Firestone Wilderness Tires

bco

you got it. that's what they stand for. additionally, the LT rated tires i believe are a thicker ply tire, because they are used for towing/hauling and hence, subjected to more stress.

bco

truckchic

So, LT Is probably the tire to get to last longer? I don't intend on doing a lot of towing, but I want something that will last a little while.

Thanks
Truckchic

bco

...necessarily go that far. i'm not so sure that they'll last longer or not. like i said, i believe it's just a heavier duty tire that can handle the additional stresses of towing or hauling. kinda like the old "hefty" trashbags...more plys means it can hold more and is more resistant to puncture. i'm not an expert, but i think that LT tires are better for 1/2 ton pickups anyhow. i really didn't like the way the firestones bowed out at the bottom. seemed like they were stressed by the weight of the truck alone. the LT's i have now do not do that. this could affect tire wear also...

bco

bookitty

Janet, LT or light truck tires are usually rated @ load range "C". This equivalent to the old 6 ply rating, while passenger tires for the most part are rated @ load range "B" which would work out as 4 ply. The carcass of the LT tire is heavier and more rigid (comparing with the same manufacturer for a like series).

Bookitty

steve234

Unles you you do a lot of heavy hauling, a P tire is the way to go. Most pickups come with P tires as standard. The LT tires have stiffer sidewalls which allow better handling of capacity loads. The P tires will give a better ride. My F150 came with GY P tires, I tried the GY LTs and Bstone LTs before going back to the GY P tires. The worst tires were the Bstones LTs. Only 40K miles and they were getting all squirrely on the highway.

nrd525

I was clearing out a corner of the garage last night for a place to keep the Deathstones until Firestone caves in and recalls them. The Fstones seemed to be very "soft"(easy to push in)in the tread and sidewall,and of course, are much lighter than the LTX A/T Michelins.
They seemed to be softer than almost any tires I have ever had before. My old Jeep's 235x75x15 Goodyear Wrangler GSA that I kept for some unknown reason is a much more solid tire than the Wilderness A/T's are. I guess this explains the odd "bobbing" ride it had. It might explain the other things these tires do too. The sidewalls are so thin, I can't see how they would ever last off road for long.
I bumped my fronts up to 38,and that seems about right. Handles very nice, much more "on tracks" than it used to be, and less bump steer on the crappy Toledo roads. Now if I can avoid hitting something in the road for a few years, it would be nice to have to buy tire(s) because they are worn out for once, not due to damage/vandalism.
Barry

bco

all - thanks for the help in the LT vs. P debate. i wasn't sure if the P tires were 4 ply or not and didn't want to misspeak. as far as the difference in ride, i honestly have not noticed a difference in the 4-ply P's that i had (firestones) and the 6-ply LT's (bridgestones) that i have now. who knows.

additionally, i've posted the url for my picture trail album on here before. it's got pics of my new bridgestone dueler at's that i replaced the firestone wilderness tires with. i just changed the account name though, so anyone trying to access it won't be able to using the old url. it's now:

www.picturetrail.com/bco

ti also has other albums on westin nerfs, bilstein shocks, lube info, line-x utr spray-in, wade bed rail caps, lube info, and a general maintenance album for silverado z71s. if you stop in, sign my guest book and let me know what you think! thanks...

bco

Rocles

Dave,

Which would handle better with Firestones: the Pinto or the Corvair?

truckchic

Ok, help me out...Isn't bridgestone and Firestone connected? Or is the firestone made separate from Bridgestone.

Just a question. I though they were basically the same tire.

Truckchic
looking to trade in my new P265/75R's as soon as I take possession of my new 2001 truck (should be end of Oct) so I may beable to swap them out at $0 cost. I keep you advised.

obyone

which was heading into oblivion. In retrospect, I think the Bridgestone execs wish they hadn't bought it.

pjb0422

I took the plunge and traded my deathstones for the Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts this week. I had 4k miles and the tire dealer said I had 17% of the tread worn. Dealer said that the tread wears off quicker in the beginning. Go figure. Anyway, after prorating and balancing and road hazard, I ended up out of pocket $250. I think that is a good price for getting a better set of tires. I only did the 4 tires, not the spare.

Here are some specs between the Wilderness AT and Dueler AT.

Wilderness AT
Treadwear 440
Traction B
Temp Resistance C <---minimum standard tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109

Dueler AT
Treadwear 300
Traction A
Temp Resistance B

The Duelers are suppose to provide better wet traction and that seemed to be true after some rain this week. I didn't seem to have the tires spinning when taking off from a stop. I think the more aggressive tread pattern will be better for the upcoming winter snows.

The dealer put in 50 psi in each and told me to adjust them as necessary for a better ride. So far they seem okay - I can feel the expansion joints in the road. IMO it rides like a truck.

I like the looks of the Duelers and feel better that they are LT tires instead of P rated. I know I feel safer even though there appeared to be nothing wrong with the Wilderness ATs. Just never trusted Firestone tires.

Phil

ryanbab

In consumer reports they listed the dueler AT as the top light truck/ SUV tire out there. I didnt see michelin in their test though just thought id let you all know.

obyone

you been reading them comic books again? LOL!!

Dean

desmchan

The maximium psi for Dueler A/T is 44psi as shown on the tire wall. It may be dangerous to have it inflated to 50psi unless it is printed on the tire wall. Yoy better check the spec on your Dueler A/T.

pjb0422

Desmchan, thanks for the warning. I just checked the sidewalls and the max pressure is 50 psi. I went to my Chevy dealer today for a front end alignment. Afterwards I checked my tire pressure to see if they did anything to it. All four tires were at 45 psi. I did not check the pressure after I had the tires put on so I don't know for sure if the tire dealer set them at 50 or 45. Thanks again.

Phil

mike_542

There once was a man from LA
Who drove quickly, any which way
He had Firestone tires
And short-circuit wires
Which made for a really bad day!

obyone

Don't quit your full time job....just yet.

bookitty

Great limerick. Have you considered doing verse commercials for Firestone. They could use the "comic relief."

Bookitty

z71bill

Saw a newspaper ad for Firestone tires the other day on the Tonight show (Jay Leno).

Ad said Firestone was having a "BLOW OUT SALE"

sfish

I'm thinking about switching the Firestones for the Bridgestones. How bad does the ride change. Right now with the Firestones the ride is wonderful, better than my wifes Dodge Caravan (when it is working or not in the shop) and I don't want to change to much. Have the Firestones been a problem?

z71bill

Some Bridgestone tires also have problems - cracks in the sidewall- From what I have read on Edmunds - Toyota is dropping both Firestone and Bridgestone from their trucks. I decided to wait until my Firestones wear out - get recalled or blow up.

nrd525

I just got rid of my Fstone Wilderness tires a few weeks ago. I was going on a trip, and was getting too much heat from the right seat( mom and/or girlfriend). I went with Michelin LT 265 A/T tires, The ride is definitely different, but I like it myself. It doesn't wobble any more, a bump is ONE bump, not one big one, and three little afterbumps.
The wilderness AT's are the crappiest tires I have ever seen! I was taking them to stack up in my garage after the change, and I can take and push the tread in about 1+1/2" with my thumbs!!I have a Goodyear 225x75x15 tire from my Jeep that I kept for some reason after I got rid of the Jeep. It's a step down from the top of the line. I can BARELY push the tread in at all. I don't remember any tires I ever patched/balanced or just threw into a pile that felt as flimsy as the Wilderness tires do. I'm glad I got rid of them, now if Fstone will recall them in 265x16 size, I can get them out of my garage!!And get money back into my pocket.

gotribe1

with the Bridgestones. I had the tires changed today and am not sure if I did the right thing. I had the Widerness ATs on my Silverado 4x4 and thought the ride was great. Firestone gave me a choice of a Bridgestone all season or an AT. I opted for the AT. I should note that they didn't have any in stock for me to see. They got them from another store after I told them to. When I saw them I was kind of surprised because they definitely have a more aggressive tread; it looked like an on-off road tire to me. They say they haven't had any complaints about ride or noise. The ride is definitely stiffer and there is a different sound to them. I don't know if I will be sorry about the change until I take a longer trip. Hmmm... maybe I'll need to upgrade the speakers after all!

z71bill

I would check your PSI - my guess is they pumped them up to 45 pounds.

remington5

I have a 99 Ford F-350 LB Diesel that presently has Firestone Steeltex 265 75R 16E tires with even wear at 45,000 miles. I need new tires before the snow flies and need some help in choosing a new set. I have looked at the Goodrich and like the aggressive tread over the Michelins but am a only able to get the Goodrich in an D rating, the Michelins do have the E rating but a less aggressive tread block. I pull a 13,000 lb 5th wheel about 5000 miles a year and the present tires have the E rating. Has anyone had any experience with either the Goodrich, Michelins or any other brand. Thanks and look forward to reading your comments.

bowhuntwi2

I have a Y2K F250 Crew with the Steeltex on, I have been looking around in case I would need to replace them. Bout the only tire I could fine was the GSA-Wrangler by GoodYear. I once had them on a Suburban and they held up well. When I do replace my Steeltex, those are the tires I'll probably go with.

gotribe1

I checked the pressure today and found that they had it at 40lbs. I reduced it to 36lbs. and just came back from a test drive. I think the noise is more than I bargained for and don't know whether I want to listen to them when they get even louder after another 20k miles! I understand that Bridgestone has some sort of satisfaction warranty, but don't know what else to trade for in their line. I wonder if a Goodyear or Michelin dealer would now swap them for me since they only have 50 miles on them. In a week I leave on a 3000 mile trip and it will then be too late. Any ideas?

z71bill

Go to WWW.tirerack.com and do some research!!

From what you have posted I would check out the Bridestone Dueler H/L D 683 - This information is from the tirerack site

The new Dueler H/L (D683) with UNI-T AQ is a Highway All-Season tire which provides the civilized highway luxury necessary to tame light trucks for the road. Whether in town or on the Interstate, Dueler H/L tires bring the qualities of passenger car comfort and a quiet ride to Sport Utility Vehicles and Pickups.

UNI-T AQ technology combines UNI-T technology with Extended Performance Optimization (EPO) which adds dual layer tread compounds which further resist the normal tread rubber hardening that can result from the heat of friction encountered during thousands of miles of use. As the tire wears, the special underlying high-grip rubber is exposed, helping offset the effects of wear on wet surface braking and handling. The ultimate result is that UNI-T AQ keeps wet performance up as the tread wears down.

We were provided the opportunity to experience the Dueler H/L D680s UNI-T AQ technology first hand at a Bridgestone event conducted at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, AZ on February 17, 1999. Bridgestone provided Nissan Pathfinders equipped with either the new Dueler H/L D683 or the current Dueler H/T D689. While the Dueler H/T D689 has repeatedly proven itself to offer good ride quality and acceptable noise levels, at full tread depth on the road, the new Dueler H/L matched the Dueler H/T's ride qualities while being noticeably quieter on all of the road surfaces encountered. On the wet track, with both tires at half tread depth, the new Dueler H/L D683 performed noticeably better than the earlier Dueler H/T D689 by providing more traction, control and confidence.

The new Dueler H/L D683 tires are available in 70- and 75-series profile sizes to fit 15" and 16" diameter wheels, and feature S-speed ratings. Dueler H/L D683 Highway All-Season light truck tires are designed to fit many sport utility vehicles and pickups. The new Dueler H/L D683...Civilized Highway Luxury.

Make Bridgestone change your A/T tires for the H/L 683's - Make the deal before your trip- I like the looks and ride of a good LT A/T tire - too bad I got stuck with these Firestone wilderness tires.

gotribe1

Thanks for helping with my homework! I am wondering if I'm just over reacting to the noise and if I might just get used to the difference in ride and noise after more miles. I just got off the Bridgestone web site and read the terms of their warranty. It seems that you have 30 days
[I wonder about miles] to test drive the tires. If you are not completely satisfied they will refund your $$$! I wonder if that is my out to get a set of Michelins!

z71bill

It may work - but I doubt it. I think they will change for another set of Bridgestones. Maybe if you find an independent tire dealer that sells both brands you could work a deal.

rrichf1

remington5,
I wouldn't worry about the "D" range on the replacements for the deathstone 265x75R16 tires. The "D" range has a maximum of 3000 pounds with proper inflation and the deathstone "E" range has a maximum of 3415 pounds with proper inflation.

Empty your 350 probably has close to 4250 pounds on the front axle and close to 3250 on the rear. Just on the basis of tire capacity alone, you can carry 4500 pounds. That load is above your GVWR, so there's nothing to worry about with the "D" rating tires. If you're really concerned about it, you can replace the 265s with 235x85R16 as these tires are the same diameter as the 265s you now have. The 235s are the "Normal" tire for your truck and the 265s are an upgrade.

I just replaced my 265 deathstones (on my similar F250) with the GY "D" lad range tires.

Rich

sfish

I am switching the Firestones my 2001 1500 came with for Bridgestones on Tuesday, but should I get the Dueler AT or the Dueler HL D 683? I tow a 9000# boat less than 100 miles a year, but I go skiing up to the passes in Washington State. I may get a camper, but I almost never go off road. Most use of the truck is for commuting and around town.Thanks

stobar

Hi all. I left this post in another topic section
but haven't received much of a response, so I'd
like to post here and get opinions from anyone who
reads this:

I have a '97 Chevy Silverado pick-up equipped with
Uniroyal Tiger Paw AWP, P235-75-R15.
I have had the truck a little over 3 years now
with just over 36K miles on it. Tires are riding
good and tread still looks good. I figure they
will be do for replacement next year. My thought
is to go ahead and buy three more of the same type
and use the full size spare for the 4th tire. In
light of all the information that has been provided
in the media lately on tires due to the Firestone
incident, I read somewhere that a normal tire will
start to break down after three years. I also know
from past experience (my father) that when he went
to replace a tire that was seven years old on a
car he barely drove, the tire nearly fell apart
when the mechanic took it off the rim due to dry
rot. Can anyone provide an opinion on using a
brand new four year old spare for the 4th tire, or
has anyone out there done it and what were your
results? Thanks for any and all opinions!
Barry

steve234

I have done it both every way possible and favor leaving the spare for emergencies only. The big problem that I see with putting the spare down when buying new tires, is that you are restricted to the identical brand and model. IMHO you should never mix and match brands and types. It could lead to subtle or not so subtle handling problems. Even changes in production years can create problems. Often a popular brand/model name will udergo upgrades. This can mean that a 97 Tiger Paw is not the same as a 00 Tiger Paw because of tread pattern changes, composition changes or other factors.

gotribe1

If I were you I would get the ATs. I have been wondering about the same thing as you,and have decided to keep the Ats. They are louder in my opinion than the the widerness ats that came on my truck, but the tread is more aggressive and I guess that is to be expected. I think the traction will be superior in snow to the other choices you have. Good luck!

pjb0422

Today I saw a copy of the latest Comsumer Reports magazine and they did a comparison on SUV tires. The Bridgestone Dueler AT was ranked #1. Try this link to see the article:
http://www.consumerreports.org/Special/ConsumerInterest/Reports/0011tir0.htm

Phil

obyone

Reports guide to buying computers. It is a joke...so should I follow their recommendations on tires?

nrd525

I looked at the "ratings", and they were what we both probably figured. They rate the BFG Long Trail above the Michelin LTX M/S. What are they smoking? My friend had them on a used Chevy Silverado he recently bought, and he dumped them for the LTX A/Ts like I have. He wanted the M/S, but couldn't find 4 in the right size at one place around here.
Why do they even bother "reporting" on computers?? It's pitiful...

imhs2

Granted some of their reviews are poorly done (computers & electronics), but their reviews on cars, trucks, household appliances and goods are pretty darn good and unbiased. It may even help you to find a product you like better than you currently use. Over the years, I've found that magazine rather helpful for certain things.

rcoos

I'm going to replace my Firestones very soon & wanted to know why you think the Michelin LTX M/S are better then the Michelin LTX A/T tires?

rcoos

obyone

Reread post #156. It doesn't mention LTX M/S being better than the A/T. He said he wanted the M/S but couldn't find four in the right size so took the A/T instead. Both are quality tires, just different applications.

leroybkr

The only application needing the E 6415 lb rating is the SRW F350 which has a GVWR of 9900 lb and a Rear GAWR of 6830. The GM/Chevie SRW 3500 may have the same requirements. The D rated 265x75/16 reduces the rear GAWR to 6000 on SRW trucks. The F250 rear GAWR is 6000. I haven't found the E rated tire at Sam's yet.

4x4

I think this is crap that Gm says that their wilderness's are made for them...yeah right..are they saying when you buy that same tire at Discount Tire or whereever it is different because it wasn't built exclusively for GM? its all BS

obyone

.

nrd525

Hey obyone, thanks for clearing up post 156 for rcoos.
rcoos- I had really wanted M/S instead of A/Ts (for noise),but couldn't find four in the right size anywhere around in stock, except (of course) the biggest rip off joint in town! They wanted $162 bucks each for them, I got my A/Ts at Sam's club for $136 with a $24 dollar rebate on the set of four tires. The noise from the A/Ts isn't bad at all, just different pitch than the Deathstones had.
I'm still messing around with tire pressure. Right now I'm running 32 in the back, and 34 in front. I'm guessing this is pretty close to what I will stick with. At 35 in the back, they were showing signs of overinflation. I've been dropping back pressure since I got them. If you can get the M/S, take 'em, but if the A/T is the only pick, don't worry about it, they are BOTH great tires.

jeffs00z71

I have the upgraded tire package when I bought my Z71 from the dealer! usually they put some cheezy
p245's which are small for a 4X! I have 4,600K miles on my truck now, and no problems with the tires yet! time will only tell!

rrichf1

leroybkr,
I'm assuming that you really meant 3415 and not 6415, per wheel of course. The problem with all of these gross weight numbers that there are two limitation that MUST be met. The first is the gross axle weight rating which you correctly mentioned. The second is the gross vehicle weight rating. The problem is that a diesel in either a 250 or 350 has over 4000 pounds on the front axle. (Assume 4K even for this discussion.) If you put the full 6815 pounds on the rear axle you have exceeded the GVWR of the truck by 800 pounds. (Assuming 10K GVWR) I really believe that the "D" load range tires would be sufficient for your 350.
Rich

rrichf1

I guess everyone had had their deathstones replaced by now!

ryanbab

Not me

After xmas (ill be working and making some good money) im going with LT285 BFG's

z71bill

I still have my deathstones - 15,000 miles -no problem. At first I thought they would only last 30K anyway - now it looks like they would go 40-45K and still have some tread left. Has anyone heard of even one Silverado with Firestone tires having "the problem". I still hope they will get recalled - would be nice to get new tires for free.