Tires: Durango tire switch sizing, tire tread wear, durango rt

Question
I own a 2000 Dodge Durango RT that has been upgraded to the P275/60R17 size wheel and tire.  Tread wear is a problem for me since most of my driving in on gravel roads.  Can I use the same rims and switch to a P265/70R17?  Can I also go from a 4 ply tire to a 6 ply tire or heavier?  What are the benefits/problems?  Thanks.

Answer
Carol,

If your problem is chipping and chunking, then changing tire size is not going to help you.  You need to find an All Terrain or better yet an On/Off road tire.  What you will be giving up is noise and wear rate on pavement and maybe a bit of ride comfort.

I suggest you contact a reliable tire dealer in your area.  They ought to be able to advise you as to what works for the type of gravel you are driving on as this varies considerably around the country and what works in one area might not in another.

Hope this helps.