Buyers Guide to Custom Tires for Pickup Trucks
Today's truck tire market is more crowded and saturated than it ever has been before. From Goodyear, to Bridgestone, to Kelly, to Nankang, and Pirelli, there are so many different brands and styles and sizes available, there is plenty to choose from to fit virtually any application imaginable. While all these choices and options are great for consumers, they can be equally overwhelming to the potential buyer at the same time.
The most common myth when it comes to tires is that the most expensive is always the best. Although in most instances you do get what you pay for, often you can choose a less expensive brand name set of tires without sacrificing the safety and performance elements that hold the most value to you.
Before you jump into your truck and run down to your local Firestone dealer, there are a few things to consider first. The following questions will help you to decide which set of tires is best for your truck.
1) What will you be using the truck for? Will you be two-tracking through the trails on weekends? Pulling a 24-foot travel trailer? Or, is your truck simply a daily driver where the most abuse it takes is hauling your son or daughter's dorm furniture downstate twice a year?
2) How would you rate the tires that are currently equipped on your truck? Are you satisfied with their performance in rain and/or snow conditions? Road noise? Longevity? How do they hold up when the truck is under load? How would you rate their performance in dry conditions? What, if anything, would you improve about their performance?
3) Will they be going on the stock wheels, or are they going on after market wheels? If you are planning on using different wheels, are they the same size as the original equipment?
4) If you are changing the size of the wheel (diameter, width, offset, etc), what are you hoping to accomplish? Is this going to be a low-rider/show truck? Or, do you want to put 12" wide, off-road mudslingers on your truck?
5) How much money are you willing to spend for your tires?
Now that you've established what you want out of a set of tires, it's time to shop. But, before you take the word of the local tire dealers, a little research on your own goes a long way. The more educated you are about what's available, the better decision you'll be able to make. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm is a great place to start for an unbiased comparison of truck tires.
A few guidelines in closing:
NEVER deviate below the manufacturer's recommended minimum size, speed rating, or load range.
A mileage warranty is NOT a guarantee of tire longevity. A mileage warranty guarantees that a tire will be free from defects for a length of time (usually three years) or XX,000 miles, whichever comes first.
If possible, shop in a major metropolitan area. The more competition that exists, the better deal you'll be able to negotiate.
Don't be afraid to shop around. A lot of tire dealers will meet and/or beat the competition. Make them earn your business with the best deal!
