Sponsored
Biggest Ply Tire For Gladiators?
- Thread starter Jetsnation_7
- Start date
- Watchers 15
Wheelin98TJ
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Ryan
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2021
- Threads
- 11
- Messages
- 3,706
- Reaction score
- 4,370
- Location
- Devils Lake, MI
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Jeep Gladiator
- Occupation
- Bean Counter
Below text is from: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index
The load range is based on an older measurement called ply rating. All tires are constructed of rubber and cord layers referred to as "plies". Historically, more plies gave a tire a larger load-carrying capacity, so manufacturers would count the plies and use this number to denote this measurement.
However, modern tire construction uses fewer, stronger plies. Therefore, load range simply defines the tire’s toughness and maximum allowable air pressure, as opposed to specific information about the actual plies being used. For example, a "C" load range indicates that a tire is equivalent to a 6-ply construction tire. This tire isn’t built with 6 plies, but rather one or two plies of equivalent strength.
Wheelin98TJ
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Ryan
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2021
- Threads
- 11
- Messages
- 3,706
- Reaction score
- 4,370
- Location
- Devils Lake, MI
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Jeep Gladiator
- Occupation
- Bean Counter
The Griz
Member
What you just posted literally reinforces what I originally said. Whether the tire is thicker and stiffer due to more plies, more rubber, or fewer but stronger cords it all equates to the same thing:
-Higher load rating
-More load-carrying capacity per tire
-Stiffer sidewalls
-Tougher construction
Whether the stiffness and toughness comes from more plies, more rubber, or stronger but fewer cords E or F rated tires will ALWAYS be stiffer then C rated tires. Just the way it is! It’s physics. Tire needs to be be stiffer to support more weight. And when you run a higher load rated tire on a vehicle that is too light for the load rating you will have a stiffer ride quality. i.e. running an E or F rated tire on a vehicle that is way too light for that rating. Again, you do you, but running D, E, or F rated tires on the Gladiator will produce a progressively stiffer ride as you increase the load rating. Running the correct load rated tires which is C will produce the correct tire flex at the correct PSI, along with the most comfortable ride.
Zachanadandy
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Zach
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2023
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 3,000
- Reaction score
- 4,751
- Location
- Patterson, ca
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 gladiator Mojave
- Occupation
- Electrical foreman
Experience for sure. We've run everything from stock 33s in the c rating to the E rated 37s on my JT mojave and E rated 39s on the wife's JLUR currently. A stiffer tire will stay on at lower psi, but you need lower psi to get the same footprint and flex. If the tire you want to run only comes in an E or an F (39s aren't scantily a popular size), they work just fine. That being said I only run them at 25psi on road and 10 psi offroad. The c rated tires I'd run at 32psi on road and 15psi off. I don't see any advantage either way. If the tires I wanted came in both C and E farms I'd go C for the lighter weight.
Sponsored
Rufus
Active Member
I replaced the C rated KO2s on my Raptor with D rated Mickey T Baja EXPs and immediately could tell the difference. Even aired down into the mid teens the Mickeys rode rougher. I've stuck with C rated tires ever since. I just wish the were more C rated options in 35x12.5 and 315/70. Lots of Jeeps and Raptors out there that need them.
jac04
Well-Known Member
The confusion about sidewall stiffness on LRE or LRF tires is coming from a misunderstanding of basic design principles.
LRE and LRF tires have stronger sidewalls in order to hold the higher air pressure required to carry heavier loads. I think everyone can agree on that. The issue is that stronger sidewalls do not always mean stiffer sidewalls. To make a blanket statement that all stronger sidewalls are stiffer is ignorant.
LRE and LRF tires have stronger sidewalls in order to hold the higher air pressure required to carry heavier loads. I think everyone can agree on that. The issue is that stronger sidewalls do not always mean stiffer sidewalls. To make a blanket statement that all stronger sidewalls are stiffer is ignorant.
The Griz
Member
There’s no confusion just physics and facts. You can’t get around it. What do you think makes a sidewall not flex or deform under heavy load? You’re playing semantics with words. Stronger=stiffer. They’re both the same thing here when it comes to the sidewall. The sidewall 100% needs to be stiffer in order to not flex and deform in order to support the heavier load safely. So yes it is safe to make this blanket statement because it is true. I urge you to contact any one of the support departments at any tire manufacturer. They’ll tell you the same thing.
The Griz
Member
Wait a minute.. You don’t even understand that it’s a COMBINATION of air pressure AND tire construction (includes sidewall) that’s carrying the load?Wait a second. You don't even understand that it is actually the air pressure carrying the load and not the tire sidewall?
Sponsored
The Griz
Member
Dude you clearly don’t know what you’re talking about. Do me a favor: call BF Goodrich support and ask if it’s only air pressure that supports the load when it comes to tires. Then get back to me.
jac04
Well-Known Member
The amount of load that the sidewall can support is insignificant compared to what the air pressure supports. That's why tires go flat when you let the air out of them. Or maybe they don't. I clearly don't know.
KevinC
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Kevin
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2021
- Threads
- 17
- Messages
- 840
- Reaction score
- 1,596
- Location
- Central Florida
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 JT Mojave Sarge
- Occupation
- Hard Labor
I run KO2's Load Range D. No seat of the pants different than what came on the JT. I do tow a light camper and a boat some, but could easily do it with LR C. In all fairness I bought two of the LR D tires for cheap so only had to purchase two at full price.
The Griz
Member
You clearly don’t. Air down a Load Range F tire while it’s on a lighter truck like a Gladiator and watch the sidewall not deform much. Will be damn near a run-flat tire. Guaranteed you can air it down to 10 or even 5 PSI and that sidewall will still be supporting the weight with minimal deformation. Sidewall strength plays a huge role in supporting the weight of a vehicle. The percentage of what is supporting the weight, pressure vs sidewall changes depending on Load Range of the tire and how much weight is put on that tire. With a Load Range F on a lighter truck it’s mostly sidewall doing the job vs the pressure that’s in the tire, like 80/20%. Putting a Load Range C on the Gladiator, which is the correct Load Range for the vehicle, it becomes more of a 50/50%. Again, call any tire manufacturer’s tech department and ask.
Lets’s apply your argument that it’s only the air in the tire that supports the weight as an analogy to other things, like say, building construction… your argument would be like saying it’s only the rebar that holds the building up, but not the concrete around the rebar. When in reality it’s a combination of the design, the rebar, the concrete, and many other factors that keep the building standing. Same goes for tires: it’s a combination of the design, the air inside, the sidewall, the radial belts, etc that come together to support the vehicle.
If it were only the air in the tire that supports the vehicle weight then Load Ranges wouldn’t exist, amongst other tire design factors.
Sponsored
Last edited:
