tires n'stuff question

[abacuschicken]

Good Morning all

Question here...need to put some tires on my new-to-me truck. Just switched out the old 16.5 rims to some cool 16" inchers but the Mickey Thompson's MTZs on them are balder then Dr. Evil. I am learning about tire sizing...I have a opportunity to pick up some 265 75 16s with 60% tread left...they are Hankook DynaPros and the set mounted and balanced is $180. Reviews seem good and they have a load rating of E. I am currently running 285 75 16s, is there any reason or argument to either not go down in size or walk away from this deal? Any input is welcome. FYI...budget DOES NOT allow for a new set of LT tires right now, so working with what I have to make the truck safe to haul a horse trailer...Thanks! Oh, its a 1990 F250 4x4 XLT 7.3 IDI stock suspension.

Also noted...I live in Western Washington, ice, rain, and mud all part of the deal. I just noted some of the reviews on this tire are saying terrible for anything besides dry highway running...

 

[direwulf23]

I have not direct experience with the Hankook DynaPro but I've always had favorable this about them. They are very comparable to the Cooper Discoverer.
The 265/75 are going to be slightly thinner and a bit shorter, 1" overall I believe. Tire sizes are a bit confusing.
The first number is how wide the tire is in millimeters. The second is how tall the sidewalls are as a percentage of the width. The last is obviously wheel size.
Like I said, I don't know the Hankook specially, but they are quite similar to my Cooper and I've had no traction problems with them.

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[pafixitman]

As you are learning... the second number represents the percentage of the first number to calculate the height of the tire wall. This is in millemeters. So to save you an entire math course.
Current tire = 32.8" tall
New tire = 31.6" tall.

Shorter tire means it turns more to cover the same mile so your speedometer will read higher than your actual speed.

Now, I have no idea what the factory tire size is / was for your year truck so you could be off already.

My 2 cents says go for it.

 

[79jasper]

If you can swing it, I would just get new tires.
Even though they have 60% tread, they could be dry rotted. You never know.

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[direwulf23]

Factory was 235/ 85 16, which I believe are about as tall as the 265/75 but much thinner.
If his speedo hasn't been reset it would likely be more accurate with the 265/75 then the 285/75.

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[direwulf23]

The new tire route provides budget friendly options if one goes with the factory 235/85.
The Nexan Roadian AT2 is a good quality 10 ply with reasonable pricing, for one.
The 265/75 comes at a considerably lower price point then the 285/75 and just about every tire shop will have several options in that size. The 285/75 will generally have to be ordered.

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[abacuschicken]

I found another set of matching Dean Wintercats Lt load range E 265 75 16's with 80% left for $260 mounted and balanced. Again, if I could afford new, I would buy new. I actually don't like the way truck drives with these wide 285s that much even if it looks cooler Reviews seems good and local tire shop owner friend of mine said, yeah it's a good entry level tire that will do just fine for the next year or two...just don't want the truck to look terrible with little tires :/

 

[riotwarrior]

Winters should really be run winter only too soft for summer

Can you afford both sets? Then you have a full set of summer wintrr tyres...that would be gooder

JM7.3CW

 

[Black dawg]

make the seller prove date on tires regardless of wear.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I run the dyna pros and put 100 to 200 miles per day on my truck. They are excellent tires. But I too only buy tires new, dry rotted sidewalls are no fun.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The date is on the tires if you know where to look. There is a DOT number on them. The last four numbers are the week and year of manufacture. For instance, if the numbers are 3512, then that tire was made in the 35th week of 2012. The comments about dry rot are right. I've seen several tires with good, deep tread blow out because of the age. I don't like to run tires that are over 7 years old up and down the highway. That's just my personal rule. From my time in a tire shop, the ones I've seen just seem to have a lot more problems after about 7 years.

 

[79jasper]

Some places like Walmart won't even mount tires over 5 years old.

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[towcat]

to the OP- used tires are only a deal if you have absolutely no other choice.
first- the most obvious is dry rot on the sidewalls or in the tread. that is the most obvious when you first mount your tires.
second- unless marked on removal, there is a high chance of reverse rotating a used tire unless the rotation is marked on the sidewall or tread. while it may not be noticeable immediately, a reverse rotated tire will run a risk of the ply-belts separating internally. the result may be as benign as the steering pulling to one side or another, or as bad as the thread cap blowing off and the tire destroys everything in it's reach.
lastly-235's and 265's in load range E was the most common for years, so prices for those sizes will be the most economical. Any tire with a A/T or a AT2 designalion, will do you fine.

 

[Hydro-idi]

Please try & install new tires on your truck, even if that means borrowing $ from a good friend or family. Summer is approaching and heat is hell on old worn out tires.
This is considered a safety issue. Having a blowout going down the highway at 70 is not only a pain in the a$$, but not worth the risk of putting your life in a possible danger situation.
Unfortunately good tires are expensive. Just put a set of toyo open country A/T 2's on my 6.7 and it was over $1300. Having said that, my previous tires were completely bald, summer is approaching, & I tow very heavy loads and often times the load I'm towing doesn't have trailer brakes.
Another good point is that a tire blowout can go severe damage to the truck as well.....& body work isn't cheap.
Just my .02. Tying to look out for ya is all

 

[crash-harris]

Mud claw tires. They should really pay me to advertise for them Elderado has the cheapest I've found and they are a nice aggressive tread that has great tread block sipping and are sticky enough to grip wet roads.