Tires for smoother on-road ride

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skywalker1020

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There are so many tire posts out there that I am sure this has been discussed. I did some searching, and could not find just the info I am looking for. Apologies in advance for cluttering up the forum with a new thread.

I have a 99 Limited 4x4 with 220k miles. I bought it 9 years ago - with 120k miles - and immediately put one-size-larger-than-stock BFG All Terrain TA KO tires on the stock 16" rims: 265/75 - 16. I run my tires around 30 psi.

Over the years - and miles - the truck now rides very bumpy on the road. It is getting to be time for new tires and I'd like to get something that will offer a smoother on-road ride.

Would it be more effective for me to:
A: go down to the stock tire size?
B: go to a different make/model of tire? Which one?

I do not do any off-road driving, but I see lots of snow and ice in Denver and the surrounding mountains.

I know that the 4Runner is a truck, and trucks are not meant to have a smooth ride.
I know that vehicles ride bumpier when they age.

Any advice (or a link to a good thread) is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
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I have the Wild Country XTX A/T in 265/75. My buddy manages a tire shop and likes them as much at the KO2, especially for on-road manners. I have used them on snow and with AWD on, you dont even notice snow on the ground.
 
skywalker1020 said:
I have a 99 Limited 4x4 with 220k miles. I bought it 9 years ago - with 120k miles - and immediately put one-size-larger-than-stock BFG All Terrain TA KO tires on the stock 16" rims: 265/75 - 16. I run my tires around 30 psi.
Click to expand...
K02's ride well for an AT, but not as smooth as a normal highway tire.

That said, have you considered the fact that you might have worn bushings, sagging rear springs, worn shocks, etc. that might be causing the uncomfortable ride instead of the tires?

-Charlie
 
I've been pretty happy with my Falken Wildpeak AT3w tires on my 4Runner. I also have the KO2s on my truck and the Falkens do ride better. I had a bad tire initially, but it's been replaced now and it's good to go.
As far as the bumpy or rough ride, a lot of that could very well be from worn out shocks. My truck had factory shocks on it (24 years old) and over every bump or Crack it would slam and it was not enjoyable to drive unless I had 2000+ pounds in the bed. I finally replaced the shocks, in a last ditch effort to make it ride easier before going to air bag suspension. I put some new shocks on it and I'm glad I did. Huge difference, and saved me from dropping some serious coin into an air suspension (which it probably could benefit from due to the hauling I do in it).

May want to consider some Bilstein shocks to smooth up the ride.
 
if I read it right and the tires are ~9 years old, they should have been replaced a while ago regardless of mileage.

How did they feel when new?
 
Donny Voodoo said:
if I read it right and the tires are ~9 years old, they should have been replaced a while ago regardless of mileage.

How did they feel when new?
Click to expand...

Yeah, tire rubber will be VERY hard if they are 9 years old.. Also, rough ride can just be from out of balance tires. Costco has free rotate and balance once a year, doing that helps for a smooth ride.. I'm on my 2nd set of Michelin Latitude Tours, they work great for my mostly 80 MPH highway speeds, rain and snow..
 
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Pretty sure the BFGs are LT tires.

Go to a P rated all terrain like the Cooper AT3s or the Falken AT3Ws.
You will see a ride quality improvement.

Edit: if you see lots of winter driving, the Falkens in 265/75/16 would be perfect. You can keep the size you like, and they are rated for ice and snow as winter tires.
 
fblainen11 said:
Pretty sure the BFGs are LT tires.

Go to a P rated all terrain like the Cooper AT3s or the Falken AT3Ws.
You will see a ride quality improvement.

Edit: if you see lots of winter driving, the Falkens in 265/75/16 would be perfect. You can keep the size you like, and they are rated for ice and snow as winter tires.
Click to expand...

Exactly...P series...Highway Tread...any brand you want.
 
At least go with a lower load rating if you want LT tires. Your BFGs are load range E and you'd be better with a load range C tire. Car tires (P-Metric) will be even softer.
 
pauldub said:
At least go with a lower load rating if you want LT tires. Your BFGs are load range E and you'd be better with a load range C tire. Car tires (P-Metric) will be even softer.
Click to expand...

In the 265/75/16 size there aren't many options for for C load range tires from what I've been able to find.
 
fblainen11 said:
In the 265/75/16 size there aren't many options for for C load range tires from what I've been able to find.
Click to expand...

You are correct, most are load range E. Cooper has some that are C and Goodyear Duratracs are available in C. Not every tire store will have them in stock but they can usually get them in a few days.
 
zoombyu86 said:
I have the Wild Country XTX A/T in 265/75. My buddy manages a tire shop and likes them as much at the KO2, especially for on-road manners. I have used them on snow and with AWD on, you dont even notice snow on the ground.
Click to expand...

I think this is the winter tire I run on my Dodge Diesel. Very happy with them. Unknown if they come in C rated.
 
as far as ice..I have had to switch to studded tires. I have the KO'2s and love them for everything I mostly do, but when it comes to ice , no go.
I have had the wild country and they were ok in the snow, if minimal amount but slid in ice.
However you must know, I live where it has not stopped snowing since a week before turkey day until last week. The ice on the roads is about 6 inches thick. ( can prove with pics if needed). we have about 6 feet of snow on the side of the roads. My entrance and exit out of the park (home) is about 300 foot change in 1/4 mile ( others on this forum have been in "my" park and know what I'm talking about)
we tow all kinds of rigs out of the park, with all kinds of "street/all season tire"
but that's only for our "guests", if your a day use person , we hand you a phone, be prepared for a 300 minimum tow out bill ( they call it a winch out)


so if your seriously thinking of a "street" tire for mpg, yet your driving in snow, I don think there is one that will do it, unless your a city slicker with a half foot of snow and level ground
 
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I have heard great things about the Falken Wildpeak AT3 as a mild-mannered tire that does well in lots of terrain. However, Id be looking for a good P-rated winter tire.
 
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I recommend Bridgestone Revo 2 to anyone. I have put over 325,000 miles on 6 different sets. Great on or off road. I usually run them 50,000 miles and they do come in load range C. Around 45 lbs per tire versus an E range at 70 lbs.
 
Thanks for all the replies!
I love that the members of this forum just answer the question. Every post is helpful.

A little feedback:
Donny Voodoo and Jeffkin: I was not clear. I have not used the same set of tires since I bought the car, just the same make, model, and size. I'm probably on my third set. I rotate the tires at every oil change.

A couple of people mentioned that shocks, bushings, etc. might be contributing to the problem. I did replace the shocks a couple of years ago. I'm sure I could get some results by replacing other suspension parts, but I don't want to spend any extra money - the car is just too old, IMO. The tires need to be replaced, so I have to spend that money.

Several people mentioned load range. Am I correct that my BFG TA KOs are load range E, and load range C would be softer, and P even softer?
What do I lose by going to the C- or P-rated tires? It sounds like that might be my solution.

Here are the specific tires mentioned:
Wild Country XTX A/T (Rating?)
Falken Wildpeak AT3w (P-rated)
Cooper AT3 (P-rated)
Michelin Latitude Tour (Rating?)
Michelin LTX (Rating?)
Goodyear Duratrac (Rating?)
Bridgestone Revo 2 (C-rated)
 
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