KO3 tires - C vs E?

[mister_mcgoo]

Hey all,

Definitely appreciate all if the input on my previous thread regarding tire size on stock SR5 wheels!

I’ve decided to go with 265/70r17 KO3’s. However, my local tire shop says they only have the E option available for order.

My question is, will I see any negatives going with the E over a C? I understand the E’s might be a bit heavier if I remember correctly?

Thanks!

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[Mad Ghost]

they are something around 10lbs per wheel heavier going E over C... thats a lot of mass to move.. roughly 20lbs per corner greater than the OEM Tires. I haven't personally ran E's but I have heard people complain of ride quality because of how stiff the sidewall is.

 

[JGR]

My local shop had 14 E’s and ended up with 3 C rated the day I showed up. Decided to try out the E’s as they were $40 cheaper per tire and a complete set.

After a week of using it, noticed it was sluggish off the line and the E rated in rain did not feel good for acceleration, turning or braking. Genuinely lost traction and swerved.

Fortunately, i was able to switch into C-rated without issues. It has been the right balance for me and my uses.

 

[DI Transplant]

I have the KO3's in a 285/70/17 in the E Load range. I think if you're going to do a lot of off-roading in rocky areas the E load is worth it to help reducing sidewall punctures. If you're not doing that then I'd go with the C load range. The C load is about 9 pounds lighter and will provide a softer ride. I don't think the E's are too harsh but I've heard others say they felt they were a harsh ride.

 

[Nodak]

usually the reason e rated tires are cheaper is that they dont have a mileage warranty on them typically. i have seen c rated tires with and without mileage warranties on them

another way to mitigate tire weight is it get lighter aftermarket wheels to offset

did that to our 23 tundra, got lighter wheels (vs oem wheels) and dropped the added weight to around 6 lbs per tire instead of 15 lbs (i think, its been a while since i looked)


edit : whoops i was wrong we went up in weight across the board. the oem 20in tundra wheels were 41 lbs each, and the tires were around 47 lbs. went with a fuel flame 6 at 41 lbs wheels and duratrac SL load at 52 lbs, so i went up around 6 lbs per wheel.


but it will be hard to find something lighter than oem wheels though. most fancy wheels i see people buy are even heavier than oem by about 10-15-20 lbs more per wheel. but you can find some decent looking aftermarket wheels around the 30 lbs range


usually the TRD pro BBS wheels are the lightest wheels toyota's offers

 

[Reed]

I went with Nitto Recon Grapplers, 275s. E rated but not near as heavier as other E rated options. A good midpoint option. No complaints with ride quality.

 

[kzrman]

I'm running 18x9 Method MR701's with LT265/70R18 KO3 E range at 33 PSI.
I love my setup and have not experienced a harsh ride. The truck feels very planted and confidence inspiring.

 

[Soloflight]

Hey all,

Definitely appreciate all if the input on my previous thread regarding tire size on stock SR5 wheels!

I’ve decided to go with 265/70r17 KO3’s. However, my local tire shop says they only have the E option available for order.

My question is, will I see any negatives going with the E over a C? I understand the E’s might be a bit heavier if I remember correctly?

Thanks!

I heard there is a balancing problems with ko tires, does the ko3 solved that?

 

[kzrman]

Not sure there. I got my tires pre mounted from Tire Rack. The truck rides fine with no shake or wobble.

 

[timelapse]

C is the sweet spot for the 4runner unless you really need the low pressure, off-road 10 ply sidewall capability of an E rated tire. E will run rougher and you need to remember that an e rated tire’s support (especially at highway speeds) is rated at 80 psi. So, if you do the 6th gen weight calc, you really can’t safely run an e rated tire at 33psi. The sidewalls heat up very fast.

I ran e rated KO3 275/70/18 for 5k miles on my 6th gen before getting rid of them. Too rough imo @ 35psi (at highway speeds they would heat up to 42).

On my 5th gen, I ran a set of KO2 (285/70/17) e rated for 80k and never thought it felt firm or bumpy. I did switch to c rated for two more full sets of KO2 and noticed improved fuel economy.

 

[Nodak]

also remember, if you are pulling heavy loads (ie F250/F350 type truck and big a$$ campers) you want to run e rated tires and not just for off roading.

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