I am looking at new tires for my B3500, what are most others running on these?

I drive all pavement, do some towing, and run pretty heavy from time to time so a load range E tire is likely a requirement.

I have gotten it stuck on wet grass before with the Firestone's on it now, but they came with the truck new in 1996.
I don't go far, mostly within 20 miles and rarely on the highway. All secondary road driving at under 55 mph for the most part.
It gets used as a truck when needed. It also sits a lot, thus the low miles over 24 years.

At only 48,000 miles the original tires have been loosing chunks of tread now for a year. Today I noticed that the one rear tire is missing four or five blocks of tread down the middle, and each of the other tires are getting the same way.
I see a few options online for $80/tire, does anyone know of anything cheaper that won't fall apart over time?
The van sees only about 1200 miles per year these days, last year I only used it about 150 miles or so.
It does more sitting then driving as my fourth vehicle behind a diesel 1 ton pickup, a 1/2 ton pickup, and my car.

 

Is there a used tire dealer anywhere nearby? I got a full set for my truck for under 300 bucks, mounted and balanced.....

That said, any tire is eventually going to dry rot. Which is what your tires are doing. 24 years is a LONG time for tires.......

 

I can buy new tires for not much more. I can buy several tires in the $75 to $80 range brand new. All are off brands, most likely from China or Taiwan.
I can't touch anything American made for twice that price. The closest to American made is Ironman tires, which are an imported line sold by Hercules.

The tires on it have been showing dry rot cracks now for at least ten years, I was going to replace them back then but figured I'd just swap them out when the failed. So far, they still hold air but by the looks of them it won't be long before they let go.
There's one used tire place around here, they want new prices for used tires. They had a new looking set of Michelin tires that fit my other truck, they wanted $200 per tire. I bought a whole set of Cooper tires for $350.
The bottom line is its a truck, the tires have to first and foremost handle the max weight of the van, and hold air.
I was more curious if anyone has run any of the china made tires on a heavier truck.

 

Ok here is my take on "today's" tires...

First, if you have chunks of tread falling off, do the pubic a favor and DO NOT drive the van. You are about to have a total tire failure - and if that happens at 50MPH you are and whoever you hit are screwed - and maybe dead.

Today's tires are made not to last long anymore. I believe that changing tires at 40k miles IS a good thing. After that, tires do become hard and dangerous in the wet and snow.
Most tires are only giving 60k mile warranties. A lot at 50k. So yes, they are made to wear out today. Even my Duratracs on my Colorado are 1/2 done at 20k miles.
Ive run a lot of "chinese' tires, specifically from TireCo and I got what I paid for...new tires that performed well and lasted 40k miles. The best set I have had were Milestar's Patagonia AT
I had Hankook Dynapro on my van before and they wore fast..barely 30k miles and they were done. Today I have Nokian Rotiiva on the van and after 25k miles I am at 50%. Not bad at all! I would sugges the Rottiva since they come in load c and e
I do need to say I am the type to replace tires when I feel they are bad. That has always been right before the wear bars are showing.
The Ironman tires have a great warranty -- if they fail within 50% or more tread, they are replaced free---this is a great warranty.

Today basically it isnt about longevity anymore - it is about performance, tread type and application. and FWIW two of the Duratracs on my Colorado went bad (belt separation) at 14k and Good Year would not help other than giving me a $190 towards two new ones which cost $500...BFD...GM wont help either...bastards...Never again will I get Good Years...not worth the price at all.

 

I've had tires blow out at speed on the highway. I had a front left right front tire disintegrate at 70 mph. It was a brand new Michelin on a Ford Van I owned for a bit. I was simply driving along and all of a sudden I was on the rim with bits of tire flying all over the place. I simply pulled over, and put on the spare.
I had a rear tire go flat on my last B3500 and the first clue I had there was something wrong was other drivers going by pointing at my back tire. I never heard a thing, and didn't feel anything until I started to change course and pull over. The back end felt a bit loose as I moved across three lanes of highway. The tire had a 3/8" Craftsman wrench stuck in the tread and out through the sidewall. With all the rattling of the cab wall, radio playing, and road noise, I never heard or felt a thing.

I had a set Milestar tires on a car a number of years ago, they were great, they were cheap and seemed to drive fine. I sold the car with them on it. The Milestars replaced the original Goodyear Assurance tires that lasted 58,000 miles. The Milestars rode smoother and were quieter butI was taking off some pretty well worn, 20 year old tires.
I had Ironman tires on a Jeep a couple of years ago, it came with them. They were fine but I didn't keep the Jeep very long. They seemed ok but were a bit noisy but they weren't a highway type tread.
Had a set of Hankooks on an F150, they were soft, and had weak sidewalls. They didn't last but 22,000 miles. Twice in that 22k I had pinch flats to the sidewalls from driveway curbs. The tires simply didnt't have strong enough sidewalls for a truck. Now I see new Fords coming with Hankook tires on them.