Towing on Nitto 420s

Strictly Diesel · Aug 17, 2016

I've only done a bit of local towing on my truck since putting the 275/50/20 Nittos on it. I'm borrowing an enclosed trailer to haul up to Montana, and had it hooked to my truck for loading and such (using my business partners Dodge for the run as he has a titan fuel tank, long bed that can hold the quad and a trans we trust).

Anyway, with 50psi in the rear tires, and the trailer fully loaded (Haulmark Edge 24' Enclosed), I noticed a pronounced bulge in the rear tires I have not seen with my open trailer (maybe I didn't pay attention). So...

Are you guys airing up beyond the 50psi max rating?

Are you not worrying about the sidewall flex?

I'm almost thinking that I might buy a set of 18" wheels and get some good stock tires to have just for when I tow...so I can run E rateds in those situations.

78f100 · Aug 17, 2016

I have towed my backhoe on my gneck about 25k # but only for short distances on my 420s. I wouldn't try it for more than maybe 50 miles or so. The tires are gonna wear really fast from the flex if they hold up.
I bought a 6.0 a few years ago with p tires on the rear. I towed a ambulance on my gooseneck to Texas. Just as I got into Texas I had a blowout and almost wrecked. The tires were only a few months old with great tread but we're shot by the time I got there from them flexing so much. I bought new load range e tires for the rear there for the trip home, and I own a tire store...lol. I didn't pay attention to the load rate on them and it costed me a wheel, and beat the crap out of the bed side.

Lipka101 · Aug 18, 2016

Strictly Diesel said:
I've only done a bit of local towing on my truck since putting the 275/50/20 Nittos on it. I'm borrowing an enclosed trailer to haul up to Montana, and had it hooked to my truck for loading and such (using my business partners Dodge for the run as he has a titan fuel tank, long bed that can hold the quad and a trans we trust).

Anyway, with 50psi in the rear tires, and the trailer fully loaded (Haulmark Edge 24' Enclosed), I noticed a pronounced bulge in the rear tires I have not seen with my open trailer (maybe I didn't pay attention). So...

Are you guys airing up beyond the 50psi max rating?

Are you not worrying about the sidewall flex?

I'm almost thinking that I might buy a set of 18" wheels and get some good stock tires to have just for when I tow...so I can run E rateds in those situations.

I wouldn't tow a trailer that big with em. You might be able to get away with by putting more air in them but I don't think it's worth the risk. I had a brand new load range E nitto trail grappler blow a side wall towing a gmc envoy on a 16' tandem axle trailer. They were a larger tire on a 16" wheel so there was probably more sidewall flex. Also I checked the other tires afterward and they were 10 psi below the 80psi max, but man I don't want that to happen again.

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Buckiii2 · Aug 18, 2016

Do not tow with 420s. They are not load rated to tow. Look at the max pounds rating on the tires. Those tires are mainly for street/drag racing.

emev0l · Sep 8, 2016

I didn't see your size, maybe it was the 265/50's or 275/55's?

These are the sizes and ratings of the 420's, some are very low, the 305's are pretty solid.

245/45R20 1929 @ 50
255/40R20 1819 @ 50
255/45R20 2039 @ 50
255/50R20 2271 @ 50
265/50R20 2403 @ 50
275/55R20 2833 @ 50
285/40R20 2205 @ 50
285/50R20 2756 @ 50
305/50R20 3086 @ 50