Hey guys,

I'm new to trucks and just got a 2013 F150. Trying to learn as much as I can and part of that is tires.

My sticker has: LT275/65R18C 113/110S

Most of it is easy to figure out and there's a tonne of information but one thing I can't seem to find anything about is that C after R18. I have yet to find a tire size explanation that includes a letter after the rim like that.

Apologies if this is easy and obvious. Again truck/F150 noob.

My truck is a 2013 4x4 screw with tow package and chrome package (XTR since I'm Canadian). It's used so I don't exactly know what set of features it has

 

Means your truck needs at least C load range tires

 

Ok, cool, thanks. Load index is the weight, load range the construction. Looking around at tires online I think it's the P/LT that's messing me up. When I put the truck in the sites always want to give me P tires which don't have the load range. For example I'm looking at some Nokian Hakka LT3 winter tires, LT275/65R18 123/120Q. Kal tire is a local tire shop that sells them so I go online and find the site won't allow those tires on my truck and wants me to look at the P tires instead. I know the Q is less than S but I mean 160 km/h in the winter (100 miles an hour), hell I won't ever hit that in the summer let alone winter where it would be suicide up here. Load index is higher so that shouldn't be an issue. Nokian site doesn't have the load range listed.

 

You would be fine with P tires, based on that sticker. It's more based on what you are doing with the truck than the truck itself. For half tons. If you tow constantly, or load it heavy, then stick with the LT.

 

I've never seen an LT tire in load range C, lowest I've seen is load range D. My LT's are load range E

 

C = 6 ply
D = 8 ply
E= 10 ply

Or should be. There's probably some re-treader that breaks the standards.

 

What I wonder is why the website i went to to order some Nokian Hakka LT3's wouldn't let me based on my vehicle type when they come in a LT275/65R18 123Q.

Speed is lower than the S on my sticker but aren't a lot of winter tires rated Q? Load is higher so no worries there. The online live chat dude said there was no way he could put the order in, his system wouldn't let him. That's what got me wondering about the C. My current LT's are E.

 

Every C load range tire I've ever encountered was a P metric non LT 4 ply I think. They may have changed how they rate tires these days so I'm not sure. That was U.S. standards, perhaps the C is because it's a truck built for the Canadian market?, there are differences.

My tire placard. No load rating posted on it so I don't think the C on his is either but again it's a different country so....

 

We ran into that same problem here with my wife's suv, it had some ridiculous speed rating because it's a low profile tire so no one would mount them for us unless we went with the more expensive speed rating. It's just a little Ford Escape with a 4cyl non turbo engine used 100% in the city and very little interstate and then it's limited to 70mph.

So I took care of it my self by buying a tire machine and balancer then she picked up what fit from the local wholesale club and I mounted them. Difference of over $50 usd each tire saved.

 

Tire machine and balancer you say. That would be convenient given i need to change the truck and van tires a couple times a year. Could also rotate them myself. Very interesting. There's also a diy garage in the area where a dude will put your car on the lift and they've got all the tools/machines. Less than regular labor cost.