XL vs E Rated tires

[Vndlfsn]

We are hoping to take possession of a 2013 4 x 2 RB Sportsmobile sprinter in the weeks to come.

The owner noted that the Hankook Dynapro tires are a little loud and I will probably end up replacing them this fall in preparation for winter weather anyway.

I am open to running two sets of tires for summer versus winter.

Our EuroVan has XL rated Vredesteins and seems to handle very well.

I’m not finding a lot on the Internet other than an E rated tire is a 10 ply tire but I’m not finding specific loads per tire anywhere.

If I go with a XL rated tire, my options are much greater. I won’t be towing anything and I won’t be doing any kind of serious offroading either.

I will probably stick with the stock size or very close to it.

Share your experience and opinions, thank you!

[Fitz]

I’m a fan of Falken Wildpeaks on my Sprinter. Much quieter and with a stronger sidewall than the previous KO’s. Currently have just over 50k miles on this set. Max load for the 285/70/17 E-Rated tire is 3195 lbs at 80 psi, which is typical for this size and rating.

[deserteagle56]

Originally Posted by Vndlfsn

I’m not finding a lot on the Internet other than an E rated tire is a 10 ply tire but I’m not finding specific loads per tire anywhere.

That's because the load per tire varies so much between manufacturers AND between models of tires from the same manufacturer. Generally E rated means a load rating of 3095 lbs to around 4000 lbs per tire depending on which tire you are looking at. The construction of the tires vary; even though they may be "E" rated 10 ply the tire may have only 4 actual plies in the tread area and 2 in the sidewall...or 7 in the tread area and 3 in the sidewall.


If you are not driving rocky roads and the tires will hold the weight of your vehicle then the XL tires will do just fine. An E rated tire will be much heavier and cost you mileage and performance.

[Vndlfsn]

That’s what I’ve been thinking, an XL rated tire will be just fine.

The ones that we’ve had on our Euro Van made a huge difference over the cheapies that the previous owner had on there.

[Scalf77]

So you really need to know what the recommended tire that came with the vehicle. And more precisely what the load index of that tire was.




Once you have the load index you can check against a generic load index chart such as this.



In todays world you will probably get push back if you go with tire that has a lesser load index than what the manufacture specified.

[Twoxentrix]

If you plug in the tire size you're looking for in the link below (When it opens, you'll be asked to enter the Vehicle you are searching for - Don't).
https://www.discounttire.com/

Once the page opens look towards the top left and you'll see categories for Tires, Wheels, Accessories, etc. just Click on the down arrow to the right of 'Tires" and a drop down will appear - select 'Shop by Size'
Once you plug that info in It will produce all the Tire brands in that size... (on the left side of the page you have options to narrow your search farther by selecting Brand, Cost, Tire Category, etc.)
From there; just click on any Tire you are interested in (once the page opens scroll down to find the "Load Index' & using the chart above which Scalf77 supplied you can see what the MAX Load rating is).
***If you haven't already, you should take your Van to a Scale and have it weighed since you have a build out (at least get both front & rear axles since the load rating will need to accommodate the heaviest end - then also ADD weight to account for stuff like gallons of water & fuel if they are not currently full, Food, and stuff like accessories & clothing if not already in the Van, weight of the people traveling, etc... so you can 'guesstimate' what your loaded weight would actually be)

[Vndlfsn]

I took possession of my new sprinter van earlier this week and noted that Mercedes recommends 74 psi in the rear and 47 in the front.

There are no XL-rated tires that can accommodate 74 psi so it looks like I really need to go with an E-rated tire that will accommodate that.

The seller told me that he found the Hankook Dynapro all terrain tires to be really loud and he is right! So incredibly loud on pavement.

I think I’m gonna be looking for a highway all season such as the Michelin Defender LTX.

Is there any benefit to moving to a slightly larger tire and wheell? Maybe a 265/70/17? Costs more money, so if there’s not a benefit, I’ll probably just stay with the stock.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by Vndlfsn

I think I’m gonna be looking for a highway all season such as the Michelin Defender LTX.

I'm running the Agilis LTX on my 2005 E-350 EB loaded 8,400 work truck--mostly filled with tools, materials etc. 245/75-R16 on factory steel wheels These are the Defender replacements. I'll never again seek another brand FWIW----they've been flawless on several different E-Series since 2006 or so.

Originally Posted by Vndlfsn

Is there any benefit to moving to a slightly larger tire and wheell? Maybe a 265/70/17? Costs more money, so if there’s not a benefit, I’ll probably just stay with the stock.

Fitment inside the wheel wells can be an issue---a friend was running the 265's and they fit like this: https://imgur.com/a/XBO1tHX (2003 E-250 standard length body)

HTH

[SteelheadJones]

Another vote for the Michelin Agilis. I couldn’t believe how much quieter and more compliant they were in an empty, uninsulated 7.3 cargo van.

[Vndlfsn]

That’s uncanny that the both of you would respond with your recommendations.

Yesterday morning I ordered the Agilis Crossclimate from discount tire, hopefully they’ll get here in a week or so.

Many thanks for everyone’s expertise and advice!