Expedition Tires for Towing

[Fasttimes]

I tow a 32' TT with a 875# tounge weight and while it towed fine with P rated tires, my Michelin LT tires I put on at 55k miles tow better with a stiffer towing feel. I wouldn't pull off P rated tires with 50% life left, but I would go from P to LT if I had less than 20% of life left and was about to get in to camping season (which is about when I did mine)

I'm leaning towards keeping them and trying my next tow with the tires inflated to 42 instead of the normal 35 and see how it rides.

 

[07navi]

I'm leaning towards keeping them and trying my next tow with the tires inflated to 42 instead of the normal 35 and see how it rides.

Bad idea, that's like a smoking junk food junkie joining a gym.

 

[Fasttimes]

While I agree the move to LT tires will benefit my towing experience, 50% tread-life is a lot to throw out for some more peace of mind. I've had no less than 20 plus trips with these tires no issue. The Defender LTX tires was engineered to the top of that tire range, bordering on one range up with max inflation of 44psi.

I think I'm going to talk to my local tire shop and get their feedback but so far in my research the LTX Defenders punch above their weight class. Their max capacity is certainly above my rear axle capacity.

Still debating in my mind, hate to throw away 4 perfectly good tires that probably have another 20,000 miles left in them.

 

[JExpedition07]

While I agree the move to LT tires will benefit my towing experience, 50% tread-life is a lot to throw out for some more peace of mind. I've had no less than 20 plus trips with these tires no issue. The Defender LTX tires was engineered to the top of that tire range, bordering on one range up with max inflation of 44psi.

I think I'm going to talk to my local tire shop and get their feedback but so far in my research the LTX Defenders punch above their weight class. Their max capacity is certainly above my rear axle capacity.

Still debating in my mind, hate to throw away 4 perfectly good tires that probably have another 20,000 miles left in them.

Don’t throw them away until they are used up, Ford put the tires on these trucks that are rated for the maximum payload capacity. If you are within the maximum tow and payload capacities you are fine.

 

[07navi]

Don’t throw them away until they are used up, Ford put the tires on these trucks that are rated for the maximum payload capacity. If you are within the maximum tow and payload capacities you are fine.

I agree I would use those tires up first.

 

[Noitidepxe]

I just joined the forum (I posted in the new member section) because I just bought a 2004 Eddie Bauer Expedition while vacationing in Daytona Beach. I left it there planning to go back down in late March to drive it back to Jersey.

The tires on it are 10 years old so I'm going to replace them before the trip. I'm planning to tow with the Expy and perhaps right up to the GCVW so P series tires are off the table. I've never known much about light truck tire ratings so I've been reading about LT tires, including this thread trying to understand load ratings. I just stumbled across an article on Discount Tire's website that I found helpful to me and am linking it here in case anyone wants to have a look. I suspect you'd find a similar description on other tire marketing websites.

https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index

 

[17BearExpy]

I towed the first couple times with my P rated factory tires. Tires felt soft and squishy. Upgraded to Cooper AT3 LT tires. Night and day difference while towing. Felt much more stable and made me more comfortable while towing. I say the LT tires are definitely worth it but that is my opinion. 2017 Expedition with the HD tow package. Jayco JayFlight 267BHWS.

 

[chuck s]

For my "several times a Summer" towing the OEM P-metric tires have been fine on both my '07 and '17 (both with HD Tow). My trailer is under 6,000 pounds. I boost the rear tire pressure to 40psi. Good, reliable, Equalizer(brand) WHD and the Ford tow/brake system. I sure don't want a "light truck" ride the other 300+ days of the year.

Just back from roughly 700 miles towing in Virginia and the NC mountains in the past week and I never even thought about "towing tires" the entire time. Tow/Haul does wonders in the mountains, especially on the downgrades. Took the truck up by itself to the parking lot at 5300'asl at Grandfather Mountain SW of Boone without incident. Glad this has an automatic, rowing thru the gears on the switchbacks would probably add years of abuse to a clutch. Used Tow/Haul on the way down even though we were neither towing nor hauling -- great assist downhill mostly preventing the the voice from the right seat constantly repeating "slow down."

-- Chuck

 

[07navi]

For my "several times a Summer" towing the OEM P-metric tires have been fine on both my '07 and '17 (both with HD Tow). My trailer is under 6,000 pounds. I boost the rear tire pressure to 40psi. Good, reliable, Equalizer(brand) WHD and the Ford tow/brake system. I sure don't want a "light truck" ride the other 300+ days of the year.

Just back from roughly 700 miles towing in Virginia and the NC mountains in the past week and I never even thought about "towing tires" the entire time. Tow/Haul does wonders in the mountains, especially on the downgrades. Took the truck up by itself to the parking lot at 5300'asl at Grandfather Mountain SW of Boone without incident. Glad this has an automatic, rowing thru the gears on the switchbacks would probably add years of abuse to a clutch. Used Tow/Haul on the way down even though we were neither towing nor hauling -- great assist downhill mostly preventing the the voice from the right seat constantly repeating "slow down."

-- Chuck

You can probably get away with it with a trailer that light but with a heavier trailer I would bite the bullet and go to LT tires or maybe just switch them seasonally.