Originally Posted By: aztec12
Looking to replace the tires that came with the new bought 2006 Durango.
It came with good year rsa. They only lasted30k. (24575r17)
Just want something different any opinions?
Couple quick points before I recommend any tires...
I. Your OE tire size should be
P245/70R-17 not P245/75R-17. It actually matters so make sure what is on there. Dodge did not issue P245/75R-17's on any 2006 Durango's( 2WD or 4WD )so if that is what came on it it was done at the dealership. It is important to know the actual tire size you need as not all tire lines/models have tires we might recommend in a given size.
II. The OE tires( you said you were running the OE's still )if in fact you had the P245/70R-17's as I believe you do would have been
Goodyear Wrangler SR-A tires not RS-A. The RS-A tires belong to the Goodyear Eagle passenger car series and would not have been issued on a Durango by Dodge. I actually don't even see a P245/75R-17 available in the RS-A series from Goodyear for a dealer to install themselves so I am sure you actually have the Wrangler SR-A tires.
Based on where you live( NC )severe winter weather is not a concern. Maybe some muddy dirt roads in the spring and fall, or a dirt boat launch or two, if you are an outdoorsman but winter weather shouldn't be an issue. As a result, unless you want an aggressive looking tire, an All Terrain(AT) is a bad choice for you. Another poster mentioned Bridgestone Dueler AT Revo's which are an EXCELLENT tire but they are overkill for you. Your MPG will suffer drastically with a more aggressive AT tire( easily 1 MPG+ )and AT's run as much as $100+ p/tire more than similar sized All Season(AS) tires. IMO unless you have some off road style use we are not hearing about go with an AS.
Here are some AS tires that I have personal experience with on full size trucks and SUV's. All of them actually perform very well in winter weather as well( live in NH and you WILL see blizzards almost weekly during winter
)so if you travel North in the winter you are covered. All of these tires provide exceptional rides and wear very well. Some are pricey and some more affordable. My list below will be how I would buy them based on performance and cost factored together...
1 -
Firestone Destination LE. Not only are these very affordable but they flat out are amazing tires. They take a back seat in performance to no other tire really but are on the low end price wise. I highly recommend this tire to you. I am on my 3rd set right now( 2007 4WD Chevy Silverado, 2008 AWD Chevy Equinox OE tire, 2008 4WD Dodge Ram )and LOVE them. On the 07 Silverado and 08 Ram the OE issue Goodyear junk tires came off ASAP to be replaced with the LE's.
Amazing AS tire in the snow and the ride is really good. They wear like iron! GREAT tire. They get 2
IMO. As long as you rotate the tires properly and run the correct PSI these will last you at least 50-60K which is great for a truck/SUV class tire.
2 -
Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza. Very similar to the LE's performance wise although probably a better tire overall. IMO the LE does better in snow due to a slightly more aggressive tread pattern than the Alenza but in the other areas the Alenza is marginally better. The one draw back is these are not cheap tires by any stretch. They are a more expensive tire. They should last you 60K+ with proper care.
3 -
Michelin LTX M/S. These tires are a time tested and proven top of the line truck/SUV class AS tire. I actually like #1 and #2 above better but these are still very good tires. These tires came OE issue on my 03 and 04 Dodge Ram's, in the same P245/70R-17 size, and they really performed well. Unfortunately, it appears Michelin has done away with this size in this model and replaced it with the LTX A/S. I have no experience with the A/S but if you can find the M/S series in your size on closeout or something they are a very good tire. 60K+ tire like the Alenza. Ride is not as good( more stiff )but a very good tire. They are very pricey though, traditionally, running well over $200 p/tire. The high replacement/purchase cost is what lead me to try the other 2 listed above. In doing so I discovered I liked them better plus they were a LOT cheaper.
4 -
General Grabber HTS. Compared to the other tires listed here this is a new(er) AS tire on the market. It is still a bit early to know if these will stand the test of time as the others above have and prove again and again to be reliable and long lived? However, initial indications are they will. My Brother-in-Law needed some tires for his 2WD Chevy Coloroda last year and a local tire store had these on sale. Had him try them out and so far they have done really well even in the snow. They are wearing exceptionally well too. Very affordable tires.
5 -
Mastercraft Courser HTR. Made/owned by Cooper and sold as a more affordable line. Don't be fooled by that though as they offer some great truck/SUV class tires. Not quite up to the performance of those listed above but still a very good option for you. I would say not to expect more than 40-50K out of them and expect to pay about the same or slightly less than the LE's or HTS tires which are the cheapest in the list above.
Hope this helps you out. The only other piece of advice I can give is to avoid any Goodyear( Goodforayear/Junkyear )tire like you would avoid a letter contaminated with Anthrax. While they do have 1 or 2
"DECENT"( not good, great, amazing, etc... = DECENT )tires the overwhelming vast majority are JUNK! Especially their OE issues lines. If you do get a decent tire like the Fortera SilentArmor or TripleTred the price is so ridiculously high it is not worth it. There isn't an AS tire made by Goodyear that can outperform the top 2-3 tires in this list which can be had for a fraction of the cost. Actually, most of these tires will kick any Goodyear AT tire's rear end as well( at least the OE issues ones I suffered with ).
Disclamier - Not only am I a client but I am the President of the "I hate Goodyear tires" club.