SL or load range e?

Grandaughter is driving a 2021 trd off road.
I'm shopping for tires. Our area has narrow and sloping shoulders and I don't need any flats.
I'm looking at load range E tires .... Falken wild peak a/t4w and bf goodrich KO 3's
Any experience or suggestions? And I'm upsizing from 265/70/16 to 265/75/16

 

SL, unless you really love paying for gasoline.

 

Agreed. SL

I’ve run 80k on them commuting, towing, and rocky AZ off-roading. No issues.

 

SLs. They work on or off road, including aired down.

No need for LTs unless you are limited by a specific tire that you want.

 

SL for me.

 

So 265/75/16 will fit on stock 2023 model ? If I get E rated will that stop most of the tire flex Im getting from the stock SL rated tires?

 

I'm going to add to my comment: SLs are safer.

Take any model tire that's offered in both SL and LT-E. The SL will have better stopping distance on both dry and wet pavement due to being able to run a different rubber composition.

If you are shopping for a kid, SL's all the way

 

Can be a very subjective topic. Some swear by them whereas others don't care. I run SL too. Take my chances with punctures while light off roading.

 

$102 Viair 88p Portable Compressor Kit (12V, 120 Psi, Forup to 33" Tires)

Viair 88p air pump that connects to battery because it draws too much power for a lighter-plug. Viair makes bigger models but you may not need bigger than 88p. Tire plug kit if the spare is not enough to get you out.

No tire is guaranteed to last through all conditions.

 

SL.

I've run my tame SL-rated, stock P265/70/R16 size Yokohama Geolandar AT G015's pretty hard on rocky forest roads at 30-70 mph (yeah, 70mph on a forest road) for 60-70 miles, heavily loaded (1000 lbs in cargo/accessores,) in summer temps of 90-95º ambient, without any issues. No flats, not even any chunks missing from the treads.

 

Maybe a little, but they'll ruin the ride in other ways. Less flex means they are stiffer over bumps and potholes. And you have to run a bit higher pressure (usually around 36-38 PSI, but you'd have to check a load table) in E rated tires to maintain the same load capacity as SL tires at the factory recommended pressure, so that makes the ride even worse. And then they are heavy, so the shocks and suspension can't control the motion of the tires as well, leading to a harsh ride over bumps.

I used a set of SL rated Michelin LTX MS2 driving all over forest roads in Colorado, including plenty of sharp rocks and some moderate rock crawling. I lost a some small chunks of tread (a problem with the tread pattern not the overall strength of the tire), but I never got a flat.

 

I can see merit to either SL or LT. LTs will be tougher with a harder rubber that is designed for durability and toughness, not for braking and acceleration traction on the street. SLs are made of softer rubber that creates better traction making for a safer ride, but they wear out significantly quicker and are less resistant to damage by nails, rocks, etc. SLs will feel slightly better in acceleration due to lighter weight. Unless granddaughter is doing hard off-roading, SL is probably a better choice, and just accept replacing them more often as a trade off for safety and less weight.

I like C rated LTs as a middle ground, but they are of course very few and far between on 16” wheels, and they are really only less harsh, but they still have all the poor traction downsides of E’s because they use the same harder rubber, just less thick sidewalls typically.

 

SL here.

 

C

 

I ran SL Falkens for a little. Like 1 mile down a rocky fire road, I blew a hole in the thread lol. Ever since then, I will not go back to SLs. Who knows what punctured it but...made me lose all confidence in SLs. I've now been running C and current E-rated tires. No issues! MPG change from C to E was unnoticeable.

 

Are load range C really built any different than SL tires? Depending on the tire the weight is often similar, as is the load rating. It sounds like the rubber compound is different.

 

Typically, SL all terrains are 13/32" tread and LT are 16/32" tread. That is the general standard most tires follow. Some go with a bit more or a bit less. A C rated tire is an LT so it will have the deeper tread that LTs typically have, and it will be made of the same rubber compound that any other LTs have such as the harder compound that wears more slowly (meant for heavy duty work) but also has the downsides of lesser traction. LT also has thicker sidewall ply ratings, such as 6-ply equivalent for C, 8-ply equivalent for D, 10-ply equivalent for E while SL is a 4-ply equivalent. LT does have a B rating as well that was a 4-ply equivalent, but B rated tires pretty much don't exist anymore. On the sidewall, B rated was probably about on par with an SL in terms of sidewall strength and puncture resistance.

In other words, while C is not that much heavier than SL, it will be a tougher tire simply from being in the LT category, but it will also have the downsides that other LTs have. Still have to weigh the pros and cons to decide.

 

SL tires are already rated higher than the truck is capable of, and they flex better under the limited weight of a mid sized truck. Meaning you get better traction and deformation than heavier E rated tires, and a smoother ride. In order to get the equivalent deformation from a E rated tire on a tacoma, you need to run ridiculously low pressure in your tires, which also lowers their load capacity. They also increase rolling resistance due to being a heavier tire, which means it takes more effort to rotate in addition to stopping. Also consider how the tires will wear without the appropriate amount of weight on top them.

Tougher isn't always better as there are a lot of factors to consider, and I don't see a logical reason to ever put E or even C tires on a tacoma or any mid sized truck. But that's my opinion, while some people put E tires on their tacomas and like em. Depending on tire size and brand selection you may not even have much of a choice. It's just one of them rabbit holes that I think you're better off taking a step back and looking at the big picture instead of narrowing in on the tire toughness in a vacuum.

 

On a Tacoma SL is fine unless you spend a LOT of time off road or on unimproved forest service type roads. If I were going to an LT tire, go all the way to an E rated tire. A "C" or "D" rated LT tire just costs more than an SL and doesn't offer any real advantage. I've used both E and SL tires on my Tacoma as well as many 1/2 ton trucks over the last 50 years. I've lost count of the number of flats I've had with SL tires and I've had 2 SL tires damaged to the point they couldn't be repaired. I can't recall ever having a flat with an E rated tire. They are tougher.

E rated tires do cost more, but if you factor in the cost of replacing a damaged SL tire before you wear them out the cost is about even. E rated tires will ride a little stiffer, on a Tacoma but a lot of people overinflate them. Get the air pressure right and it does help, they will ride stiff, it's just not as bad. On a 1/2 ton, E rated tires don't significantly change the ride. Since they are heavier it will have an effect on acceleration. You'll be a little slower pulling away from lights and merging onto roads.

As long as you stay with the same size and with a similar tread pattern there is no difference in fuel mileage. I've been doing this too long and had both types on too many trucks. My fuel mileage has never changed. It does take a little longer to get up to speed, but once at cruising speed it takes no more power or fuel to maintain that speed.

Taller tires, wider tires, and tires with aggressive tread reduce fuel mileage. Those tires will be a lot heavier than a standard size tire with an AT tread. Those types of tires are usually only offered in E ratings. But it isn't the weight that's making the difference.