Just got a new set of the BFG KO2 tires. It says on the tire they are 3 ply tires. WTF I thought they were 10 ply like other E rated tires. What gives? They were sold to me as 10 ply tires. Now I am doing a little more internet homework and some places say 2 ply and some say 3 ply but "rated" as 10 ply E rated tires. Am I missing something? They are rated at over 3400 pounds for towing. Just wondering what the difference is. I have always been a BFG KO fan but now I don't know.
BFG KO2 10 ply ?????
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10 Ply tires don't really exist anymore, that's how tires used to be constructed. The industry simply never gives up the terminology even though times have changed just like a 3/4 ton truck can actually haul over 2 tons safely in some configurations today. Modern (and we're talking at least the past 30+ years) tires are not bias ply anymore though I understand some are still made for antique vehicles. Current E rated tires are mostly 2 ply sidewall tires, the KO2 is one of the few that are actually 3 ply so you picked a strong tire. Other tires that are typically 3 ply are MT (mud terrain) tires as they need the added SW protection for offroad sharp rocks.
Many articles available on this:
http://cocomponents.com/dealer/powersports-industry/bias-ply-radial-explained/
Load Range E 10 Ply Tires for Heavy Duty Use - Make Driving Fun with Performance Tires & Wheels | Tire Rack
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BTW, I chose the same tire and just put them on the truck. Haven't driven it yet but looking forward to these tires with their stout SW and being snow rated. I think you made a good choice but time will tell. I got 285/75r16E for the 3750 load rating. They are E rated, many still refer to them as 10 ply but they're really not.
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[/URL]OK that makes sense forgive my ignorance....
So if that is the case now why does places like Les Schwab who sell the Toyo tires sell them as "better" than 10 ply tires because they are 11 ply. Seems just a play on words now. I always liked the KO tires but the Toyo has a warranty and are sold as 11 ply so I was going back and forth.
I was also interested in the Duratrack tires but read that they were 3 ply E rated tires so I stayed away from those. I guess marketing and advertising 3 ply "rated" as 10 ply is just the norm now days
So if that is the case now why does places like Les Schwab who sell the Toyo tires sell them as "better" than 10 ply tires because they are 11 ply. Seems just a play on words now. I always liked the KO tires but the Toyo has a warranty and are sold as 11 ply so I was going back and forth.
I was also interested in the Duratrack tires but read that they were 3 ply E rated tires so I stayed away from those. I guess marketing and advertising 3 ply "rated" as 10 ply is just the norm now days
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Which tire are they claiming that for? They're probably counting the SW plies plus the tread plies. Not all Toyo tires are "better", for instance the Toyo AT II in 285/75r16E is a 2 ply Sidewall tire where the KO2 is 3 ply but the Toyo AT II in the next size up 295/75r16E is 3 ply sidewall. Toyo and Nitto tires are size specific for number of plies for AT II and Tera Grappler G2, Toyo makes both BTW. All Toyo MT tires are 3 ply sidewall. See for yourself:
Specifications | Toyo AT II Tires
Specifications | Toyo MT Tires
Even if I add the tread plies plus the SW plies for the Toyo MT or RT (their tougher tires) it adds up to 10, the AT II in most E sizes add up to 7 or 8.
E rated now really means the tire design can handle 80psi for widths 295 and smaller and 65psi for widths 305 and larger. D rated is 65 for 295 or smaller and 50psi for 305 and larger. This is regardless of how many plies are in the tire.
Guys who haul heavy loads, like me
, prefer E rated tires with 3 ply SWs over 2 ply SWs. I've run both with 4500lbs in the bed and there's a noticable difference. I've never paid as much attention to the number of tread plies though.Not sure the model tire but it was the Toyo open country with that little lighting bolt middle tread. Every time I went to les Schwab no matter where they tried to sell me the fact that their tire in load E was a 11 ply tire and industry standard for load E is 10 ply. Now it looks like the standard is not 10 anymore.
My brother even called me the other day asking what I knew about the 11 ply. He had a 1/2 ton Chevy and doesn't tie so I told him to get the regular tire because he doesn't need an E rated tire. And he was shopping at les Schwab too
My brother even called me the other day asking what I knew about the 11 ply. He had a 1/2 ton Chevy and doesn't tie so I told him to get the regular tire because he doesn't need an E rated tire. And he was shopping at les Schwab too
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Toyo makes 5 different Open Country tires, Open country is the multi terrain tire lineup. The number of plies for E rated tires in this lineup varies from model to model and size to size. I looked on Toyo's site and couldn't find a tire with enough tread plies plus enough SW plies to add up to 11. Maybe it's a Les Schwab exclusive?
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And don't get me wrong, Toyo makes great tires and had they had a 3 ply sidewall in the Open Country AT II 285/75r16E I would have probably gotten that but I would have had to go up to a 295/75r16E and that simply won't fit in my 2500HD wheel wells. Had to mod them just to get the 285s to fit without any rub.
Exclusive I doubt it but hey you never know. I think it is another gimic like the everyone that told me about the 10 ply E load tire. It is not 10 it is 3 but not the 3 is "rated" at 10. Their tire is probably the same thing....3 ply but "rated" like a 11...who knows???
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Either way you chose a good tire. Had you chose Toyo I would have still said you chose a good tire. There are those who hate this tire or that but most are pretty darn good these days as long as you choose for the intended purpose which is why I wanted to stick with an AT tire even though I could have gotten the Toyo MT in the right size with 3 ply SWs but my truck does not go offroad. I hear people complain about their mileage, tire wear and noise with an MT yet they never go offroad either, those chose it purely based on looks. It is a great looking tire but heavy as hell, if I got those in the same size as the KO2s I got it would be 10lbs more per tire and that's rotational mass not 40 lbs in the bed, of course mileage goes down.
And just in case anyone was wonder I have a 2014 2500HD that come with 265s Stockton and I put on 275/65/18 and they fit with no rubbing and no turning the T bars. I was a little worried that I might have to mess with the T bars but they fit great so far. I really wanted to level and go 285s but I don't want to spend $2k on the cognito kit right now. Maybe next time I need tires
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When my truck was new I was hesitant to do this so spent money/time on the Cognito leveling kit and it never solved my rubbing problems by itself. As I just purchased new tires and my truck's now 8 years old I decided I'm done with rubbing so just did the http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/nor-cal-truck/69678-07-5-2011-nbs-hd-small-fender-mod-step-step-pics.html even though my truck is a 2500HD classic. My mod was slightly different but it works and guessing you could go bigger without the leveling kit but read through the thread. With your newer truck there's less mod too. It looks crazy, cutting metal on your new truck and hitting it with a BFH but when it's done right and all put back together you can't even tell, very clean mod.
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