Tire for towing

[Gren71]

I have a couple of questions for towing with the truck..

it came with those dueler a/T tires from the factory with the max tow package. They’re light tires, maybe a six ply sidewall, and I guess everyone tows with them without an issue.

But then I read that everyone uses a 10 ply tire to toe, which are usually 10 pounds or so heavier at the same size of 245/75/17.

and now it looks like they stopped selling the duelers and are selling the Michelin LTX or MTX tires, whatever they are.

so the question for me is are the Michelin tires they’re selling now decent all weather tires for towing since I pretty much only ever I’m on the highway and occasionally on the beach?

and is a 10ply sidewall truly necessary with the towing weights that this truck is limited to, staying in the 1500 pound cargo capacity and 7600 pound tow capacity range?

everything I read says you have to have a 10ply side wall, every once you have a time play sidewall, no jeep should be without a 10 ply sidewall at any time… But I’m having a hard time finding any real data to back up that belief other than “bro trust me you need it.”

Also, is an ATV tire really strictly necessary for driving on the beach? I know the stock jewelers say a tea on them but the tread pattern just isn’t something that I would associate with an all-terrain tire, Morey Highway terrain tire..

I love the gas mileage I’ve gotten back with the stock tires and would hate to lose any of that to an overly aggressive tread and/or weight since it’s pretty much guaranteed I’m not going off routing about the beach anytime soon in life

@Discount Tire it may be a Lot of questions for you my friend!

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[Gvsukids]

You could look at an LT rated tire that will give you a stiffer sidewall. But then you will lose some of the flotation needed in the sand, but you would still be fine at 15 psi.

 

[Gren71]

You could look at an LT rated tire that will give you a stiffer sidewall. But then you will lose some of the flotation needed in the sand, but you would still be fine at 15 psi.

i’ve looked at a couple of LT tires and some of them are 10ply, while some are rated the exact same as the stock gladiator tires. Which just adds to my confusion

 

[bleda2002]

i’ve looked at a couple of LT tires and some of them are 10ply, while some are rated the exact same as the stock gladiator tires. Which just adds to my confusion

None of these are a true 10 ply. If you want to tow heavy i'd look at a C or D rated Tire. E is overkill for what we're towing.

The thing to remember with LT tires is psi dictates what load it can carry. Air down for normal driving, air up for towing.

Honestly though give you're other thread you're way over thinking this. Just get a decent Highway Terrain tire in load range C and drive.

 

[Gren71]

Honestly though give you're other thread you're way over thinking this. Just get a decent Highway Terrain tire in load range C and drive.

Story of my life! Im a fiend for data and understanding things as much as possible, which definitely lens itself to me over thinking.

 

[Gren71]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kenda-Klever-A-T2-KR628-255-75R17-115T-Light-Truck-Tire/886608500

Thoughts?

 

[Gvsukids]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...heels-tires-vs-tow-question.43161/post-695821

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-in-snow-disappointment.40056/post-651642

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-do-to-your-gladiator-today.23705/post-522694

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I tow with whatever is on my truck at the time. I increase pressure if the load is much higher than my truck when empty. That's the only thing I change. I don't even bother with "load range" letters these days. That's an old school way - now we should be using load INDEX. That's the TRUE indication of what it can or will do.
Load range is still based on sidewall ply - well, over the years the actual ply numbers has changed because of modern methods and materials. A 10 ply RATING tire will not have 10 plies! It may have 6 but be rated the same as a 10 ply from 1970. And that rating is skewed because of that.
I go by what the weight rating of the tire is more than anything - and air up accordingly. When I get back I lower the psi again for normal driving.
I've always towed with what came on the truck - if the truck is rated to tow 6,000 pounds then it's rated to tow with those tires on it. They don't swap tires and then test the truck, then swap back to sell it.
I know what everyone says about needing a D, or C at the very least - and yet I towed TRACTORS (my F20 was 4400 pounds not counting the added battery and generator) on a trailer with my Comanche and stock tires. I towed anhydrous tanks into plowed fields, I towed augers, you name it. I've never lost a tow vehicle tire. Speed kills tires, under-inflation while towing kills tires. My tires are run at 33 psi cold according to the General Tire engineer I spoke to. Max load is 2750 or something like that at 44 psi max. They aren't even C rated tires.
If I were towing 7,500 pounds or heavier with a tongue weight of 800 pounds, yeah, I might think differently, but a car hauler will add only about 600 pounds tongue weight - that's likely the equivalent of 450 pounds in the bed over the axle and does anyone even think of that as being a lot of weight on the tires?
I know it's not just weight on the tires before someone jumps all over that - it's the LOAD of pulling - the drag, the pull on the sidewalls, the torque applied to them if you will, but still - I figure over 10,000 pounds per pair of tires (per axle) if I go by the sidewall rating, and I can run them up as high as 44 (which I won't do)
I don't feel bad about towing.
My wife's Grand Cherokee is rated 6200 pounds towing - with the stock tires..............

 

[WXman]

Some points I'll add:

- The factory tires are rated 4 ply. But they're arguably even thinner than an aftermarket 4 ply tire. Again, OEs want maximum fuel economy, and weight kills.

- LT-C tires are a complete waste of time. They have only marginally stronger construction, and the weight ratings on them are usually lower than P rated tires.

- Load capacity isn't the only part of the equation. How easy or difficult it is to slice or puncture a tire is also critically important.

If you pay attention, 99.98% of the time the vehicles you pass on the side of the road with flats are running OE tires. You virtually never seen an aftermarket LT-D or LT-E tire flat.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Some points I'll add:

- The factory tires are rated 4 ply. But they're arguably even thinner than an aftermarket 4 ply tire. Again, OEs want maximum fuel economy, and weight kills.

- LT-C tires are a complete waste of time. They have only marginally stronger construction, and the weight ratings on them are usually lower than P rated tires.

- Load capacity isn't the only part of the equation. How easy or difficult it is to slice or puncture a tire is also critically important.

If you pay attention, 99.98% of the time the vehicles you pass on the side of the road with flats are running OE tires. You virtually never seen an aftermarket LT-D or LT-E tire flat.

But don't you suspect that one of the big factors in that is they simply hooked up and went - no attention to tire pressure, how fast were they going, etc.?
Most of the vehicles I see along I80 and I35 pulled onto the shoulder have TRAILER tires blown - I've honestly not seen any tow vehicle with a blown tire in years. It's always the trailer tire. That also tells me - going too fast, maybe didn't check inflation - and like is common with travel trailers - how OLD were the tires.
Over 7 years old, replace 'em, period.
Looking back at what the boss towed in for us to work on - it was generally the trailer tire.

I must have the luck of the gods or have angels watching over me. I've never lost a tow vehicle tire in all of the towing I've done.

I towed this with my old 70 Chevy C20, my F250, my Silverado before I sold this and bought the PJ I had prior to the Aluma I have now. I'd hate to even guess the weight of this thing EMPTY. I had my F20 on it several times (4400 pounds shipping weight) and towed an Eagle wagon back from Reading, PA on it years ago. 1 person can't lift the winch that's on it. A friend called it a boxcar on wheels.

 

[Gren71]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...heels-tires-vs-tow-question.43161/post-695821

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-in-snow-disappointment.40056/post-651642

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-do-to-your-gladiator-today.23705/post-522694

good links. Most everyone is running the other kenda tread patterns, im curious about the at2 specifically

 

[WXman]

But don't you suspect that one of the big factors in that is they simply hooked up and went - no attention to tire pressure, how fast were they going, etc.?
Most of the vehicles I see along I80 and I35 pulled onto the shoulder have TRAILER tires blown - I've honestly not seen any tow vehicle with a blown tire in years. It's always the trailer tire. That also tells me - going too fast, maybe didn't check inflation - and like is common with travel trailers - how OLD were the tires.
Over 7 years old, replace 'em, period.
Looking back at what the boss towed in for us to work on - it was generally the trailer tire.

I must have the luck of the gods or have angels watching over me. I've never lost a tow vehicle tire in all of the towing I've done.

I towed this with my old 70 Chevy C20, my F250, my Silverado before I sold this and bought the PJ I had prior to the Aluma I have now. I'd hate to even guess the weight of this thing EMPTY. I had my F20 on it several times (4400 pounds shipping weight) and towed an Eagle wagon back from Reading, PA on it years ago. 1 person can't lift the winch that's on it. A friend called it a boxcar on wheels.

Oh absolutely. Tire maintenance is also very important and there are a lot of people who neglect their tires. Still though, I think a quality 10-ply tire will hold up longer to neglect than a flimsy 4-ply. Not that anyone should ever put that to the test.

 

[CerOf]

If you’re only on pavement and occasional jaunt in the beach, might I suggest a Michelin LTX AT2?

It was always one of the best riding and long lasting light truck tire I’ve ever run.

 

[whiteglad]

The Bridgestones weigh 34 lb. Falken AT3W in the same size, SL rated, are 41 lb. In E, 51 lb. For just 1 pound more each, I went to 255-80-17E (52 lb).
If you don't plan on rocky trails, sharp sticks, etc. you could go with the Falken SL. Those Bridgestones did not inspire confidence with me for off-road use.

 

[Trippin01]

when I bought my JT MT, the Duelers didn't even have a load rating, So I went to the 34" Cooper AT3. Love them for towing and some trail use. Duelers were seriously junk. I had a sidewall puncture the 1st week of ownership. I run the 37" Yokohoma Geolander when not towing and doing trails.

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