C or E rated tires for future lift?

S

SP2PILOT

Junior Member
I recently bought my 3rd gen and I love it. It is a daily driver, but I plan on lifting it in the next few months along with many other tweaks and mods.

Knowing I plan on lifting it in the next 3 to 6 months with likely a Toytec BOSS or Sonoran Steel kit, and adding rock sliders, front and rear bumpers, is an E load range tire necessary?

I'm not certain it is, and my main concern is the tradeoff in driveability and handling, unsprung weight at the corners, and even slower acceleration. I want to hear your opinions and experiences on this, please. I'm really leaning towards the Cooper AT3's in a C load range. My reasoning is this (and please give me feedback or advice, it's why I joined): the AT3 in C load range is rated for 2470lb each, for a total 9880 lbs maximum capacity. Our vehicles in stock form are just under 4000 lbs., which I think gives plenty of margin for gear, future mods, people etc.

Am I on the right track? I know some of the feedback I will get is opinions, and I want you to chime in with those also.

If any members are in the Louisville KY area and would offer to give me a ride in their lifted 3rd gens, I'd really appreciate the opportunity to get some real world impressions of how these trucks handle and feel. Also if we can arrange some meets, rides or whatever that would be cool too.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!
 
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I think C is definitely adequate, and will give a better ride. I have the Cooper AT3s and love them. I'm on my second set. I got about 42K out of the first set (or 45K?) and replaced them simply because I wanted a new set. They still have about 1/8" of tread left - probably 10K miles. I never had any problems wit them, and run them on sharp limestone a lot - about 500 miles of forest service roads on the first set. Some guys have said the sidewalls are weak, but I run them at 40 psi on the road and sometimes (rarely) air down to 25 offroad and never had any problems. They are great in the rain - 70 MPH and no hydroplaning. Here's an OJ tire test article that is very helpful. Where the Rubber Meets the Road | Expedition Portal
 
I would go with D's, C's tend to get mushy side walls over time. Especially if you air down a lot. You can feel it in the steering.
 
Thanks for the input so far, everyone. I'm thinking of going with a 265/75/16 at this point because I could use tires before I lift it. That's the max I can run before a lift, right?
 
I picked the sidewall based off the driving I was planning on doing, lift or no lift doesn't make much difference for sidewall choice. I went with Cooper Discoverer ATP in load E and would pick them again over the C. I do not think they're too stiff and they ride great on and off road. They air down great and have been wearing well for years now.
 
Im rolling on 265/75R16 E rated Mastercraft AXT tires and I am loving them. I had no negative effects from runnning E rated tires no change in fuel economy or acceleration. Personally I like having the tougher tires they can take more abuse without gettting a puncture. That said I would not think twice about getting D rated tires. If you wheel a lot C rated tires would not be my choice but if you only wheel once in a while or just need an AT tire for rough dirt roads they would be just fine. Jmo.
 
I am also running LT E tires (275 BFG KO2s) and love them. In some cases you don't have any choice. I was a bit leery about buying them but they have turned out to be great. Maybe... other E tires are really terribly stiff or something? Or maybe people See "E max pressure 80 lbs" and think they need to put 75 pounds in them? (Which would be terrible). I dunno...
 
I had only owned BFG AT/KO C tires on previous vehicles. Land Cruiser 60, and Toyota 4WD truck. I wanted BFG AT/KO's on this vehicle as well.
With my 3rd gen(and it's 16" wheels), I had a choice of D in 265/70, or E in 265/75.
I would have preferred the 265/75's for size, but wasn't willing to go to E.
If my 3rd gen had come with 15" wheels, I would have gone with C.
Oh, and my wheeling over the years has included a lot of Mojave Desert roads with plenty of sharp lava rocks.
These vehicles are not heavy enough---even when fully loaded--- to require anything past C, and an unnecessarily harsh ride is not something I'd ask for.
 
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SP2PILOT said:
Thanks for the input so far, everyone. I'm thinking of going with a 265/75/16 at this point because I could use tires before I lift it. That's the max I can run before a lift, right?
Click to expand...

You could get 275/70R16 too. I ran Pirelli's & Bridgestone's at that size stock with 99 springs. I like the aggressive look of a wider tire.
 
I vote for C's or D's as well. It's also important to note that ride quality and sidewall stiffness will vary a lot from tire to tire, regardless of sidewall rating.
I briefly ran a set of 285/75/16 BFG AT's in a D sidewall and they rode noticeably (annoyingly) rougher than my Treadwright guards dogs in the same rating and size at the same tire pressure. I suspect that age could have been an issue with the BFG's. They had some cracking and definitely weren't new. Regardless, its an example of a cheap retreaded tire riding noticeably better than a popular name brand tire in the same sidewall rating.
 
I had no negative effects from runnning E rated tires no change in fuel economy or acceleration.
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BrandonF said:
I vote for C's or D's as well. It's also important to note that ride quality and sidewall stiffness will vary a lot from tire to tire, regardless of sidewall rating.
I briefly ran a set of 285/75/16 BFG AT's in a D sidewall and they rode noticeably (annoyingly) rougher than my Treadwright guards dogs in the same rating and size at the same tire pressure. I suspect that age could have been an issue with the BFG's. They had some cracking and definitely weren't new. Regardless, its an example of a cheap retreaded tire riding noticeably better than a popular name brand tire in the same sidewall rating.
Click to expand...
99% sure BFG doesn't make an 33" A/T in load D. Not trying say "told you so", but rather explaining that might have explained the difference between the BFG's and the Treadrights. FWIW, my Treadwrights rode amazing.
 
I'm running the KO2's and love them. They are 265/75/16 and are E rated. Only negative thing I can say is they're quite a challenge to get them balanced properly.
 
I'm in New Albany, IN, which is right across the river from Louisville. I'm running the Cooper AT3's in LT265/75-16 load range C and they've been great so far. The ride is very smooth, but I can't attribute that completely to the tires. The OME springs and 5100's have a part in that also. But I highly doubt you'll regret it if you get the C range tires.
 
You go E load if your towing a lot. You go E load if thats the tire you want and all they offer it in.

Other than that you want the lowest load rating possible for a better ride. E loads cause you to feel every nook and cranny on the road. I have them on my ride and wifes ride. She immediately noticed the rougher ride after installing her E loads.
 
absalom said:
99% sure BFG doesn't make an 33" A/T in load D. Not trying say "told you so", but rather explaining that might have explained the difference between the BFG's and the Treadrights. FWIW, my Treadwrights rode amazing.
Click to expand...

You seem to be right. I can't find them anywhere online. I could have sworn these said Load Range D on the sidewall. Weird :shrug:
 
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