KO3 tires not recommended for 2023 Lightning Lariat???

[BradBennett]

I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?

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[MeanGeneO]

23 Lariat Owner here. Just bought the Toyo Open Country A/T 3 EV tires. Decent amount of beef and really enjoy them overall. 500 miles or so in. No complaints.

 

[vvgogh]

My Lariat ER has a gross vehicle weight of 8,400 lbs. It came with load index 116 (2,756 lbs) speed rating T (118 mph) tires.

They may not install lesser load index. I've had these tires, #2 and 3 purchased and installed by Costco:

1. OEM General Grabber HTS60 275 60 R20 116T. 34.3 lbs, 33" OD​

OEM tires were not durable and tore on a bumpy forest road, first few miles of Lincoln Gulch near Aspen.​

2. Blizzak LT265 60 R20 121R. 49.3 lbs, 32.5" OD (-1.5%)​

3. BF Goodrich T/A KO2 LT275 60 R20 119S. 55.5 lbs, 33" OD​

I see KO3s with 119S like my KO2 on the Costco website. Truck weight and tire load index shouldn't be an issue: 119 is good for 9% more weight than my OEM 116 tires and 43% more weight than the gross vehicle weight.

 

[RLXXI]

This is another reason I opted to buy my own tire machine and balancer. Sam's club refused to install a tire on my wifes Escape because it came with a low profile speed rated tire and they don't take into account individual uses.

It's not a turbo model, it's just a little 4 cylinder city cruiser that rarely sees more than 70 mph. Their insurance I suppose won't allow any other tire than oem size and speed rating.

Over the years the machines have paid for themselves just in tire changes for her truck alone.

Best bet is to buy the tires one wants and have them mounted at a locally owned tire shop rather than one of the big box stores.

 

[WXman]

I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?

Sigh.....

This whole thing with tires is way out of control. There is NOTHING special about these trucks. My loaded up Flash is still only 6,500 lbs. ANY tire that is LT rated (and almost all BFG KO3 tires are) is going to work great and will actually be overkill for the needs of the truck.

The stock OE tires are flimsy garbage with a 116T load index. It is hilarious that actual tire shops are telling people a heavier-duty LT tire isn't going to work.

 

[Heliian]

The load rating is 119 for single wheel. More than enough for the truck

Costco sells tires cheap and their service speaks to it. I've heard lots of wonderful stories about how stupid they can be.

 

[Randys Lightning]

I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?

Go to Discount Tire, My KO3s are great 9000 Miles on them so far

 

[Randys Lightning]

They are Load 119 or 2998 Lbs each. They don't hire the brightest there.

 

[RickLightning]

Costco employees aren't the issue. They put in the vehicle, it tells them what tires they can put on it. No discussion possible.

 

[WXman]

Go to Discount Tire, My KO3s are great 9000 Miles on them so far

Do you have any vibration issues? That's the only main complaint people have with BFG tires; they are notoriously difficult to balance. One tire shop manager told me last summer that he has stopped recommending BFG tires to people because, in his words, "they are squares".

 

[cowboys1870]

23 Lariat Owner here. Just bought the Toyo Open Country A/T 3 EV tires. Decent amount of beef and really enjoy them overall. 500 miles or so in. No complaints.

Same. I’m not sure why anyone buys a different AT tire for an EV truck.

 

[RLXXI]

Do you have any vibration issues? That's the only main complaint people have with BFG tires; they are notoriously difficult to balance. One tire shop manager told me last summer that he has stopped recommending BFG tires to people because, in his words, "they are squares".

I put their K02's on my other truck and they were difficult to balance so I opted for Dynabeads instead of traditional balancing. Smooth as silk now. It will be my last set of bfg's that much is certain.

 

[25StarWhiteLightning]

Don't use Costco for tires. Go to BigO or DiscountTire

 

[Randys Lightning]

Do you have any vibration issues? That's the only main complaint people have with BFG tires; they are notoriously difficult to balance. One tire shop manager told me last summer that he has stopped recommending BFG tires to people because, in his words, "they are squares".

No Issue, The KO2s had a different manufacturing method and were harder to balance the Discount Tire guy said. They actually had training on them.

 

[BradBennett]

UPDATE: Went to Discount Tire today and got the K03s put on. Incredibly fast service and the tires look great. Thanks for everyone's feedback!

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