I think I'm narrowing down my tire search to the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor P265/70 17". However, I'm struggling to figure out if I should get the LT or P versions? The GVWR for my truck ('01 screw 4x4) is 6750 lbs (3660 in the front, 3800 in the back). The ratings on the P 113T versions from Goodyear is 2535 lbs, the ratings on the LT 112R is 2470 lbs, and the LT 121R is 3195 lbs. So my questions are:

Based on the GVWR for both my front and rear axles, all 3 tires should support that weight, correct?

When should you move from the P 113T to the LT 112R? I'll never approach the max speed rating, so what does the LT rating really get me? I see a lot of people just saying if you have a truck you need the LT, but no real good explanation of why.

 

Theoretically, either tire will allow you to load the truck to its max rating. An LT tire gets you more sidewall and tread plies which allows you to inflate the tire with more air. The increased air pressure allows you to load the tire more without stressing the tire too much (like when you see someone with a heavy load in the truck and the tires look flat).

I've had both versions of the Silent Armor on my truck. I was also the person that installed them, so I had the opportunity to inspect both tires off the rim before they went on the truck as well. Both tires are built extremely well and are both very strong tires. A lot of times a tire company will make a tire in a P-rating for a smaller vehicle and an LT rating for a truck and the two are completely different tires. This is not the case with the Silent Armor. These tires were designed and built to be truck tires. Also, the difference in construction between the two is minimal. I think the LT tire has 2 more plies than the P tire. They both weigh within about 5 pounds of each other if I remember right.

In my case, I never load my truck enough to see the benefit of the LT Silent Armor on a 1/2 ton. If I had a 3/4 ton or bigger, it would be no question...I would absolutely go with the LT. But not just because it's a bigger truck...I wouldn't own a 3/4 ton or bigger without the need for it to haul heavy loads.

If you do a lot of towing and regularly load the bed of your truck up to the max ratings, I would go with the LT as it will handle the load much better. If not, and you drive the truck as mostly a commuter vehicle and occasionally haul a load or trailer, I would not hesitate to use the P-rated tire.

Keep in mind that the LT tire will not increase your max GVWR or any other weight rating of your truck. There are many other factors to contribute to those ratings besides tires. It will simply allow you to handle the load a little better than the stock tires would.

 

Thanks a lot for the explanation - that's the best I've seen so far. I even went to 2 tire shops and asked the question and never got a straight answer out of them about the difference between the two types.

I drive around 10,000 miles a year. Most are just to & from work, but around 2,000 or so are pulling a 6,000 lb camper (hitch, not 5th wheel). I don't see a lot of sag in my current tires (Goodyear Wrangler R/S) when I tow. I use a weight distribution hitch with anti-sway bars so that does help spread out the tongue weight across the truck and keeps things calmed down back there. I've already pulled the camper all summer on my P265's, so I'm just trying to decide if I'm really ok with the P's or if I've just been lucky. Based on your description I think I should be ok to go with the P265's again. Do you agree?

 

If you need a great tire go with the Michelin LTX, it will last you a good 60-80,000 miles and will be a great tire to tow with. i wouldnt trust goodyears on my bicycle.

 

That 2535 on the P is not the true rating when used on a light truck. You need to subtract 9%, or about 250 lbs. Also it may have enough rating, but an LT will always give you better cornering and durability, although not necessarily mileage. The 3100lb Lt is a LR E and overkill, unless you do a lot of towing and hauling at or above your vehicles ratings. LT's will give a slightly harsher ride, but in my opinion are well worth it on a light truck.

Info on the 9% - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=70

I have purchased vehicles with P series tires and replaced them within a month with an LT tire. Far better handling, especially cornering than the P series.

 

Thanks for the link on the 9% reduction - hadn't heard of that before. So for my vehicle the highest GVWR for an axle is the rear at 3800 lbs. Two of those Wrangler Silent Armors would support a max of around 4613 lbs after taking the 9% reduction into account.
(2535 * 2) * 0.91 = 4613
If I did that correctly, I should be fine with any of the tires I mentioned above. The only factor then would really be the additional handling and durability. Sound correct?

 

In general yes, although since you do do a good bit of towing, the LT tires would definitely be a benefit. Sidewalls are much stiffer for lateral support.

 

king fish ill tell you what, these tires are fantastic, i have owned about 4 different brands and i like these by far more then i have liked any other tire, they are rugged and great for on road use, but i would still use them for partial off road. i baby my truck so i dont do anything to extreme. well worth the 900 dollars for them. look at this link for their rating.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....er+SilentArmor

tire rack is a very legit source that you can trust. they are in the 99th percentile vs. other tires in their category

over all very pleased.

Edit: if the link does not work, just type in good year silent armor review into google and click on the tire rack link.

 

I have had Silent Armors, and agree they are good tires. And I had LT tires in 275R70/17. They discussion here is about P series (passenger car) or LT tires. In general, the LT tires will do much better than a P series tire when used on a light truck.

 

I forgot to include the bit about P tires having a 9% reduction in load carrying when used on a light truck. I was on my way out to work and was rushing a bit with that post.

I can't find too much information on Wrangler RT/S tires on Goodyear's website since I don't think they make them anymore (thankfully...) I wanted to get something to compare your current tires to.

I'm not saying you should go one way or the other. I'm simply trying to provide you with enough information to make your own decision. You're right, a lot of people say that if you have a truck, you must use LT tires even if you only use it to haul a load of sand once a year 3 miles from Home Depot to your house.

Personally, I don't believe in unnecessarily wasting money. If the P tires will hold up to the light use I put them through, I find no reason to spend money on LT tires. If you feel that your time spent towing would be easier handled with LT tires, then I say go for it. You already seem to know what you're doing in that department with the use of a WD hitch and all. Most people around here would have no qualms about hitching a 6k pound trailer to the bumper and hauling *** down the highway with 20psi in the tires.

One thing I tell my customers when they ask about the difference between P and LT tires is that the truck's weight ratings were designed around a P series tire (unless of course they specify an LT tire). Although different manufacturer's weight ratings (stamped on the sidewall) will differ slightly, no reputable manufacturer in their right mind is going to produce a tire that has a lower weight rating than all the vehicles that specify that size as OEM. With that in mind, putting a P rated tire on your truck is not going to be a down-grade, as a lot of people would have you think. Your towing performance should be exactly the same as it is now if not better since you'll be upgrading to a stronger tire than the flimsy sidewalled Wrangler RT/S tires. If you feel that an upgrade to an LT tire would help your towing ability, then by all means upgrade to an LT tire. But don't feel that you're selling yourself short by going with the P tire.

Again, I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other. I believe everyone should make their own informed decisions and I'm just trying to give you the information you need to make that decision. I give this information to just about every customer that walks through my door asking about truck tires. I just hate to see people waste money they don't need to for an upgrade that may or may not make a marginal difference in towing ability. The government does a good enough job of wasting our money!

 

Also, I should mention that I don't disagree that LT tires are better than P tires. Like I said before, the LT tire is often times a completely different tire than the P tire of the same brand and model. With the Silent Armor however, this is simply not the case. Since this discussion was about the difference between the P and LT Silent Armor, I personally feel (as someone who has owned both, installed on the same truck, hauling the same loads) that the difference was marginal and did not justify the almost $200 difference in price.

 

One thing you do get with the LT LR C or E tire is 2/32 more tread depth. That too will affect price, along with the heavier construction.

 

I'm looking at the Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor's as well. Maybe I'm old-school but I've always found trucks to drive the best and have the most off-road capability with tall, skinny tires (unless you need deep sand or soft ground floatation). In most normal mud I've driven in the skinnier tire bites down to firmer ground better. Maybe in a mud pit a wide tire with it's floatation will work better but that is not a real-world situation I've ever encountered. The taller, narrower tires also have better directional stability in the snow (probably due to their more elongated contact patch). On pavement the steering seems a bit more precise (assuming enough sidewall stiffness) and rolling resistance is less for better MPG compared to wider tires of the same height.

I'm not trying to get off subject here, just making some observations.

I think any of the tires you mention would work fine although the load range D tires with max pressure of 80 psi are probably overkill and will provide a harsh ride and lower cornering ability during evasive manuevers. A good middle ground might be the 275/70/R17 (load range C) with rated capacity of 2600 lbs. and maximum 50 psi.

If low $$ is important and you still want a tire with higher ratings and better traction than the OEM rubber, you might consider the 255/75/R17 with a rating of 2535 lbs. (which is the same rating as the passenger 265 you mentioned and converts to 2307 lbs. when derated for truck applications) and max pressure of 44 psi and 4 ply sidewalls. You did not mention what your gear ratio is but the last two options will provide slightly higher effective gearing. This option will cost the least upfront and return the highest MPG in terms of rolling resistance. It should also be good in the snow and off-road due to it's tall, narrow design.

My 2010 XLT came with the 235/75/17 Hankook AT's which only have 2 ply sidewalls and I am not impressed with their handling or traction (on or off road). The max load is only 2200 lbs. (2002 lbs. de-rated for truck application) and the maximum pressure is 35 lbs. which is also the recommended inflation pressure! I like to have a little safety margin on both the weight rating and the max. pressure rating.

I ordered up a set of the Wrangler SilentArmor 255/75/R17 for only $572 installed. I'll see how they work out. The strange thing is the 275/70/R17's are almost twice the cost! Yes, the 255/75/17 have 4 ply sidewalls and the 270/70/17 are six ply.

 

Another difference between P series and LT series tires is the WARRANTY. Warranties such as a 50,000 mile treadware warranty ONLY apply to P series tires. If there is not a UTOG rating listed for a tire it is usually an LT tire and will not be covered by a mileage warranty. I just replace a set of of the Wrangler Silent Armor tires after only about 36,000 miles which were LT and not covered by the warranty, even though the local shop told me they were when i bought them about 3 1/2 years ago.

 

I ended up going with the Wrangler Silent Armors this afternoon. Now I got nothing like the $572 deal - that's an awesome price. Mine will be about $820 after the rebate.

Also it wasn't a consideration for me, but I have to say they are a nice looking tire...

Thanks again to everyone for the help.