Rubber burn hurts. Especially when it’s your vehicle’s wheels — and you’ve only just bought your tires.
Tired of replacing faulty wheels? Looking for something better?
What if we told you there were better wheels out there, road rippers that last 70,000 miles or more? Look no further, because Equipment Experts, Inc. is here to help you make more informed tire purchases.
If you’re looking for better tires for your truck, you’ll want to read our review of the best truck tires on the market in 2023.
When it comes to truck tires, not all are made equally. Before we dive into the best of the best of 2023, it’s worth knowing about the three different categories of truck tires, including:
When you’re buying tires for your new-old truck, it’s worth asking yourself which of these tires best fits your needs. We have a few considerations we think can help you in your quest for quality tires for your truck.
Before deciding on which type of truck tires to buy, you’ll want to make sure you’re clear on two key factors: what type of truck you drive, the type of truck tires you’re interested in, your driving style, and whether your driving style suits your truck and preferred tire choice.
It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people purchase the wrong tires for their truck. Whether you use your truck for pleasure, work, or a bit of both, finding the right truck tires requires you know where — and how — you drive your truck.
If you’re an urban road warrior who sticks primarily to asphalt and concrete streets and highways, it may not make so much sense to buy terrain tires. However, if you’re the type of person who lives in the countryside and takes an unpaved, dirt road to the job site each day, perhaps sturdier, thicker mud tires would best suit your driving style and tire needs.
Most people tend to hover somewhere in the middle, driving on well-paved and unpaved roads and paths. If you’re a middle-of-the-road kind of a person, all-terrain wheels are an economical and practical choice.
Once you’ve determined the type of truck you’re driving — whether a pick-up, semi-, or heavy duty equipment truck — it’ll be much easier to determine the type of truck tire for your needs.
The most common truck types include highway tires (H/T), all-terrain (A/T) or hybrid tires, mud tires (M/T), and snow tires.
A note on snow tires: if you’re the type of person who lives in areas that receive light snow, if any at all, it may not be worth the money to buy snow tires. Just as well, you’ll want to skip out on highway tires if you live in a place that consistently receives severe snow alerts. If you live in a place that’s known for having four seasons, consider buying all-season hybrid tires that will help you pretty much all year round.
Whether during wintry conditions or sweltering summers, by identifying where you drive most — rough terrain or smooth concrete pavement — you can maximize the value and life out of your new set of tires.
In our humble opinion, the tires listed below are some of the best in 2023’s market. We organized our favorites — in no particular order — based on the following three categories.
You might be wondering: how did you make your choice? Our choices reflect popular demand and our writer and editors’ research on some of the market’s top truck tires.
Note: We love a great discussion on vehicle wheels and parts! If you’re considering purchasing new tires, need repairs on an existing set of wheels, or would like to weigh the pros and cons of each tire, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time. We’d be more than happy!
Most truck drivers use their trucks for two common activities: work and pleasure. If you’re a pickup truck driver, you’re likely hauling loads and commuting from one job site to the next.
Whether you’re an average pickup driver, a heavy equipment handler, or an over-the-road semi-truck driver, you’ll want to have tires that are both rugged and versatile for your traveling needs.
All-terrain tires are the perfect option for the load-carrying driver looking for tires with a little bite that is both smooth and low on noise. If you’re looking for something that adapts to the road in smooth pavement and broken dirt — a tire that’s built for any weather condition — you’ll want to check out our list of all-terrain truck tires below.
Pluses: Provides a quiet and comfortable ride and comes with a responsive hybrid tread pattern; deep sidewall lugs come in handy for rough, unpaved roads
Minuses: The jury’s still out about how well these tires perform in rainy conditions.
With a name like “grappler,” it’s easy to understand why this tire grips us (pun intended). Grapplers are first on our list of best A/T tires.
With solid shoulder and lateral Z grooves, Nitto’s Ridge Grapplers are excellent for maintaining traction in some of the worst conditions. These versatile tires offer stellar highway performance, and the tread life on them is tough to beat.
If you’re grappling over the best on-road tires to buy for all weather conditions, opt for the Nitto Ridge Grappler for its smoother, quiet, and long-lasting tread.
Pluses: Excellent handling and braking in wet conditions; these tires come with a generous 65,000-mile treadwear warranty.
Minuses: If you’re on a budget, these tires can run a bit expensive.
For almost 60 years, Toyo has been providing racers, car enthusiasts, and average drivers with premium, durable, and quality tires. Their Open Country A/T may be one of the best all-around A/T tires in today’s market.
The side sipes and wave-like pattern on these all-season tires offer solid handling in snow, dirt, and mud. The Open Country is a great all-around tire for people looking for a dependable tire built and distributed by a trustworthy company that’s been around for decades.
Pluses: Offers some of the best on- and off-road driving performance; these tires provide extremely durable tread
Minuses: These tires don’t make for a super quiet ride.
An equally solid tire as the Open Country A/T III, BF Goodrich did it again with the T/A KO2. This tire is 3-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rated, meaning it provides a high level of traction in snowy conditions.
This tire is great for people who love driving jeeps, SUVs, and pickup trucks. Opt for the All-terrain T/A KO2 if you’re looking for a quality off- and on-road tire for light trucks and SUVs.
Highway terrain tires are a class in themselves. H/Ts are a crossover between a street tire and an all-terrain tire.
These tires tend to provide better gas mileage then all-terrain tires.
While not quite as versatile as A/Ts when it comes to driving on rough, country roads, H/Ts make up for their lack of off-road performance by offering a smoother, quieter, and more fuel-efficient ride. Highway truck tires can also handle larger load capacities than street tires.
If you’re looking for the right type of tire for highway driving, you’ll want to take a look at these three dependable H/T tires.
Pluses: Michelin offers some of the highest mileage on their warranties; built for high-torque SUVs and crossovers, pickup trucks, and heavy-duty trucks
Minuses: These tires are not considered 3PMSF-dedicated snow tires.
Topping our list of best overall highway tires for trucks is Michelin’s Defender LTX M/S. These highway tires offer dependable traction in all weather conditions, while also ensuring a durable tread compound that stands the test of time.
Best of all, these tires offer a quieter ride than its all-terrain companions further up on this list. If you’re looking for a highway tire built with solid materials, one that’s low on road noise, the Michelin Defender series is your best bet.
Pluses: One of the most sleek low-profile tires on the market; these tires have a long tread life and are super stylish.
Minuses: They can be more easily compromised on gravel roads and under rough conditions.
For those drivers with a need for speed (and style), the Proxes S/T III are some of the most sporty tires on the market today. Its base compound is molded from silica, a durable rock material found in our Earth’s crust.
The silica in the tread, patterned grooves along the tire, and integrated sipes also help decrease the amount of rolling resistance and hydroplaning in wet weather — and help ensure a longer-lasting tire.
If you’re looking for tire options that can handle wet roads, you’ll want to check out the sleek and stylish, low-profile Proxes S/T IIIs.
Pluses: These tires are backed by a generous 55,000- 65,000-mile warranty; this tire is great for uneven and harsh surfaces.
Minuses: They may not offer the best stability in heavier winter conditions.
The Cooper Discoverer HTP II is a tire for the driver with a larger vehicle — such as heavy-duty diesel-powered trucks. If you’re logging thousands of highway miles in your truck and need a tire that offers dependable year-round traction and stability across a variety of wet and light-winter conditions, the Cooper Discoverer is a great choice.
These tires can provide the on-road comfort you desire and stability in some of the worst weather conditions. When selecting new tires, you’ll definitely want to check out Cooper’s Discoverer HTP II tires for your highway driving needs.
We saved the beefiest tires for last. Mud-terrain truck tires are hefty and built to drive in intense road conditions — like loose gravel, dirt, and soggy mud.
The deep tread blocks, ginormous spaces between lugs, and wide channels help trucks sling away rocks and mud from under the tire, giving trucks greater off-road ability and traction in uneven and loose surfaces. Unfortunately, they’re not much for on-road performance, as these tires can be clunky, noisy, and unwieldy on pavement.
But if you’re looking for an off-road tire that offers balance and stability in risky conditions, you’ll want to take a look at our recommended M/Ts below.
Pluses: Work well under snow conditions (3PMSF-rated); remarkably flexible and responsive tire tread — even on pavement
Minuses: These tires aren’t a comprehensive alternative to winter tires.
Named after legendary race car driver, Mickey Thompson, these tires really are the boss of tires. Even when tire pressure is reduced, they navigate rough and rocky roads with ease.
The asymmetric tread and side biter design helps ensure strong resistance to punctures. When you’re going off a loose and bumpy road, snarling your way through wet and wild off-road conditions, you’ll be grateful you fit with a set of Mickey Thompson Baja Bosses.
Pluses: They’re considered one of the best on-road M/Ts on the road; relatively affordable
Minuses: These tires can make for a loud and noisy ride on the highway.
BF Goodrich’s mud-terrain T/A KM3 tires use high-performance symmetric tread designs and multi-block patterns to deliver stability in loose, rocky conditions. Whether you’re driving through snow or mud, this mud-terrain offers a surprisingly stable and solid on-road driving experience.
Built for trucks with a 16-inch tire diameter, these mud-terrain tires are worth the price. Best of all, they come with a 6-year standard limited warranty.
If you’re looking for an M/T tire that can help you slog through tough conditions, give BF Goodrich’s T/A KM3s a try.
Pluses: A budget-friendly alternative to other tires
Minuses: This M/T tire isn’t the most fuel-efficient option out there.
Rounding out our list of tires for 2023 is Milestar’s Patagonia M/T tires. If you’re on a budget but are looking to buy dependable off-road tires, consider Milestar’s Patagonia M/T tires.
While the mileage may not be the best on the highway, what Milestar lacks in gas mileage it makes up for plenty in comfort and quality for on- and off-road driving.
Milestar Patagonia’s M/T tires are the perfect choice for cost-conscious buyers looking for durability and dependability. Give these awesome tires a try before embarking on your next tire-buy.
While no list is completely exhaustive, we hope the following FAQ questions will help you in finding the right tires for your needs.
How often you should replace your tires will depend on several factors, such as if you regularly tend to carry heavy loads, if you regularly tow large freight, or if you engage in a great deal of off-road cruising.
The general rule of thumb is that your replacement schedule will depend on the type of tire(s) you bought and how you drove your vehicle. In general, most truck drivers and owners tend to replace a new set of tires every 35,000 to 50,000 miles — or every 3 to 10 years.
It comes as no surprise that if you drive a larger vehicle like a truck, you’ll end up paying more for the cost of tires. The thinking goes: larger trucks means larger parts — and larger parts means more money.
In general, four middle-of-the-road highway truck tires can cost close to $1,000 U.S. dollars. All-wheel truck tires can cost $1,000 or more, and a set of mountain tires can run you almost $2,000.
Cuts, chips, punctures, impacts, and bulges are the most common types of repairs needed on tires. A diesel truck repair shop — or mobile repair bay if you’re in a pinch (again, no pun intended) — can help you patch and plug a worn-out tire.
Whether you’re considering buying new wheels, servicing an existing tire rack, or just need some additional help finding the right wheels and tire size for your rig, you can count on the Experts to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
With over 20 years in the diesel truck repair truck industry, we’ve serviced all types of diesel equipment from diesel trucks to forklifts to liftgates and so much more.
To learn more about the many types of repairs we offer, don’t hesitate to contact us or visit our lovely repair facilities. We’d be happy to show you around!
