Showing posts with label Best Light Truck Tires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Light Truck Tires. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

2014 Full Size Truck Comparison: Truck Power

Are you looking to buy a new truck?  Well, you have plenty to choose from on the dealership lots.  The 2014 trucks are out and are ready to play!

Every year there are plenty of changes, upgrades, and additions to each of the big three's full size pickup trucks, and each year truck connoisseurs compare their strength, capacity, comfort, and price.  This year we will do the same, but will add a fourth truck, the Toyota Tundra, into the mix.

Now before you American Pickup purists leave this website vowing never to return since I have gone "Furrin", hear me out and lets truly see where the Tundra has strengths and where it has weaknesses.  For those of you who are screaming "What about the Nissan Titan or the Honda Ridgeline?", first, I can only handle so much import at a time, and second, the Ridgeline is not really a truck...

So, without further adieu, lets talk truck.

First on everyone's mind these days in truck comparisons is truck strength.  However, a change in the days of previous decades is that the consumer's desire for power is balanced by their need for fuel efficiency.  With that in mind, a current truck consumer has to step back and say "Wow, where did Ram come from?"  No, I am not inherently a Dodge fan, but with their recent changes one has to appreciate that they are now changing the industry.  This year Ram is premiering their half ton truck with a diesel engine, leap frogging the innovations Ford brought to the market a few years ago with the Ecoboost V6.

In the engine capability realm, we must compare apples to apples as much as possible, so lets look at the power of each engine class.  In the V6 market, the Ford Ecoboost is still top dog. 
  1. Ford Ecoboost 3.5L V6:  HP - 365, Torque - 420 lbs
  2. Ram Pentastar 3.6L V6:  HP - 305, Torque - 269 lbs
  3. Chevy EcoTec3 4.3L V6: HP - 285, Torque - 305 lbs
  4. Ford 3.6L V6:                   HP - 302, Torque - 278 lbs
  5. Toyota 4.0L V6:               HP - 270, Torque - 278 lbs
In the mid range engines, Ford's 5.0L V8 just edges out Chevy's 5.3L V8 this year, though both have added strength in recent years.  Dodge is not listed in this area, as their mid range V8 is not currently available.
  1. Ford 5.0L V8:                   HP - 360, Torque - 380 lbs
  2. Chevy 5.3L EcoTec3 V8:  HP - 355, Torque - 383 lbs
  3. Toyota 4.6L V8:               HP - 305, Torque - 327 lbs
And in the large V8 area, Chevy's 6.2L V8 comes in at the top this year.
  1. Chevy 6.2L EcoTec3 V8: HP - 420, Torque - 460 lbs
  2. Ford 6.2L V8:                   HP - 411, Torque - 434 lbs
  3. Ram Hemi 5.7L V8:         HP - 395, Torque - 410 lbs
  4. Toyota 5.7L V8:               HP - 381, Torque - 401 lbs
You will notice that the one setup I did not include is the new Ram 6 cylinder diesel for their half ton trucks.  The 3.0L Ecodiesel is rated at 240 HP and can deliver a whopping 420 lbs of Torque.

As stated above, buyers also want efficiency.  So since these four makes have attempted to enhance their efficiency, here are the best at saving fuel:
  1. Ram 3.0L Ecodiesel:        30 MPG
  2. Ram 3.6L Pentastar V6:   25 MPG
  3. Chevy 4.3L EcoTec3 V6: 24 MPG
  4. Chevy 5.3L EcoTec3 V8: 23 MPG
  5. Ford 3.6L V6:                   23 MPG
  6. Ford 3.5L Ecoboost V6:   22 MPG
  7. Ram Hemi 5.7L V8:         22 MPG
  8. Ford 5.0L V8:                   21 MPG
  9. Chevy 6.2L V8:                21 MPG
  10. Toyota 4.0L V6:               20 MPG
  11. Toyota 4.6L V8:               19 MPG
  12. Toyota 5.7L V8:               18 MPG
  13. Ford 6.2L V8:                   18 MPG
Although one could argue over the newness of Ram's most efficient options and the balance needed between power and efficiency, nobody could argue that Toyota's efficiency is anywhere near that of the 3 "American" brands.

Check back next week for the next installment of the 2014 Full Size Truck Comparison: Towing and Room.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Many U.S. families have at least one light truck or SUV in their driveway, and most people have little knowledge which light truck tires to buy when the time comes. Although many tire brands claim to have great products, there are some that separate themselves from the rest, in durability and in drive-ability. There are also some small differences in tread patterns and designs that can have a big impact on handling, especially in certain terrains.

This site will help you figure out what you should be looking for in a new light truck or SUV tire, what brands are the best, and what kind of warranty you should expect. Although different tires have varying prices in certain areas, no matter where you are, the right tire is paramount and there are always good deals to be had.

One of the first things that a buyer needs to know when looking for new light truck and SUV tires is what kind of terrain do those tires need to handle. Do you drive predominantly off road or very little off road? Do you live in areas that tend to ice over or do you deal more with rain on the roads? The tread pattern and depth of your tires need to be able to meet the demands of the terrain to give you maximum contact, better grip, more safety, and optimum durability.

Some truck or SUV owners make the mistake of buying big, off-road tires for their truck simply because it makes their truck look bigger or better. By doing so they are spending more money for less mileage.  Along with that, not being able to hear yourself think due to the hum created by the larger gaps between treads can drive some people to hate their truck.

Some tire brands have great ratings on highway tires, offering excellent ability to move water and gain grip. Those same brands may have terrible ratings for their off road or all terrain tires, or they may offer little to choose from in those areas. Knowing which type of tire you need will help you easily eliminate certain brands and focus your research on others, saving time and possible disappointment.

One area where light truck tire makers are definitely different is with warranties. Although most offer warranties on their street tires, many of them do not offer warranties on off-road or all-terrain tires. Some tire retailers will offer a supplemental warranty in the form of a replacement policy, and although they may have similar terms, small and large retailers come and go, so buyer beware. However, if the retailer is a known national brand, or if the supplemental warranty is sold through a third party company, you may have to weigh the benefit of added coverage against the added cost to the tire.

Although some money can be saved by going with a lower brand, such as General tires or another off brand, buying a brand with a warranty is much more preferred. One of the best brands with great warranties on their on and off road tires is BF Goodrich. This and a few other companies offer warranties that average around 60,000 miles, which is plenty for any light truck tire.

Although many of the light truck tires on the market today will give an excellent ride, some of them do not. Probably one of the worst riding sets of truck tires I have had were a set of Dunlop 32"x11.5" tires. These tires were all terrain tires and had a good warranty, but the flex of the sidewall along with the design of the tread made the tire seem unstable when taking a tight corner. A good way to avoid this problem is to buy from someone you trust to give you accurate information.

If you need more information on a partiucalr tire, there is a great deal of it online. Be sure to look at ratings on multiple forums regarding the tires you are looking into. More often than not, if the particular tire you are researching has decent to great views on every forum, you will have no problems. If, however, your light truck tire has a few poor ratings, think twice. Remember, you are buying a tire for a light truck, not a one ton deisel truck, it should provide spring and a smooth ride. If nothing else, be sure to ask the sales staff where you buy the tires. They would probably prefer to sell you a different tire if it means return business, unless the staff are mostly young workers that will be gone in a few years.