Table Of Contents
- 1 What to Consider When Buying Tires for your Light Truck
- 2 The 10 Best Light Truck Tires of 2021
- 3 1.General Grabber HTS 60
- 4 2. Continental CrossContact LX25 with EcoPlus+ Tech
- 5 3.Michelin Defender LTX M/S
- 6 4.Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus
- 7 5.Cooper Discoverer HTP
- 8 6.Continental TerrainContact A/T
- 9 7. Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar
- 10 8.Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar
- 11 9.Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2
- 12 10.Falken Ziex S/TZ05
- 13 FAQs
- 14 Recommendations
There are high chances that you drive on hard packed roads if you require new tires for your Light truck. It is for this reason that your tires wear out and that is quite normal for every light truck owner. Instead of wasting time with tire replacements, it is wise to be on the road ferrying cargoes or grabbing new transport opportunities. When compared to an average user, drivers of full sized light trucks require more from the tires in their rim. Besides good on road performance, they also need tires that are capable of towing, and traversing rough roads. In our buying guide, we have described the best tires for your light truck that will give you many years of great life service.
What to Consider When Buying Tires for your Light Truck
There are some guidelines you will need to follow when choosing tires for your light truck. It comes already equipped with tires and so tire dimensions must be a starter. The tires you are buying must have equal dimensions with the ones on your truck.
A. Load Rating
Unlike other tire models for different vehicles, the Load rating of light trucks is perhaps more important than the speed rate. This is so because trucks do not reach high top speeds. However, this does not mean that you should not go for tires with a speed rating that is higher than the top speed of your light truck. Load Rating helps you determine how much weight your light truck can carry when hauling or towing. Smaller load rating is for tires that carry lighter items and larger load ratings is for heavier items.
B. Weather
After determining the load rate of your tire and its dimension, you must consider the climate it best suits in. most drivers prefer tires with all season features even though there are tires designed for each season. All-season tires are designed with tread compounds that makes them work excellent in both warm and cold weather conditions. We recommend going for winter tires for deep snow, ice and slush. In freezing temperatures, these tires does not become brittle. The reason for this is quite simple; they are designed with a soft and more pliable tread compound.
On the other hand, summer tires are the best for hot weather conditions. The major disadvantage for these tires is that there are not many of them available for light trucks. This is because they are designed for performance and not for utility.
C. Touring Tires
Even though touring tires are designed for passenger vehicles and SUVs, they are also designed for light trucks. When designing these tires, the engineers had longevity and comfort in mind. Among other tire types, touring tires have the best treadlife, ride quality and a very quiet rolling resistance. On a negative note, they are not designed for towing large equipment or hauling heavy cargo.
D. Highway Tires
In terms of road performance, highway tires are similar to touring tires. The major difference is that they are also available in LT-metric sizes. It is for this reason that they are the best choice for towing large equipment or hauling heavy cargo. When the light truck is unloaded, they do not perform well. Highway tires are specifically designed for the street and the highway. They offer excellent stability on the highway and provide excellent traction and grip on the light truck. On a negative note, they do not provide good road quality and they make a lot of noise on the road.
E. Off Road Tires
In this category, many tires are designed for off-roading and it is for this reason that most light truck owners prefer these types of tires. We really recommend all-terrain tires for off-road. It is because they are engineered to provide you with better traction when compared to highway tires for off-roading. These light truck tires also perform well on the street. On a negative note, performance and comfort is further reduced when using these tires on road.
The 10 Best Light Truck Tires of 2021
1.General Grabber HTS 60
[amazon bestseller=”General Grabber HTS 60″ items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
This General tire is the best highway tire. This model is one of the economical tires. It is for this reason that it is one of the favorite among light truck owners. Overall, it also offers good performance. In addition, this tire performs perfectly well over dry and wet surfaces, without ever worrying about safety. It will provide you with a safe trip whether you have attached a trailer or not. This tire is also designed in the heavy-duty version but unfortunately it does not perform excellently well in rainfall. Despite of this, it is completely safe on the road. Another disadvantage is that it lacks an excellent snow traction.
When driving on this tire on the highway, the ride quality is plush. This mean that it is comfortable to ride on. This model is also quite on the road. It has also designed to take on some off road pounding, which makes it very tough and durable.
Pros
- It can be used for towing and hauling because it is tough constructed
- Provides a quiet and comfortable ride
- It is priced economically
- 65000-treadwear warranty
- 45 days satisfaction trial
Cons
- The heavy-duty version does not perform excellent in rain conditions
- It is not the best in the snow traction category
2. Continental CrossContact LX25 with EcoPlus+ Tech
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This is the best touring tire. In terms of performance, it is likened to the Dueler Alenza Plus. Even if this is the case, this Continental tire performs better than on both dry and wet surfaces. However, they have the same performance over snowy surfaces. On the highway, it is very quiet and it is very comfortable over bumpy roads. Moreover, for better fuel consumption, the LX25 is designed with a low resistant technology. This is something that most light truck drivers look for when purchasing a touring tire.
The Continental CrossContact LX25 comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear. This treadwear is short when compared to tires from the rival companies. On a more negative note, these tires are not the best when comes to towing services.
Pros
- It provides excellent handling and braking in dry conditions
- in the rain, this model has outstanding handling and braking
- It also gives a smooth ride quality
- This model provides a quiet rolling on the road
- They can be used in a not so deep snow
- 70,000-mile treadwear
Cons
- The treadwear is not the best
- They cannot be used for towing or in deep snow
3.Michelin Defender LTX M/S
[amazon bestseller=”Michelin Defender LTX M/S” items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
This one is among the best highway tire. This Michelin model offers outstanding on road performance. It is also built so tough that it is one of the best tires for light trucks. Be it on the street or the highway, this model provides an excellent traction. This is done whether on wet or dry surfaces. With or without the trailer attached, the Defender LTX provides an excellent stability when driving on the highway.
This model is also designed with a 70, 000-mile treadwear warrant that is quite good for its class. It is also engineered with a cut and chip resistant casing. The function of thus casing is for stability when driving over rough surfaces. The only downside of this tire is snow traction. LTX has an average snow traction.
Pros
- On dry surfaces, it provides outstanding stability, handling, and braking
- It performs well in rainy conditions
- 70, 000-mile treadwear warrant
- For towing and hauling, this is an excellent choice for your light truck
- It also provides a quiet and excellent ride
- It is designed with a long treadwear
- It is constructed so tough
Cons
- This model is not that good over deep snow and ice
- It’s expensive for its class
4.Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus
[amazon bestseller=”Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus” items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
This is also one of the best touring tires for light trucks. This Bridgestone model is specifically designed for drivers that do not use the utility side of stuffs and that is why it is popular among light truck owners. If we are talking comfort, quietness on the road, and overall performance, then look no further because the Dueler H/L has it all covered. With this combination, you can use it on dry, wet and snowy weather conditions.
This Bridgestone model is equipped with an 80,000-treadwear warranty that is quite impressive for its category. On a negative note, this model is not the best for heavy cargo or trailer.
Pros
- This tire provides a comfortable and quiet ride
- 80,000-treadwear warranty
- It is also equipped with an excellent tread life
- It also provides great handling on both dry and wet surfaces
- It can also be used in light snow
Cons
- It does not have the best responsiveness and steering in its category
- It cannot be used for towing large equipment
5.Cooper Discoverer HTP
[amazon bestseller=”Cooper Discoverer HTP” items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
This model is also one of the best highway tires. Even though it cannot be compared to the already described Defender LTX, it offers a great quality. This model might even beat the LTX when it comes to pricing. On dry and wet surfaces, the HTP will provide you with a safe and excellent traction. This light truck tire will also give you safe braking on these surfaces.
On a more positive note, on both dry and wet surfaces, this tire provides excellent stability on highway. Not only that but it is also quite and will give a comfortable ride on the road. This Cooper model comes with a 65000-mile treadwear warranty. This is quite impressive for its economical price. Even though, it is designed with a tough casing, it does not have a lot of traction on the snow.
Pros
- It offers a comfortable and quiet ride
- 65000-mile treadwear warranty
- Gives an excellent performance in rainfall weather conditions
- it also gives an excellent performance
- Outstanding stability on the highway
- Excellent treadwear warranty for the price
Cons
- This model has a below-average snow and ice traction.
6.Continental TerrainContact A/T
[amazon bestseller=”Continental TerrainContact A/T” items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
In the category, this is one of the best All Terrain tires. With street performance in mind, this Continental model was designed for light truck owners. Moreover, it is for this reason that you will have a safe ride on this tire. This is done on both dry and wet surfaces of the road. When being used off road, the TerrainContact works pretty well over rough surfaces. On the other hand, you cannot use this model in mud that is very deep.
Among all light truck tires, this is most quite tire and it is for this reason that you gain comfort when you lose on great off road traction. This model is designed with an excellent 60000-mile treadwear warranty.
Pros
- On the sand, it provides an outstanding performance
- 60000-mile treadwear warranty
- For the street, it is one of the best all-terrain tires
- It also provides an excellent and quiet ride on the road
Cons
- This model doesn’t perform well in deep mud
7. Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar
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This is another best all-terrain tire. When we are talking performance and durability, Goodyear designed this model to be the best in class. Light truck owners are provided with ample traction for off-road use. This model can even be used on muddy, rocky, and unpacked snow surfaces. This tire is designed with tough construction that is puncture-free, cut, and chip resistant. This all-terrain Goodyear tire is also safe to drive on road as well. It also comes with an astonishing treadwear warranty of 60000 miles. On a negative note, this model is not that quite on the road.
Pros
- On many slippery surfaces, it provides an excellent traction
- 60000-mile treadwear warranty
- On the road, it also gives good performance
- It can also use over rough surfaces and unpacked snow
- The treadwear warranty is the best in class
Cons
- This model produces a lot of noise on the highway
8.Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar
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This Goodyear tire is one of the best off road tires. This is another wrangler sister tire from Goodyear that is a forerunner. This is another original product of off road tire for light trucks. On every surfaces, this tire will provide you with an excellent off road traction and it does not matter whether you are driving through large rocks or deep mud.
When speaking off road credentials, the MT/R is super tough designed, and this further benefits your light truck. This Goodyear tire also provides an excellent stability on highway. This mean that it can be used on the streets. Not all off road tires perform well with rain traction and braking, and this tire is not an exception. On a more negative note, it does not come with a treadwear warranty. The MT/R tire is also noisy for some light truck owners.
Pros
- On every surface, this tire has a great off-road traction
- The construction of this tire is also tough and durable
- On the highway, this model offers good stability.
Cons
- It is not great in rainy weather conditions
- This model does not come with a treadwear warranty
9.Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2
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This Michelin tire is the best winter tires in class. On the market, there is no winter tire that will give both an excellent performance and treadwear warranty than the Latitude X-Ice. This Michelin model also comes with 40000-mile treadwear warranty of which there is no other winter tire for light trucks that provide that much. On a negative note, the X-Ice Xi2 is very expensive. However, given its combination of quality, that is expected.
Pros
- In the winter, this tire is the best in class for grip and traction
- Snow, slush, and ice traction are also excellent
- 40000-mile treadwear warranty is also the best its category
10.Falken Ziex S/TZ05
[amazon bestseller=”Falken Ziex S/TZ05″ items=”1″ template=”vertical”]
In our view, this is among if not the best all season street/sport tires. We advise you look no further than this Falken model if you are looking to improve the handling of your light truck on the street. Not only does this model provide you with all characteristics of a high performance tire but also it is also economical to get. Both on dry and wet surfaces, this tire provides a distinctive handling and braking.
Speaking of quietness on the road, the Ziex is the best in its category. The only disadvantage this tire has is the snow traction that could be improved further.
Pros
- The handling of this model is quite responsive
- It also offers a great steering feel
- On dry surfaces, it provides excellent grip and stability
- Braking and wet traction are excellent
- For a performance tire, this model is very quiet
Cons
- It’s not the best in class for snow traction
FAQs
Q. What is the Meaning of the Codes on the Light Truck Tires?
A. coding is how tire manufacturers classify tires. This is done according to their size, type and performance. A tire can be denoted either with a P or with R. P denotes P-Metric system and R means it is a Redial tire.
Q. How Do One Measure Tire Pressure for Light Trucks?
A. To check the pressure, you are can use a manual gauge. Some tires are designed with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System [TPMS]. This system sends you an alert to your car dashboard if the pressure of your tire is low. You can always refer to your owner’s manual on how to monitor the pressure of your tire.
Q. When is the Best Time to Replace the Tires on My Light Truck?
A. You are advised to replace your tires whenever you observe changes on your tire such as shallow or tread that are uneven. This may also include many vibrations, even a ride that is rougher than the usual one.
Recommendations
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is our top pick for the best highway tire. Moreover, the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 is the best winter tire. The Falken Ziex S/TZ05 is our top pick among the best all season street/sport tires. Off road best tires, we recommend the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar and the Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventure with Kevlar. In addition, the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is our top pick for the best touring tire for light trucks.
