any chance?
Wow, yeah Tire Rack doesn’t show those as an option anymore. Goodyear must have stopped making them. There is a non-LT rated 265/70R16 version that would probably ride softer and be the same height and a bit wider than the E-rated 245’s. It’s also cheaper by about $40 a tire.

 
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vlad588

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Wow, yeah Tire Rack doesn’t show those as an option anymore. Goodyear must have stopped making them. There is a non-LT rated 265/70R16 version that would probably ride softer and be the same height and a bit wider than the E-rated 245’s. It’s also cheaper by about $40 a tire.

I’m just curious how a non-LT rated tire like Duratrac or wildpeak will handle off-road. From what I understand it has a much weaker sidewall and will get punctures a lot easier. On the other hand it’s still a A/T tire so it should be able to handle off road conditions. So I’m really confused here.
 

lfhoward

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I share in your confusion. I wonder if that tire is designed for something like a Subaru Outback, which goes off road but is far from being a truck or SUV. On the other hand the Liberty is an SUV but not a big one, so I could see that possibly working out. I guess if you know you want to take your Jeep where sidewall punctures are likely, or if you want to tow a 3000 lb trailer, go with the heavier tire. But if you mostly daily drive it and off road on the weekends, it might work well and save you from spending extra gas money and dealing with a harsher ride. If going this route I would definitely get a 5th as a matching spare and keep it in rotation with the others every 6000 miles.
 

lfhoward

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I ran BFG A/Ts in LT and never had an issue with sidewalls. Think it just depends on the tires.
I’ve never heard of BFG KO2’s having sidewall punctures. That was supposedly the Goodyear Duratracs. I’ve run both, no sidewall issues.
 

vlad588

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Well i reached out to Falken with LT vs P XL tires question and for those interested here is their answer:

“Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the Wildpeak AT3w and the tire size in question. Across all sizes, the Wildpeak AT3w contains a two ply sidewall, with the count of material in the tread section varying based on standard load, extra load, and LT spec.

The non-lt 245/75R16 can be suitable for off-roading as long as the tires are aired down to increase traction, durability/puncture resistance. They also have less tread to start with initially, though the weight savings over a LT size outweighs this, which would help in vehicle performance and MPG.

The Wildpeaks do not contain a cut/chip compound that would be durable against frequent gravel, shale, and other abrasion off-pavement surfaces. However, a tire with a cut/chip compound, as it needs to soft to resisting gravel/shale wear, will wear out faster in terms of mileage.

Most, if not all, modern day all terrain tires contain anywhere from 1-3 plies on the sidewall, which is derived from the tread area of the tire. As a non-bias ply tire, this allows users to have comfort for day to day driving. Once a tire has 3+ sidewall plies, comfort/ride qualify suffers as the tire doesn't flex as easily to absorb imperfections.

A bias ply tire would contain the corresponding amount of plies per letter grade (C, D, E, F) through the tire (tread and sidewall). However, bias ply tires are known to be uncomfortable, rough, and hardily livable on a daily basis.”
 
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