Firestone Tires?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 1
From: Statesville, NC
A lot of the tire issues come back to Ford, specing out lower pressures than what Firestone reccomended. That was one of the things that came out in the lawsuits. Ford ended up changing the reccomended pressures, and issuing a recall to change the placard.
Last edited by Glen R; Dec 23, 2010 at 04:45 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,121
Likes: 4
From: Burlington, VT
How long have you had yours? I did the same thing and went from the same tire to the Destinations.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee
Yeah, not sure if the Mazdas (which are essentially rebadged Rangers) had the issues, but I've never had trouble with Firestone tires.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,121
Likes: 4
From: Burlington, VT
What are you guys running them at? I have mine at 40psi, they are 44psi max. Mine still look a little low and bulge a bit.
The tire place that installed them said to never go over what Ford recommends, which is 38psi. I had to bring them up though.
The tire place that installed them said to never go over what Ford recommends, which is 38psi. I had to bring them up though.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 204
Likes: 5
From: Charlotte
Firestone are crap in my opinion. It was not a Ford issue with the Exporer, or else we would be seeing the same problem with the new tires. You can't tell me that people check their tires, I see old Explorer's all the time with grossly underinflated tires and you don't see the issues any more. I would never buy anything but Michelin's.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee
Firestone are crap in my opinion. It was not a Ford issue with the Exporer, or else we would be seeing the same problem with the new tires. You can't tell me that people check their tires, I see old Explorer's all the time with grossly underinflated tires and you don't see the issues any more. I would never buy anything but Michelin's.
michelin tires are overrated.
firestone has come a long way since the days of the wilderness issues.
most owners of these destination tires are reporting 50 - 70K miles, which imho is among the best you'll be able to get on a half-ton pickup.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,031
Likes: 45
From: The Shenandoah Valley
A tires ability to carry it's rated load depends on how much air is squeezed in. As a trooper I always ran my police car tires at the max press stated on the sidewall. That's the pressure it would carry it's max weight without overheating and self destructing, blowing sidewalls out, it's the max pressure it was safe to run and provide the outside tire in a curve the best support when weight shift was maxed.
Seen many of those old Firestones on disabled vehicles, sidewalls blown out, just like Michelins or Goodyears or what have you will do as well when run at insufficient inflation pressures. Firestione got a bad rap.
Dummies will buy a vehicle, maybe set psi exact as door says 10-16 psi lower than tire sidewall and do it after heating the tire up at that if they even checked it, load grandma, grandpa, the kids, wife, and luggage for trip halfway across country, then hammer down the interstate at 80-90 and wonder why a tire blew out?
Dummies.
57 years young this month with over 31 as a state officer and never have I had a heat related tire failure ...
... not even on Firestone tires responding in summer heat to a critical incident or civil disturbance (riot) 100+ miles away at triple digits.
I don't run all my personal tires at max sidewall pressure but I do run them some higher than what the door sticker says. The 225/60-16s on my Merc GM are at 44 psi when I leave the house, but on my T-bird the same tires have 40 psi.
The 275/55-20s on my '07 F-150 have 40-41 psi in them when leaving the house unless I anticipate a real load, then they get 44 in back. The door says 35 but that's a ride compromise and I find it less responsive.
I give up some softeness for improved road feel and directional stability and I have never seen excessive center of tread wear with modern radials.
Those headlines of tire failures and deaths and life long injuries were most often the result of an owner / driver who likely didn't check the tire pressure in the first place before heading down the highway, often at extralegal speeds ... mindless of the load. Ford specing a lower number that maybe was safe if maintained, but which did not provide adequate reserve for the 70-90% who do not check a tire until the rim is might near on the ground didn't help it.
Seen many of those old Firestones on disabled vehicles, sidewalls blown out, just like Michelins or Goodyears or what have you will do as well when run at insufficient inflation pressures. Firestione got a bad rap.
Dummies will buy a vehicle, maybe set psi exact as door says 10-16 psi lower than tire sidewall and do it after heating the tire up at that if they even checked it, load grandma, grandpa, the kids, wife, and luggage for trip halfway across country, then hammer down the interstate at 80-90 and wonder why a tire blew out?
Dummies. 57 years young this month with over 31 as a state officer and never have I had a heat related tire failure ...
... not even on Firestone tires responding in summer heat to a critical incident or civil disturbance (riot) 100+ miles away at triple digits.
I don't run all my personal tires at max sidewall pressure but I do run them some higher than what the door sticker says. The 225/60-16s on my Merc GM are at 44 psi when I leave the house, but on my T-bird the same tires have 40 psi.
The 275/55-20s on my '07 F-150 have 40-41 psi in them when leaving the house unless I anticipate a real load, then they get 44 in back. The door says 35 but that's a ride compromise and I find it less responsive.
I give up some softeness for improved road feel and directional stability and I have never seen excessive center of tread wear with modern radials.
Those headlines of tire failures and deaths and life long injuries were most often the result of an owner / driver who likely didn't check the tire pressure in the first place before heading down the highway, often at extralegal speeds ... mindless of the load. Ford specing a lower number that maybe was safe if maintained, but which did not provide adequate reserve for the 70-90% who do not check a tire until the rim is might near on the ground didn't help it.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,121
Likes: 4
From: Burlington, VT
A tires ability to carry it's rated load depends on how much air is squeezed in. As a trooper I always ran my police car tires at the max press stated on the sidewall. That's the pressure it would carry it's max weight without overheating and self destructing, blowing sidewalls out, it's the max pressure it was safe to run and provide the outside tire in a curve the best support when weight shift was maxed.
Seen many of those old Firestones on disabled vehicles, sidewalls blown out, just like Michelins or Goodyears or what have you will do as well when run at insufficient inflation pressures. Firestione got a bad rap.
Dummies will buy a vehicle, maybe set psi exact as door says 10-16 psi lower than tire sidewall and do it after heating the tire up at that if they even checked it, load grandma, grandpa, the kids, wife, and luggage for trip halfway across country, then hammer down the interstate at 80-90 and wonder why a tire blew out? Dummies.
57 years young this month with over 31 as a state officer and never have I had a heat related tire failure ...
... not even on Firestone tires responding in summer heat to a critical incident or civil disturbance (riot) 100+ miles away at triple digits.
I don't run all my personal tires at max sidewall pressure but I do run them some higher than what the door sticker says. The 225/60-16s on my Merc GM are at 44 psi when I leave the house, but on my T-bird the same tires have 40 psi.
The 275/55-20s on my '07 F-150 have 40-41 psi in them when leaving the house unless I anticipate a real load, then they get 44 in back. The door says 35 but that's a ride compromise and I find it less responsive.
I give up some softeness for improved road feel and directional stability and I have never seen excessive center of tread wear with modern radials.
Those headlines of tire failures and deaths and life long injuries were most often the result of an owner / driver who likely didn't check the tire pressure in the first place before heading down the highway, often at extralegal speeds ... mindless of the load. Ford specing a lower number that maybe was safe if maintained, but which did not provide adequate reserve for the 70-90% who do not check a tire until the rim is might near on the ground didn't help it.
Seen many of those old Firestones on disabled vehicles, sidewalls blown out, just like Michelins or Goodyears or what have you will do as well when run at insufficient inflation pressures. Firestione got a bad rap.
Dummies will buy a vehicle, maybe set psi exact as door says 10-16 psi lower than tire sidewall and do it after heating the tire up at that if they even checked it, load grandma, grandpa, the kids, wife, and luggage for trip halfway across country, then hammer down the interstate at 80-90 and wonder why a tire blew out?
Dummies. 57 years young this month with over 31 as a state officer and never have I had a heat related tire failure ...
... not even on Firestone tires responding in summer heat to a critical incident or civil disturbance (riot) 100+ miles away at triple digits.
I don't run all my personal tires at max sidewall pressure but I do run them some higher than what the door sticker says. The 225/60-16s on my Merc GM are at 44 psi when I leave the house, but on my T-bird the same tires have 40 psi.
The 275/55-20s on my '07 F-150 have 40-41 psi in them when leaving the house unless I anticipate a real load, then they get 44 in back. The door says 35 but that's a ride compromise and I find it less responsive.
I give up some softeness for improved road feel and directional stability and I have never seen excessive center of tread wear with modern radials.
Those headlines of tire failures and deaths and life long injuries were most often the result of an owner / driver who likely didn't check the tire pressure in the first place before heading down the highway, often at extralegal speeds ... mindless of the load. Ford specing a lower number that maybe was safe if maintained, but which did not provide adequate reserve for the 70-90% who do not check a tire until the rim is might near on the ground didn't help it.
My tires are at 40 psi, they go to 44 max. I might even bring them up a tiny bit cause they still look a little bulged.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Loved my firestone at's on my 00dakota. bought general grabbers for my 06 screw, but next time will get the firestones (possibly the ones rated at 80 psi). Only drawback I had was lost gas mileage and I always run at least 40psi. If the ride doesnt get to rough I want to run at 50psi or higher on the destinations.