16.5"Tires

P

peter brandt

New member
Dec 13, 1999
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Is anybody out there still using 16.5s?
4 of my tires have some pretty deep cracks in the sidewalls,
so I guess it's time to replace them. The budget does not allow the Alcoa
upgrade this time around, so I'm looking for 8.75x16.5s. Since I'm not
familiar with truck/RV tires I have a few questions.
What are the advantages of a 'Highway Rib' over a 'Highway Traction/All
Season' tire - I'll probably put no more than 5000
miles per year on the GMC so the tires will dryrot again before I wear them
out - I could use the extra traction of an All Season tire, though.
I'm planning on getting E Range tires - are there any safety concerns about
using a 'Steeel/Poly' tire like the Firestone R4SE or the Dunlop Radial
Rover A/T (E, rated at #2680 max load)?
Again, tire wear is not my main concern, I'm looking for traction & safety.
Any input is greatly appreciated!

Peter
77 Eleganza II
Colorado
 
Peter

First thing. Do you have radial wheels. If your wheels are stock, they
probably are (being 77's)
Second. You need the steel belted radials to take the stress that the GMC puts
on tires. Definately go with E range. Highway rib is what you need. Highway
traction is what I would put on the back of one of my straight trucks for the
winter. If you think you need the extra traction because of winter travel or
off road use, put the traction tires on the front, where the pulling is. Your
ride will probably not be as good, but this might need your needs. Before you
buy, check out the Goodyear G159's. I have had very good results using 16.5's
on my heavy race car trailer.

Wayne Newland F9300 75 Palm Beach Columbia, Md

> Is anybody out there still using 16.5s?
> 4 of my tires have some pretty deep cracks in the sidewalls,
> so I guess it's time to replace them. The budget does not allow the Alcoa
> upgrade this time around, so I'm looking for 8.75x16.5s. Since I'm not
> familiar with truck/RV tires I have a few questions.
> What are the advantages of a 'Highway Rib' over a 'Highway Traction/All
> Season' tire - I'll probably put no more than 5000
> miles per year on the GMC so the tires will dryrot again before I wear them
> out - I could use the extra traction of an All Season tire, though.
> I'm planning on getting E Range tires - are there any safety concerns about
> using a 'Steeel/Poly' tire like the Firestone R4SE or the Dunlop Radial
> Rover A/T (E, rated at #2680 max load)?
> Again, tire wear is not my main concern, I'm looking for traction & safety.
> Any input is greatly appreciated!
>
> Peter
> 77 Eleganza II
> Colorado
 
Wayne,
Thanks for your post.
The wheels are stock (=radial) and I have Michelin XPS Traction (no longer
available in 16.5") on the front wheels
and XPS Ribs on the rears. I'll check out the G159, if the tires have to be
all steel I guess the choice is between the Goodyears and the Michelins.
What confuses me is that the all steeel and the steel/poly tires have the
same load rating.

Peter
77 Eleganza II
Colorado

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Newland"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 6:34 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: 16.5"Tires

> Peter
>
> First thing. Do you have radial wheels. If your wheels are stock, they
> probably are (being 77's)
> Second. You need the steel belted radials to take the stress that the GMC
puts
> on tires. Definately go with E range. Highway rib is what you need.
Highway
> traction is what I would put on the back of one of my straight trucks for
the
> winter. If you think you need the extra traction because of winter travel
or
> off road use, put the traction tires on the front, where the pulling is.
Your
> ride will probably not be as good, but this might need your needs. Before
you
> buy, check out the Goodyear G159's. I have had very good results using
16.5's
> on my heavy race car trailer.
>
> Wayne Newland F9300 75 Palm Beach Columbia, Md
>

>
> > Is anybody out there still using 16.5s?
> > 4 of my tires have some pretty deep cracks in the sidewalls,
> > so I guess it's time to replace them. The budget does not allow the
Alcoa
> > upgrade this time around, so I'm looking for 8.75x16.5s. Since I'm not
> > familiar with truck/RV tires I have a few questions.
> > What are the advantages of a 'Highway Rib' over a 'Highway Traction/All
> > Season' tire - I'll probably put no more than 5000
> > miles per year on the GMC so the tires will dryrot again before I wear
them
> > out - I could use the extra traction of an All Season tire, though.
> > I'm planning on getting E Range tires - are there any safety concerns
about
> > using a 'Steeel/Poly' tire like the Firestone R4SE or the Dunlop Radial
> > Rover A/T (E, rated at #2680 max load)?
> > Again, tire wear is not my main concern, I'm looking for traction &
safety.
> > Any input is greatly appreciated!
> >
> > Peter
> > 77 Eleganza II
> > Colorado
>
>
>
>
 
Peter

Load rating is just one factor (that's the reason that I went with G159 235/85 -
16's when I switched to Alcoa's). The tires on the rear take a lot of stress on
the sidewalls - pull into a gas station, make a u-turn to get the driver's side
next to the pump and get out, take a look at the rear tires. We have all seen
this. We need all of the protection we can get, and the small difference in
price can mean a big difference in peace of mind on the road. I'm on the road a
lot, in a wide range of cars, trucks and the GMC. Tire failure is expensive.
It will sure screw up your day, your timetable and your pocketbook (plus your
attitude and maybe even your equipment and your body). I'm sorry, I didn't mean
to get carried away. I'm sticking with the Steel-belted radials (although I
will probably change out the fronts to 225/75 in the spring)

Wayne

> Wayne,
> Thanks for your post.
> The wheels are stock (=radial) and I have Michelin XPS Traction (no longer
> available in 16.5") on the front wheels
> and XPS Ribs on the rears. I'll check out the G159, if the tires have to be
> all steel I guess the choice is between the Goodyears and the Michelins.
> What confuses me is that the all steeel and the steel/poly tires have the
> same load rating.
>
> Peter
> 77 Eleganza II
> Colorado
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wayne Newland"
> To:
> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 6:34 PM
> Subject: Re: GMC: 16.5"Tires
>
> > Peter
> >
> > First thing. Do you have radial wheels. If your wheels are stock, they
> > probably are (being 77's)
> > Second. You need the steel belted radials to take the stress that the GMC
> puts
> > on tires. Definately go with E range. Highway rib is what you need.
> Highway
> > traction is what I would put on the back of one of my straight trucks for
> the
> > winter. If you think you need the extra traction because of winter travel
> or
> > off road use, put the traction tires on the front, where the pulling is.
> Your
> > ride will probably not be as good, but this might need your needs. Before
> you
> > buy, check out the Goodyear G159's. I have had very good results using
> 16.5's
> > on my heavy race car trailer.
> >
> > Wayne Newland F9300 75 Palm Beach Columbia, Md
> >

> >
> > > Is anybody out there still using 16.5s?
> > > 4 of my tires have some pretty deep cracks in the sidewalls,
> > > so I guess it's time to replace them. The budget does not allow the
> Alcoa
> > > upgrade this time around, so I'm looking for 8.75x16.5s. Since I'm not
> > > familiar with truck/RV tires I have a few questions.
> > > What are the advantages of a 'Highway Rib' over a 'Highway Traction/All
> > > Season' tire - I'll probably put no more than 5000
> > > miles per year on the GMC so the tires will dryrot again before I wear
> them
> > > out - I could use the extra traction of an All Season tire, though.
> > > I'm planning on getting E Range tires - are there any safety concerns
> about
> > > using a 'Steeel/Poly' tire like the Firestone R4SE or the Dunlop Radial
> > > Rover A/T (E, rated at #2680 max load)?
> > > Again, tire wear is not my main concern, I'm looking for traction &
> safety.
> > > Any input is greatly appreciated!
> > >
> > > Peter
> > > 77 Eleganza II
> > > Colorado
> >
> >
> >
> >
 
Is anybody out there still using 16.5s?......Any input is greatly appreciated!

Peter,
For about two more weeks I'll be using 16.5 Bridgestone R260's, LRE. I have put
about 30,000 miles on them since 1995 when they were mounted. By the year date
code a few of them were early 1994 models. After getting them trued and
balanced on my steel OEM rims, they have been good performers providing a smooth
and quiet ride. One developed a leak when I ran over a lag screw while driving
a dirt road in the Colorado Rocky Mountains last summer. Even though the screw
punctured the tread the tire did not go completely flat, allowing me to travel
about thirty miles to a tire shop in a small town (Creede) where I got a patch
installed (not a plug). I run the tires at 80 psi cold. I have not rotated
the tires since the on-the-coach spin balancing I had done requires that the
wheel assemblies stay on the same axles it was performed in order to maintain
the balance. This caused the drive wheel tires to wear faster than the rear
tires. There is still a lot tread on the rear tires but they are getting near
the recommended replacement age for tires regardless of mileage. I am going to
mount new tires on Alcoas and will have the balancing done this time so the
wheels and tires can be rotated. I expect to get better wear distribution as a
result. So, if you can find the Bridgestone R260's and a place to get them
trued and balanced, I would bet you could be satisfied with them too. Good
luck.
Phil Stewart
'76 Transmode,TN
 
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