Oversized tires and a sloppy old transfer case...

[Alice]

Good Grief! Me again with the old suburban. As always I'm treating it like a new born baby, when I blew a front tire last week. So I ordered 4 spanky new ones. Oh, and good ones too, Michelin LTX MS2 265 75 R16, tiny bit bigger, tiny bit wider than what came on it; BUT it's what I've always kept on it. Michelin has just renamed them slightly something different at times through out the years. At one point the 6 ply hardly cut it under my 3/4 ton diesel, but they quickly came out with an E rated 10 ply. I'm still buying Michelin. They are smooth, they are silent, my favorite tire.

The problem causing me anxiety today is... until the new ones get here, I had to take all the other tires off, and find something else for now, cuz you gotta keep em all the same right. Well the husband dug around in his out back, and lent me these 265 85 R16 Cooper freaking man tread tire Discoveries! "Everything will be the same" they said, "except you might hear some aggressive tread noise on the highway" they said... "it's only a noise".

Well I disagree! Sure there's an ugly tread noise, even a tiny little vibration... but there is also is what I call a hollow howl here and there. AND what was that snap I heard when I backed up and then put it in drive to drive off? I think there is more to the "noise", I don't think my suburban likes those tires at all! I drove it twice this week to a small town, 8 miles from here - I don't want to drive it the 35 miles to the place my tires are ordered at. It's not just tread noise I swear. Should I just go grab my tires and have them put on in the near by town, and risk nothing? Should I choose which coulee hill I'd rather climb and just get it into the city, where they are expecting me to have them installed there? Recently my transfer case was diagnosed as wore out and sloppy, last thing in the whole truck that hasn't been replaced. So something is going to happen to it sooner or later I know, but to get through this - what would you call going easy on it? Are these lent tires that hard on my transfer case? Should I take it the 35 miles, just stay on the gravel, drive slowly, take it in when it's the coolest out, highway, two tires in the grass???? That last one was a joke but seriously, I don't know. ? Or not take it that far at all and bring those tires to it?? Anyone? If you want to just tell me it's all in my head and it's just tread noise, like my off to the oil fields husband did before he left, that would be reassuring. Just asking, someone here always knows the real deal. Thanks.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Alice

Good Grief! Me again with the old suburban. As always I'm treating it like a new born baby, when I blew a front tire last week. So I ordered 4 spanky new ones. Oh, and good ones too, Michelin LTX MS2 265 75 R16, tiny bit bigger, tiny bit wider than what came on it; BUT it's what I've always kept on it. Michelin has just renamed them slightly something different at times through out the years. At one point the 6 ply hardly cut it under my 3/4 ton diesel, but they quickly came out with an E rated 10 ply. I'm still buying Michelin. They are smooth, they are silent, my favorite tire.

The problem causing me anxiety today is... until the new ones get here, I had to take all the other tires off, and find something else for now, cuz you gotta keep em all the same right. Well the husband dug around in his out back, and lent me these 265 85 R16 Cooper freaking man tread tire Discoveries! "Everything will be the same" they said, "except you might hear some aggressive tread noise on the highway" they said... "it's only a noise".

Well I disagree! Sure there's an ugly tread noise, even a tiny little vibration... but there is also is what I call a hollow howl here and there. AND what was that snap I heard when I backed up and then put it in drive to drive off? I think there is more to the "noise", I don't think my suburban likes those tires at all! I drove it twice this week to a small town, 8 miles from here - I don't want to drive it the 35 miles to the place my tires are ordered at. It's not just tread noise I swear. Should I just go grab my tires and have them put on in the near by town, and risk nothing? Should I choose which coulee hill I'd rather climb and just get it into the city, where they are expecting me to have them installed there? Recently my transfer case was diagnosed as wore out and sloppy, last thing in the whole truck that hasn't been replaced. So something is going to happen to it sooner or later I know, but to get through this - what would you call going easy on it? Are these lent tires that hard on my transfer case? Should I take it the 35 miles, just stay on the gravel, drive slowly, take it in when it's the coolest out, highway, two tires in the grass???? That last one was a joke but seriously, I don't know. ? Or not take it that far at all and bring those tires to it?? Anyone? If you want to just tell me it's all in my head and it's just tread noise, like my off to the oil fields husband did before he left, that would be reassuring. Just asking, someone here always knows the real deal. Thanks.

I do not use/buy these cooper tires ...........

the tires must be of the same exact wear or you will get weird vibs. on old vehicles the hubs need a good wire brushing before the wheels are mounted. also the rims if corroded.

you best start saving up you money for the day it goes to the scrap yard. also have the camera ready for all those memories.

[Alice]

J Cat, are you saying driving it on the cooper tires, if all identical is okay to get into town? Cuz they all are off one of Rons old veicles and only slightly worn (still got the blue protectant on them)- so as identical as you can get. I have no intention of driving them any further than the tire shop my new Michelins are ordered at, I just don't want to wreck my truck getting there. Rims are perfect, don't have to worry about that, but I am worried about my transfer case with such a big tire on it right now. These coopers just fit in the wheel wells with out rubbing.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Alice

J Cat, are you saying driving it on the cooper tires, if all identical is okay to get into town? Cuz they all are off one of Rons old veicles and only slightly worn (still got the blue protectant on them)- so as identical as you can get. I have no intention of driving them any further than the tire shop my new Michelins are ordered at, I just don't want to wreck my truck getting there. Rims are perfect, don't have to worry about that, but I am worried about my transfer case with such a big tire on it right now. These coopers just fit in the wheel wells with out rubbing.

well the tires on now are wider than the originals not that much of a difference but yes of a larger heavier tire. could also be the balancing weights fell off or also the tires have a defect with the belts. when rolling the tire off the vehicle it should roll freely straight. if the belt is bad the tire will fall over with the wobble on the roll.

[Alice]

>< Thanx