Any comments on tires?
 

Going to be needing new tires in the near future. I presently have 275/65R/18 Michelins on the 2006 Ford. It will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 plus to replace with the same tire. Obviously, I have been researching and googling other options. Has anyone used the Cooper Discoverer H/Ps? It appears that they get a good rating and they are in the $300 dollar range cheaper. I certainly want to maintain quality and safety, but think several dollars are going for a name. Let me know of any recommendations you might have or insight.
Thanks and have a great weekend!

I just put the same sized Michelins on my truck - the LTX E-rated tires. It cost me a bit over $1300 at Discount with mounting, balancing and the road hazard warranty. They're rated for 70,000 miles.

I wanted the extra load carrying capacity for when I'm towing and have the bed loaded. I also have a 200+ # cap on the bed. I calculated once that I was very near the load limit with my old Goodyear Silent Armor tires, so I wanted the extra margin of safety.

I'm very happy with the new feet. They ride very smooth and do not have the balance problems I had with the Goodyears. For normal driving, I inflate them to 40 PSI, but they can be inflated up to 80 PSI for heavy loads. I'll probably inflate them to about 55 PSI when towing.

I think you need to know what your axle loads are when you tow and ideally, you want them to be no higher than 80% of the tire rating.

- Jack

Byrdmeister,

We are running Cooper Discovery AT3's. We have had them about 6 months and have recently put 3000 miles on them towing all over the Rockies. They are an excellent tire and are also very quiet. We have had no problems with the Coopers.

Before, we were running Michelin's but they kept breaking loose from a dead stop on dry pavement while towing.

Based on my initial research, I will probably go with the Cooper AT3's also when it's time for new tires. They are the top-rated AT tire at Consumer Reports and I've also seen several positive video reviews on You Tube.

Just curious, Les, how did the Tacoma fare towing in the Rockies? Did the V-6 perform well?

Greg,

The Tacoma did very well towing through the Rockies, even when we made the wrong turn and ended up on an 11,000 foot pass. Before we left, we switched out the stock transmission cooler to a larger one to prevent the transmission from overheating. It worked flawlessly.

When we travelled through Wyoming on I80, we had 40 mph cross winds and head winds which put a strain on the V-6, and the wife who was driving. Being from CA, we are used to driving 60mph when towing. The towing speed limit in other states was a challenge being a lighter weight truck.

Overall, it was a great trip. The Colorado Rocky Mountain Club did an outstanding job on the Rally.

"Wrong Turn"
 

I had to ponder about you making the wrong turn. My brother (now deceased) was a salesman for compressor systems/parts and traveled all over Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. He often told me that the best sales he ever made and the prettiest country he had ever seen was often associated with him making a "wrong turn. Hope that was the case for you in your travels.

Remember, it's the journey, not the destination, that counts! :)