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Well after a whopping 20k miles, my van wants new tires.
I only have the 15in wheels, so choices are limited. I tried load range c tires last time and they rode really nice, had great traction, but the shoulders are wearing and almost down to the carcass. The centers are over 1/2 worn too. I kept them at 40-50PSI too. One also deformed on me and has a slight bulge now - this was from driving around with a bad idler arm...so it is time for new shoes.
I'm not the most educated on the subject but like the aggressive look, have that on my cargo/work van, AT2 Wildcat 10 ply from Les schwab with the white steel wheel in the stock 16 x6.5 inch wheel size. I know we're different van and wheel/tire range with only load E range available for me, but wouldn't wheel size increase open up more tire options for you?
I run my tire pressure at 45-50 all around and seems to wear well front and rear
My tires (same as my sign on photo) are just about too tall but no scrape except once over a big bump too fast going straight away, but at this point have about 20k and have worn well and look about half life but actually better.
Probably a lil bit stiffer ride with the increased side walls support but your van carries some weight and seems it might need that extra support. Will see what the next guy's opinion might be.
Last edited by JFloors; Nov 5, 2016 at 12:17 AM.
Reason: just clarifying wheel/tire size on mine
My 2 cents... Sounds like the van is off balance. or Cheep Tire !!!
Re-arc the rear springs and add 2 more leafs and a set of good gas shocks.
Rebuild the front end and have the caster / camber reset along with the proper toe adjustment. A good Truck shop should be able to handle the problem, in a jiffy...
As for tires i would recommend to go with a GoodYear RSA or Goodyear Wrangler... Or Maybe a Kelly Edge A/T... Nothing lower than a load range D.. That will make it an 8 Ply tire......
the shoulders are wearing and almost down to the carcass. The centers are over 1/2 worn too.
post a pic of the tread wear pattern. springs sag over time and this effects ride height. this will put the toe angle out which is the biggest tire wear alignment angle. getting the alignment checked when the new tires go on is a good idea.
All of you suggestions and input I appreciate.
You all are right.
I went and bought the tires today. Ill post pics of them tomorrow because it is dark now.
The idler arm issue killed one of my tires (see pic below). After about 3 weeks of being on the back it went out of round. As you can see below, the other tires all looked like the one in the back in the pic. They weren't out of tread, but they were beat.
I have a tight front end. The lower BJs were done last year, the uppers a couple of years back and the tie rods are good. I had a friend of mine, who owns a couple of shops, do an alignment a couple of months ago. The front is good. I also have coil-overs all the way around.Still it is strange that the van still drove OK with a bad idler arm. I just noticed that weird wear in a short amount of time in the last few months.
I'd like to get 16s one day, but when I do that, I want to do the lower control arm, knuckle, new springs and a 9.25 in the rear.
I drove around for about 50 miles with those new Nokian tires. FWIW I got them cheaper than eBay even including the cost of mounting and balancing. I think my buddy at an small, independent tire shop may have hooked me up. It was $500 out the door for those. I have bought dozens of new tires for my vehicles before, and these by far, have made the biggest difference I have ever felt.
These tires are so much stiffer that the Hankook Dynapros and the Milestar Patagonias that I have had before. I cant say if the Patagonias were cheap tires because with the high-top, this van is heavy for a 1500/SWB, and I did kill one . The Dyanapros I had before lasted 20k miles too, they just wore out evenly and it was time to get new ones. The handling of the van is fantastically better than it has ever been. Tracking down the road and turning feels nice and stiff now. The ride is the same or better than any of the others I have had on the van before. The biggest thing is the turning - you can really feel that stiffer tires not roll up on the edge when making turns. It's great. Also the van sits a inch or more higher.
Here's the pic of the old tires. Ill post new tire pics tomorrow.
My van loves to eat tires
I think I am going to try them. 
