Best Truck Tyres

Your truck probably gets a lot of use. Your pickup truck is a dependable, dependable partner, whether it is new, old, or somewhere in between. It is perhaps in many ways an extension of who you are. Trucks come in a wide variety of sizes, forms, and functionalities. This post will discuss tyres that are suitable for both your demands as the truck owner and the needs of your truck.

Our Golden Wrench Awards for outstanding tyres were just announced by Car Talk. Here are our top selections for the best truck tyres available in 2021.

Golden Wrench Award Winners for Best TruckTyre

1. Michelin Defender LTX MS

Our Golden Wrench winner for light truck tyres is the Defender LTX MS because it offers year-round traction in dry, rainy, and snowy situations, including light snow, and retains a long tread life.

2. Continental TerrainContact

The TerrainContact A/outstanding T’s off-road capabilities make it one of our Golden Wrench winners. Long tread life, a quiet ride, and great all-terrain performance are all features of this tyre.

3. Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S

Our Golden Wrench goes to the Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S for its off-road prowess, traction in wet and dry weather, as well as light snow.

4. Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT

Due to its strong longevity and year-round traction, the Wrangler TrailRunner AT from Goodyear receives our Silver Wrench.

5. Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus

The Scorpion All Terrain Plus from Pirelli offers dependable off-road performance in a variety of weather scenarios.

Car Talk’s Methodology

Using Car Talk’s exclusive technique based on more than 30 different data points, all of these tyre options were ranked:

• Consumer Satisfaction: Consumers provided data about what their experience was using tire models within each of these brands.
• Industry Professionals: Over 800 technicians and business professionals participated in a nationwide poll conducted by Car Talk researchers to get their perspectives.
• Government Reporting: statistics for durability and safety.
• Tire Quality and Engineering: The overall quality and engineering or innovation of a tyre brand had an impact on a consumer’s choice to buy.
• Performance: Car Talk examined the performance of tyres from these specific brands in various weather scenarios.
• Best Tires for Trucks

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Due to its outstanding quality, lengthy tread life, and dependable year-round grip in dry, rainy, and wintry weather, including light snow, the Defender LTX MS is our Golden Wrench winner for light truck tyres.

• Superior quality
• Excellent tread life
• Available sizes: 15” – 22”

Continental TerrainContact A/T

One of our Golden Wrench winners, the TerrainContact A/T offers outstanding off-road advantages, long tread life, and superb all-terrain performance.

• Off-road performance
• Excellent traction and grip
• Available sizes: 16” – 22”

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S Continental TerrainContact A/T

Our Golden Wrench goes to the Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S for its outstanding off-road performance, superb grip, and traction in all kinds of weather.

• Superior traction
• Excellent all-terrain grip
• Available sizes: 15” – 22”

Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT

Our Silver Wrench is the Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT, which earned high marks for reliability, longevity, and all-season traction.

• Long tread life
• Excellent traction and grip
• Available sizes: 15” – 22”

Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus

The Scorpion All Terrain Plus from Pirelli offers long tread life and durability coupled with exceptional, dependable off-road performance in a variety of weather conditions.

• Innovative tread compound
• Impressive traction and grip
• Available sizes: 16” – 20”

Bridgestone Dueler AT REVO 3

Bridgestone’s Dueler AT REVO 3 tyre provides good value, reliable performance, and excellent handling in dry, wet, and wintry conditions, including light snow.

• Solid durability
• Impressive traction and grip
• Available sizes: 16” – 20”

Honorable Mentions and Writer’s Personal Picks By Size

Each tyre on the above list has been approved by the Car Talk crew and is fantastic. Each tyre on the list below is a choice made by the author or an honorable mention. The wheel sizes for these tyres range from 17 inches to 20 inches, so whether you have a tough work vehicle, a robust off-road pickup, or a daily driver that cruises down the interstate, we have you covered.

The half-ton (1500), three-quarter-ton (2500), and one-ton (3500+) classes of pickup trucks are the focus of this article. We have tyre recommendations and solutions for trucks of any size or capacity. Depending on size and price, these are our honorable mention picks and our writer’s personal favorites for truck tyres.

Best Tires for a half-ton pickup (F-150, Ram 1500, Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Titan, Tundra)

• Kumho Crugen HT51 – Best budget, on-road tire
• Goodyear Wrangler SR-A – Best mid-priced, general use tire
• Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 – Best superior, all-terrain tire

Best Tires for a ¾-ton Pickup (Ford F-250, Ram 2500, Silverado 2500, Sierra 2500)

• Sumitomo Encounter HT – Best budget highway tire
• Firestone Transforce HT – Best mid-priced highway tire
• Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX – Best superior off-road tire

Best Tires for a 1-ton Pickup (Ford F-350, Ram 3500, Silverado 3500, Sierra 3500)

• Kumho Crugen HT51 – Best budget, on-road tire
• Firestone Destination X/T – Best mid-priced on/off-road tire
• Michelin LTX A/T 2 – Best superior on/off-road tire

Top Replacement Tire Brands for Trucks

Since trucks come in a wide variety of sizes and forms, it is difficult to name specific tyres for a given truck without going into greater detail. In the world of pickup trucks, however, some tyre companies stand out, as our list above demonstrates. Some tyre manufacturers are just more frequently picked than others, whether the load is a half-ton or more. The top brands listed below have been chosen based on customer feedback and popularity among consumers. All of the brands listed have tyres that are sized in 17 to 20-inch wheel sizes and ply for half-ton, three-quarter-ton, and one-ton use, so this is an excellent place to start with your truck.

Highway Tires for All Trucks

• Budget: Kumho Crugen HT51 – These are great tread-life tyres for budget-minded customer. Both light-duty half-ton pickup trucks and heavier one-ton dual-axle trucks can accommodate the HT51.
• Moderately Priced: Firestone Transforce HT – These highway tyres are reasonably priced, work well, and have a solid track record of durability. These tyres are sized to fit the majority of truck requirements across all three weight classes.
• Cost-No-Object: Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 – These on-road tyres are better in every manner, and many people will think the investment is worthwhile.

All-Terrain Tires for All Trucks

• Budget: Firestone Destination X/T – The Firestone line of Destination tyres are a reasonably priced complement for individuals who do both, with the ability to confidently travel both on and off the road.
• Moderately Priced: Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX – It can be challenging to find a mid-range option for off-road use, but the Cooper line of Discoverer MAXX tyres provide exceptional value, lifespan, and strong capabilities.
• Cost-No-Object: Michelin LTX A/T 2 – The Michelin LTX offers a lot to offer in terms of off-road prowess while yet retaining a comfortable ride on the road, regardless of the size of the truck.

When Should You Replace Tires?

Most individuals consider wear while considering tyre replacement. The most frequent justification for replacing tyres is that they are simply worn out. Nominally, we gauge tyre wear by the distance driven on them. But we should also consider the passage of time. Many people are unaware that time plays a role in tyre replacement. Tires have a limited lifetime after they are manufactured. Tyres typically have a lifespan of five years from the date of manufacture. Tires typically last 50,000 to 70,000 miles, but the average person drives 12,000 miles or more year, thus they typically outlive their usefulness. Every tyre sold in the United States (and much of North America) must include a date stamp that shows when it was manufactured. After then, the tire’s compound may start to degrade to the point where it becomes risky.

Every tyre has various markings that describe its size, design, capabilities, and year of manufacturing in addition to other details. These combine DOT (Department of Transportation) and UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grade) embossments. These can be found on the tire’s sidewall close to the size and maximum inflation (pressure) values.

A three-digit number is combined with two or three letters to form the UTQG. This normally follows the tire’s name right after it, so it will read “Michelin LTX A/T 2 118R E.” The rating for this specific tyre is 118R E. Different UTQG codes apply to truck tyres as opposed to automobile tyres. The letters A, B, and C are used in car codes that range from 100 and higher. Truck tyres, on the other hand, contain numbers between 100 and 200 as well as letters that indicate the tire’s capacity for bearing weight and its speed rating. Truck tyres rarely have treadwear, braking, or temperature tolerance indicators.

Using our example as a guide, the tire’s information reads as follows:

• 118 – This represents the tire’s load index. The load capacity of the tyre in this instance is 2,910 pounds when filled to the recommended pressure. A typical truck tire’s load index ranges from 90 (1,323 pounds) to 120. (3,085 pounds). Your truck’s maximum payload and towing capabilities are directly determined by the load index of the tyres the truck is utilizing.
• R – The speed rating for the tyre is indicated by the letter that comes right after the load index number. The R denotes the top speed at which this tyre can operate without possibly losing traction or sidewall stiffness, which is 106 mph.
• E – The load range of the tyre is indicated by this final, independent letter. The load range, which should not be confused with a load rating, is the tire’s maximum load pressure in PSI as well as its ply rating (number of plies). A rating of E corresponds to a ply rating of 10 and an 80 psi maximum pressure. This figure is crucial for safety and capability since tyres expand when weight is applied to them.

The majority of owners should anticipate a life of about 30,000 miles for each tyre because many truck tyres will not have expectations for tread life on them. Naturally, some people have higher aspirations, and a lot of people will outlive that generalization almost twofold. The more all-terrain or off-road the tyre is intended to be, however, the less mileage it will carry before needing to be replaced.

The tyre sidewall additionally features a raised set of numbers preceded by “DOT” in addition to the UTQG marking. There is a lot of information in this DOT rating, but the last four digits are the most important. These denote the manufacturing week and year.

For instance, if your tire’s date code is 3217, it was manufactured between September 11 and 17, which falls inside the 32nd week of 2017. The tire’s expiration date would be September 11, 2022, five years from that time.

Why Not Replace with Original Equipment Tires?

Your pickup truck’s factory-installed tyres are good all-purpose tyres that strike a balance between all the manufacturer’s design objectives. The engineers who created your truck had a list of requirements for how it will be utilized, and they made their tyre selections in accordance with those requirements as well as the company’s contacts with tyre manufacturers. The majority of truck tyres are designed for all-weather performance, some off-road use, load carrying, and fuel efficiency. It’s not always that way. For instance, a truck with more off-road packages won’t have all-weather or fuel efficiency as strengths. The more items a truck is towing or hauling, the less likely it is that it will prioritize staying on the pavement. There may be differences in how you use your truck and how its creators and engineers anticipated it would be used.

Every three to four years, the majority of truck owners replace their tyres. A substantial investment may be required. Therefore, choosing the correct tyres is crucial. For some truck owners, choosing the OEM option is the obvious choice. However, for some people, something else may work better because of their different demands.

Changing Truck Tire Sizes

There are several tyre, wheel, and aftermarket modification options available for trucks. In reality, the most modified class of vehicles on American roadways are pickup trucks. You must take into account what this means for your tyres and truck if you intend to change tyre or wheel size, look for a lift, or make any other change.

The overall diameter of tyres and wheels is a feature of the truck’s design. That requires more work to modify than simply changing out parts. It alters the truck’s physical dynamics, safety, and functionality of certain of its electronics. At the absolute least, choosing a larger or smaller diameter tyre and wheel combination will result in inaccurate speedometer and odometer readings on the truck.

It is acceptable to alter tyre or wheel diameters for aesthetic reasons. Simply maintaining the same general dimensions will do. Therefore, a larger tyre wall should correspond to a bigger wheel diameter, and vice versa for smaller wheel diameter. The total diameter needs to be stable.

Wheels might be downsized for several reasons:

• Better ride quality – More cushion on the road and a better ride quality result from smaller wheels and larger sidewall tyres. Depending on the combination selected, it may also imply greater load-bearing capacity.
• Cost reduction – Larger wheels typically equate to more expensive wheels and tyres. The price of the tyre will increase with the tire’s wheel size.
• Seasonal changes – – Winter and snow tyres are frequently only available in one or two-wheel sizes, meaning they might not fit your OEM wheels. or, if they are, be too pricey.
• Off-road – Larger tyres provide improved traction and bump cushioning when driving off-road. If rated, larger tyres can also deflate for a wider track and improved traction off the tarmac. Not so with tyres with thin walls.

Increasing wheel size offers further advantages:

• Better handling – Thinner tyres will provide better handling and a quicker steering reaction for those who are usually on the road.
• Better looks – The fashion today favors bigger wheels on bigger cars.
• Better braking – A thinner profile tyre with wider wheels may provide greater braking properties.

How to Read Tire Sizes

While not universal worldwide, tyre sizes are typically uniform for North American sales. Typically, there are two types of truck tyres: regular and flotation. As standardized measurements become the norm, the “flotation” scheme is soon becoming obsolete.

The tyre type and wheel (rim) size are always listed after two groups of digits on a truck tyre. On tyre sidewalls, numbers like 33×12.5 R17 and 285/70R17 are a couple of instances.

In the first instance, the figures are a “flotation” size and represent the tire’s radial dimensions (33 inches by 12.5 inches) and fitment for a 17-inch wheel in inches.

The second set, known as the “aspect ratio,” specifies a tyre with a 285mm tread width and a sidewall that is 70 percent of that size. The 17 still denotes that the tyre is made for a 17-inch wheel, and the R still stands for radial.

The aspect ratio of the tyre will adjust as the wheel size increases or decreases. The aspect ratio will be decreased for larger wheels. This ratio maintains the same overall tyre and wheel diameter.

One component of tyres is understanding how to read tyre sizes. It’s crucial to understand what the various tyre kinds normally indicate about the tyre you’re thinking about choosing for your truck.

• Touring and All-season tires – are aimed toward providing a comfortable ride, good grip in all weather conditions, good winter traction, and longer tread life. Although these tyres won’t offer the same level of traction as off-road or specially designed winter tyres, they will typically offer adequate all-around traction.
• Performance tires – are intended to offer a comfortable ride, good dry and wet traction, adequate winter traction, and longer tread life. Although these tyres won’t offer the same level of traction as off-road or specially designed winter tyres, they will typically offer adequate all-around traction.

• All-terrain tires – are made to maximize traction and grip off-road. These tyres typically have softer tread and more grip-enhancing tread surfaces (knobs). They often also have thicker sidewalls and shorter tyre life.
• Winter and snow tires – are created with unique materials that keep their pliability and grip even when temperatures drop. Their tread patterns will have the capacity to “spread” to increase traction on slick terrain and shed snow and ice off the tyre.

Pickup Truck Tire FAQ

What are the best tires for a truck?

There isn’t a straightforward response because there isn’t one best tyre that can satisfy all requirements. Some truck owners desire incredibly silent operation on the roadway. Others are seeking off-road traction. Those two consumers have completely different tyre needs. The same is true for drivers who favour high mileage over excellent wet weather grip. Finding a tyre that satisfies your top priorities while staying inside your price range is There is a shelf life for tyres.

What’s the longest-lasting truck tire?

One that you probably don’t want on your truck. You can locate a tyre that will essentially last forever, but it will be rock-hard and provide minimal traction in the wet. A tyre that can withstand weather is a more urgent safety concern for folks in other parts of the country than it is for Arizona residents who spend all of their time on the road.

How do I choose the best tires for my truck?

To begin, ask yourself what you intend to use the truck for. We can rule out dozens of all-season or sport tyres if you spend a significant amount of time off-road because they won’t fit your needs at all. On the other hand, it would be better to steer clear of the several mud terrain tyres available if the closest you get to off-road driving is parking in front of Eddie Bauer in the mall parking lot.

What is the best truck tire pressure?

There will be a white and yellow label inside the driver’s side door of your truck that lists the recommended tyre pressures for your specific model. Some have four (or six) tyres with the same pressure, whereas others have different pressures for each axle. Some even have various tyre pressures for various loads. There may be a minimum tyre pressure for off-road use on off-road vehicles as well. It should be noted that the pressure mentioned on the tyres is MAXIMUM rather than RECOMMENDED.

How often should I rotate my truck’s tires?

When rotating tyres, the focus should be more on the tyre than the car. Tire rotations typically occur every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, but for practical reasons, they frequently happen in conjunction with other auto maintenance (oil changes, filter replacements, etc.). That typically aligns fairly closely with tyre manufacturer and provides suggestions. The tyres used on the steer axle of some trucks cannot be used on the drive axle (rear), and vice versa. You may find the suggested tyre rotation schedule in the truck’s owner’s manual.

What is the best pickup truck tire change kit?

Every truck is equipped with a basic jack and lug wrench for changing out flat tyres when it leaves the manufacturer. For the most part, they are the bare minimum. For ease of use, those who perform their own roadside tyre replacements should invest in a better lug wrench and a larger jack that is more suited for the truck. It’s also a good idea to include a roadside emergency kit containing flares, markers, and other safety gear.

Tire Buying FAQ

Where do I shop for the best prices?

Numerous internet merchants, including SimpleTire, frequently discount and have fantastic bargains on tyres. To further assist you in understanding what you are purchasing, their websites also include price estimators and tyre fit recommendations.

How much is shipping?

Most delivery costs are included in the price when shopping online. If your product is being sent to a store with which they do not have an arrangement, some sellers may charge shipping. Instead of being the rule, this is typically the exception.

How long does shipping take?

The majority of online sellers can ship tyres to a location within 3 business days, but shipping might take up to a week. Some associated stores offer same-day delivery, while others charge extra for overnight service.

How much does it cost to install a tire?

Depending on the store, yes. Some truck tyres are significantly more expensive to mount and balance than lighter-duty tyres for half-ton trucks, particularly on heavy-duty trucks in the 3500 class. For light vehicle mounting, most businesses charge between $15 and $50, and for larger trucks, between $30 and $70.

Do I need to change the tire pressure monitoring system with tires?

only if it has sustained harm. Since most TPMS sensors are integrated into the wheel, changing the tyres does not necessitate replacing them.

Can an online retailer help me with winter tires?

Definitely! The easiest approach to shop for them “off-season” and get better prices may be to do it this way.

If I’m changing tire sizes or buying winter tires, should I buy a wheel and tire package from an online retailer?

There is definitely no downside to doing so. Combining your tyre and wheel purchases can result in savings if you’re going to buy both at the same time. When buying wheels and tyres together, many merchants provide discounted tyre prices or, in the opposite case, complimentary services (mounting, balancing, rotations, etc.).

Do online retailers provide tire rebates the way traditional stores do?

Indeed, almost all of them do. The majority of rebates are a part of a promotion run by the retailer or the tyre company.