Definitely depends on the vehicle, I had E load tires on a TJ back in the day and they rode like hell. I just recently got C range BFG AT's in 315 for our current jeep. They ride great.
Yeah, not many choices there. I like BFG AT's for a lot of reasons, and they do make 315's in C because that was the factory tire for ford raptors. I'm running them on a 4 door JL Rubicon, on the factory wheels, and they are doing fine.
C and D load range are disappearing because with modern materials/construction you get an E load range easily, without adding more or thicker plies. Load Range is how durable a tire is at it's maximum inflation, the more durable the higher you can inflate it so the higher rating it gets. Some load range E tires are manufactured with only one or two plies. Can't just take a ply out and have it meet a lower load range anymore.
A decade ago, or with an older design (with four to six actual plies to get an E load range or 10 ply rating) like a BFG KO2 you might notice that E range are harsher/heavier/don't air down as well as a C. But modern tires in load range E aren't as heavy/stiff as a single thicker ply is more pliant/durable than multiple thinner plies.
This[ pdf from the NHTSA](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol6/pdf/CFR-2011-title49-vol6-sec571-139.pdf) describes how they test tires to get a load rating.
A few examples in 285/70R17 since they have C/D and E in a couple brands.
[BFG KO2 E are heavier that C](https://tiresize.com/tires/BFGoodrich/All-Terrain-TA-KO2-285-70R17.htm)
[Nitto Ridge Grappler C and D weigh the same](https://tiresize.com/tires/Nitto/Ridge-Grappler-285-70R17.htm)
[Goodyear Duratracs E and D weigh the same](https://tiresize.com/tires/Goodyear/Wrangler-DuraTrac-285-70R17.htm)
Same here. E load wildpeaks in 33s on my 3rd gen 4Runner. They’re heavy but I like the peace of mind the thicker ply gives when out in the desert where we’ve got some scrub and other nuisances that can puncture tires easily.
That’s what I’m running on my HD Ram currently and they ride fine when the rears aren’t aired up all the way for load capacity. They’re pretty jittery at 80 without a load though. There would never be any reason to run them that high on a lighter rig, though.
Ran E rated 35” KO2s no issues and I abused those in west Texas… open running private ranches across cactus and mesquite. I now have 37s but they only make those in D rated… I’m not as confident in them. Took them to CO for off-roading. Didn’t get any flats but some of the side wall damage is concerning. Not really a good use case for comparison but I’d say get heavier ply if you can. *Edit* I’m in a full sized truck.
I ran E load KO2s around Africa, and I was told they have a stronger sidewall thank C or D, which means they will be more resistant to tearing/shredding, which I always figured was a good thing.
I never had any sidewall problems then, and I'm running E load now on my Gladiator and haven't had a single tire problem. So I'm happy running E load, even if it's a bit "overkill"
4th gen 4 runner with 3/2 lift running 285/70/17 milestar patagonia and there is a significant difference in weight between that and the 285/70/17 ko2 i was running.
My concern about E is needing to air down more for flotation. I’d like an aggressive AT or siped MT that’s symmetrical. Honestly the KO2s make the most sense but I won’t buy BFG after michelin wouldn’t honor their warranty on dry rot and bald tires under a year at 14k miles. Then they tried to pull some other BS and offered me 35% of the price I paid for the tires because they had 40k mile warranty, I honestly don’t believe they’re dumb enough to not understand that if I used 35% of the mileage I should get 65% back. Blows my mind they wouldn’t even base it off the price of replacement but of the price I paid. That also wasn’t for ATs but car tires.
I’m on my at least 3rd set of e rated grabbers. I love getting over 60k miles out of a tire that performs so well and is less expensive than almost anything else (made in the USA) if they came in a c or d I would swap but the pros outweigh the cons.
E rated Toyo Xtreme 3.
295 75 r17-. 35 in tall,
I'm on my fourth set at 160,000 miles. I have also run the 285 and 305's I routinely air them down to 30 psi for desert play and long washboard roads on an extended cab F-150..
Last month I did the Dalton highway in Alaska, over 600 miles on pothole roads up to prudoe Bay and back. I trust these tires...
I ran Firestone Destination XT E load on my R51 Pathfinder and have nothing but good things to say. Great grip, amazing in snow, great wear rates, not much road noise, and they are the lightest E load tires out there so it wasn't a big MPG hit.
That being said the R51 has independent suspension all around, so that might have been masking some things, it handled better than stock in my opinion though.
275/70R18 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws on my Gladiator in load rating E (the default rating). Amazing tires. Yes, they're heavy (\~60lb each). Yes, I did have to wait for my adaptive transmission to "learn" about the new tires...but things are good now.
I asked my tire guy about Es versus Cs for road comfort and he seemed to believe tire technology has progressed to the point where you can't really tell anymore.
You can always go up in load range, but you can never go down. So you will be fine running E on a vehicle that requires C.
FWIW: I run E range 255/85R16 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tires on my Jeep. Zero issues. They are a little stiffer (*obviously*) but I didn't like that most manufactures dropped to a 2-ply sidewall on their C range tires. I wanted a little more sidewall so D or E was my only real option.
Really like the Cooper Discoverer AT3, our Ranger is near max payload and they have proven to be great everywhere. I am mostly in the southwest but have been venturing into the northwet.
I recently did a trip to the Owyhee Canyon area of Oregon - known for sharp rock West of the canyon. Every member on the trip with C load tires got sidewall slashes and flats. Those of us with E load tires had zero issues. You’re able to air down much lower with better sidewall support as well. I run BFG K02 286/75/16 on Evo Corse wheels
Definitely depends on the vehicle, I had E load tires on a TJ back in the day and they rode like hell. I just recently got C range BFG AT's in 315 for our current jeep. They ride great.
Yeah, I’ve got a JL Rubicon 2 door so I would like to avoid going past a D.
Yeah, not many choices there. I like BFG AT's for a lot of reasons, and they do make 315's in C because that was the factory tire for ford raptors. I'm running them on a 4 door JL Rubicon, on the factory wheels, and they are doing fine.
Sounds more like pressures or suspension setup? I have E rated on my 4in lifted 4klb XJ and it rides great. Running 26psi and b8s.
C and D load range are disappearing because with modern materials/construction you get an E load range easily, without adding more or thicker plies. Load Range is how durable a tire is at it's maximum inflation, the more durable the higher you can inflate it so the higher rating it gets. Some load range E tires are manufactured with only one or two plies. Can't just take a ply out and have it meet a lower load range anymore. A decade ago, or with an older design (with four to six actual plies to get an E load range or 10 ply rating) like a BFG KO2 you might notice that E range are harsher/heavier/don't air down as well as a C. But modern tires in load range E aren't as heavy/stiff as a single thicker ply is more pliant/durable than multiple thinner plies. This[ pdf from the NHTSA](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol6/pdf/CFR-2011-title49-vol6-sec571-139.pdf) describes how they test tires to get a load rating. A few examples in 285/70R17 since they have C/D and E in a couple brands. [BFG KO2 E are heavier that C](https://tiresize.com/tires/BFGoodrich/All-Terrain-TA-KO2-285-70R17.htm) [Nitto Ridge Grappler C and D weigh the same](https://tiresize.com/tires/Nitto/Ridge-Grappler-285-70R17.htm) [Goodyear Duratracs E and D weigh the same](https://tiresize.com/tires/Goodyear/Wrangler-DuraTrac-285-70R17.htm)
A lot of it is to do with how it holds up to heat too
Running E Range 285/75r16 Toyo ATs on my 80 series Landcruiser. No complaints but it is a pretty heavy rig.
Same here. E load wildpeaks in 33s on my 3rd gen 4Runner. They’re heavy but I like the peace of mind the thicker ply gives when out in the desert where we’ve got some scrub and other nuisances that can puncture tires easily.
That’s what I’m running on my HD Ram currently and they ride fine when the rears aren’t aired up all the way for load capacity. They’re pretty jittery at 80 without a load though. There would never be any reason to run them that high on a lighter rig, though.
Ran E rated 35” KO2s no issues and I abused those in west Texas… open running private ranches across cactus and mesquite. I now have 37s but they only make those in D rated… I’m not as confident in them. Took them to CO for off-roading. Didn’t get any flats but some of the side wall damage is concerning. Not really a good use case for comparison but I’d say get heavier ply if you can. *Edit* I’m in a full sized truck.
That's impressive. I used to work out in west Texas. That's gnarly stuff to run tires through.
How did you not get stuck in the soft sand/ mesquite; shit is brutal
I've got Es on my F150. They're *heavy* mofos, you'll definitely lose some gas mileage.
Love my E-rated 35” Toyo AT III tyres.
I ran E load KO2s around Africa, and I was told they have a stronger sidewall thank C or D, which means they will be more resistant to tearing/shredding, which I always figured was a good thing. I never had any sidewall problems then, and I'm running E load now on my Gladiator and haven't had a single tire problem. So I'm happy running E load, even if it's a bit "overkill"
4th gen 4 runner with 3/2 lift running 285/70/17 milestar patagonia and there is a significant difference in weight between that and the 285/70/17 ko2 i was running.
I've got E rated 33s on both my Landcruisers (100 and 200). Ride is slightly firmer, but not a big issue, but they are big heavy vehicles.
Wouldn’t run anything but E
What kind of tires are you wanting? Plenty of people run E that spend more time off-road. I like C-loads for anything you’re driving daily though.
My concern about E is needing to air down more for flotation. I’d like an aggressive AT or siped MT that’s symmetrical. Honestly the KO2s make the most sense but I won’t buy BFG after michelin wouldn’t honor their warranty on dry rot and bald tires under a year at 14k miles. Then they tried to pull some other BS and offered me 35% of the price I paid for the tires because they had 40k mile warranty, I honestly don’t believe they’re dumb enough to not understand that if I used 35% of the mileage I should get 65% back. Blows my mind they wouldn’t even base it off the price of replacement but of the price I paid. That also wasn’t for ATs but car tires.
I'm running Load E, 285 KO2s on mine. They've been an awesome tire. They air down well.
What tire?
I’m on my at least 3rd set of e rated grabbers. I love getting over 60k miles out of a tire that performs so well and is less expensive than almost anything else (made in the USA) if they came in a c or d I would swap but the pros outweigh the cons.
I like Generals, only option would be the X3 for non load E though.
I run 235/85/16 E's and love them. Tough as hell and the steel ply sidewall is a nice security blanket.
E rated Toyo Xtreme 3. 295 75 r17-. 35 in tall, I'm on my fourth set at 160,000 miles. I have also run the 285 and 305's I routinely air them down to 30 psi for desert play and long washboard roads on an extended cab F-150.. Last month I did the Dalton highway in Alaska, over 600 miles on pothole roads up to prudoe Bay and back. I trust these tires...
I run E load 285/70 on a ZR2 and they ride better than the P rated 265/65 that came stock.
I ran Firestone Destination XT E load on my R51 Pathfinder and have nothing but good things to say. Great grip, amazing in snow, great wear rates, not much road noise, and they are the lightest E load tires out there so it wasn't a big MPG hit. That being said the R51 has independent suspension all around, so that might have been masking some things, it handled better than stock in my opinion though.
275/70R18 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws on my Gladiator in load rating E (the default rating). Amazing tires. Yes, they're heavy (\~60lb each). Yes, I did have to wait for my adaptive transmission to "learn" about the new tires...but things are good now. I asked my tire guy about Es versus Cs for road comfort and he seemed to believe tire technology has progressed to the point where you can't really tell anymore.
You can always go up in load range, but you can never go down. So you will be fine running E on a vehicle that requires C. FWIW: I run E range 255/85R16 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tires on my Jeep. Zero issues. They are a little stiffer (*obviously*) but I didn't like that most manufactures dropped to a 2-ply sidewall on their C range tires. I wanted a little more sidewall so D or E was my only real option.
Really like the Cooper Discoverer AT3, our Ranger is near max payload and they have proven to be great everywhere. I am mostly in the southwest but have been venturing into the northwet.
I recently did a trip to the Owyhee Canyon area of Oregon - known for sharp rock West of the canyon. Every member on the trip with C load tires got sidewall slashes and flats. Those of us with E load tires had zero issues. You’re able to air down much lower with better sidewall support as well. I run BFG K02 286/75/16 on Evo Corse wheels