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Old 08-30-2011, 10:14 AM   #10 (permalink)
slowmover
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
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So a tire with excellent wet traction, but poor tread life will deteriorate (and be less grippy) more quickly and be bald sooner.

I wouldn't always bet on it, but it's why I like the TR reviews to verify. There are vehicles where the best wet traction may be the best choice, and a sub-50k life worth the trade-off.

The tires on my truck rate poorly in terms of dynamic performance on the TR survey results. But I don't expect tires to make up for sloppy driving habits (not slowing in rain), having grown up on 10-12k mile average bias-ply tires. I just slow down for bad surfaces with these tires. The factory set was replaced at 120k with 4/32's remaining. The first replacement set might -- meaning but two sets of tires -- take the truck to 250k miles. This is not an uncommon experience with this tire line and this particular truck (and spec). One has to dig through an enthusiast site to find the good/bad.

I take it for granted that all tires hydroplane at 55-mph in the rain, but that some recover almost immediately compared to others. Not "scientific" by any means, but meant to be respectful of road, load, conditions, weather, etc.

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