Factory continental tires are junk.

[NJBob]

Not sure why, but my 2024 lariat came with Michelins.

Lariat come with Michelins

Sponsored

 

[Meeka]

Lariat come with Michelins

My 24 XLT FX4 came with Pirelli Scorpions.

 

[mepot101]

My 24 XLT hybrid came with Michelins. So far so good.

 

[Grabber Rick]

I gave up this week and bought a new set of Toyo At tires in stock size. The reason was I have had 3 flats and two ruined tires in 8000 miles. The Continental tires are way to thin and standard load rating 102. Yes I do drive some rock roads / gravel roads. One flat was from a tiny rock working it way into the tire. And finding anything heavier than a 102 load rating is next to impossible. These Toyo‘s are 106 rated. And a lot more aggressive tread. it didn’t hurt the ride and just mildly nosier the the Continental tires.
I will just have to see how they wear.

I sold my Continentals right away. Had less than 80 miles on them. I bought Firestone Wilderness OWL 235/65/17 for my factory XLT rims and General Grabber HTS 60 235/65/17 for my custom summer rims. I was surprised how light and flimsy the sidewalls were on the Continentals.

 

[PNWMaverick]

I drove over 40,000 miles on mine just fine.

 

[peeturd]

The continentals that came on my XL were fine BUT horrible in snow. I sold them (4000mi) and put Blizzacks on it - a huge difference (to the positive)!

 

[64Jazz]

I drove over 40,000 miles on mine just fine.

Same here

 

[zen_]

Gravel roads are very different by region. Some are river rock/sand/dirt blend. These contain mostly smooth stone and are not problematic to tires. Other roads have material with a lot of schistosity. This is when stone breaks along sediment layers and the result is very sharp edges. Roads with a high level of schistosity have a tendency to shred tires.

I grew up on gravel roads, but over the last 50 years, many gravel road have been paved so the knowledge isn't as commonplace anymore. Here is a publication from another era with an in-depth analysis of gravel road material. Toward is end is a list various rock types and their suitability for road surface. https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_ic78_eval_rock_road_surfacing.pdf

This is very true. As someone who does a lot of endurance and gravel cycling (yes, a pedal bike on gravel roads), you get an intimate knowledge of all the different types of material used for rural roads from dirt, very sharp flint (Flint Hills of Kansas), chunky limestone that is bumpy as hell, small rocks that are almost as good as pavement on a well built road, and then all the varying degrees of paved rural roads that will also chew through tires (like chipseal).

Just on a 50-100 mile ride in Nebraska you will usually see 2-4 different types of roads, but we are lucky to mostly have the small pebble type gravel and minimum maintenance dirt roads. The roads with flint and big chunky limestone just rip through rubber.

 

[jonshep]

I could tell stories about tires for days, but I will not. I had Firestone 721s on a Crown Vic in the early 1990s. Those were the absolute worst tires ever made. We almost wore out the lug nuts changing them under warranty. The OEM tires on my 1999 F150 Lariat were General. Those were the best. I got 85k on those. I have owned almost every brand and some were decent and others junk. High mileage tires are hard rubber, performance tires are soft, like motorcycle tires. With highway speeds now set at 80 mph please don't drag your trailer that fast, trailer tires are not rated for that speed. I highly recommend that you buy the best tire you can afford and take your chances on how long it will last.

 

[pigsareus]

Hmmm 22 XLT Hybrid 26,000 on my original Continental’s
Knock on wood, no problems. Rotated at 10k and 20k, wearing well.
Looks like they will out last my keeping the Maverick.

my conts lasted about 24K miles then they were all 3/32" and below - I drive pretty much all city so that likely had an affect on them.

 

[KsuMax]

I’ve always hated any set of continentals, all season, performance, doesn’t matter. They wear out 3-4x faster than they should.

 

[PNWMaverick]

I could tell stories about tires for days, but I will not. I had Firestone 721s on a Crown Vic in the early 1990s. Those were the absolute worst tires ever made. We almost wore out the lug nuts changing them under warranty. The OEM tires on my 1999 F150 Lariat were General. Those were the best. I got 85k on those. I have owned almost every brand and some were decent and others junk. High mileage tires are hard rubber, performance tires are soft, like motorcycle tires. With highway speeds now set at 80 mph please don't drag your trailer that fast, trailer tires are not rated for that speed. I highly recommend that you buy the best tire you can afford and take your chances on how long it will last.

A more "recent" terrible tire would be about 25 years ago at Wal-Mart. They sold a 14" (maybe 15") Douglas tire for $19.99 per tire, a whole set for $100 out the door after install and disposal. Half the tread was gone by the time the person got out of the parking lot.

 

[jonshep]

A more "recent" terrible tire would be about 25 years ago at Wal-Mart. They sold a 14" (maybe 15") Douglas tire for $19.99 per tire, a whole set for $100 out the door after install and disposal. Half the tread was gone by the time the person got out of the parking lot.

Well I am proud that didn't buy any Douglas tires.

 

[Razor802]

13,000 miles and mine are wore down to 5/32. Had two flats from rocks poked in on gravel road. Had to replace one after rock made irreparable t-shaped cut in face. Absolute junk tires.

 

[Billy2mav]

I am happy with my continental tires almost two years and 28,000 miles. One flat from a screw that i plugged and is holding fine. My inspection is due and i am to get another year out off them.

Sponsored