20" Truck tires: Sierra 1500

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So i accidentally bought a new to me 2016 GMC 1500 6.2 crew cab truck. It specs 275 55 20 tires, came with LT265/60/20 Michelin LTX on it. Problem? previous owner ran low air pressure and wore the shoulders a bit, centers still at like 7/32. I will use the old blemished wheels and LT tires for a custom light trailer project; and have purchased some brand new take off 20x9 GMC wheels of identical design.

So i need to buy some new tires to go with the new wheels. Goals are that it be a luxury vehicle, light offroad use, be able to put the power to the ground.

I admit to being Michelin biased and my current idea is to get the 305 50 20 LTX M/S since it features 116H rating and a 70k warranty. Like they will last 70k on a 420hp truck! I don't really want to go any taller than 32.5" or so since i would likely have to lift the truck and after buying the thing there is no money for that anytime soon.

I currently have no heavy towing plans but it is an NHT; rated to 11,700. Sure it would be best to select an LT rated tire if i was going to tow a lot. However, once you go LT rated you have to run more air for the same carrying capacity and thus a worse ride. This thing is my luxury car, sports car, 6 person mover, and SUV all in one vehicle.

I want to save the weight by going P rated and enjoy lower inflation pressures. These GM wheels are already 40lb each so a 43 lb tire sounds nicer than some of the 50+lb LT rated sizes.

Truck will not likely see more than 10k a year, but i still don't mind paying for michelin don't care if they rot before wearing out, i'l just buy some more. Tires are very important to me.

Is there anything better you guys can think of for this mostly street truck? Will probably make the buy at discount tire labor day sale.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
So i accidentally bought a new to me 2016 GMC 1500 6.2 crew cab truck.


There has to be more to that story.. that's the extra short version ha.

If you want Michelin go buy them but be prepared to be trolled Assaulted by the massive anti-Michelin troll base here on bitog.

No real reason to have LT tires on that truck, I think your plan should work out fine.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
Goals are that it be a luxury vehicle,



Before buying new wheels, i'd have checked to see what the smallest wheel diameter would be to clear the brake calipers and rotors. A smaller wheel and taller sidewall tire will ride far better and resist bending the wheel off road.

When we bought our cx-5, it was a touring model but had 19 inch wheels like a grand touring, I told the salesman i wanted the 17 inch wheels.
 
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One thing to keep in mind is that when P-rated tires are mounted on a truck or SUV, their load rating at any inflation pressure is reduced by a factor of 1.1
 
Originally Posted By: 02SE
One thing to keep in mind is that when P-rated tires are mounted on a truck or SUV, their load rating at any inflation pressure is reduced by a factor of 1.1


True, but this truck is rated to have P2755520 stock so it shouldn't be a problem.

Spasm3 i would love to ride on 17" wheels but i can't bring myself to put smaller than what it came with, and i happen to love the design on the wheel, so i'm stuck with the small side wall 20" situation.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
When we bought our cx-5, it was a touring model but had 19 inch wheels like a grand touring, I told the salesman i wanted the 17 inch wheels.

You're hardcore!
 
17 inch is the smallest diameter that will clear the tie rod ends. My son's 2013 SLT 1500 came with 275/55/20s. We took those off at 10.000 kms, (6,200 miles) and put on 265/60/20s SRAs that I took off my 2500.
Now on his 3rd set, we will put 265/60/20 Toyo CTs for winter, and he can run the 265/70/18s that came off the 2018 3500 Chev.

The 20s run at 42 psi, I think we can drop the 18s to 38 on a 18X9 inch wheel.

I run 275/65/20s on both 2011 and 2018 Duramax. The new one will get 275/70/18 Nitto EXOs for the winter on the stock wheels.
 
Originally Posted By: maxdustington
Originally Posted By: spasm3
When we bought our cx-5, it was a touring model but had 19 inch wheels like a grand touring, I told the salesman i wanted the 17 inch wheels.

You're hardcore!


I'm telling you, they ride better.
 
How did those Toyo CTs do as far as noise and ride quality? Theres a few cheap sets i can get ahold of but I tend to default to a Michelin.

I imagine you have a lot more room for larger tires on the heavy duty. My 05 GMC 2500 fit a 33" like it was nothing. This truck seems like its not going to happen without at least a spacer lift or a bilstein 5100.

Rand: I "accidentally" got this truck due to a bargain bank sale. Right after i had mechanically perfected my 2005 2500. The dream was to have a 6.2, it just happened way sooner than i expected.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3


I'm telling you, they ride better.


Your 100% right, i downsized the wife's accord from 18" to 17" and it made a big difference. Test drove Mazda 6 with 19s and man it handled on rails but you knew if you ran over a nickel in road.

On these big trucks even an 18" wheel is super heavy and 17" looks quite small on a K2XX chassis truck. My truck has the expensive add on RD5 wheels, sometimes called snowflakes or Y spokes, and they look too good for me to want anything bigger or smaller. 22" is now the larger wheel size for these higher trims, and that's just crazy imo.
 
dareo, I have 275/65/20 Hankook RF-11s on my 2011 2500. The 275/65/20 Michelin ATs that I complained about are now on my daughter's 2018 3500 and are almost worn out. I'll reposes the stock wheels in October and go with either Toyo CTs or Nitto EXO. Both are manufactured in White, Georgia I think.

None of the 20s give a smooth ride, especially at 80 psi. I only buy E-rated 3 ply sidewall tires now, 1500, 2500 or 3500.

If guys complain about E rated 20s riding rough, try 225/70/19.5s H rated cranked to 120 psi.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
Originally Posted By: 02SE
One thing to keep in mind is that when P-rated tires are mounted on a truck or SUV, their load rating at any inflation pressure is reduced by a factor of 1.1


True, but this truck is rated to have P2755520 stock so it shouldn't be a problem.



Yes, I know. I'm just pointing out that they don't have as much load capacity at a given PSI, as load inflation tables would indicate, in this application.

FWIW, I'm running Toyo C/T's on my Dually, and I think they are surprisingly quiet for a fairly aggressive A/T. They might make slightly more noise than the Toyo A/T II's I'm running on my old 4Runner.
 
Should i just cheap out and get the Discoverer HT Plus 305 /50 R20 120T XL instead of the Michelin 305 50 20 116H? Its a savings of $112 per tire. I had a set of Coopers once and it was fine.

Labor Day sale coming up so i gotta decide. Anyone on here driven on these relatively new Cooper HT Plus tires?
 
Once again I'm showing my age. Charley's '46 Ford COE 10 ton dump truck rolled on 6 900 X 20s.Probably the tires were running 80 psi. To me, anything below 70 aspect ratio is a fashion statement. Wifes Camry SE came with 17s. With a little sniping on the calipers, 15s will fit. Function over form. Low pro tires and "off road" are mutually exclusive sets. Smarten up. You were raised better than this.
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Originally Posted By: crj19
Just an FYI, the 305/50 R20 will not fit without rubbing.
i have 265 60 20 coming in at 32.5” with ample clearance. 3055020 should be 32” tall but wider. Not sure what the issue would be. I am considering adding some coilovers like Fox 2.0 to pickup the front a bit.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
Originally Posted By: crj19
Just an FYI, the 305/50 R20 will not fit without rubbing.
i have 265 60 20 coming in at 32.5” with ample clearance. 3055020 should be 32” tall but wider. Not sure what the issue would be. I am considering adding some coilovers like Fox 2.0 to pickup the front a bit.


When you turn they will rub unless you have a lift.
 
I checked clearance tonight at full steering and i still have finger width of space before hitting anything. This is with 32.5” tall, 8.5” treadwidth. Going to 305 50 20 is shorter, onlu 32” but tread width goes to 10”. However the wheel stays the same 9 inches wide. I imagine the 305 50 to have more of a curved sidewall but i dont understand how it would be enough to come close to rubbing.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
I checked clearance tonight at full steering and i still have finger width of space before hitting anything. This is with 32.5” tall, 8.5” treadwidth. Going to 305 50 20 is shorter, onlu 32” but tread width goes to 10”. However the wheel stays the same 9 inches wide. I imagine the 305 50 to have more of a curved sidewall but i dont understand how it would be enough to come close to rubbing.
A finger is probably 3/4"-1" wide. Going to a tire that's 1.5" wider means 3/4" wider on each side, therefore rubbing.
 
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