Needing new tires

[malern28us]

Ok. I am stuck and cannot decide which way to go. I have a 1996 Mitsubishi Montero LS, 3.0L V6 with 4wd. Factory specs are something like 172hp and 196 ft-lbs of torque.
I am seriously needing some new tires. The stock size is 235 75 15. I am seriously considering new tires in 31x10.5x15 for the more aggressive tread selections. My truck isnt a daily driver and is used primarily more during the winter months. I do use it occasionally for light off road trips. I am wondering if I should stay with a street oriented tire for all around driving or something more aggressive in the A/T or M/T tires.
The truck needs some front suspension work first as I have visible uneven tire wear on the front tires. I put only maybe 500-750 miles per month on the vehicle as my wife and I car pool to work as much as possible.
The other thing is, I won't spend $1000 bucks on a set of tires and am looking in the 400-600 buck range for all 4 tires. I have found some at Wal Mart for $138 per tire but they only have them in 31x10.5x15. Am I better served stayign with the factory tire size? I know the 31x10.5 are about an inch taller and heavier and there are warnings about overstressing your brake components. Do I need to worry about this? If it helps, my stock rims are 7 inches wide.
What are your opinions/experiences?

 

[indykid]

Try the tire rack website. They have a fitment guide, as well as a guide for choosing what tire would be best for you.


Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels

 

[malern28us]

Try the tire rack website. They have a fitment guide, as well as a guide for choosing what tire would be best for you.


Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels

I have tried them but thanks for the suggestion. I just am not driving to S Bend or having them shipped.

 

[jkaetz]

Ok. I am stuck and cannot decide which way to go. I have a 1996 Mitsubishi Montero LS, 3.0L V6 with 4wd. Factory specs are something like 172hp and 196 ft-lbs of torque.
I am seriously needing some new tires. The stock size is 235 75 15. I am seriously considering new tires in 31x10.5x15 for the more aggressive tread selections. My truck isnt a daily driver and is used primarily more during the winter months. I do use it occasionally for light off road trips. I am wondering if I should stay with a street oriented tire for all around driving or something more aggressive in the A/T or M/T tires.
The truck needs some front suspension work first as I have visible uneven tire wear on the front tires. I put only maybe 500-750 miles per month on the vehicle as my wife and I car pool to work as much as possible.
The other thing is, I won't spend $1000 bucks on a set of tires and am looking in the 400-600 buck range for all 4 tires. I have found some at Wal Mart for $138 per tire but they only have them in 31x10.5x15. Am I better served stayign with the factory tire size? I know the 31x10.5 are about an inch taller and heavier and there are warnings about overstressing your brake components. Do I need to worry about this? If it helps, my stock rims are 7 inches wide.
What are your opinions/experiences?

Stick with the stock size. The extra height/width/weight with no other modifications will not make your truck happy. Braking, cornering, and acceleration will all be adversely affected. You'd also have to see if the extra height and width would rub on the fenders.

 

[malern28us]

Stick with the stock size. The extra height/width/weight with no other modifications will not make your truck happy. Braking, cornering, and acceleration will all be adversely affected. You'd also have to see if the extra height and width would rub on the fenders.

Stock tire choices are pretty lame for any kind of snow or off road. Thanks though.

 

[Tactical Dave]

Increasing or decreasing tire height will throw off your speedo.

A gear change would help a bunch if the size is drastically different.

Lots of people go larger just remember your speedometer will not longer be accurate.

 

[Don]

Check out the cooper discoverer at3. I have a set on my 04 s10 4x4 and they have yet to get me stuck, be it with mud clear up to the center of the wheel or on wet grassy hills and they come with a 55k mile warranty. Best of all they are QUIET be it on concrete or asphalt or whatever.

 

[malern28us]

Increasing or decreasing tire height will throw off your speedo.

A gear change would help a bunch if the size is drastically different.

Lots of people go larger just remember your speedometer will not longer be accurate.

I did already know this from looking up tire calculators but thanks for the reminder! I dont think a gear change would be a great idea in my SUV as the gas mileage is very horrible (to me). The one thing I did notice from re-checking the Tire Rack website again is they now carry the Wrangler Dura Trac in my stock tire size. This was not the case just 6 months ago when I had looked.

 

[malern28us]

Check out the cooper discoverer at3. I have a set on my 04 s10 4x4 and they have yet to get me stuck, be it with mud clear up to the center of the wheel or on wet grassy hills and they come with a 55k mile warranty. Best of all they are QUIET be it on concrete or asphalt or whatever.

Thats the kind of tread upgrade Iam looking for. How many miles do you have on your set?

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

You don't have to have tires shipped from tire rack... figure out what you want and then make phone calls to price check.

 

[tatic05]

ebay, I spent 200 on winterforce tires for my car and had them all put on for another 60. I spent about 300 for the wifes car mounted. All of these were newer (9/32nd) tires, some still had the sticker on them. The only reason why they are cheaper is that they are a few years old and never sold, or they are off new cars that were in accidents. There is one company I always go with since they offer free shipping. Only issue you will have is that its kinda big tire for that size, so price might be alittle higher.

 

[malern28us]

ebay, I spent 200 on winterforce tires for my car and had them all put on for another 60. I spent about 300 for the wifes car mounted. All of these were newer (9/32nd) tires, some still had the sticker on them. The only reason why they are cheaper is that they are a few years old and never sold, or they are off new cars that were in accidents. There is one company I always go with since they offer free shipping. Only issue you will have is that its kinda big tire for that size, so price might be alittle higher.

I have checked ebay but thank you. Noone had what I was looking for.

 

[malern28us]

You don't have to have tires shipped from tire rack... figure out what you want and then make phone calls to price check.

Any suggestions of places that are good on pricing?

 

[VERT]

I would with keeping the stock size tires on your truck. If you want a non-metric size consider 30 x 9.5 x 15. They should be just a touch bigger then the 235/75/15 you already have. As far as aggressive mud tires in snow is concerned, I hate them. I have lived in Michigan and South Dakota. Those places have snow. What you want is an All-Season, M/S tire. Shoulder lugs should be open, good siping in the tread. Best tires I have ever had for snow were the Michielin LTX M/S. The really aggressive tires are best for Rock Crawling and deliberately driving through mud. In that case consider modifying your sock vehicle.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I did already know this from looking up tire calculators but thanks for the reminder! I dont think a gear change would be a great idea in my SUV as the gas mileage is very horrible (to me). The one thing I did notice from re-checking the Tire Rack website again is they now carry the Wrangler Dura Trac in my stock tire size. This was not the case just 6 months ago when I had looked.

When you go up in height the gear change does not hurt mpg as much as if you changed gears and kept same tire.


I had a car with a 28 inch tall race tire and a 4.10 gear at at 60mph rmp was not much higher then a car I had with a stock tire and a 3.42 gear.

Play around with the rpm/gear/tire calculators and you will see what I mean.

I have seen guys go 4.10 and complain about mpg and rpm but then go a little taller in tire and notice and rpm drop.

Just dating a gear change may help compensate for the taller tire.... Worth trying the calculators.

 

[malern28us]

I would with keeping the stock size tires on your truck. If you want a non-metric size consider 30 x 9.5 x 15. They should be just a touch bigger then the 235/75/15 you already have. As far as aggressive mud tires in snow is concerned, I hate them. I have lived in Michigan and South Dakota. Those places have snow. What you want is an All-Season, M/S tire. Shoulder lugs should be open, good siping in the tread. Best tires I have ever had for snow were the Michielin LTX M/S. The really aggressive tires are best for Rock Crawling and deliberately driving through mud. In that case consider modifying your sock vehicle.

I take what you say into consideration but my friend has stated an improvement in traction in his vehicle. This is why this is becoming so difficult.

 

[Don]

Thats the kind of tread upgrade Iam looking for. How many miles do you have on your set?

5500+- and counting, I love em. Also I can't wait for the snow to come.

 

[Aggar]

Toyo Tires Part 300050 - P235/75R-15, Open Country A/T Tire

Not a bad deal here.

Big at's wear good but kinda pricey. Not all that great in mud.
Firestone transforce at
Firestone destination at

 

[Panama]

Here is a tire size calculator that will tell you exactly how different sizes stack up to stock size.
Don't go too big, unless you plan on going to a lower ratio rear end gear.
Bigger tires = higher final ratio = NO LOW END POWER!

Tire size calculator

I just went through the same thing on my, new to me, little Mazda B series truck. After MUCH thought and research, I ended up RELUCTANTLY going with the stock size.

Got a really decent deal and good service at Tire Barn in Bloomington.

 

[PistolBob]

Usually the engines blow up in the Montero WAY before the tires need to be replaced. I don't think I'd put a $1000 in tires on a $3000 used up vehicle.