Biggest Ply Tire For Gladiators?

[jac04]

I don't have a LRF tire, so let's consider a LRE tire.

If a LRF tire "Will be damn near a run-flat tire" (according to Griz, see above), then an LRE should still not have all that much sidewall deflection on a relatively lightweight vehicle, right?

So see if any of the previously posted nonsense is true, I went out to the garage and deflated one of the rear tires on my JK to 2-3 psi (I didn't want it to go completely flat). The tires are 255/85R17 MT Baja Boss AT which are Load Range E.

This tire is capable of carrying 3195 lbs at 80 psi.

The picture below is on the back of my 2014 JK 2-door, soft top, with the back seat removed and about 1/2 a tank of gas. Curb weight with a hard top and rear seat is 4132 lbs. Although weight distribution is not 50/50 F/R, I will assume it is to be conservative. This tire therefore has 4132/4 = 1033 lbs of load on it.

Why is this LRE tire so flat if the sidewall carries the majority of the load and the tire is only loaded to about 30% of its rated capacity?

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[The Griz]

You don't even understand that it is actually the air pressure carrying the load and not the tire sidewall?

Dude you’re lost. You literally said the above, which is wrong. You forum keyboard jockeys sometimes… ugh. Believe and think what ya want. Just don’t claim it’s factual on an Internet forum until you actually fully understand the concept being discussed. You seem to live under the delusion that air pressure alone is what supports a vehicle’s load. We both and everyone else on this forum, know that’s not true. Own it. It’s ok to be wrong once in a while.

Yes your E tire will deform when flat under a load. Side note: post a pic showing it’s E rated or it didn’t happen.

Point is, and what this discussion is actually about:

An increase in Load Range (as in C to D or C to F) rating means:

-More radial plies for increased structural strength
-Thicker and more durable sidewalls for increased stability

To say that these things mean absolutely nothing and it’s only the air that provides stability and support is absurd. I’m not going to sit here and debate tires with a guy who can’t grasp the concept.

 

[Dougstdig]

Hello Fam,

Looking For A Quality Smooth Daily Ride & A Robust Tire For Weekend Adventures. My Stock Falken AT3’s Have Been Awsome In The Snow This Year. However I Previously Had A Wrangler With K02’s and I Wanna Go Back To KO2’s For My Gladiator…

Looking At 10ply Or 12ply For Tires.
Is 12ply A Possibility For The Gladiators?

What Tires You All Run & How Many Miles With No Issues?

Thanks For The Replies!! God Bless!!

Why? And what size?

if you’re staying at stock, I would stay with a C rated tire and if you go up to a 37 I would stick with a D rated tire or eight ply no higher. The 10 ply or 12 ply or ERF rated tires are meant for three-quarter ton 1 tons and Dooley’s.
The derated tire would help on a 35 or 37 inch tire to give you just a little bit more sidewall stiffness so it won’t wallow from side to side.

 

[jac04]

Yes your E tire will deform when flat under a load. Side note: post a pic showing it’s E rated or it didn’t happen.

Gotcha. A LRF tire "Will be damn near a run-flat tire" if lightly loaded when air pressure is in the single digits, but my LRE tire will drastically deform at low pressure when it is relatively lightly loaded compared to its rated load capacity.

Here is the requested sidewall picture. It happened:

 

[The Griz]

Gotcha. A LRF tire "Will be damn near a run-flat tire" if lightly loaded when air pressure is in the single digits, but my LRE tire will drastically deform at low pressure when it is relatively lightly loaded compared to its rated load capacity.

Here is the requested sidewall picture. It happened:

You should get into politics with your cherry-picking skills.

As I’ve said before: call a tire manufacturer of your choice and tell them that air alone is what supports a vehicle’s weight and get back to me.

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