For a typical half ton pickup, not carrying a load and driven like a commuter car 99.5% of the time, are LT tires preferable to passenger tires? Or are the passengers better, considering ride quality, tread life, etc.?
To "LT", or to not "LT" on a half ton pickup?
- Thread starter gfh77665
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This is an easy one, and this topic has already been beaten to death. So, let's discuss it yet again...
1/2 ton pickups do not need LT tires.
I use my 1/2 ton truck to build houses, pull a 26' camper, 2 jet skis on a tandem trailer, and I don't have LT tires on it.
1/2 ton pickups do not need LT tires.
I use my 1/2 ton truck to build houses, pull a 26' camper, 2 jet skis on a tandem trailer, and I don't have LT tires on it.
Didn't mean to beat anything to death...
I looked back through the most recent 10 pages in the tires forum, and did not see any specifically addressing this. Maybe some discussion is embedded in a few of the threads, but I am not sure.
YES, I know 1/2 tons don't "need" LT tires, but that wasn't the question. I know all things are a trade off, so LT's and non-LT's both have advantages and disadvantages. My question was "overall", whats the better choice, all things considered.
I looked back through the most recent 10 pages in the tires forum, and did not see any specifically addressing this. Maybe some discussion is embedded in a few of the threads, but I am not sure.
YES, I know 1/2 tons don't "need" LT tires, but that wasn't the question. I know all things are a trade off, so LT's and non-LT's both have advantages and disadvantages. My question was "overall", whats the better choice, all things considered.
That's another topic on which people have strong feelings.
General concensus here is do not put truck tires on your 1/2 ton Truck.
General concensus here is do not put truck tires on your 1/2 ton Truck.
JHZR2
Staff member
I run LT tires on my S-10.
31x10.5R15
31x10.5R15
The funny thing is today's half too pickups are rated for as much as older 1 tons.
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
Many places won't put p tires on a truck
My 2014 RAM 2wd 1/2 ton came with P275/60x20's from factory.
I moved up to 10ply LT's after getting 6 punctures on my light duty tires. I lost 1.5 mpg and have a rougher ride but no more puntures! I do a lot of off roading. If you stick to the pavement the P metrics are fine.
WiskyBadger
Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Many places won't put p tires on a truck
Most 1/2 tons come with p tires from the factory. What are you talking about?
Yea that statement makes no sense. Almost all half tons come with P metric tires.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Many places won't put p tires on a truck
Most 1/2 tons come with p tires from the factory. What are you talking about?
Yea that statement makes no sense. Almost all half tons come with P metric tires.
WiskyBadger
Site Donor 2025
If your driving your truck like a car P metric tires are plenty fine. If you were using it as a work truck Id say go with LT's. They would be better suited for off road, construction sites, or continous heavier loads. I have run Lts on a half ton before, it rode worse and got less gas mileage. My truck currently has p metric tires and tows and hauls just fine. I just towed 4,000 lbs 5 1/2 hours north and back no problem. I even had to use 4x4 a little bit on snow covered roads.
I decided to stay with P rated tires when I realized they will serve fine up to my axle weight capacities.
Originally Posted By: buck91
I decided to stay with P rated tires when I realized they will serve fine up to my axle weight capacities.
I went through this as well, i ended up staying with p metrics.
If i don't go over my tow ratings, the p metrics will be within what the truck was designed to do.
I decided to stay with P rated tires when I realized they will serve fine up to my axle weight capacities.
I went through this as well, i ended up staying with p metrics.
If i don't go over my tow ratings, the p metrics will be within what the truck was designed to do.
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I stuck with p-metrics on my half-ton. I knew I'd never spend that much time towing at the max.
And if I did, then I'd buy another set of rims and run LT's on those. Flip the p-metrics if I felt like it.
But risk-adverse OEM's wouldn't allow p-metric if they thought they could be held liable for it.
And if I did, then I'd buy another set of rims and run LT's on those. Flip the p-metrics if I felt like it.
But risk-adverse OEM's wouldn't allow p-metric if they thought they could be held liable for it.
Originally Posted By: panther427
The funny thing is today's half too pickups are rated for as much as older 1 tons.
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
The "max tow" package on the F150s can tow more than my Dad's 2001 F350
The funny thing is today's half too pickups are rated for as much as older 1 tons.
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
The "max tow" package on the F150s can tow more than my Dad's 2001 F350
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: panther427
The funny thing is today's half too pickups are rated for as much as older 1 tons.
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
The "max tow" package on the F150s can tow more than my Dad's 2001 F350
Yup, times have changed. Today's 1/2 tons are rated pretty high but modern HD 3/4 and 1 tons are rated much much more.
Originally Posted By: panther427
The funny thing is today's half too pickups are rated for as much as older 1 tons.
If it was my pickup and I used it more for towing and hauling heavy loads I would buy the LT tires.
If I pulled a little pop up or a couple 4 wheelers every so often I would run the P tires. Look at your current tires and there load rating. See if its sufficient for your needs. I know plenty of people who just run the passenger tires. But to me the tires are the most important thing on your vehicle. They effect the ride handling. Acceleration and braking of your vehicle
The "max tow" package on the F150s can tow more than my Dad's 2001 F350
Yup, times have changed. Today's 1/2 tons are rated pretty high but modern HD 3/4 and 1 tons are rated much much more.
I own two 1-ton GM dually's that I use for towing but I decided to put LT's on my 1/2 ton Dodge and I'm happier. Why? Even though I got the Dodge because it is my road truck and it rides great, I do have to take it on a lot of dirt/desert roads and two tracks and I'm always worried about flats. Never had them, but always worried about it. I lost a little bit of the soft ride but it feels more like a truck and still rides great. It doesn't feel "squishy" anymore.
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