What Tires?

[Leryt]

So finally FINALLY got my own truck. I got a F150 Crew Cab and it has the FX4 Package so the slightly better and higher suspension and the max tow package so good hauling.
My question is the tires on it aren't great. I will be using this as a work truck but also going out and hunting with this - hauling my snow machine, quad, kids and dog. I went out to do a little scouting this weekend but the Purcell's it came with got filled with snow pretty quick and I was rapidly loosing traction.
I'd like to be able to go up without chains in more serious conditions then what I've seen so far.
What are the best tires for - and yes I know this is a very open ended question. I haven't done much research on this topic and figured I'd come here and get a list started to narrow me down! I know there will be a lot of opinions. Thanks!

 

[Daveinthebush]

Cooper Discover SST Pro "E" rated on my Ford. I have 2 sets, one studded and one for summer.

 

[urbanhillbilly]

I have the Toyo Open Country AT2 (AT3 is the current version) on my excursion and absolutely love them. Definitely go with a 10 ply E rated tire, even though it’s only a half ton truck. Cooper makes a great tire as well

 

[The German]

Ok, this is the Tire I'm currently Running, on my 07 F150 4x4...... you can't go-wrong.
TG
>>>>>>>and FWIW,,,, Cooper is now Owned by Goodyear Rubber Co. <<<<<<<

 

[FLGator]

Falken Wildpeak AT3s are the best tire I’ve ever run. Ever. Everyday use. Forest service roads. Logging roads. Snow. Ice. Wet. Rocky trails. You name it. I’ve had a lot of tires on a lot trucks and hands down these Falkens check all of the boxes for an all purpose truck tire.

 

[Doug in Alaska]

I run Nokian tires on my 2016 F350 and really like them. Same brand on my wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee. They're a little spendy but are great tires.

 

[Patsfan54]

American made tires are the way to go. Tires from China are horrible, they often go through various Southeast Asia countries and will be cheaper, because they are cheaply made. Japanese tires are good also, but are either the same price or more than American. BFGoodrich are my preferred tire, whichever one you go with get an E rated tire with the mountain symbol with a snowflake in it or an M+S (mountain and snow), they perform as good or better than studded tires in most environments...if you live in Valdez or Homer you might prefer studs for winter.

 

[iofthetaiga]

Years past I've run studded Nokian Hakka's, and they're awesome tires. The past few winters I've been running the studless Toyo Observe, and I like them a lot. As short as our summers are, I may just start running them year-round. The thing that gets overlooked or ignored with E rated tires like the Hakka's is that they're heavy, and they're hard on the suspension of lighter trucks.

 

[Patsfan54]

The thing that gets overlooked or ignored with E rated tires like the Hakka's is that they're heavy, and they're hard on the suspension of lighter trucks.

Is the Nokian Hakka not rated for light trucks and suv's? 10 pounds or so per tire shouldn't impact a modern suspension any more than having an extra 40 pounds in the cab or in the bed. Seems like the Hakka would be a tire I would steer (pun intended) away from if that's the case and recommended an E rated tire that is designed and engineered for a light truck.

 

[iofthetaiga]

Is the Nokian Hakka not rated for light trucks and suv's? 10 pounds or so per tire shouldn't impact a modern suspension any more than having an extra 40 pounds in the cab or in the bed. Seems like the Hakka would be a tire I would steer (pun intended) away from if that's the case and recommended an E rated tire that is designed and engineered for a light truck.

Asking whether a tire is "rated" for light trucks isn't realy the correct question, regardless how relatively "modern" the suspension is. What you should ask is how much unsprung weight was the vehicle engineered for, and what affect does increasing the unsprung weight have on the suspension components and vehicle handling.

 

[AKBEE]

Cooper Discover SST Pro "E" rated on my Ford. I have 2 sets, one studded and one for summer.

Not to nitpick but it is STT 🤣, and I agree they are a great tire. I run them on my F250 SD.

 

[sea2summit]

Summer or winter? Summer KO2's are my favorite, not noisy but still give great traction and shed mud.

 

[Patsfan54]

Asking whether a tire is "rated" for light trucks isn't realy the correct question, regardless how relatively "modern" the suspension is. What you should ask is how much unsprung weight was the vehicle engineered for, and what affect does increasing the unsprung weight have on the suspension components and vehicle handling.

My humblest of apologies Cliff, next time before I dare post anything I will be sure to run it by you for your approval and blessings.

If you think an additional 10 pounds per tire is going to be an issue with your "unsprung weight", then I sure hope you never drive in the ice, dirt, or mud. You should probably also be using aluminum wheels instead of heavy old steel, and you should fill your tires with nitrogen instead of plain old air to save those few ounces. You'd probably be better off shaving some of the rubber off your tires to save some weight too! Or, you know, a guy could just buy a tire rated for his truck.

Sheesh, some people.

 

[iofthetaiga]

My humblest of apologies Cliff, next time before I dare post anything I will be sure to run it by you for your approval and blessings.

If you think an additional 10 pounds per tire is going to be an issue with your "unsprung weight", then I sure hope you never drive in the ice, dirt, or mud. You should probably also be using aluminum wheels instead of heavy old steel, and you should fill your tires with nitrogen instead of plain old air to save those few ounces. You'd probably be better off shaving some of the rubber off your tires to save some weight too! Or, you know, a guy could just buy a tire rated for his truck.

Sheesh, some people.

You sound butthurt that you had to google "unsprung weight"!

Apologies to the OP for the above diversion. Lots of good options out there, but heavy 10 ply tires aren't always the best option accross the board. Opt for them if you truly need that, but do so with the understanding and willingness to pay for it in increased suspension wear and diminished handling. Tire construction technology has improved a lot the past few decades; number of plies isn't as difinitive to puncture resistance and durability as it once was, and the alphabetical rating system based on number of plies is falling out of use. Bottom line: don't hang really heavy tires on your F150, unless you have a definitive specific need for them, and understand the implications.

 

[urbanhillbilly]

Putting a 10 ply tire on a half ton truck shouldn’t make any difference at all. Generally lt tires are less than 8 lbs heavier. So an added 32 lbs in tire weight should make zero difference in your truck’s capabilities.

If it does make a difference and you can tell, then it’s not the truck for you.

Inflating those tires above the recommended psi will be a noticeable difference

 

[Patsfan54]

You sound butthurt that you had to google "unsprung weight"!

Apologies to the OP for the above diversion. Lots of good options out there, but heavy 10 ply tires aren't always the best option accross the board. Opt for them if you truly need that, but do so with the understanding and willingness to pay for it in increased suspension wear and diminished handling. Tire construction technology has improved a lot the past few decades; number of plies isn't as difinitive to puncture resistance and durability as it once was, and the alphabetical rating system based on number of plies is falling out of use. Bottom line: don't hang really heavy tires on your F150, unless you have a definitive specific need for them, and understand the implications.

Haha, now that's funny! No need for me to Google "unsprung weight".

Most E rated (rated is the key word) tires nowadays aren't 10 ply. Now hop to and get on your googling Cliff, the world has changed around you and your information is old and out of date!

 

[Leryt]

I live up in North Pole, so we get about 8 months of winter - most are pretty cold.

Thanks guys. I just got a suggestion for Nitto Trail Grappler's as well from a relative when i told him about my adventure this weekend. And I was wrong I have Pirelli Scorpion ATR's.

 

[Leryt]

I didn't think about it but with the FX4 Package I got slightly larger tires. So it comes with 275/60R20's. I don't see the Discoverer STT or S/T Maxx but I do see the AT3 4S and the Rugged Trek.

I do like the idea of American made tires as well.

Also - throwing something crazy out there:
I heard that a large company up here for all the vehicles in their fleet they switched to Yokohama Geolanders - and they have like a significant dirt drive with a bad hill on it. Just heard about that from a customer.

 

[iofthetaiga]

Yokohama Geolanders

Those are what I've been running as summer tires on one of my rigs. The price was right, and they've been decent road tires, and have done lots of trips between Fairbanks and Valdez, through the construction zones from hell the past several years. I sure wouldn't choose them as winter tires tho. But as said previously, I'm really impressed with the Toyo Observe, having run them the past 3 or 4 winters now. They're the best studless tires I've found so far.

 

[AKBEE]

A number of Trooper trucks run Goodyear Duratracs. I had them on my truck but wanted a more aggressive offroad tread to access my property, so went with the STT’s.