tjkj2002 wrote:
LibertyCRD wrote:
In my opinion, I would stay away from "E" tires. They are heavy, will kill your fuel economy, and are overkill for a vehicle that only has an 1,100 lb. payload.
I would get a tire with a "P" or "SL" rating personally. Try to at least maintain some of your diesel economy and a somewhat decent ride quality.
So when did you buy a "car","P" rated tires are "passenger car" tires.Jeeps should have a "LT" tire,range load "C","D",or "E".Believe it or not "D"/"E" range tires will actually perform better and have a better ride since they aren't mushy like "P" tires,it's Jeep not a caddy.Some of the best wearing(longest) are "E" rated tires,more rubber = longer wearing and less problems,some of the best traction tires(offroad,bad weather) are "C"/"D" rated.Your CRD's are not light(4200lbs stock) and not running low profile tires so get the better sidewalls that the LT tires offer and be safer,so what if you get 1mpg less.Last MOAB trip I averaged just shy of 22mpg's on "D" rated tires(265/75 Trxus MT's) tipping the scales at well over 5500lbs with the 3.7,that's just about on par with what some of you get with a stock CRD(read many of the mpg threads in here).
My KJ before the SFA swap weighed over 1000lbs more then your CRD's and I ran mostly "D" rated tires(265/75R16's) and at the optimum psi of 43psi(best tire wear) they felt a bit mushy,when I ran "E" tires at 38psi it felt much better.I now run "C" rated tires and the ride is like a caddy but I do have 10" of sidewall to flex and running only 28psi(35psi max press).
Some corrections: First of all, our CRDs weigh 4,300 lbs. Second, they come with "P" rated tires from the factory, not "E" rated tires. You will only find "E" tires on Ram 3500 trucks that weigh 7,000 lbs. or more. It is ridiculous that so many people are wanting to run 1-ton truck tires on their Jeeps.
Second, the higher mileage the tire, the harder the rubber. The harder the rubber, the less traction you will have. Period.
Third, a "mushy" tire will ride a LOT better than a stiff 10-ply "E" tire any day of the week. This is one of the primary reasons that manufacturers do not use "LT (light truck)" tires on SUVs and 1/2-ton pickups.
If you want to run "E" tires...go for it. But it's major overkill and benefits you in NO way on a Jeep. A "C" rated tire would be much better if you insist on a truck tire. Or a "P" rated tire would be even better.
My tires are "P" rated, but they are tough as nails, not mushy at all, have rim protectors, and will dig and bite through anything without the penalty of all that excess weight in construction.