Tire recommendation for 1998 Ranger 2WD?

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The truck I’m working on needs new tires, I recommended to the owner to address it ASAP when I’m done. It’s an “extinct” size, 225/70R14. The owner has Big O close by and can drive to America’s Tire. I’ve recommended the General Altimax RT45. Any other good options not Chinesium in this size? The truck will be used around town to haul things around or head to the mountains.

And it it must boil down to Chinesium, any of them besides Milestar that are decent in the rain? Big O sells Sailun, Epic Tour and Crosswind, which I suspect are LingLong and distributed by TBC(who also owns Big O), America’s Tire sells WestLake and Nankang(Taiwan) the mom and pops sell god knows what.
 
From someone who also has 14" tires on an old Cougar. You are going to discover that there's a limited selection with a 14" tire. I settled for Uniroyal Tiger Paws at the time and they have performed well for me. I ordered them through a small tire dealer in town a couple years ago. I also bought a used rim ( four hole) and bought five tires so I could do five tire rotations and make them last longer. The four hole rim was harder to find than the tires.
 
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cooper cobra radials S U C K with a capital SUCK.

They are for classic cars to look good at a show IMO.
30 40 year old tire technology.
They were designed in the mid 80's

The general RT43 or RT45 both are probably the best 2 tires in that size.. which as you mentioned is extinct.

if you decide to go chinesium milestar is one of the better brands.
 
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The Hankooks atikovi listed.

Or, I'd get the General RT45's. It won't be some old Cooper Cobra that came out during the Clinton administration which might have been sitting in the rack for 6 years.
Actually, I put a set of Cooper Cobras on the '52 Chevy a few years back (P215/70-14). I bought them through Wal-Mart. They arrived quickly, and the tires were less than a year old. Probably will have better luck in getting fresher tires in getting them out of a large warehouse, with more inventory turnover, as these came from.

The Cooper Cobra would be one of the better choices that has been offered here.

Of all of the Asian choices that were mentioned, I'd lean towards Milestar, who does have a tire in this size. The shop that I frequent installs a lot of Milestars with few issues.
 
The only other name-brand options I can find for that size are the Cooper Cobra Radial GT and the Hankook Kinergy ST H735

The RT45 is probably the best choice for that size.
If you want to get spendy, BF Goodrich has the Radial T/A available in this size too, otherwise these two and the Generals are what I see the most of after a quick search as well.
 
If you want to get spendy, BF Goodrich has the Radial T/A available in this size too, otherwise these two and the Generals are what I see the most of after a quick search as well.

The Radial TA is an even older design than the Cooper Cobra, and like you said, more expensive.

IIRC, the Hankook is the only tire in the size to have both A ratings in the UTQG, while everything else is A/B. However, the RT45 is a popular tire.
 
Yikes, there isn’t even a Douglas Walmart US made tire in that size. What’s the next closest?

Whats the next closest size? 215/70-14?
 
The Radial TA is an even older design than the Cooper Cobra, and like you said, more expensive.

IIRC, the Hankook is the only tire in the size to have both A ratings in the UTQG, while everything else is A/B. However, the RT45 is a popular tire.
We install a lot of the RT45s and we really like them. For the most part they balance up really well and rarely need any road force adjustments; that would definitely be my pick.
 
looking at the site for my local Discount Tire (America's Tire).. of the options in that size... I'd go with either of the Generals...they list an RT43, and an RT45. $144/ea for both.
only thing cheaper (and the only other decent looking one) is a Hankook Kinergy ST H735 for $116

The Cobra's, T/A's, and even Milestar are all more expensive. then there's some Cokers for $340/ea.

had similar limited choices for my GF's car ('14 Mitsubishi Mirage) back in Nov. (165/65 R14)
ended up with some Khumo Solus TA31's for $71/ea. So far, so good, handled the winter weather we've had with no problems so far...

also, if you check with the counter jockey, Discount/America's has access to more than than their site shows, they might be able to find a good option.
 
My only question would be concerning the load range of these passenger tires and if the truck gets loaded heavy on a regular basis or not.
Ford installed Firestone FR680/FR480s on the 2WD Rangers of that era. Radial ATX/Wilderness ATs on the 4WD ones as OE - same as the 1995-2001 Explorer. I don’t see an extra load options, many compact pickups of that era got car tires on them. I’ve only seen “C” metric/LT tires on HD pickups and vans. Though, Toyota did call for a LT195/75R14 tire for certain earlier Tacomas and Costco even sold a Kirkland Signature LT tire in that size(those were simply rebranded Uniroyals).
 
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