Tire questions and seeking opinions, please. Rough ride after wheels and tires. (1 Viewer)

[ryanY79]

2024 Premium Plus.

Added Westcott 2.5 / .75 lift and ran stock wheels and tires for several thousand miles before ordering aftermarket wheels and tires. Adding the Westcott lift changed very little in terms of ride quality and drivability. I actually preferred the Westcott feel versus stock.

I added 20x9.5 Vossens and originally with 295/60/20 Yokohama At-4’s. Returned and replaced with 285/60/20 Michelin Defender LTX Platinums. The ride quality was absolutely awful with the Yokohamas (which I was very surprised with considering I put 50k on my Tundra with Yoko’s G015 and absolutely swore by those tires. Extremely quiet, smooth and great in the rain, ok Off road.) Switched to the Michelin’s and they are absolutely quieter and smoother at highway speed than the Yokos. However the “hard ride factor” is my issue.

The load rating of 121/125 for the Michelin’s is higher than the stock tires, but I assumed since the sidewall is decently tall that the higher load rating tire wouldn’t be that harsh on this vehicle. I was wrong. Even deflated to 30 psi these tires has completely ruined the ride quality of this vehicle. Every road crack / hole / slight imperfection is felt.

Yes this is my fault and yes I didn’t do enough research apparently. But comparing this vehicle to my Tundra, and having a similar load rating tire on that similar-weighted vehicle, I thought the ride would still be “soft and smooth”. It is anything but and I’m not sure what to do. Contemplating just selling the wheels and tires and going back to the stupid looking stock wheels and tires.

Is there a tire with a softer sidewall in this same or similar size of 285/60/20? I’ve not been able to find one.

Other option is to sell these wheels and tires and go to a taller sidewall, smaller diameter wheel.

Appreciate any experience / opinions.

 

[DJ’s Sled]

I’d hate to see you get rid of those really nice wheels…
If you are willing to try something in between your first two tries, and are okay with going back to the 295/60 size, have a look at these:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Vredestein&tireModel=Pinza+AT&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=96R0PAT&tab=Sizes#RatingsReviews

This is a longtime and well respected European brand.

Try to find an installer that lets you try them for several days, so you can move on to another try if necessary. (Example, I think Les Schwab advertises that..)

I used these tires - but in an XL, 51 psi max size - on my ‘22 Sequoia and they were excellent, very quiet, very reliable, handled towing, just fine on normal dirt, gravel county roads etc. Be sure to read many, many of the reviews.
I would likely be on this tire again, but they don’t have an E rated size I wanted on my 18” wheels (E rated for towing safety etc).

I’m assuming by your 2 previous choices that you are okay with a happy middle ground between hardcore off-road and super aggressive pavement handling.
Good luck, let us know what you end up with!

 

[bronco21]

Ride quality and 60/20s usually don’t go together. More sidewall, more cushion. Less sidewall, less cushion.

Low profile tires are for street performance and rarely comfort.