RT930turbo

I know the tire discussion has been beaten to death, but what do the experts recommend in a gravel traction situation? I'm going to pick up my new boat this weekend, and I'm due for tires before the trip. I currently have Goodyear mtr's and I hate hate hate them. Tons of noise and didn't last long. I have a very steep gravel driveway about 800' long rising 75' or so in elevation.

Truck is a 2001 f250 4x4
Boat is a 382 fastech

Should I run a 235 or 265 tire? (16" wheels)
What brands might do well on gravel?

The truck is only used to tow the boat, so low noise on the highway is important as well as tread wear, but if it won't go up my driveway, I'm screwed.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Catch 22 here, because anything you would make an investment in for loose ground traction is going to pick up rocks and throw them at the boat.
I would definitely invest in a set of Rock Tamers or similar:
Enkay Rock Tamers Heavy-Duty, Adjustable Mud Flap System for 2" Hitches - Matte Black Rock Tamers Hitch Accessories ERT00108

[ATTACH=CONFIG]502360[/ATTACH]

Are you still on the factory wheels? I would take this opportunity to go to an 8 or 9 inch wide wheel as this will improve your towing stability as well as overall footprint for traction. This will be a huge improvement. I would also go with the larger tire for the same reason. Even cheap wheels painted black could be an option. Check out www.dipyourcar.com

I think your best bet would be something with all around great traction ratings as found here:
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shop...s/Tires+Rating
(I personally find their ratings spot on.)

Goodyears SUCK for truck tires. I'll never buy another set again.

Yokohama GeoLander, BFGoodrich All Terrain KO and Rugged Terrain, and Cooper Discover AT/3 all come to mind for solid tires and good traction.

Also, I don't recommend buying in a hurry for such a purchase; do your research. I bought in a hurry when I bought my Goodyears and that's how I found out they were like driving on wet spagetti; less than 1/2 mile from getting them installed. Unfortunately, it looks at though you are up against the clock.

I think your best friend is going to be the 4-Low on your transfer case.

I had a massive hill I had to tow my similar weight boat up, at a certain resort I stayed at a few times; back when I had my 2500 Avalanche. BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain, 265s on 17"x8" wheels, and 4-Low worked perfect; never a single slip. Momentum was key, and I had a 180 degree turn at the bottom of the hill which I would try to make as fluid as possible. I never tried stopping going up as I had Surge Brakes on the trailer at the time, and I knew the boat would have dragged me all the way down and into the lake. I don't know what kind of trailer brakes you are going to have, but if you are going to be on this driveway on a regular basis, I would not do it without EoH brakes (which work in reverse, Surge Brakes do not).

97FASTech

iTrader: (6)

I went with these this spring, and happy with noise (little) and performance. I had to go to a 275 instead of 255 for the E load range (no extra charge). Don't have the experience on gravel though.

Michelin LTX M/S 2 tires - Reviews, ratings and specs in the Houston - Southwest Area - Discount Tire

Drock78

iTrader: (2)

I really like the cooper zion . I've had 2 sets. Low noise, good looks and great traction. I would go with a 285 size.

state1310

nitto terra grapplers are a great tire and not too expensive

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Important question:

What is the gear ratio in the truck? That's a LOT of boat; probably 13000 lbs. on the trailer.

If it's a 3.73 gear ratio, you really can't afford too large on the tires as you will lose your final drive ratio.

If it's a 4.10 gear ratio, you can go up a little in tire size without drastically reducing too much of the grunt you will need for that load.

RT930turbo

All great suggestions guys. 4 low is the only way to go, even with the 303. Trailer has surge brakes, but only til it gets home. Eoh box is ordered. Trailer is also aluminum, so I'm gaining a slight bit there.

The truck has a 3.73 with LSD, and I know I will be pushing the envelope. Fortunately I have a titan 2.5" reciever rated at 18,000 lbs with the appropriate ball and mount. I've had BFg ko's in the past and was very happy.

I have the factory aluminum wheels with 285's mounted right now. I was leaning toward a 265, not a big fan of the balloon tire look. Lol. Should I stay with a 285 though?

c_deezy

iTrader: (1)

Can't go wrong with the BFG All-Terrains. Look good, work good, and decent tread lift. I think I've bought about 5 sets over the years for various trucks, about to buy another set before too much longer.

Drock78

iTrader: (2)

Bfg are sweet for sure but not worth the $$ IMO

RT930turbo

Interesting, i checked around and the Cooper Zeon's were 5-10 bucks MORE than the Bfg's ... go figure. Must be a supply and demand thing. Boys around here sure do like their BFg's, they sell LOTS.

....this new boat is getting expensive!