Need tire help/advice

[DaddyG]

I've got a choice to make in tires and I need some advice …...so, I'm turning to the pro's !
My choices are both 35" (or the metric P equivalent 315 70/17's)
Kelly Safari TSR's which are E rated tires....OR
Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP's which are D rated tires.
My local tire guy say's the E rated tire (Kelly Safari TSR) is gonna be "too stiff" for the Gladiator and it's gonna ride like shit, and I'm gonna be much happier with the ride quality of a D rated tire (Dick Cepek's EXP's)
MOST of my driving will be around town and highway, with weekly trips onto the beach in the summers.
The cost of both are relatively the same.....about $1,100 for a set of 5
Whats your thoughts ?

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[DaddyG]

I've got a choice to make in tires and I need some advice …...so, I'm turning to the pro's !
My choices are both 35" (or the metric P equivalent 315 70/17's)
Kelly Safari TSR's which are E rated tires....OR
Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP's which are D rated tires.
My local tire guy say's the E rated tire (Kelly Safari TSR) is gonna be "too stiff" for the Gladiator and it's gonna ride like shit, and I'm gonna be much happier with the ride quality of a D rated tire (Dick Cepek's EXP's)
MOST of my driving will be around town and highway, with weekly trips onto the beach in the summers.
The cost of both are relatively the same.....about $1,100 for a set of 5
Whats your thoughts ?

BTW...….I've got a Sport S with Max tow, and plan on putting JTR springs (front) and shocks on her....if that makes any difference in your advice...….Thanks in advance !

 

[mojocho]

How will you be using your gladiator?
Towing, off-road, daily driver, etc

 

[NEWBWHEELER]

I can’t speak about those specific tires but I am running E load tires and I find them to be perfect for me. I am coming from sports cars so I like firmer I guess. I hate the squishy floating feeling some larger tires provide.

 

[DaddyG]

How will you be using your gladiator?
Towing, off-road, daily driver, etc

Mostly highway and around town, but in the summer it'll be beach driving in Delaware at least once or twice a week...….possibly and occasional trek off road, but not rock crawling. Wifey would like to get a small towable camper eventually, but that won't be for at least a year or two down the road.....IF at all.

 

[Riccochet]

Either will work for you. Even C rated tires will work for you. C's come stock on the Rubicon and Max Tow equipped vehicles.

 

[Moe_Fugga]

I have E rated and they’re fine. However, I’ve never had D rated so I can’t speak for those. I had E rated on a 2 door JK and they were fine on that too.

As far as sand, you will get more flotation with less airing down out of a D/C rated tire versus the E rated tire.

 

[DaddyG]

Either will work for you. Even C rated tires will work for you. C's come stock on the Rubicon and Max Tow equipped vehicles.

Riccochet, Yes, I know they'll work.....I was just more curious about any noticeable change in ride comfort......the truck rides great as it is, just wondering IF and how much of a change there will be...

 

[DaddyG]

I have E rated and they’re fine. However, I’ve never had D rated so I can’t speak for those. I had E rated on a 2 door JK and they were fine on that too.

As far as sand, you will get more flotation with less airing down out of a D/C rated tire versus the E rated tire.

Moe.....does anybody even make a C rated 35" tire ? I want 35's....but I'm NOT willing to pay for Toyo's or Nitto's when I can get a decent tire like the Kelly's or the Cepeks for what amounts to over $125 per tire less !

 

[Moe_Fugga]

Moe.....does anybody even make a C rated 35" tire ? I want 35's....but I'm NOT willing to pay for Toyo's or Nitto's when I can get a decent tire like the Kelly's or the Cepeks for what amounts to over $125 per tire less !

I don’t know about C in a 35. I saw it mentioned above and threw it in there.

FWIW I paid $230 per tire for Toyo ATII in 35x12.50x17. Same as the ones you’re looking at. I’ve had really good luck with treadlife on them in the past.

Edit: here are some C rated tires in your size.
https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires....eModel=All-Terrain+T/A+KO2&partnum=17SR7KO2V2

 

[brianinca]

The 315-70R17 metric size is equivalent to a flotation 35x12.5-17. BFG's KO2 comes in a load range C model and that's what I'm running. For an H2, you need the D range variant, but C gives you plenty of capacity over what a JT will carry. I don't see the benefit of running tires rated for loads my vehicle can't even approach, let alone exceed. JT's need C range tires, full stop.

Moe.....does anybody even make a C rated 35" tire ? I want 35's....but I'm NOT willing to pay for Toyo's or Nitto's when I can get a decent tire like the Kelly's or the Cepeks for what amounts to over $125 per tire less !

 

[DaddyG]

The 315-70R17 metric size is equivalent to a flotation 35x12.5-17. BFG's KO2 comes in a load range C model and that's what I'm running. For an H2, you need the D range variant, but C gives you plenty of capacity over what a JT will carry. I don't see the benefit of running tires rated for loads my vehicle can't even approach, let alone exceed. JT's need C range tires, full stop.

Agreed.....the KO2 is a nice tire......but everywhere I see it, its just under/above the $300 price point.
I know I can get the Kelly's for $807 for a set of 4.....the 5th one will cost me $215 (for some reason, they have them broken up like that on E-Bay.....and they won't just sell me 5 tires.....I gotta buy 4, then buy 1

 

[brianinca]

I figure for wear items, how long will it last?

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires....eModel=All-Terrain+T/A+KO2&partnum=17SR7KO2V2

The KO2's wear even better than the KO's, saw 40K on the H2 for the KO's. I replace tires before they hit the wear bar, though. $1350 for KO2's vs $1020 for a bargain tire, eh. I'm more concerned about performance and safety over time.

I did ask the owner at my 4x4 shop if anything was better or lighter than the KO2's, since he runs Nitto's on his diesel Chevy 3/4 ton. He commented the KO2's are what everyone competes against, and they're still what he buys for his and his kids' Jeeps. A buddy of mine in Durban (South Africa) was excited to see my truck and volunteered KO2's are what everyone runs in the bush.

What's weird is at Walmart the BFG C range is $5 cheaper than the Kelly Safari D range:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/BFGoodrich-All-Terrain-T-A-KO2-315-70R17-113-S-Tire/255260032
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kelly-Safari-TSR-315-70R17/17792735

Agreed.....the KO2 is a nice tire......but everywhere I see it, its just under/above the $300 price point.
I know I can get the Kelly's for $807 for a set of 4.....the 5th one will cost me $215 (for some reason, they have them broken up like that on E-Bay.....and they won't just sell me 5 tires.....I gotta buy 4, then buy 1

 

[brianinca]

But I get the price thing, totally! When my Explorer went to the bench, I switched to the Wranglers that Walmart sells, they were SUPER reasonable for a 31x10.5r15, like $150 mounted and balanced. Not worth it to spend another $50 a tire for a truck that barely saw dirt for its last 60,000 miles. It will ride off to the local charity on the 2nd set of Goodyears when I get around to it, just shy of 200K.

Agreed.....the KO2 is a nice tire......but everywhere I see it, its just under/above the $300 price point.
I know I can get the Kelly's for $807 for a set of 4.....the 5th one will cost me $215 (for some reason, they have them broken up like that on E-Bay.....and they won't just sell me 5 tires.....I gotta buy 4, then buy 1

 

[DaddyG]

But I get the price thing, totally! When my Explorer went to the bench, I switched to the Wranglers that Walmart sells, they were SUPER reasonable for a 31x10.5r15, like $150 mounted and balanced. Not worth it to spend another $50 a tire for a truck that barely saw dirt for its last 60,000 miles. It will ride off to the local charity on the 2nd set of Goodyears when I get around to it, just shy of 200K.

I'm looking at buying 5 tires.....so, realistically a savings of $60-70 per tire is a $300-350 dollar difference......or about $100 short of a set of rails/steps.....that my relatively tiny (5' 1") bride is going to need to climb in. Add that to the fact that we're both 60, and retirement is a month or two away...….I gotta watch my penny's !

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