Tire Replacement - Montana Owners Club

dchafer · 11-19-2005, 03:57 PM

Our 2003 Silverado truck is going to need new rubber soon. We full-time in a 3400RL Montana fifth. There seems to be a lot of choices from tire manufacturers, however some first hand experience and use about the tires of choice from my fellow travellers would be welcome.
Thanks, Dennis.

dsprik · 11-19-2005, 05:53 PM

Good Post, Dennis. I'm going to have the same combination and I have no problem with ripping whatever tires the truck comes with off to make sure my tv has adequate rubber for towing my investment down the road. I watch for the answers to this one, too.

Montana Sky · 11-19-2005, 10:21 PM

Dennis,
I just replaced my factory tires at 36,000 miles back in late Sept. The tire shop said I had approx. 3,000 more miles left on these and I could run them out. I was leaving the next week for a 5,500 mile road trip to Nashville, TN and did not want to chance the midwest winter with bald tires. I replaced my tires with the Toyo Open Country A/T. These are a load range E tire and are the same size as the original tires on the truck. I found this tire to be 100% better on road noise as well as ride compared to the Firestone the truck came with. This Toyo tire is a 50,000 mile tire and comes factory siped. I had them sipe the tire again to make sure it was going to run cool in the summer and have extra grip in the winter. If you are not in snow country for the winter you might want to look into the Toyo Open Country H/T. That tire is a highway tire like the big rigs use, great for loads and heat but not for snow or rainny areas. So far the new tires have been great, just gave them their 6,000 mile roatation and got the thumbs up from tire shop on how they are wearing.

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-20-2005, 01:09 AM

I replaced the Firestone OE tires on my 03 Silverado at 38,000 miles with BF Goodrich Longtrail T/As and up until I traded the tires were performing better than the Firestones. When the Bridgestones are worn down on the new TV, unless I get exceptional service from the Bridgestones, I will probably go with the BFGs again.

The following is a link to a thread I started with the subject...
Want to save money on tires??

Champ203 · 11-20-2005, 04:16 AM

I travel for a living (in 12 counties). I have tried many different tires on my last 4 "business vehicles" and I always find myself coming back to Michelins. Not the cheap retail tires that they sell at sears and sams but their top of the line (expensive - $ 180 per tire) truck tires. One very simple reason...quality control. They are the only tire that has consitently outlasted their warranty (I average about 70K per set) and they are the only tire that the dealers seem to be able to balance and keep balanced. I've tried Dunlop, Goodyear, and Toyo and in a million miles of "my tests" I recommend the Michelins.

ols1932 · 11-20-2005, 04:26 AM

I believe this is one of those threads where you'll get an opinion from everyone describing their favorite tire. You'll have to decide for yourself, pretty much.

I used to swear by Goodyear. Used them for over 35 years until I discovered that I wasn't getting the wear on my truck tires that I thought I should get. I was only getting about 24,000 on them. A friend of mine had Michelins on his Dodge truck with over 55,000 miles on them and they still looked good. He now has 70,000 and decided he would change before his next trip.

I put Michelins on my Ford and already have 40,000 and they still look good. Tread is good, sidewalls are good, tires were made in 2002.

dsprik · 11-20-2005, 05:52 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Champ203

...I always find myself coming back to Michelins. Not the cheap retail tires that they sell at sears and sams but their top of the line (expensive - $ 180 per tire) truck tires.

Champ203, what Michelin brands are the "expensive" Michelins and what are the Michelin brands that Sears sells?

Champ203 · 11-20-2005, 06:56 AM

Michelin produces tires for both Sears and Walmart (see this link http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/index_6.html ) I tried a set of the LT4's and they did not last nearly as long (I got 44K miles out of them) For me its the LTX M/S that meet my needs the best.

ols1932 · 11-20-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Champ203

Michelin produces tires for both Sears and Walmart (see this link http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/index_6.html ) I tried a set of the LT4's and they did not last nearly as long (I got 44K miles out of them) For me its the LTX M/S that meet my needs the best.

The LTX M/S are the ones I use also.

OntMont · 11-20-2005, 09:01 AM

Apart from the brand, you might consider going to the next tire size up, (265 vs the stock 245). You get a bit more carrying capacity that way. The 265 is used by GM on the 3500 SRW. Your dealer can reprogram the vehicle computer to account for the larger tire, so your speedometer and transmission will work properly. I am not sure all mfrs offer that size but I know Michelin does.

I have had good luck with my Michelins, but get "real" Michelins from a good tire shop. (I had my dealer swap the nearly new Michelins off my old truck for the Generals that came on my new truck. I have replaced them once since}.

2007dura · 11-20-2005, 02:34 PM

I put the Michelin LTX M/S on my truck, and couldn't believe the difference from the stock BFG's. Better ride, quieter and the wet traction is way better. Have 20,000 miles on them, and they still look new.

derfr · 11-20-2005, 03:13 PM

Another angle. If you are trying to save money, consider going to the truck dealer and asking for a set of OEM tires someone traded in for a larger size. Many GM purchasers, especially, like to go to a wider tire and will trade in their new tires at initial purchase. These basically unused tires should be less than half price. But they would also be OEM (minimal quality). Just an idea.

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-20-2005, 09:47 PM

Welcome derfr to the MOC family and that is a great suggestion. My 03 Silverado had Firestone's on it and I got 38,000 miles on them before replacing and I could have gone another 4 or 5000. 40000 plus miles is not bad for OEMs.

patodonn · 11-21-2005, 05:09 AM

OK, tire guys. Ref the early posting by Montana Sky re Toyo tires, what the h__l does "factory siped. I had them sipe the tire again" mean? Never heard that term before, and I've got a lot of "before's".

Thanks

derfr · 11-21-2005, 11:48 AM

Sipes are the very thin cuts down into the rubber. They help shed water and provide grip on ice and packed snow. Up in this country (snow-bound Canada) it is recommended vehicles use special winter tires. They have hundreds of these very thin snipes across the face of the tires. The more the snipes, the greater the grip on ice and packed snow.

Montana Sky · 11-21-2005, 11:52 AM

patodonn,
Tire siping is the process of cutting small slits, or grooves, into the tread blocks of tires in order to provide better traction in adverse weather conditions. The sipes allow the tread blocks to spread on contact with the ground, which helps expel water from the tread and provides better bite. Practically every all-season, mud+snow, and all terrain tire marketed today is siped in the factory mold. The traction benefits of siping, along with the purported increase in tire life due to improved heat dissipation can be longterm beneficial and done at your local tire shop.

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-21-2005, 12:34 PM

DIY Tire Siping

sreigle · 11-21-2005, 12:46 PM

The Firestones we had got 38k and 41k respectively. The BF Goodrich's on this truck are at 38k with a beautifully even wear pattern and tread that looks to have another 15k to 20k left in them. At this point I'll replace with the same thing when the time comes.

RKassl · 11-21-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by OntMont

Apart from the brand, you might consider going to the next tire size up, (265 vs the stock 245). You get a bit more carrying capacity that way. The 265 is used by GM on the 3500 SRW. Your dealer can reprogram the vehicle computer to account for the larger tire, so your speedometer and transmission will work properly. I am not sure all mfrs offer that size but I know Michelin does.

I have had good luck with my Michelins, but get "real" Michelins from a good tire shop. (I had my dealer swap the nearly new Michelins off my old truck for the Generals that came on my new truck. I have replaced them once since}.

When you go to a larger tire does this have any effect on the rear differential at all?

OntMont · 11-22-2005, 03:19 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by RKassl
When you go to a larger tire does this have any effect on the rear differential at all?

I don't really know. I did check with my dealer first, and they said it was OK to do, and that they could do the reprogramming of the computer to account for it. The 265 is stock on the 3500 SRW, and I think (but not certain) they use the same differenential, so I would conclude that is OK, but I suppose it does have some effect. Seems to me the tire guy said that the difference in circumference between them is not very much, he did not even think it was necessary to bother changing the computer (but I did anyway).

You may also like: