Revos Switching To 10 Ply E Range

turbocruiser · 10-20-09, 11:36 AM

They used to be 8 Ply D Range. Any thoughts on the handling characteristics changing due to this change to 10 Ply E Range? Thanks.

Koffer · 10-20-09, 12:25 PM

When I went from a D to an E on my BJ70 it was like night in day in handleing . The BJ70 is top heavy with ARB roofrack ,front bumper with a 10K warn and a custom rear bumper with dual swingouts . It lost the swaying and sluggish rubbery feel steering it used to have.

psfpilot · 10-20-09, 05:54 PM

I am running a set of E range Revos. They're noticeably stiffer and heavier than the OEM Michelin LTXs were, so the ride is a bit rougher on cracked hardball roads, fuel mileage has decreased one mpg and braking feels like it takes a bit more effort. At ~40 psi the handling feels crisper than stock, though I don't have any skidpad or lane change measurements to quantitatively assess the actual effect on handling.

turbocruiser · 10-20-09, 07:25 PM

Thanks for sharing your specific experiences! It seems that stiffer is the thing here and I don't mind that as long as handling isn't negatively affected. One thing that also might be a better thing here is having a stronger sidewall - I've always thought that the Revos were weak in the sidewall area. Has anyone here really aired the E Range Revos down to see how they handle that for trail use? Thanks Again.

IdahoDoug · 10-20-09, 08:44 PM

Just a head's up that these heavier duty tires often have a much harder compound rubber, so you'll be giving up stopping distance and traction in general. The stiffer carcass will provide quicker steering response but at the cost of the tires breaking loose more easily in emergency maneuvers. I had 10 ply tires on the 80 for a while and felt the ride quality wasn't worth the gain in tire durability. You are looking for a completely different application, but thought I'd make the comments.

DougM

turbocruiser · 10-20-09, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdahoDoug

Just a head's up that these heavier duty tires often have a much harder compound rubber, so you'll be giving up stopping distance and traction in general. The stiffer carcass will provide quicker steering response but at the cost of the tires breaking loose more easily in emergency maneuvers. I had 10 ply tires on the 80 for a while and felt the ride quality wasn't worth the gain in tire durability. You are looking for a completely different application, but thought I'd make the comments.

DougM

Hmm, this is great guidance, thanks. I am already able to spin tires especially in corners and I accelerate 'cautiously in corners' (after the apex of course) depending on how fast I'm flying already as a result. If these tires' compound is too hard this might be bad. If it is predictable I probably can compensate but if it is one of those tires which won't give a good warning prior to loosening then that won't work. Thanks Again!

IdahoDoug · 10-20-09, 11:01 PM

Man, that's fascinating to think of wheelspin on an 80. Such a foreign concept to us single atmosphere types!!! I wouldn't think it would dissuade you as much on acceleration as it might on hard braking to find ABS engaging earlier and on irregular surfaces it previously did not. The tire contact patch is an amazing little world, and stiffer carcass plus harder rubber might be enough to easily perceive. Wet traction would likely be the fastest for you to notice. The tire life would be amazing, however.

You might shoot Bridgestone an email. They're a pretty technical bunch and might be happy to share info as they sure spend money putting in in their tires. Tip: If there's no specific email for tech questions, put the words 'very technical' in the subject line, like "Very Technical SUV Revo question" and the customer service person will more readily forward it to an actual engineer that will speak your language. Basically, ask if the 10 ply rubber compound is the exact same as the version you now have because you don't want a harder compound and don't need the load capacity and see what they say.

DougM

70sguy · 10-20-09, 11:05 PM

Called local tire shop to price a new set of 285 BFG AT KOs, only available in E range now... apparently
What the?

Nay · 10-21-09, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdahoDoug

Man, that's fascinating to think of wheelspin on an 80. Such a foreign concept to us single atmosphere types!!! I wouldn't think it would dissuade you as much on acceleration as it might on hard braking to find ABS engaging earlier and on irregular surfaces it previously did not. The tire contact patch is an amazing little world, and stiffer carcass plus harder rubber might be enough to easily perceive. Wet traction would likely be the fastest for you to notice. The tire life would be amazing, however.

You might shoot Bridgestone an email. They're a pretty technical bunch and might be happy to share info as they sure spend money putting in in their tires. Tip: If there's no specific email for tech questions, put the words 'very technical' in the subject line, like "Very Technical SUV Revo question" and the customer service person will more readily forward it to an actual engineer that will speak your language. Basically, ask if the 10 ply rubber compound is the exact same as the version you now have because you don't want a harder compound and don't need the load capacity and see what they say.

DougM

A load range E 10 ply tire by no means has to be harsh. I run 37" trxus that are plenty soft and sticky with no loss of road comfort at all (quite the opposite, actually).

What I find with load range E is that you really have to air down more to wheel. I went down to 10 on my last trip and was finally getting some decent flex.

The PSI you choose is going to have far more effect than D vs. E. A higher load rating means you can run somewhat less PSI at your weight application, the net effect being a better ride.

My guess is Bridgestone decided to address the sidewalls and ended up with E as a result as those things go together.

alexdell · 10-21-09, 04:43 AM

I got the Firestone Destination MTs last month. They also changed from D to E range this year. There was also slight price increase. I've been happy so far but I can't compare the two since I never rode on the older D range model before.

turbocruiser · 10-28-09, 10:20 PM

I called the Bridgestone technical line and asked a few things. According to the tech, the rubber is the same in the D Range and E Range tires. Only the load rating has really changed from D to E or as they advertise from "8ply" to "10ply" (which is really a misnomer anymore and has nothing to do with how many actual plys a tire has usually). Anyways, just thought that I'd update the thread with this info. Thanks again for all the responses thus far. Anyone else have experience already with these two types of Revos back-to-back on their rig? Thanks.