P-metric "truck/SUV" tires on pass. car

[Stu_Rock]

This week I was looking at buying an older car that takes big 28 inch tires on 15 inch wheels. These days, almost everything that size is marketed as a "light truck" tire, even though the sizes are all P-metric (like P235/70R15 or P225/75R15). Sadly it looks like the deal won't happen, but I'm still curious what people do for applications like this.

Consider these tire models as examples of P-metric light truck tires:
1. The Goodyear Fortera SilentArmor, categorized by Tire Rack as an "all season highway light truck" tire.
2. The BFG Long Trail T/A Tour, categorized by TR as an "all season crossover/SUV" tire.

Would you run tires like those on a big, old passenger car?

Or is it better to stick with one of the low-tech "living fossils" that remain from that era (Cooper Cobra, for example)? If so, what about when those finally disappear from the market?

I am not looking for comments about the specific tire models I mentioned--I just gave them as examples.

 

[Silk]

I fitted Hankook Dynamic RH03 tyres to a 1973 Mercury Marquis I used to look after - they are SUV tyres,but worked great on the big car.

 

[JXW]

Passenger tires are the best fit because the tires were made to handle car like loads whereas the SUV tires have a stiffer sidewall and different build traits more suitable for truck like loads.

My wife independently elected to purchase Michelin ATX2 tires for her 2006 Honda Pilot and although the tread is awesome in water at speed and snow the sidewalls make the ride in the Pilot "Jarring".

Vehicle development engineers go to great lengths to set up the suspension (Struts, tires, bushings, springs etc.) to acheive best possible ride.

 

[FL_Rob]

Regular pass-car tireswork fine a p235/70/15 is about 28in.,and can be had as Bridgestone Insignia's.Theres also the tried and true Firestone Indy 500,BFgoodrichT/A to name a few,There passenger tire apps all over ,but with so many suv drivers,avail is tough sometimes.

 

[Stu_Rock]

The downside on PC tires that size is that they aren't modern designs. For example, the carcass usually doesn't include a nylon overlay and the treads don't use newer materials.

On the other hand, SUV tires sometimes do have those features.

JXW, thanks for your comment. The ride quality is something I wonder about. On an old domestic car, the rest of the suspension is pretty compliant. I wonder if the extra stiffness might be an improvement.

Maybe it would still be too stiff. That said, there are definitely SUV tires designed with ride quality in mind. I wonder if one of those models would work well. The car I had in mind weighs about 4600 lb and did originally have radial tires.

Others: keep the responses coming. Please include the reasoning behind your thoughts (the why part of any question).

 

[Silk]

The Hankook RH03 I mentioned is a soft compliant tyre,although marketed here as a 4x4 tyre,it's not a good mud tyre,but gets good grip at low pressures like a motorcycle trials tyre.It was a good match for the big wallowy Yank Tank.

 

[Stu_Rock]

It just occurred to me that I actually own one of those tires--here they're called DynaPro RH03. It's the non-matching spare tire on my van and it has never touched pavement! LT235/75R15 size. Ford uses them (in a different size) as the OE tire on F-150s.

 

[Silk]

Oh,sorry my typo,they are Dynapro....I'm recovering from surgery,brains a fog.I have them on my Pajero too.