General Tire/trailor towing

NC-Fordguy · #1 12-13-2005, 12:21 AM

Hey all,

I just recently purchased a 2005 F-150 4x4 regular cab with the long bed and trailor towing package. The truck came with 17 inch general tire passenger radials. I have a Haulmark 14 foot enclosed trailor I use on occasion for business when loaded weighs in around 3k pounds. I wonder how practical these passsenger tire radials are in this purpose?? Passenger radials on a 4x4 with a towing package doesn't sound like one of Ford's better ideas to me.
The 2005 is repacing my 94 F-150 that used to pull the trailor and I always hat LT rated tires on that. Would you all move up to a LT rated tire?

Ed

retired2001 · #2 12-13-2005, 01:15 AM

The original "Generals" on my '02 S'crew lasted for 43,000 miles and would have gone 4 or 5 thousand more. I towed a couple of times with mine w/o any problems, but no extended towing. Maybe some of the folks that tow more will "chip in" with some comments. Good luck!

APT · #3 12-13-2005, 08:28 AM

The load rating for those passenger tires is well above what your springs are rated for. I would not replace those tires with LT tires specifically, but maybe better P types if you don't like the Generals. You'll have a worse ride w/ LT tires for daily driving.

kd4crs · #4 12-13-2005, 10:37 PM

I tow a 26 foot 6500 lbs. travel trailer on my Generals. No problems here.

Colorado Osprey · #5 12-14-2005, 03:35 PM

3k trailer is only 300# of tongue weight.

If a passenger tire can't take an extra 300# of weight on the vehicle it was installed on, you would have the wrong tire.

The main difference between a "P" and "LT" is actually in the overload protection over what the tire is rated for. "P" series tires should never be loaded to the capacity on the side of the tire while "LT" tires are built with and extra 20% margin of safety of over load built in.

Never exceed the GVR of the vehicle or risk suspension damage. Never exceed the GCVW or you risk hitch, transmission or drive line damage.

As long as all these guide lines are met, you are in good shape....happy trailering....

N8VTXAN · #6 12-25-2005, 04:33 PM

Sorry to say, but I kind of disagree with the consensus on the "P" tires. I tow a 30 foot travel trailer and find the stock "P" tires to give me the "******". My towing experiencde was very bad as the truck, particularly the rear, felt mushy. I bought my truck specifically with the intent of towing this trailer. Everything is within spec, so I'm not overloading anything. But the "P" tires are awful for serious towing.

I am in the market for something else, but finding tires to replace the stock 18" on a 2WD is not very obvious.

I do not want to add a lift or leveling kit. I do not want any mods. Just better tires for towing.

Colorado Osprey · #7 12-31-2005, 10:25 AM

True...by going from a "P" to an "LT" you get more tire, sidewall and all and this will make for a stiffer ride and less sidewall flex.

But the poster wrote, "I have a Haulmark 14 foot enclosed trailor I use on occasion for business when loaded weighs in around 3k pounds. I wonder how practical these passsenger tire radials are in this purpose??"

The "P" will work, just not a 1st choice.