People who use their diesels to make money have different expectations for the upgrades they buy. When it comes to tires, they need something that will run smooth, wear like iron, and pay off with a long service life. Toyo's Open Country H/T with Tuff Duty is aimed directly at the customer who relies on his vehicle as a tool. Think of these tires as work boots for your truck.
| The Toyo Open Country H/T with Tuff Duty is a heavy-weight-capacity tire designed for 1-ton diesel trucks. It is currently only available in five sizes, but its construction and tread pattern make it a perfect tire for your work truck.
That doesn't mean these tires are only for the construction site. They're based on Toyo's all-season Open Country H/T light-truck and SUV tire, which features a smooth-running tread pattern for long tread life and highway travel. The Tuff Duty version adds strength by using a third steel belt to support the tread face-a design that is said to optimize the tire for high-torque diesel truck use. Users who tow will also appreciate the sure-footedness that comes from the reduced tire squirm.
We mounted a set of Toyos on an '00 F-350 crew cab that has more than 200,000 miles on it. Through the years, this Ford has worn out a lot of tires-often because they just weren't capable of handling the Super Duty's weight when loaded with tools and lumber. The Toyos were rated for a staggering 3,750 pounds each, which was 300 pounds more capacity than the all-terrain tires that were previously on the truck.
Street
We had the Open Country H/Ts mounted during our lunch break in order to reduce the truck's downtime. We immediately noticed how much smoother and quieter the Toyos were when we pulled out of the tire dealer. There was so much less tire noise that we were able to turn down the dispatch radio and even our hands-free cell phone calls sounded better.
Inflated to 80 psi, the tires rolled effortlessly down the road. The steering response was much crisper with the Toyos, and the Ford no longer felt like it was floating down the highway. To say the tires provided a firmer ride would be an understatement. We ended up lowering the front tire pressure to 68 psi for comfort and left the rear tires at 80 psi to handle the cargo load.
Job Site
Nails are the enemy of all tires. Construction sites are full of them, Home Depot parking lots are littered with them, and when you work with a hammer for a living, your driveway typically has a few stray ones, too. We won't say these Tuff Duty tires are nail-proof, but after more than 10,000 miles of use, the Open Country H/Ts haven't picked up a single rusty nail. Perhaps that third steel belt in the tread face prevents the deformation needed to let a nail pierce the tire plies? Who knows. We just like the confidence that comes from not having a plug in each tire.
Depending on what type of work your truck sees, these Toyos may not be aggressive enough for getting in and out of some job sites. The tread pattern is adequate for most locations, but if the work area is covered in mud, these tires pack up quickly. As a general rule, we found that if our boots packed up with mud-so did the Open Country H/Ts.
Rain And Snow
The appearance of the tread suggests that wet-weather traction is this tire's strong suit. And in the rain, this tire certainly excels. We found the Toyos were also strong performers on snow-covered roads, thanks to aggressive siping and lots of small, biting edges. In heavy snow we would plan on installing tire chains-but if the weather is that bad, most crews will take the day off anyway.
TOYO OPEN COUNTRY H/T TIRES
Tire Type: Radial
Tire Size: 285/75R16
Overall Diameter: 32.8 inches
Tread: 2-ply polyester + 3-ply steel
Sidewall: 2-ply polyester
Tread Depth: 17/32 inch
Overall Width: 11.3 inches
Approved Rim Width: 7 1/2 to 9 inches
Weight: 54.6 pounds
Maximum Load (tire): 3,750 pounds
Maximum PSI: 80 psi
Load Range Rating: E
FORD ALCOA WHEELS
Wheel Size: 16x7 inches
Weight: 21 pounds
Bolt Pattern: 8 on 170 mm
Load Capacity: 3,415 pounds
