Recomend tires for a 2006 dodge Durango

[Jimmy9190]

$530.00 out the door is a really good price on 245/70 17's. My Destination LE's were $422.00 out the door with road hazard and lifetime rotation and balance policies. But mine are a smaller tire, 235/75R15. See if you can get them to throw in road hazard and rotation/balance and you have yourself a great deal there. I have no had any problems at all with mine. It's a great tire for the money. It's a great-looking tire too, get the white letters to the outside. It looks good that way on Dodges.

 

[Hermann]

Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
Originally Posted By: Hermann

Destination LEs, they are a really good tire.



HMMM. I have never seen a MPG hit with them. I guess if you are going from another All Season tire with a very weak tread pattern( let's use the Goodyear Wrangler ST as an example )to the more aggressive LE's it might hit you some. I have always gone from All Terrains to the LE's so my MPG has gone up 1 MPG+.

Another possibility is the tires you replaced were so worn that going to the new LE's with some tread actually brought the MPG back to what it was originally. I have seen that. Any change in tire PSI?

Never had a sidewall issue with mine to this point anyway.


They did repalce a set of Continental OEM tires. They cupped so badly and made so much noise that we ditched them at 40K, and 7/32" tread remaining. WE reset the Mariners mileage monitor at every oil change. We always averaged 18.4 to 18.6 MPG with the old tires. The oil was changed four days before the tires went on and within 300 miles the mileage monitor dropped to 17.3 to 17.5 MPG, and has held steady. If they last 40K and gas is say $3.00 average, we will use a extra 130 gallons of fuel over their life. The extra fuel will cost about $400. Not insignificant IMO. We rotate every 5K and 32PSI all around, same as before.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Hermann


They did repalce a set of Continental OEM tires. They cupped so badly and made so much noise that we ditched them at 40K, and 7/32" tread remaining. WE reset the Mariners mileage monitor at every oil change. We always averaged 18.4 to 18.6 MPG with the old tires. The oil was changed four days before the tires went on and within 300 miles the mileage monitor dropped to 17.3 to 17.5 MPG, and has held steady. If they last 40K and gas is say $3.00 average, we will use a extra 130 gallons of fuel over their life. The extra fuel will cost about $400. Not insignificant IMO. We rotate every 5K and 32PSI all around, same as before.


The LE's I have noticed, in many tire sizes, can actually run at a higher PSI than other brand models of that same size. What size tires are on the vehicle? If you tell me the size I can check to see what PSI they are rated at. If you can safely bump it up a bit you can get that 1 MPG, or part of it anyway, back.

Also, what is the year and drivetrain( ie; 2WD/FWD or 4WD )of the Mariner? What size tires are we talking here? I would like to check the tread pattern of the OE tires and compare it to the LE's. That can be your difference right there. If it is tread related, as the LE's wear, some of that lost MPG will/should return.

EDIT - I actually did some research and it looks like from the 1st model year of the Mariner( 05 )through present that the standard tire size is 235/70R-16( one other optional size in a few later model years )and the OE tire has been one of 2 from Continental. Either the ContiTrac or the ContiTrac EcoPlus( Hybrids ).

The LE is definitely a more aggressive tread pattern than either of those OE tires. The Continentals have more of a mild passenger car tread pattern whereas the LE is quite an aggressive pattern( for an All Season tire anyway ). Definitely, if you had either of these tires and they were 1/2 worn+ you will see a MPG drop going to new LE's just based on the more aggressive tread.

Also, the max PSI for the Continentals( assuming you have the 235/70R-16's ) is 44 PSI Max. The LE's in that size have a 50 PSI max rating. You definitely can bump the PSI a little to not only help MPG but you will get a little better ride. 32 PSI( I assume you mean cold )is kind of low for the LE's. I have had to bump the PSI on my LE's for the best ride and fuel economy on every vehicle I have run them on. They like to run at a higher inflation rate.

Also, I noticed the Continental Conti-Trac tires weigh 32lbs each, and the EcoPlus tires weigh only 31lbs, compared to the LE's wich weigh 35lbs each. Now 3-4lbs p/tire may not sound like much but it has to do with rolling mass weight. Had it explained to me once but unfortunately I was never good with math so it didn't stick. But every llbs of actualy weight is increased when figured into the rolling mass weight. In other words to get that exttra weight going is like hauling many times it's weight in the trunk. Not going to add a lot of weight but it isn't helping MPG that is for sure.

Compare the treads. I bet this is your main reason for MPG loss right here...

Continental Conti-Trac:

Continental Conti-Trac EcoPlus:

Firestone Destination LE:

 

[cos]

I had no MPG drop with my Destination LEs on my Ford Escape and they replaced a very mild tread patterned set of Generals. Of course I did run @35 PSI.

 

[Hermann]

Thanks NHHEMI for your efforts. Will try bumping to 35 or 36 PSI next time we stop at Quik Trip. Only place around with free air in our area.