... wanted to ask about upgrading the tires on my 2013 Nissan Pro-4x to an E rated; 10 ply tire. ... I'm now shopping for a 10ply tire for my truck that currently runs a 265/75 R16 size tire. I want this tire to be rated for driving in the snow, but I want it to also be a year around tire that's not studded.
I've run B.F. Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires on my 4x4 trucks since the mid 1990s. First, a 1996 Chevrolet S-10 extended cab 4x4. Then a 2002 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4x4. Currently a 2018 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4x4.
On the Chevrolet and Tacoma, KO2 models didn't yet exist. My 4Runner has them. I've run load range C on my S-10. My Tacoma and 4Runner run load range E. All were and are OEM tire sizes.
They do good in the snow, not so good in the mud. Some people say they're worthless in the rain. Others say they wear out fast, are difficult to balance, chunks of tread fly off, cause odd handling behaviors.
My experience:
* Great in snow. I've driven in deep snow (above the bumper) without difficulty, as long as it's fresh and powdery. Like when snowplows can't keep up with the snowfall. Good in old snow on the trail as long as its not too deep and one drags the undercarriage and axles.
* Bad in mud. Even a thin layer of mud can be scary. My trucks try to swap ends, even in 4WD. Around northern Nevada, counties put down what is called magnesium chloride on dirt roads. Great for hard, smooth surfaces in summer, what I call "greased snot" in wet weather. I've parked my truck on slightly crowned roads, got out and watched my truck slide laterally to the downhill side.
* Rain. It don't rain in the Great Basin like it does in the PNW, so I can't attest to how they are in such conditions. Around here, it's not a problem and I've never experienced sliding on wet pavement in hard curves.
* Balancing. Never an issue.
* Tread chunking. That's because people don't air down over rocky trails. Air down and you don't chunk the tread.
* Odd handling. Yes, especially in their last 25% of life. Can get noisy, too.
* Fast wear. I've always gotten 75,000+ out of them.
* Ruggedness. I've sliced and diced my tires over the years. Sidewall cuts (3-ply sidewalls are wonderful), punctures, nails and screws. I have never experienced a true flat tire. Leaks of maybe 10psi per 12 hours yes, but I've never found my tires flat. Just air them up, head to a dealer for repair. I've carried a repair kit for years and have yet to use it. I've even driven 55 mph on tires for up to 50 miles with less than 20 psi in them because I didn't want to take the time to air them back up with my small 12v compressor and instead air them up with my shop compressor at home. Tires were pretty warm but never hot. Squirrely in the curves with such low pressures, yes.
There's lots of alternatives out there today. Before I had my first set of BFG All Terrain T/A's installed, there wasn't such a wide choice. I researched a long time. Most serious off roaders either ran with BFG, Mickey Thompson, and Big O Bigfoot. I put on BFGs and have been satisfied since. Local selection is and was also a factor. Everyone carried BFGs. Now many people buy online. I prefer to shop locally. I don't want nor need to travel 165 miles just to have a flat fixed or rotation.
