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You are here: Experts > Autos > Auto Parts > Tires > Ford Sup Dut 250 4X4 4dr V10, torn cracks to metal between treads
Tires - Ford Sup Dut 250 4X4 4dr V10, torn cracks to metal between treads
Expert: Barry Smith - 11/6/2009
Question
My big beautiful SupDut Ford truck is a shortbed and will be towing a 15,000 lb + 5th wheel trailer, pin weight arond 2,600-3000 lbs allegedly.
I only have 25 k on truck and BF GOODRICH RADIAL TA off road 265 or 285? 75 16 tires about same 25 k, never off roaded or used other than to haul people. yet when I looked at the tread the other day (still plenty) I see metal!!! way deep into a few really good cracks/tears? I saw sun cracks before , but never so deep and metal visible to the viewer! all 4 are similar, rears are less so, it looks as if the shearing force or g forces side loading the sidewalls has overheated them?? I do drive really fast often 80-90 fwy and really do put it through corners amazingly so!! it is very confidence inspiring! but I wonder I reralise its 2k heavier than a suburban and at 7,700 lbs maybe i need 10-12 ply street tires rather than the narly looing rugged tread patttern? I dont want it to resemble a Southern Pacific or phone co truck either though!
Answer
Keith,
First, you MUST replace those tires IMMEDIATELY. They are unsafe!!
But we also need to find why that happened and correct it. So, back to the basics. Here's my standard answer on tire size and pressure (and I'll just cut and paste, so bear with me if it seems a little like I am not addressing this to you in particular):
On every vehicle sold in the US, there is a sticker – commonly called the tire placard - that lists the original tire size and the proper pressure for that size. The placard is usually located on a doorpost or in the glove box – but sometimes it is located in the trunk or on the fuel filler door.
BTW, it doesn't matter who makes the tire or what pressure is listed on the tire's sidewall, if the tire size is the same as the placard, then the pressure listed on placard is also appropriate.
One word of caution: Some trucks use tires with the letters "LT" in front of the tire size - and some trucks use tires with the letter "P" in front of the tire size - and some trucks use tires with the letter "C" after the tire size. You should not use "P"'s in place of "LT"'s and vice versa.
If you are using a tire size that is different than what is listed on the placard, then the pressure has to be recalculated. The calculation is not difficult, but it requires tire load tables which are not allowed to be published in the Internet because of copyright laws. However, I have a copy and would be glad to do the calculation, but the starting point is the vehicle placard: Tire size and inflation pressure. I will also need to know the new tire size.
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OK, that was the cut and paste of my standard answer.
1) I think we need to start with the vehicle placard. What does it say for tire size and inflation pressure?
2) What is the towing capacity of your truck? This is will be in the owners manual. Are you exceeding that capacity (Gross Vehicle Weight or Tongue Weight)? If you don't have the owners's manual, call Ford and ask them. This is as important as the answer to the first question.
3) I think you have the "P" vs "LT" problem. Please check to see if your tires have the "P" or "LT" in front of the size. Based on what I know about Super Duty Ford's, they all took "LT"'s, although the exact size varied by vehicle model year and there were lots of versions with different towing capacities and tire sizes!
Again, REPLACE the tires IMMEDIATELY!! I realize we have to wade through this to get to the right answer, but DO NOT delay this process. The tires are unsafe!!
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