Tire load range question

[1985taylor1925]

This is something I knew nothing about until just recently. I read a thread where a member said he recently switched from a tire with a load E to a tire with a load C, and it made a huge difference in the ride. Right now Im running
Goodyear Wrangler RTS 265/70/16s, load range E I believe, as they are tagged E13 on the sidewall. Does anyone have experience with different load ranges, and how much of a difference they make in on-road ride? Also, is anyone else running the same tires as I am? Iv heard other complaints with this particular tire having ride issues, and Im just wondering if they may have a lot to do with the jitters my runner gets. thanks all

 

[RonMAIDEN]

E is more for heavy trucks weighing over 5000lbs or if you tow heavy loads and the 3rd gens only weigh in at 4000lbs so with E load tating the ride is a bit harsh. I've had Nitto TGs in a D rating and now my Duratracs with a C load rating and the D were a little stiffer than my Cs but they weren't unbearable. I rode in a friend's 3rd gen shod with E load tated BFGs and it was like driving on the same tires Fred Flintsone runs on his car.

 

[IanB]

The load rating has to do with how many ply the tire's sidewalls are:

C=6 ply
D=8 ply
E=10 ply

If you find your truck rides rough on E load, you might enjoy a switch to C for your next set.

 

[tinman]

The Load Range E tire will definitely ride rougher than a Load Range C, from my experiences. The E range tire has a "stiffer" sidewall, so you typically will feel the impact of bumps in the road through your Runner. The C range tire has a more flexible sidewall, and is more likely to absorb the bumps of the road better than an E range tire.

I don't think either is a bad thing, I have E range tires on my 03 Runner and the tires probably have 30k miles on them and a BUNCH of tread left. So you may see more mileage out of a E range tire than a C range. (Once again, I speak only from my experiences, not from factual test-based data.) Mileage will vary from one tire to another, due to differences in rubber compounds, tread design, etc.

Some guys like a C range tire, some guys like an E range tire. It's all about preference. The C range has plenty of capacity to carry your Runner around, and the E range is really overkill as far as capacity is concerned (3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks come with E range tires from the factory). But like I said, I run E range on my 03 and they are fine. I went with the E range cause I got a deal on them.

 

[Pikeman]

Take a good look at your vehicle weight especially if you are modified with body armor. I suggest taking it to a certified CAT scale or even most county dumps have a scale now to get it weighed. Look at your per axle weight and then go from there when choosing a Load rating. There are some other things to take into account, if you off-road there are times when you could have most of the vehicle weight biased to one or two tires instead of evenly to all 4.

My personal opinion is a Load C tire is borderline in capacity and we really should use a D range tire. Each manufacturer is different and each tire is different based on size.

C=6ply sidewall
D=8ply sidewall
E=10ply sidewall

 

[IanB]

Take a good look at your vehicle weight especially if you are modified with body armor. I suggest taking it to a certified CAT scale or even most county dumps have a scale now to get it weighed. Look at your per axle weight and then go from there when choosing a Load rating. There are some other things to take into account, if you off-road there are times when you could have most of the vehicle weight biased to one or two tires instead of evenly to all 4.

My personal opinion is a Load C tire is borderline in capacity and we really should use a D range tire. Each manufacturer is different and each tire is different based on size.

C=6ply sidewall
D=8ply sidewall
E=10ply sidewall

My truck came with passenger car rated Bridestone Duellers when I got it, so the switch to C-load was very noticeable, at first I thought it felt harsh, but after a couple of days I'm used to it, and much prefer it. The truck handles much better withouth the sidewall squish I was getting before.

 

[JB.]

I read a thread where a member said he recently switched from a tire with a load E to a tire with a load C, and it made a huge difference in the ride. Does anyone have experience with different load ranges, and how much of a difference they make in on-road ride?

The differences in harshness range from small to nearly undetectable depending on the specific construction. Air pressure overwhelms load range differences in small bump feel. (Load range is sometimes called ply rating which is an old term that has nothing to do with actual number of plies). Any discussion of tire harshness that doesn't reference air pressure is meaningless. Same with load capacity.

Higher load range tires are often significantly heavier and so have other handling characteristics that will change - reduction in braking, spring damping, also less mpg, etc.

I remember a thread, too, where a guy had his Es swapped out for Cs and reported a huge change in feel (maybe same thread). Thing is, the tire shop had the Es filled 10psi higher than the Cs he ended up with.

 

[1985taylor1925]

The differences in harshness range from small to nearly undetectable depending on the specific construction. Air pressure overwhelms load range differences in small bump feel. (Load range is sometimes called ply rating which is an old term that has nothing to do with actual number of plies). Any discussion of tire harshness that doesn't reference air pressure is meaningless. Same with load capacity.

Higher load range tires are often significantly heavier and so have other handling characteristics that will change - reduction in braking, spring damping, also less mpg, etc.

I remember a thread, too, where a guy had his Es swapped out for Cs and reported a huge change in feel (maybe same thread). Thing is, the tire shop had the Es filled 10psi higher than the Cs he ended up with.

Thanks all for the replies. This is new info for me.

My Wranglers max recommended psi is 44. I reduced the pressure to 33 a long time ago as that was one of the first suggestions given to me. They are still really harsh.

Unfortunately I got them not long ago and they have a ton of tread. But again that might allow me to sell them for a good price to replace.

Also, I dont have any added weight on my runner, and really dont plan on it. It is my daily driver, so as much as I would like a steel bumper, lift, bigger tires, etc, its just not practical for me right now. So it sounds like a c or d load tire would be my best bet.

 

[JB.]

So it sounds like a c or d load tire would be my best bet.

Sure, if you take it off road fairly frequently. If not, and you want better daily driving performance and bang for the buck, don't overlook passenger tires. You could get an get an all-terrain P-rated tire and have some of both worlds.

 

[TheeMikeB]

Don't overlook the all important towing factor. The higher load range tire will typically produce less 'sway' also. So if you tow often and tow heavy a higher load range may be needed.

 

[02SE]

Thanks all for the replies. This is new info for me.

My Wranglers max recommended psi is 44. I reduced the pressure to 33 a long time ago as that was one of the first suggestions given to me. They are still really harsh.

Take a closer look at your tires. With a 44 PSI max. rating on the sidewall, they should be 4-ply (the equivalent of 4 plies) P-rated tires. The size probably says P265/70R16.

P265/70R16 was an optional size on new 3rd gen 4Runners.

FWIW, my 4Runner came new with the optional P265/70R16 tires, and they were in fact Goodyear Wrangler RT/S's. They were not balanced when I took delivery, and could not be balanced in multiple attempts by the Dealer.

After quickly growing tired of dealing with the frustration of having out-of-round tires on a brand new vehicle, I went to a Discount Tire and traded those crap Goodyear Wrangler RT/S's for some Michelin LTX M/S tires in the LT 265/75R16 load range C size.

A little bit taller, tougher, and much better (and better riding) tire than the low-bidder Wrangler RT/S's.