So here is the deal. I need opinions on tires. Trying to be politically correct, but I have had people say to me... Dont buy any tires from China, they always have blowouts...Got any feedback for me?

The best tires have the highest price tag..I dont want to jeopardize my safety but I would like to spend less if people in the forum think it is okay...Replacing 6 tires on my just newly purchased 1995 Chevrolet 3500 Turbo ...diesel, crew cab, a dually, 76,000 miles. I will be towing a 27' fifth wheel that has a top gross weight (everything included) of 12000 lbs.
(can u tell I am a female who has never owned a truck much less a fifth wheel?) ( i know, I know where is my husband... he works while I do the reasearch) ( I wouldnt have it any other way)

I can go with 1)Firestone HT BL LT225/75R16 @$1143.00
2) Primewell Valera H/t LTRBL LT225/75R16 @ $864.00

 

Different view is for an extra 400 you can save some American jobs
PolitiFact | Ad says Obama defied China to save tire-making jobs at home, Romney criticized

Apparently all the Chinese tire manufacturer that are importing to North America have to comply with the National High Way Traffic Safety Act.

If you visited a Michelin tire plan you would see “Michelin is very persnickety,” “At the Chinese plant you couldn’t tell if you were in China or in South Carolina. The plant has the same controls, the same machines and the same uniforms on the workers.”

Compare prices at this USA site.
Home - Discount Tire Direct

 

I highly recommend the Firestone transforce tires you already picked out. I install them on all kinds of dualy Chevys and Fords at work and they 1) last forever, 2) have excellent sidewall strength, 3) comes in a 3 ply sidewall style I believe. The one downfall, is that the Firestone is a heavier tire than its competitors, so .... there's that. I don't see how it really affects a large truck like yours, but I'm just throwing it out there.

Alternatively, I also install allot of Nexen Roadian HT LT tires,
Nexen Roadian HT LT 245/75R16 116Q (13443NXK) : Amazon.com : Automotive
I personally like the Firestone tires better, but these also last a long time. Not quite as long as the Firestone, but also have a good strong sidewall. This tire has a deeper tread depth I believe, they are quieter on the road and offer a little better ride quality. I believe they handle better in the rain and snow too.

I've put a few Michillin M/S LTX tires on before too, but I'm not as much of a fan of these tires. They tend to show sidewall dryrot/cracking before the others start to, but they seem to last quite a while. I'm not sure about the other qualities of the tires, but they have good strong sidewalls and deep tread.
Michelin LTX M/S2

The one thing about the Nexen tires that irritates me is that the way the tread is designed, you notice uneven tire wear ALLOT more than on the others. It is absolutely key to get a good alignment done to the truck right after you get your tires. Also make sure to rotate them regularly. Every other oil change or so, maybe every 10K miles, or as needed.

Hope this helps!

 

Here is where I started my new tire search:
Buying Union! How to be sure you're buying USW-made tires. | International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
I will NOT buy a Chinese tire for one of my vehicles as long as there is a domestic tire manufacturer available.

If you are not going to use this truck in a off-highway environment then I recommend you stick with a highway tread pattern. They will last longer and handle better, less tread block movement verses a mud tire. If you are going to be in off road situations I prefer to step up to a 235/85 A/T tire.

Now on to the "new" truck.
You are really going to be overloaded for a 6.5L TD. Some things I HIGHLY recommend for this truck is a set of gauges. Exhaust temperature (EGT), turbo boost and transmission temperature gauge. Get a PMD relocation kit to move the PMD off the engine away from heat AND vibration. The '95 has a flat panel air filter that needs to be taken extra care of to make sure it seals properly. Many engines have been damaged due to improper element installation. You may find out that the engine runs hot while towing in the summer and may need to upgrade to the high flow water pump and dual thermostat setup.

You should run a lubricity additive with the ultra low sulfur diesel (USLD) that we run now. Make sure the lift pump is working. Run a quality oil like Shell Rotella T(my preference, Mobil Delvac, Delo 400 etc, my preference for filters is WIX. My oil samples come back with good results after 7months and 3K miles. 6.5TD engines are not know for being able to run long oil change intervals like a Cummins or Duramax.

Since you will be towing a heavy load I recommend changing the differentials and transfer case(4x4) over to synthetic fluids. Transmission would be nice for synthetic but monitor the temps and have if flushed accordingly and regular fluid should suffice. On the line of fluids use a turkey baster to draw out as much brake fluid as possible and refill with fresh and if possible bleed the system. Same with the power steering system since it supplies the power assist for the brake system.

This is a long list but most stuff is minor and can be done at home. Remember the truck only has 76K miles but is 18/19 years old.

 

Are you telling me pulling a 27' fifth wheel is a big load for this Truck? I know it is old, but I can tell it was loved. I hope to leave my home in FL and go to West to the Rockies. Is your best guess the Truck will run hot and not have enough pull to make it a smooth trip? Was this a bad year (1995) to have a dually diesel turbo by Chevy? I am going on a wing and prayer, but tried to make logical, inexpensive choices. More feedback the better on my Truck
Mrs. Quibble

 

I'll start a "towing with a 6.5TD" thread under the Diesel forum to help assist you.

 

I only buy cooper tires. I have had really good luck with them. Firestones always seem to blow out on the sidewalls at about 15000 miles. I have run coopers down to the steel with not so much as a single flat (I do run 10ply tires). The cooper STT is one of my favorites.