Are D or E rated tires really necessary for towing?

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bldn10

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I am about to buy a 1500# 18' aluminum open trailer and I will be towing a 3000# car on it w/ my '02 5.3 Tahoe 2WD. I know that load range D or E tires are preferable but how much so? Years ago I towed a 2500# car on a 2000# trailer w/ a '95 Tahoe w/ regular highway LT tires and lived to tell of it. So, can I not get by w/, say, Firestone Destination LEs or the like?
 

ISU-152

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We run E's but havnt towed much other then a boat in 2 years. Ride quality suffers is about all I can say
 

YukonXL04

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What load are your tires rated at? Mine are LT tires but rated at 2700 lbs each... so that's 5400lbs on the rear axle... most factory hitches are only rated for 500 lbs or so of tounge weight so I'm good.

I tow 2000-4000 lbs all the time with mine.
 
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bldn10

bldn10

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I'm shopping for tires, that's why I'm asking. Firestone Destination LE2s are 114T or 2601 pounds.
 

YukonXL04

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Well do you think you will exceed 10,400 lbs? Or 5200 on the rear axle? I doubt it.

You should be fine. Usually E tires are more for trucks where the bed will be loaded heavily or towing gooseneck trailers.
 

jodster1073

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I have a 2008 Suburban that I tow a 30' TT that weights about 5200lbs loaded. I put new yokohama tires on early last year that were rated for 2600lbs at 50psi. After one camping season I'm now looking for a good E rated tire. With having the extra weight of the Suburban the sidewalls on the tires was too soft in the turns and too much float.

Just something to think about.
 
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bldn10

bldn10

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I found a set of nearly new Goodyear LT Fortitudes on '14 Silverado 17" rims on CL and went w/ them. Look much better than the Tahoe stock 16s. Does anyone know what the pressures should be?

Just drove from Memphis to Sebring, FL and back and I am like a proud poppa over how the Tahoe performed.
 

YukonXL04

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I found a set of nearly new Goodyear LT Fortitudes on '14 Silverado 17" rims on CL and went w/ them. Look much better than the Tahoe stock 16s. Does anyone know what the pressures should be?

Just drove from Memphis to Sebring, FL and back and I am like a proud poppa over how the Tahoe performed.

Look at the side of the tire. It will tell you what the pressure should be. But usually 30-35 psi is normal.
 

David Paul

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The pressure listed on the side of the tire is usually the max psi for the tire. Same tire is used on many different vehicles. GM has determined what pressure works best with our vehicles. I'd start with the pressure listed on the drivers door jamb then adjust it from there. When I went to 20" wheels from 17's I ended up about 2psi less then listed for the ride I was looking for.
 

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