I now own a tow rig, and I have some questions.

maulcruiser

maulcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Location
Bladenboro/Wilmington, NC
I now own an '01 Chevy 3500 Duramax. 4x4, extended cab, dualie, fully loaded, with 60K miles on it. It used to belong to my dad, but he decided to get an '06, and sold me the '01.

Ok, the maintenance has been kept up on it, but it is in desperate need of tires. It came equipped with Wrangler AT/S's, and they seemed to last a long time, but a lot of the mileage on the truck was interstate. I seriously doubt they'd be very good up here in the mountains, where I will be for the next few years. What can you suggest that has worked well for you? I'd like to go up a size or two over stock since the factory size looks goofy on a truck that large.

Power-wise, I'm not complaining, but it could use a small boost. I don't know if I want to get into programmers or chips, but I would like to upgrade the exhaust. It could also use a better braking system, like an exhaust brake or something, as the tow/haul mode on the truck doesn't do much at all. I don't know much of anything at all about diesels.

What can you tell the rookie?
 
Sounds like a nice truck Ash, low miles too. Personally I love the BFG AT KO's. I have run a good many sets of them and they would be great for the weather you get up there. When I picked up my Dmax in Sept. I went straight to the tire place for a swap to some BFG's. Best thing I did. Check out www.dieselplace.com for anything you want to know on your truck, its a great site.
 
I had BFG AT's on my rig before... didn't like the noise.

Are you wanting a street-oriented tread, all-season, or all-terrain? That matters most.
 
I'm going to need at least an all season, if not an all terrain. All of my stuff is kept out at the farm, or behind my house where it's usually damp or wet. The Goodyear AT/S tires that were on it just didn't seem to like any kind of mud at all. I don't know how they react to snow/ice as I never got to drive the truck when it got that bad back home.

I read on the diesel place what kinds of tires those guys are/have been running, and it's almost impossible to get a decent opinion because the majority of their trucks are upgraded and they like to show off with them. So far, it seems to be Nitto Terra Grapplers, BFG AT, or Michelin.

If it were a SRW truck, I'd slap a set of BFG's on it and call it good, but since it's DRW, I feel it's an entirely different ball game.........one I know nothing about.
 
All-season, I'd go with some Michelin's.. all-terriain, hard to beat the BFG AT's.
 
Aight, I believe I'll go with the BFG's, because I know how well they work, plus everyone around this area says to run them.

Rich, I read your thread on the Commercial T/A's. Do you still like them? Think I'd be ok with the "traction" version of them? They appear to be a good tire at an affordable price.
 
They are a good, long-wearing tire, but straight-line traction leaves a bit to be desired, and they are absolutely pathetic off the paved road. But, they're quiet and will last - my biggest reason for buying them.

I just have to fab a big drop receiver for the cruiser so I can pull the trailer out of the back yard. :rolleyes:

The traction ones do look like they would grip well.

I sure liked the way the truck looked with the BFG's, too.
 
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