why does FORD say NOT to use ALL SEASON

[brianj82]

Can anyone tell me why FORD recommends to not use all season tires on the 1995 Ford Explorer 4WD?

 

[Willard]

Because they want you to use all-terrain. Honestly, I have no idea. If you want to use all-seasons tires, go for it. Nothing bad will happen. If people here have put 33" mud tires on a basically stock drive train, I think you would be ok.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Can anyone tell me why FORD recommends to not use all season tires on the 1995 Ford Explorer 4WD?

Two words:

Firestone Fiasco

 

[Willard]

Two words:

Firestone Fiasco

Ahhh...except it even says that in the manual for my first gen. Before the firestone fiasco happened.

 

[briwayjones]

Except all of their Explorers have always shipped with All Season tires. Are you sure you don't mean All Terrain?

 

[Willard]

I thought they were shipped with all-terrains.

 

[briwayjones]

Except all of their Explorers have always shipped with All Season tires. Are you sure you don't mean All Terrain?

I don't know what I'm thinking. Pre Firestone they were shipped with All Terrain not that it makes any difference in roll overs. And since they've been shipping them with All Seasons.

Can anyone tell me why FORD recommends to not use all season tires on the 1995 Ford Explorer 4WD?

Did you mean to say All Terrain? Since the whole Firestone thing they've shipped with All Season tires on them.

Brianj82, what's your last name if you don't mind saying?

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Just get the tires you want. Tires have come a long way since then...

 

[sjr033]

I think they are just trying to keep people form putting a "car" tire on their truck and the tire not having enough load rating. Just my 2 cents.

 

[bluexpy]

I suspect because passenger tires aren't suited for Explorers. Before Explorers, there weren't SUVs used as household transportation.

Explorers are much heavier than cars, and since it's a SUV, you can add weight/haul it ever so easily so they state to use all terrain tires. I agree with their statement. I wouldn't want to use passenger tires on SUVs. LT/off-road tires are much rigid and will plant traction better.

I think for the 1st gens, they were shipped with Firestone Radial ATX tires, which is an A/T tire. Then the 2nd gens they started shipping the infamous Firestone Wilderness III/HT which is also an A/T tire.

 

[briwayjones]

I've always had passenger tires on my Explorers including the Firestone ATX A/T tires and have never had any problem. Passenger tires of the proper size for an Explorer has no problem handling the weight.

 

[bluexpy]

That's great. Maybe I'll go to a lighter design on my Limited AWD...throwing on BFG A/Ts is a bit too much.

But wouldn't the side walls be softer on passenger type tires, giving less stable ride on high-centered vehicles like SUVs?

 

[briwayjones]

That's great. Maybe I'll go to a lighter design on my Limited AWD...throwing on BFG A/Ts is a bit too much.

But wouldn't the side walls be softer on passenger type tires, giving less stable ride on high-centered vehicles like SUVs?

In theory the sidewalls would be softer. But as long as they are properly inflated I don't think you would notice a difference in handling other than it would ride better than light truck tires. They will handle no worse than other tires of the same size light truck or passenger tires as long as they are inflated properly.

 

[spotdog14]

Just a side note here, I am running Goodyear Fortura Triple Treads (that I love BTW), and I usually keep the around 40psi all the way around. Well the truck was at the dealership last week for some work and I had them do an oil change since it was already there (didn't realize it would cost me $80 for an oil change) and they did the "multi point inspection" and they lowered my tire pressure to 30 all the way around and I notice a lot more body roll, and it has severely impacted how the vehicle corners now.

So on my way home tonight I will be stopping by and adding some more air to the tires.

 

[briwayjones]

they did the "multi point inspection" and they lowered my tire pressure to 30 all the way around and I notice a lot more body roll, and it has severely impacted how the vehicle corners now.

So on my way home tonight I will be stopping by and adding some more air to the tires.

Yeah, 30psi is not enough. That is the very thing that lead to the Firestone fiasco. People would have 30psi or even less (at one time Ford was recommending 26psi) in their tires. Possibly not check the pressure for a year or something, so it would maybe get even lower. Load their Explorer full of junk and the family and then drive off through the desert in 90* heat. Put any tire in those circumstances underinflated and it'll fail.

Ford does that because supposedly the softer setup tires decreases roll over risk which I disagree with. I guess the reasoning is if the tire is hard it the vehicle will want to roll over the edge of the tire instead of the tire giving as it would when it's really soft. But like you said, they handle better and is less body roll with a more properly inflated tires. And if more body roll because of the soft tires doesn't directly lead to a roll over the soft tires will definitely not handle as well and will not be as responsive. Not to mention a more inflated tire will get better gas mileage.

So what am I trying to say in short? Keep your tires inflated to 32psi or more. I personally keep it within a few pounds of the max rating of the tire if it's rated at 44psi and put it at 35psi if that's the tire rating.

 

[briwayjones]

That's great. Maybe I'll go to a lighter design on my Limited AWD...throwing on BFG A/Ts is a bit too much.

But wouldn't the side walls be softer on passenger type tires, giving less stable ride on high-centered vehicles like SUVs?

Just to clear things up, it sounds like there may be a little confusion. All Terrain tires are not automatically light truck tires. All Terrain only refers to the more agressive tread pattern that is better in snow and mud verses All Season tread patterns which usually only really do decent in rain. There are tires both All Season and All Terrain tires that you can get in the same sizes where one is a passenger tire and the other is a light truck tire. For instance the Firestone ATXs and Wildernesses were both available in the same sizes as both a passenger tire and light truck tire.

 

[Anime]

The reasoning behind the warning to only use "all terrain" rather than passenger car or any "high performance" tires was the perceived increased risk of rollover due to the high amount of cornering traction. It's pretty easy to get up on two tires if you take a corner too fast, and sticky tires will hold on pavement until the vehicle flips. Tires like the Firestone Radial ATX the Explorers shipped with, and even the Wildnerness AT had such poor traction (a good "B" traction and acceptable "C" temperature rating), they would tend to simply slide on the pavement, making a rollover less likely.

The 26 psi deal was because the Explorer was originally a truck, but with the Bronco II suspension, it wasn't easy to give it a car-like luxury ride. The quick solution was to just recommend less air in the tires for more cushion.

Unfortunately, the combo of using cheap tires with a low recommended psi made for overheated tires, blowouts, and rollovers.

It's fine to use whatever tires you want, though.

 

[Uafan]

It really makes that big of a difference..?

 

[briwayjones]

It really makes that big of a difference..?

The tread pattern or the PSI? The tread pattern, no. The PSI, yes.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

It really makes that big of a difference..?

Yes it does. NASCAR teams only need a 1/2 psi difference to change the tire stagger. Think what 4-5 psi would do