In a recent blog post titled "Goodyear Marathon Radial vs. Power King Towmax STR Trailer Tires," I covered the difference between two trailer tires we carry. Now, what about the tires used on the trucks to pull those trailers? Many full-sized pickups and cargo vans require load range E tires. If your pickup truck or van is a 2500 or 3500 (commonly called 3/4 ton or 1 ton), your vehicle falls into this category.
Load range E tires are the equivalent of the older 10-ply rated tires and are often still referred to as such, even though tires no longer have 10 actual plies in them. Regardless of what you call them, Tire Rack has what you're looking for. Below are two of my favorite recommendations for premium load range E tires:
If you're someone who does mostly street driving with some light off-road use and requires light snow capability, I would recommend the Michelin LTX M/S2. This tire is currently the top-rated option in its category according to our customer survey data and the customer reviews are outstanding.
"I just put these tires on the Yukon. I knew they would be good tires, I had no idea they would transform my vehicle. It rides like new! A Yukon Denali already rides well for its size, but this rubber, you'd swear it was a Cadillac!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 GMC Yukon Denali XL
"Best set of tires I've ever owned. The only thing better would be riding on a cloud of air." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2wd
If you need a tire with a bit more off-road capability or desire a more aggressive tread pattern for cosmetics, then consider the Michelin LTX A/T2. This tire also offers better snow traction and the LTX A/T2 stands out for reliability, wear, wet traction and ride quality.
"Two snow seasons in Tahoe and tons of additional highway, city and off-driving - this is an awesome tire! When this set is gone, I will for sure get another." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2004 GMC Yukon 4wd
"I will likely buy another set when these wear out. I am impressed overall and really like how they handle the load when I have my 3,500 lb. camper on the truck. Awesome tire." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD 4wd
For years, the Firestone Destination LE has been a favorite in the line-up for SUV and light truck applications. Since 2001 the marketplace has changed from a light duty pickup truck dominated arena to a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) dominated market segment. A corresponding change in tire demands has also occurred. From primarily utility focused for the pickup, to a quiet and comfortable ride with good handling for the CUV owner. Firestone recognizes this change by releasing the second-generation Destination LE2.
A bold new sidewall design looks great on everything from the traditional pickup truck to the newer CUVs and premium SUVs. The tread pattern has evolved to utilize the latest in tread design and tire construction. With a primary focus on ride and character of the newer vehicles in the marketplace, the tire's tread pattern has been optimized through noise sequencing to provide noise reduction. The footprint has also been computer optimized, which aids in even contact pressure, a quiet ride and even treadwear. A closed shoulder design also assists in even treadwear and the desired ride. This feature provides stability in cornering, too. Circumferential grooves along with the sweeping slots move water out from under the tire. Additionally, zigzag sipes provide cutting edges for ice, snow and wet traction. Rolling resistance has been improved to provide better fuel economy through the use of silica. It also helps to provide consistent grip in the wet through the life of the tire.
Destination LE2 tires are the first tire line to achieve Firestone's eco-product status for improvements over its predecessor.
-
Improved rolling resistance*
-
Environmentally friendly
-
Lower weight - reduces raw material use
-
Longer lasting
View all available sizes to see if the Destination LE2 will fit your light-duty pickup, van, crossover or sport utility vehicle.
*A 15% reduction in rolling resistance compared to first-generation Destination LE for an approximate 2% improvement in vehicle fuel economy
Most truck owners never intend to take their vehicles off-road. Highway All-Season tires offer the benefits of a quiet, smooth ride. They provide excellent mileage and good grip in water and light snow conditions. These tires are built essentially for crossover and sport utility vehicles, as well as pick-up trucks and full-size vans. The following tires are a few of our top sellers in the Highway All-Season category and provide an excellent value.
Take a look at what some of our customers are saying about their experiences with these tires:
"The Destination LEs came O.E. on my 2006 Explorer and I currently have 65,000 miles on them. I'll be replacing them soon with another set of LEs, but could probably squeeze another 3,000-4,000 miles out of them. I've been completely satisfied with these Firestones." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2wd (Firestone Destination LE)
"After 45,000 miles I could not be happier. Still have plenty of tread and the ride is as if the tires were new. I would not hesitate to buy another set based on this experience. By the look of things, I may get 70,000 plus, not bad for a truck tire." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 Toyota Tundra Double Cab SR5 2wd (General Grabber HTS)
"I really like these Yokohamas. Good traction in dry weather. Ran into a horrible thunderstorm a couple of days ago and these tires performed like a champ. No hydroplaning." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 1998 Ford F-150 XL 2wd Pick-up (Yokohama Geolandar H/T-S G051)
I equipped one of my vehicles with a set of Firestone Destination LE for a few years and enjoyed the tire's performance. To see which tire is right for your vehicle, shop by vehicle.
In 2011, Continental introduced their new Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire, the Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology.
The CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology is an ecologically friendly option developed to help crossovers, sport utility vehicles and light-duty pickup trucks perform on the highway and in mild off-road conditions. CrossContact LX20 tires are designed to enhance driving pleasure, save fuel and maintain grip when braking on wet surfaces, all while providing long wear and all-season traction, even in light snow.
The tire ranked first during our testing and is near the top in our Tire Survey Results. SEMA even awarded the Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology as the 2011 winner of the "Best New Tire and Related Product."
Here's a look at what some of our customers are saying about their experience with the tire:
"Since changing to the Continental tire, the road noise has been reduced in the cabin. It is a more comfortable ride than the stock tires and my MPG has increased slightly. I expect it would be greater with some longer trips. I highly recommend these tires." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
"Great tires. I enjoy driving my Cadillac SRX again. Noise level was substantially reduced." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Cadillac SRX 2WD V8
To see how this Continental tire can benefit your vehicle, watch "Testing Eco-Focused Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season Tires."
The Rockstar has been one of the most popular wheels in the
KMC XD Series lineup. Its classic five-spoke design combines with a deeply concave face and unique 'floating' center cap for a look that is both distinctive and aggressive. Having seen these wheels on trucks in our parking lot, I can definitely say they stand out.
Available to fit a wide variety of trucks and SUVs, the wheel's wide widths and negative offsets are available to accommodate many lifted applications with oversized tires. It is available in diameters up to 24" and widths as wide as 12". Not all widths and diameters will be available for every vehicle application, but there are a broad range of fitments from which to choose.
The wheel also comes in a version for dually pickups. Read a prior
blog post of mine for details on custom wheels for dually trucks, as well as a photo of the Rockstar in the dually version. That version has a somewhat different appearance due to unique fitment requirements.
Besides the black painted version shown above, the Rockstar is also available in a
chrome and
machined with black accent finish. As with any of our wheels, you can
shop by vehicle to see which truck rims are available to fit your application.
With winter upon us, now is a great time to buy a set of winter / snow tires!
Most drivers tend to use Studless Ice and Snow or Performance Winter / Snow tires. However, we carry a selection of
Studdable Winter / Snow tires for those who are after a traditional studded snow tire set-up.
While their name would suggest tires in this performance category can only be used with studs, they can actually be used without. In fact, the
General AltiMAX Arctic is a great entry-level Studdable Winter / Snow tire that has very good snow and ice traction without studs. The chart below shows how closely the unstudded General AltiMAX Arctic compared to the studded version in our test, "
Winter Testing at the Arctic Circle: Studdable Winter / Snow."
Designed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, minivans, passenger-oriented light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles who are looking to enhance wintertime traction, the AltiMAX Arctic offers high levels of traction at low temperatures. Featuring General's All-Weather Dual Tread compound, the tire is developed to enhance cold weather flexibility and wet traction. General AltiMAX Arctic tires meet the industry's severe snow requirements and are branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol.
It's important to note that there are special break-in procedures for studded tires and to find the instructions, read "
Studded Tire Break-In."
The following are three of the top choices in the
Off-Road Maximum Traction performance category, often known informally as mud tires.
Currently rated at the top of our survey results is the
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2. BFGoodrich is one of the biggest names in off-road traction and for good reason. They have years of experience building tires for off-road racing as well as the consumer market. The KM2 incorporates some of the best attributes of the old T/A KM, along with some of the technology and design of the more specialized Krawler T/A. The result is a tire that excels in a wide variety of off-road conditions.
A perennial favorite and currently rated second in our
Tire Survey Results, is the
Firestone Destination M/T. An aggressive tread pattern comprised of deep lugs and aggressive side biters combines with surprisingly good road manners to make a set of Firestone SUV tires (also designed for pickup trucks) that have been extremely popular and successful. For additional traction on ice and packed snow, the Destination M/T can be studded.
My personal favorite in the category is the
Dick Cepek Crusher. The skull and bones tread pattern is certainly not for the introverts of the world, but it's both fun and effective. Available exclusively in extra large sizes aimed primarily at off-roaders and lifted vehicles, there has not been enough miles reported on this tire for it to show up on our survey averages. So far, the customer feedback that we have received is almost universally positive. A set of these Dick Cepek tires combines exceptional traction and off-road prowess with noise and road manners that are by no means subdued, but more civilized than their wild appearance might imply.
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 QuadCab 2wd
2002 Honda CR-V
