Need tires for full-sized van

Hey guys,

If I am going to keep my van(likely) I need new tires for it. The thing is the size doesn't seem to have a lot of choices when it comes to tires. The van rides on 265-75/16 tires stock,and I think that I should probably stay in that size range,but could go for a wider/narrower tire ,but I am not sure. Ultimately I need a tire that is good in the wet/snow as I use it more during the winter months than anything else. Any suggestions?

I forget what it is riding on now,but they are mainly just old,and cracking. The drivers side front os wearing out on the outside edge,and it needs an alignment to fix that. The front end has been rebuilt within the last year or so,but I did have a minor fender bender a few years back that may have thrown off the alignment as the steering wheel isn't centered when travelling straight down the road anymore like it used to. Any ideas on what could be out of alignment there? The accident wasn't major,but the tinfoil front bumper of the van was damaged enough that it needed replacing as the corner of it was rubbing the drivers side tire when turning to the left.

Any help would be appreciated.Oh and yeah I am not looking to spend crazy money,but I know it will be $5-600 minimum for tires on this beast.

Michelin LTX M/S load range E. lasts forever, great traction.

I second the E load range. Check out highway rib tires, like dually trucks use. I had 235/75/16s on a dually and they are quite cheap, around $110-120 each and will just about last forever. Depends on how wide your rims are, duallys are usually 6" wide.

3rd the E range tires. I'm running Bridgstone Blizzak W965's on my '95 CTD 4x4 and leave them on all year since I don't drive the truck much. Simply amazing tires in the snow. 4WD helps it go, but those tires let it stop and turn. Important when the truck weighs 6000 lbs empty, and pushing 9000 with a bed full of firewood...

I've heard good things about the LTX M/S's, but they don't compare to a real snow tire. The g/f's brother runs them on his 2WD CTD and bought a Jeep for the winter. I haven't needed to engage the 4WD since getting the Blizzaks.

A side benefit is they're actually cheaper than the LTX. They do sell out quickly, tho.

I'd help out, but I have LT tires on my van.

I drive an '06 E-150 Conversion and just prior to the $2011 Challenge, I had new Michelin LTX M/S 2 tires put on to replace the LTX M/S tires that Ford put on 5 years and 70,000 miles ago.

Since these are the "2", my assumption is that they're supposed to be better than the LTX M/S, and those worked out really well for me. We don't get crazy snow in Northern KY, but we do get some and between the tires and the weight of the van, I've never had a problem. The new ones are a fair bit quieter than the originals were, and they're wearing fine over the last 2,500 or so miles. I really only replaced the tires because they were starting to get some cracks and the tread was nearing the wear bars, and I figured before towing a car to Florida and back it wouldn't kill me to have fresh rubber. I bet I could have gotten 75,000 or 80,000 out of the tires.

The only downside was the cost: Around $900 "out the door with more" (basically mounted, balanced, and aligned), but if that gets me through another five years, I can't complain.

https://www.treadwright.com/p-58-265-75r16-sentinel-a-t-d.aspx

No lie, I've been researching the hell out of tires for the Disastro, and if I don't find a nice used set of something soon, I'm buying treadwrights. I have found exactly one bad thing said about the tires or the company, the rest is rave reviews.

I'm running Maxxis UE-168s on my conversion van. I had to special order them from a local shop. They were the highest weight rated tire I could find for a 15" wheel. So far so good in the last 5k miles. Seeing as how it sits most of the time, they will dry out before they wear out.

Be glad you have 16s.

If you do a lot of snow stuff, I'd think about narrowing it up some. I don't know whether anybody still builds an 80 series truck tire, though- I was thinking 225/80r16....quick search on tirerack didn't show much in sizes like that.

Isn't the 225 the width? Maybe I have been thinking tire sizes wrong all my life. I thought the first number was the width,the second a percentage of the width that signified the sidewall height,and the last the rim size.

Streetwiseguy, there is a 235/80/16, but it is a bit more money.

Chris.

Your 265/75-16s are 265 mm wide, 75% of width in tire wall height and 16" rim diameter.

I have Mastercrafts on the Expedition and the Range Rover, bought new and have been great so far, but no snow under them yet.

Steve

Ford did a lot of 235/85-16 which is about the same diameter as 265/75-16. I had a set of Firestone Steeltex R4S on my F250 that I LOVED, but not wise for snow.... although they did surprisingly well in light snow due to the narrow tread.

Look at the Toyo Open Country line. They have an A/T that does extremely well in snow and an M/T that is the top choice of many of the 4x4 crowd for mixed on/off road and quiet ride.

Ian F wrote: 3rd the E range tires. I'm running Bridgstone Blizzak W965's on my '95 CTD 4x4 and leave them on all year since I don't drive the truck much. Simply amazing tires in the snow. 4WD helps it go, but those tires let it stop and turn. Important when the truck weighs 6000 lbs empty, and pushing 9000 with a bed full of firewood... I've heard good things about the LTX M/S's, but they don't compare to a real snow tire. The g/f's brother runs them on his 2WD CTD and bought a Jeep for the winter. I haven't needed to engage the 4WD since getting the Blizzaks. A side benefit is they're actually cheaper than the LTX. They do sell out quickly, tho.

Hey Ian,

Do you forsee me having issues towing a light load of 3500lbs with a dedicated snow tire if I leave them on year round? Also will a snow tire with its softer compound flat spot easier as this van sits around unused a lot? I like the idea of a dedicated snow tire,but I really don't want to buy two sets of tires for this thing.

Chris

In reply to Mazdax605:

I'm not sure about the towing. In general, as long as you keep an eye on the pressure so that the sidewall doesn't deform and ramp up the casing temps at speed, it should be ok. For the size on my truck - 265/70-17 - the rear tires barely flinch when I have the bed fully (slightly over) loaded with 3 yards of mulch, which is a little over 3000 lbs.

I haven't had any problems with flat-spotting and my truck often sits for weeks on end.

I messed up guys my van runs on 225/75-16's not the 265/75-16 I typed (several times) incorrectly. I went to a local place and they wanted to sell me Mastercraft tires that are made by Cooper. They seemed like decent tires, but out the door I would be at around $770 or so, but that includes mounting balancing, and an alignment. I still am not sure what to do with this van and the tires. I don't drive it much, but I really need new tires on it ASAP. Anything that I could buy around $4-500,and then get mounted and balanced by a friend of mine for free?

Do I really need a "D" or "E" rated tire? The tires on it now are "D" rated, but I don't usually tow real heavy. I tow our 3500lb pop-up camper a few times a year, but I wouldn't consider that heavy as the tongue load is low.

I'm in the market for a tire for my Jeep and have been looking at the Tread Wrights. I'm hesitant to run anything that's not a new tire in the Florida heat, being that road gators are an issue in these parts. What makes the Tread Wrights better than the recaps that big trucks get?

Transforce..

Derick Freese wrote: I'm in the market for a tire for my Jeep and have been looking at the Tread Wrights. I'm hesitant to run anything that's not a new tire in the Florida heat, being that road gators are an issue in these parts. What makes the Tread Wrights better than the recaps that big trucks get?

From what I read, most of the road gators you see on the side of the road are caused by misuse, and not by any inherent flaws in retreads.

As for me, even the inexpensive Treadwright's couldn't match the 5 for $150 used Cooper ATR's I found on Craigslist. I'll be hard-pressed to buy new tires for that thing ever again.

Keep an eye on CL. My son just bought a set of take-offs for his Tahoe from a brand new truck for 450.00, wheels included.

I wonder if GM wheels would fit my Dodge?

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/pts/2734298022.html

-C

Mazdax605 wrote: I wonder if GM wheels would fit my Dodge? http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/pts/2734298022.html -C

if you have a 3/4 ton with 8 lugs, then yes they will fit.. unless Fords have a bigger center hub diameter than Chevy, which they did back in the 70's and 80's...

i was actually looking for a set of those exact rims for my trusty old truck when i got the new tires a couple of years ago, but none turned up in almost 3 months of looking. then about a week after i got the tires installed on my stock rusty steel wheels, i found no less than 5 sets of those wheels on the local CL's for under $200 with used up bald tires..

^^Well I have a Dodge, and it is 8-lug. Any idea where I can find out if these will fit my Dodge?

Mazdax605 wrote: ^^Well I have a Dodge, and it is 8-lug. Any idea where I can find out if these will fit my Dodge?

I use this bolt pattern reference a lot.

cwh wrote: Keep an eye on CL. My son just bought a set of take-offs for his Tahoe from a brand new truck for 450.00, wheels included.

I agree. I have seen many sets of light truck tires for sale there.

I have also see a high number of just single new/unused tire & wheels for sale there. Does everyone with a truck sell their spare tire? Oh, wait a minute do you think it might be stolen? Na!