Tires: tires for explorer, bfg all terrains, toyo open country a t


Question
I have a 2004 Explorer XLS/4WD. I need new tires (235/70R16) but am getting too many conflicting opinions.  My car is used primarily as transport to & from work but on a few occasions taken light off-road camping.  I want a "beefy" looking tire and have selected the BFG All Terrains.  Tirerack.com says the ride won't be acceptable because they are made for a heavier vehicle, Costco won't install them due to an increased roll over tendency and my local Ford dealership said there are an acceptable tire for this vehicle.  What do you say?

Answer
Craig,

 Two reasons I can think of for Tirerack giving the answer they did is: 1) the tire they are referring to is an LT (6-ply or heavier)or 2) the load index of the tire that they have is much higher than the the load index for your vehicle.  As long as the ply rating and load are comparable I'm not sure why they would say this.

 Costco's answer tells me to stay away from them for my tire needs.

 I agree with the dealership.

 Another choice you may consider is the Toyo Open Country A/T - Excellent ride, traction and tread life.