Looking for a 6 or 8 ply 245/60r18

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are proud owners of a 2015 base model in the great state of montana. The issue I'm having is I can't find any tire makers that seem to make anything more than a 4 ply tire for the 18 inch rims on our explorer. We drive roughly 40 miles a day on a dirt road during our commute and the rough gravel tends to destroy tires. If anyone has any knowledge of such a tire please let me know. I've spent a few hours looking online and have come up empty. Thanks in advance!!

Matt from Montana "the last best place"

Nope, the 245/60 r18 is a bastid size. You can probably find one in 265, but that puts you outside of the 3% tolerance factor. I basically gave up trying for anything resembling a truck tire on mine. I also think you can go with a 17" wheel and find something that would work.

mattoehler said:

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are proud owners of a 2015 base model in the great state of montana. The issue I'm having is I can't find any tire makers that seem to make anything more than a 4 ply tire for the 18 inch rims on our explorer. We drive roughly 40 miles a day on a dirt road during our commute and the rough gravel tends to destroy tires. If anyone has any knowledge of such a tire please let me know. I've spent a few hours looking online and have come up empty. Thanks in advance!!

Matt from Montana "the last best place"

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I would go to LT version of that size or at least a All-Terrain tire. BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO is a very good tire. 3 ply polyester with 2 full with steel belts. Make sure the UTQG rating is very high. The UTQG rates tires are rated on their treadwear, traction performance, and temperature resistance.

you could move to a 255/60/18 and Hankook Dynapro AT-M would fit what you are looking for. The 10mm (3/8") width would have little to no impact.

Michelin LTXMS2 tires maybe? I had them on my previous 02 GMC Yukon and they were great. I don't know if they will fit your explorer.

scarpi said:

Michelin LTXMS2 tires maybe? I had them on my previous 02 GMC Yukon and they were great. I don't know if they will fit your explorer.

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The MS2 is a great tire but the OP probably needs an AT tire for the driving they do. The Michelin AT2 might be good. Or the Cooper AT3. Or the BFG KO2.

2TimingTom said:

The MS2 is a great tire but the OP probably needs an AT tire for the driving they do. The Michelin AT2 might be good. Or the Cooper AT3. Or the BFG KO2.

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They don't make them in 245/60 r18.

He's probably going to have to play around with sizes a little to get something.

It was mentioned about using 17" wheels to get the tires wanted for the OP. Has anyone tried putting 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorers. I have asked before and been told it may not be possible, but I haven't talked to anyone who has done it. I know the previous years (2011-2014) used 17" wheels, but 2015 come with 18" and larger only. I have been leed to believe the brakes are larger on the 2015 and there is not enough clearance for the 17" wheels. I am interested if anyone has really installed 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorer.

Thanks,
Craig

CraigK said:

It was mentioned about using 17" wheels to get the tires wanted for the OP. Has anyone tried putting 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorers. I have asked before and been told it may not be possible, but I haven't talked to anyone who has done it. I know the previous years (2011-2014) used 17" wheels, but 2015 come with 18" and larger only. I have been leed to believe the brakes are larger on the 2015 and there is not enough clearance for the 17" wheels. I am interested if anyone has really installed 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorer.

Thanks,
Craig

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I seriously doubt that is true. People will tell you anything.

I am putting on Blizzaks DMV1 265 60 18 on 18" rims, and from what I figured I am only out a little on the speedo. If i can get them in a winter tire they must be a common size.

18'' wheels

I have a 2014 limited it has 255/50/r20 tires optional tires for model are 265/45/20. if this size fits on a limited they will fit on the base model, they are the same truck. i replaced my 20's with 18', don't like big rims. next tire will be 265/60/18' on xlt rims. looking at pirelli scorpions for better winter traction without going to winter tires, there not needed here in indianapolis.

Will these work for a '15 EX? Too wide maybe? I have a set of these on my '07 Ranger 4x4 and have had about 30 years experience with the Wrangler in it's various changes over the years. These are the first AT tires I've seen that will fit a 20 inch rim. I haven't checked what the tire diameter difference would be but, this looks promising, no?



http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...linedWhite Letters&partnum=76TR0WSA&tab=Sizes

Hmmm? These tires are 3 inches taller @ 33 inches than stock @ 30.1 inches which would cause all kinds of problems with the electronics. Might be doable if a tuner with tire size correction is available. Actually 3 inches taller on the Ex wouldn't be a bad thing and would raise the clearance on it a bit more.

Bottom line though it may not be possible to do. :scratch:

mattoehler said:

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are proud owners of a 2015 base model in the great state of montana. The issue I'm having is I can't find any tire makers that seem to make anything more than a 4 ply tire for the 18 inch rims on our explorer. We drive roughly 40 miles a day on a dirt road during our commute and the rough gravel tends to destroy tires. If anyone has any knowledge of such a tire please let me know. I've spent a few hours looking online and have come up empty. Thanks in advance!!

Matt from Montana "the last best place"

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Congrats, so are we. We just bought a left over 2015 Black Base Explorer 4WD with Sync, Sirius, and the Tow Package. It's my wifes as she traded in her 2012 Escape XLT 4WD.

I looked around and there's no LT tires for the Explorer's 18" size. Unless your towing or hauling heavy loads, like I do in my F150, I wouldn't go to an LT. Just get some good P series tires that use Kevlar in them.

I had P series on my 2012 F150 and towing my 29' Jayco travel trailer gave me some wallowing back and forth on windy days that I'm trying to get away from with some new BFGoodrich All Terrain AT KO2's I just bought. These are load E. I bought from Discount tire which came up with a 41 psi requirement for the front and rear tires based on my trucks weight and GVWR. So I don't need to air them to the max 80 psi.

Getting them installed next week. BUT I needed them because my travel trailer is a tall wind sail that likes to push the truck back and forth from side winds. The stiffer sidewalls of the tires will give the rig more stability.

With the Explorer, you just want better wear and ruggedness. I would think that Goodyear or another brand still makes a tire with the Kevlar for a P series tire.

Myself, I don't like having to reprogram the vehicle's computer for speed and mileage from a none factory size.

Good luck.

Spyker said:

I am putting on Blizzaks DMV1 265 60 18 on 18" rims, and from what I figured I am only out a little on the speedo. If i can get them in a winter tire they must be a common size.

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Sure they will fit, but they exceed the allowable 3% size difference. So if something fails to operate properly, such as brakes, traction control, ABS, etc. the manufacturer will not stand behind it. In other words, you have voided your warranty.

CraigK said:

It was mentioned about using 17" wheels to get the tires wanted for the OP. Has anyone tried putting 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorers. I have asked before and been told it may not be possible, but I haven't talked to anyone who has done it. I know the previous years (2011-2014) used 17" wheels, but 2015 come with 18" and larger only. I have been leed to believe the brakes are larger on the 2015 and there is not enough clearance for the 17" wheels. I am interested if anyone has really installed 17" wheels on the 2015 Explorer.

Thanks,
Craig

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I believe the brake size was increased midway through the 2013 model year. Most members have been using the 18" wheels after that increase although one member did say that the dealer managed to fit a 17" on her 2014 Sport.

Peter

if you ask politely the dealer might re-calibrate your car for you

also where do you get this 3% thing from?

the only thing truly affected is the speedo/miles values. The traction/stability control systems actually don't care. they look at wheel speed as a function of angular displacement and angular acceleration. as long as all 4 are the same - it won't care.


on the tires - you're driving one of the most prolific cars on the road today so you shouldn't have too hard a time finding something however - it's not a truck or rated as such. as tough as some of these 105 load rated tires are I'd worry more about aspect ratio than I would plys. as in - anything lower than say the 60 ratio (assuming stock 18's) then I would worry about punctures as the side wall stiffness wouldn't allow the tire to deform nearly as much.

I'd also get something that's not speed rated as high - So S or H as opposed to V as the higher speed tires are going to be optimized thinner for heat.

otherwise sure get a truck/suv severe duty tire - hell maybe try to get tires used on the police utility model.

and yes few 17 in wheel will fit on a newer explorer because of the brakes - specifically the calipers.

oh and some handheld tuners will also recalibrate your speed and mileage settings.

I know predator's used to. (diablosport)