LT Tires

[lurch]

I am looking at upgrading to LT tires to improve towing performance. There do not appear to be many options in the LT275/55R20 range other than a couple AT tires. Towing wore down my stock Hankook ATs pretty fast so I was hoping to get a more road-focused LT to also improve wear.

Curious if anyone else has gone this same route?

 

[JasonH]

I upgraded from Hankooks to Cooper Discoverer XLT. Great tire. Improved handling, improved towing, not noisy and worked well in snow. My truck handled like crap above 75 miles per hour. With the Coopers it's been rock solid above that speed. I would recommend the upgrade to anyone that tows. The only other tire I considered was the Yokohama G015, but discount tire keeps the Coopers on hand. I didn't like the "D" tires because the treads looked like they would be noiser and more off-road oriented. I was more concerned with towing and on-road performance.

 

[lurch]

Is this the tire? https://us.coopertire.com/tires/discoverer-at3-xlt

It is on my list at TireRack, it is an AT tire but has a 60,000 mile warranty vs the others that are 50,000. Not sure what you mean by "D" tires.

 

[Lou Hamilton]

If you are looking for more road than off-road tires, Michelin LTX’s are a popular choice in a few of the RV places I visit online. They recommend them for both your TV and trailer.


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[riphip]

lurch
'D' is the load rating. I run an 'E' rating but I do not tow much. Much stronger tire.

 

[JasonH]

Is this the tire? https://us.coopertire.com/tires/discoverer-at3-xlt

It is on my list at TireRack, it is an AT tire but has a 60,000 mile warranty vs the others that are 50,000. Not sure what you mean by "D" tires.

Yes, that is the one.

 

[Meeker]

I went with Michelin LTX AT2 LT275/65R18 (be careful - they make a non-LT version as well with much lower load rating, fewer plies, etc.). I have the same improvements that JasonH mentions above. Really happy with the improved stability while towing, especially when aired up to 55 psi. Just did my first winter on them and they are really good (only so-so on slick ice though).
Mileage took about 1/2 - 1 mpg hit.
I had a lot of trouble selling the Michelin Primacy tires - they had about 65% tread left, got almost nothing for them.

 

[Kjhawkeye1]

Is this the tire? https://us.coopertire.com/tires/discoverer-at3-xlt

It is on my list at TireRack, it is an AT tire but has a 60,000 mile warranty vs the others that are 50,000. Not sure what you mean by "D" tires.

I have these on my 2011 and like them. Really nice for normal driving and air em up to 70 lbs rear 60 lbs front for towing our 6k TT.

 

[tekrsq]

I ran the Michelin LT tires on my truck before I sold it, and LOVED them. I had the Firestone Transtar AT tires on my Expy. They were an excellent towing tire, and wore really well, but rode pretty rough. When I replaced them, I went with the Firestone Destination AT's (only because I couldn't afford to go back to the Michelins) because I was told they were E rated tires. I found out the first time I hooked up the trailer, they are NOT E rated tires. After an extensive discussion Firestone, I'm stuck with them until I can find a decent deal on the Michelins. I really don't want to go back to the Transtars unless I have to but apparently E rated tires for these things are limited.

 

[lbv150]

Seems like a lot of folks like a LT tire not designed for an SUV let alone the Expedition but for a light truck. I tried them for a couple of days and got rid of them. If I wanted the harsh ride of a pickup, I would drive a pickup. The proper OEM size tire tire can be aired up to 44psi to give the stiffer side wall ride while towing as designed.

 

[JasonH]

Seems like a lot of folks like a LT tire not designed for an SUV let alone the Expedition but for a light truck. I tried them for a couple of days and got rid of them. If I wanted the harsh ride of a pickup, I would drive a pickup. The proper OEM size tire tire can be aired up to 44psi to give the stiffer side wall ride while towing as designed.

The vehicle does double-duty hauling people and towing. Even at 51 psi the OEM tire sucked while towing. My experience is that the sacrifice in ride comfort, which I was concerned about before upgrading, is not substantial. The truck had poor handling and stability on the OEM tires, even with elevated pressure. Plus, the additional puncture resistance in combination with the other benefits is worth the sacrifice. But of course, to each his own.

 

[lurch]

I am going to get a set of 18" wheels as there are a lot of LT options in 275/65R18 that come on the XLT and XL trim. They also have more sidewall to ease the unladen ride with lower pressures.

 

[JasonH]

I am going to get a set of 18" wheels as there are a lot of LT options in 275/65R18 that come on the XLT and XL trim. They also have more sidewall to ease the unladen ride with lower pressures.

Some tire shops will let you return tires if you're dissatisfied. I think Discount Tire does this. I would call around and inquire as to whether any local shops have any sort of liberal return policy that would let you run the tires for a week at a reduced cost. Tires of this class are a substantial cost, so it would make sense to get a trial before committing to years of ownership. Especially if you're considering dropping coin for new rims.

 

[Frank Swygert]

I'm running Uniroyal Laredo Cross Country tires and they are great -- 2005 Expedition used for pulling a 30', 7000# camper. Uniroyal was bought out by Michelin many years ago, so consider it a slightly lower priced Michelin. 60K warranty. I'll probably have toe replace these from dry rot before wearing out, as I only drive my Expy 3-4K a year -- mainly pulling 30' 7000# camper 2-3 times a year, then running at least once a month for maintenance. So they should last me 10 years.

I was running a Crosswind (cheap Chinese tire) on my work truck from NTB. Has a 50K warranty, but I was only getting 25-30K from them. Second set they gave me a free front end alignment since it was over 50% tread wear. Third time I went somewhere else and bought a better tire. The point is the tread wear rating may not mean much, and you get hardly any discount as long as it goes over the 50% point. Other tire manufacturers and retailers may be better...

 

[montcopo]

I bought Cooper LT Highway tires. Very smooth, quiet ride. Decent mud and snow traction for a non-all terrain tire. Got them at Pep Boys for 99.00 apiece

 

[Moose McClatchie]

I have Yokahama Geolanders on mine and love them. You can air them up to 80psi when towing then bring them back down to 40psi when not keeps the ride comfortable. They are very reasonably priced at America's Tire / Discount Tire store.

 

[tmmilam]

I appreciate the peace of mind that my Defender LTX "E" rated tires give me. On a 7500 mile trip from Tennessee to California and back I didn't worry about them through deserts and mountains and everything in between (including some very rough roads). And yes they do have a rougher ride.