I have a 22’ Ram 2500 with the Cummins, 4x4 and looking for suggestions for replacement tires. It currently has the 275/70r-18’s on it. The Firestone HT’s it came with. They are holding up quite well but I rotate them about every 6k miles. My truck is a pavement queen and the only off roading it sees is my gravel driveway and the occasional gravel campground. I have been looking at the Michelins and the Cooper HT3s. The Firestones are wearing well but they suck even on dry pavement and ride like rail car wheels even with the air pressure let down to 50 front and 35 rear. We do some towing (sometimes a lot) with our 7k TT. I thought about going up to a 295/70-18 with a little taller sidewall but haven’t seen anyone running that particular combo. What are some of y’alls thoughts on this? TIA
New Tires for 2022 Ram 2500
- Thread starter OLEJOE
- Start date
It'll ride better with door placard tire pressure.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Agree, I have gone through three sets of Michelin LTX M/S2. Great tires.
Current top two choices with Consumer Reports is the Continental TerrainContact H/T (score 67), next down is the General Grabber HT60 (score 62) and Vredestein Pinza HT (score 61).
I am currently running the Continental TerrainContact H/T with about 45k miles and they are wearing excellently. Maybe halfway worn.
They seem comparable to the Michelin. I am unsure why CR did not test Michelin in their 2024 tests, but when they did in 2023 when I was last looking, and the Continental was a bit higher rated than the Michelin and why I decided to try them. It was a big surprise as the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 had been their top pick for years.
If it were me I would go Michelin Defender or Continental TerrainContact HT. Sorry the Cooper wasn't tested by CR. Digging into the tires that were not recommended, they seemed to be lower rated in wet braking, ice braking, noise, ride comfort, etc. Dry braking and handling seemed pretty similar among most tested tires.
Last edited:
That’s kinda what I have decided too.
I ran a set of Continentals years ago and they seemed hard. The truck I had them on would get crazy on wet pavement. That was in the early 2000’s so I’m sure they have improved. I read an earlier post talking about the braking test was done with locked brakes. Kinda hard to do that now since everything has ABS. I’m leaning toward the Michelins slightly because they are available in the alternate size I’ve been wanting.
I also was looking at the Generals. I wore out one pickup running pull off General tires. Only brand it ever had on it but it was a half ton and mostly empty highway miles. But they are also not available in a 295-18. I’m also not real sure about the 295s. Taller sidewall that may make it squirm a little more loaded but raising the air pressure should take care of that. Thanks for the reply
Last edited:
I wouldn't change the size. Costco has these Michelins I plugged in Baton Rouge for total price out the door minus sales tax.
I put Cooper AT3 XLT on my 24 Ram 2500 and so far I am pleased with them. They’re quiet and have performed well in both wet weather and snow. I have the 20’s though but I did go to 295/60/20 over the stock 285/60/20.
That’s a good price but we don’t have a CostCo around here so I’m not a member. We do have a Sams though and I’m pretty sure the price would be close. Thanks
Yeah I’m trying to fill up some of that empty fender well with the 295’s.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Then stick with an an all season, not an A/T all terrain. In the CR ratings all the A/T truck tires had lower ratings for ride and noise as a group.
Last edited:
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
There is no free lunch....if you are focused on ride and noise then here are some ratings (1-5 with 5 being best)
Continental 3/5 (3 for ride, 4 for noise)
General Grabber 3/4
Vredestein 4/4
Firestone LE3 5/4 (it's listed #4 of the four top rated all season truck tires) It has a 60k mile tread wear estimate by CR...lower than the Conti, but better than the General and Vredestein.
If you want to see all the finer details of each tires, sorry you will need to subscribe.
But you will find all of them have trade offs. These top 4 have the best balance overall.
Continental 3/5 (3 for ride, 4 for noise)
General Grabber 3/4
Vredestein 4/4
Firestone LE3 5/4 (it's listed #4 of the four top rated all season truck tires) It has a 60k mile tread wear estimate by CR...lower than the Conti, but better than the General and Vredestein.
If you want to see all the finer details of each tires, sorry you will need to subscribe.
But you will find all of them have trade offs. These top 4 have the best balance overall.
Last edited:
I have even thought about going back with the Firestones with the way they are wearing on the truck. 19,5xx miles and still have 9-10 32nds all the way across the tire. I do rotate them every 6k miles or so.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
The Continentals and Michelins have always had the highest mileage ratings on CR. The Conti at 80k and Michelin around 70 or 75k. And you can get pretty close to that...I usually swap them out before I hit the wear bars, as it is pretty wet around here in fall/winter.
Thanks for all of the help. Ride and treadwear are the main concerns. I can handle a little noise as long as it’s not loud enough I can’t hear the truck running. I haven’t seen the Vredestein.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
My ‘21 came with the same size Mich LTXs as your OEM size. At 35k miles now with over 25k towing a 6500 lb TT and they’re at 8/32s, new was 14/32s. They’ve been fine got nothing good or bad to say. The truck is garaged so they haven’t started weather checking yet. They’ll get replaced next year not sure with what.
I rotate every 10k and can say they're quiet.
I rotate every 10k and can say they're quiet.
Last edited:
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Vredestein and General were lower rated on treadwear...around 50k. Again, Continental and Michelin had the highest of the two models I listed above. 80k for Conti and around 70/75k for Michelin.
I’m hoping to get to finish wearing mine out this year towing. We didn’t get to make but one trip last year, about 2400 miles. The Firestone HTs did a lot better on my 22’ than the ATs did on my 18’. They were wore out at 28k miles same duty cycle. The Michelins keep checking the right boxes.