Load range C vs D vs E

[stretch-bsn]

This is driving me nuts. I’m going back and forth between 35’s or 37’s. If I do 37’s I’ll be going with the BFG KO2 AT’s because they run on the smaller side. Their load range is a C making the tire roughly 63 lbs and more suitable for the weight of my JLU.

However….I keep looking for 35’s with a load C or D rating and it seems next to impossible. If I do go with 35’s it seems like all the tires are E rated and weigh around 70lbs.

I think (please feel free to educate me) a C rated tire will ride a bit smoother and deform better aired down with the weight of my Jeep. I want this. I currently have 315 falkin wildpeaks atw3 and they are E rated. If I air down to 20psi you can barely tell…I have to be closer to 15 to get deformation.

Also would really like some RT tires if I go 35. And my very short list is the radar renegades but again these are an E rated tire.

So I guess kind of a rant and question…what 35’s are good off-road and are C/D rated?

Am I putting too much stock in load rating?

Thanks!

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[jadmt]

I have run all 3 load ranges in 35’s never had an issue running any of them. 20psi is pretty high for offroad no matter what load rating. I have run way too many sets of tires. I really liked my Toyo R/T in 35/12.5-17 great on and offroad i however like my Mickey Thompson 35/12.5-17 mt better. I also like my Mickey Thompson 255/85-17 at rides great quiet and smooth. I am on a hwy 101 roadtrip and getting 22+mpg so far from Washington to half way through Oregon so far.

 

[TheRaven]

E rated tires are a complete waste on a JL. Those are full-size HD truck tires, built to tow 10k+ loads. I know older Jeepers will chime in with the "sidewall strength" angle but sidewall strength is not tied to load range...just look at Duratracs for example - E-range Duratracs have weaker sidewalls than P-rated Ridge Grapplers.

So in closing I absolutely DO NOT recommend E-range tires. Stick with C, going to D only if absolutely necessary.

I'm currently using the GY Territory MT (not an M/T) in 315/70/17 and am very happy with it. I won't say it's the best, but its up there WITH the best and its cheap, light, and easy to find.

 

[Odyssey USA]

You may not like narrow tires, but the 35 x 10 1/2 Kenda Klever RT is a D load

 

[GATORB8]

I have run all 3 load ranges in 35’s never had an issue running any of them. 20psi is pretty high for offroad no matter what load rating. I have run way too many sets of tires. I really liked my Toyo R/T in 35/12.5-17 great on and offroad i however like my Mickey Thompson 35/12.5-17 mt better. I also like my Mickey Thompson 255/85-17 at rides great quiet and smooth. I am on a hwy 101 roadtrip and getting 22+mpg so far from Washington to half way through Oregon so far.

I agree.

While there is additional weight, that weight is rubber, a lot of which is in the sidewall. Load rating alone wouldn't shy me away from the right tire. My 38" TGs are Ds and I can fold them to nothing on the rocks.

I've run Ridge Grapplers on several vehicles and have been happy. It would be my go to RT/hybrid.

EDIT: To clarify, I see additional sidwall thickness as a good thing as someone who has torn multiple KO2 sidewalls on trail.

 

[rampart_ranger]

I've run all 3. I tend to agree E is overkill, I ran 35" Ridge Grapplers in an E and it was a rough ride. My C-rated KO2s are the comfiest, but my 35" D-rated Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATs are the sweet spot. Never a worry on rocky mountain trails and still a great road ride.

 

[Aquastream]

37 D KO2s here . C load 37 KO2s are light yah but they are narrower than the Ds and 315s. Poor aesthetic . And the shoulder lugs are less prominent . Personally I’ve run Ds in 35s and 37s and it’s a good balance and they corner well cuz sidewalls are stronger .

 

[NPC 20883467]

E rated tires are a complete waste on a JL....

I have 'E' rated tires on my Wrangler, because this is a typical day exploring for me. 'E' rated tires have a much thicker, multi-ply sidewall that can better stand up to these kind of conditions. 'C' rated tires get shredded on "roads" like this.

But if your Jeep is more of a Pavement Princess with only occasional forays into the country, then yeah, a soft tire is probably better for you.

...EDIT: To clarify, I see additional sidewall thickness as a good thing as someone who has torn multiple KO2 sidewalls on trail.

Yep.

 

[stretch-bsn]

You may not like narrow tires, but the 35 x 10 1/2 Kenda Klever RT is a D load

Yeah I definitely want a wider tire….i like the look. I’ve seen the videos seems like off-road could be a wash but yeah I’m a fan of the wider tire look. Thanks though!

 

[stretch-bsn]

37 D KO2s here . C load 37 KO2s are light yah but they are narrower than the Ds and 315s. Poor aesthetic . And the shoulder lugs are less prominent . Personally I’ve run Ds in 35s and 37s and it’s a good balance and they corner well cuz sidewalls are stronger .

That’s really good to know they are more narrow. I really don’t want that. Is it that noticeable? The load D’s are like 70lbs right?

 

[zouch]

Mickey Baja Boss M/Ts (D's) worked great for me when i was running 35s.

but unless you're out running Pre-runner style in the Dez, it's likely you're going to want to get used to running lower pressures offroad; 15 is about where i start, and i often go lower.

 

[stretch-bsn]

I have 'E' rated tires on my Wrangler, because this is a typical day exploring for me. 'E' rated tires have a much thicker, multi-ply sidewall that can better stand up to these kind of conditions. 'C' rated tires get shredded on roads like this.

But if your Jeep is more of a Pavement Princess with only occasional forays into the country, then yeah, a soft tire is probably better for you.



Yep.

Yeah I wouldn’t say I’m a pavement princess but I’m not an all day everyday rock crawler either (mainly because I can’t afford it lol)

 

[TheRaven]

I have 'E' rated tires on my Wrangler, because this is a typical day exploring for me. 'E' rated tires have a much thicker, multi-ply sidewall that can better stand up to these kind of conditions. 'C' rated tires get shredded on "roads" like this.

Nope. This is a common misconception. E-rated tires do not automatically have "thicker" sidewalls. If you actually look at the construction of different E-rated tires you will find that sidewall thickness and construction varies greatly. Furthermore, "thick" sidewalls do not equal "strong" sidewalls. As mentioned, the 10-ply sidewalls on Duratracs are weaker than many 5-ply sidewalls. This is due to advancement in material technology. Newer C-range tires are tougher than many old E-range tires.

Don't get me wrong, you may have had C-range tires in the past with "weak" sidewalls. The point is that you can't judge how "tough" a tire is by its load range. Load range is for carrying capacity and is achieved through many different methods that vary by manufacturer.

 

[Aquastream]

That’s really good to know they are more narrow. I really don’t want that. Is it that noticeable? The load D’s are like 70lbs right?

Yeah, they are about 70 pounds. They drive good.. but honestly KO twos in general are narrower than most tires and they are very expensive. If I did it again, I would probably look at kanati trail hogs, Toyo AT3s, or Yokohama XAT instead.

The sidewall width of the Ko2s is probably equivalent to most, but I find that the tread is narrower. Therefore, the tire appears like it’s ballooning a little bit. Cooper rugged trek or Yokohama XAT would probably be the most square shoulder all-terrain’s. But others can chime in. I’m not entirely positive about that.

 

[stretch-bsn]

Sounds like the load D Baja boss MT’s are a good tire … 35…agressive, lighter(ish), and from what I’m seeing about 45,000 miles out of a set with 5 tire rotation. … this sounds like a pretty good deal. Of course they are expensive as all get out! The AT’s appear to be about $120 less on discount tire but only about 10k more miles.

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