Best Tires for the Chevy Silverado 2500HD (2020-2026): An Owner’s Picks
Tires are the biggest thing most of us buy for these trucks after the truck itself. A set for a 2500HD can run well over a thousand dollars. So it pays to get it right the first time.
I run a 2021 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.6 gas. I bought it already lifted. I don’t know exactly what lift is on it, and the guy I bought it from didn’t either. It’s sitting on Toyo Open Country R/T Trail tires in 37×12.50R20. I tow an enclosed trailer with it. So I’ve learned a few things about tires on this truck, some of them the hard way.
Here’s what I’d tell you if you asked me at the parts counter.
I’d been shopping for a truck for over a year. I was convinced I wanted a Toyota Tacoma. But after sitting in one, I thought maybe it was a little small. Also, I live in Louisiana, and all the guys here drive full size trucks. So I switched to a 2500, because they looked awesome. I was driving back from lunch and saw this truck. I texted the salesman, told him my terms, and said if he could make the deal, I’d buy the truck.
I love this truck. I load up all my auction stuff in it, and I’ve used it to pull an 18-foot enclosed trailer. It felt so good having a truck that does the work. When the lights and trailer brakes all worked, I felt so cool having a truck that just worked like it should.
Quick Picks
- Best for highway and towing: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
- Best all-terrain: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
- Best R/T (hybrid): Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
- Best budget pick: Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT
- Best mud tire: BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3
Details on each one are below.
Stock Tire Sizes by Trim (2020-2026 Silverado 2500HD)
First thing, check your door jamb. The sticker on the driver’s side tells you the factory size, load index, and pressure. Trims can come with more than one size depending on packages, so don’t guess.
Here’s what Chevy put on these trucks from the factory:
| Trim | Factory sizes |
|---|---|
| WT | LT245/75R17, LT265/70R17, LT275/70R18 |
| Custom | LT275/65R20 |
| LT | LT245/75R17, LT265/70R17, LT275/70R18, LT275/65R20 |
| LTZ | LT275/70R18, LT275/65R20 |
| High Country | LT275/65R20 (some listings also show LT275/70R18) |
| ZR2 (2024 and up) | LT305/70R18 |
A few notes:
- Z71 and Rally aren’t trims. They’re packages. Your tire size depends on the trim and wheel underneath. The Z71 trucks on 18s usually run LT275/70R18.
- There’s no AT4 Silverado. AT4 is a GMC Sierra trim. If you have an AT4, you have a Sierra. The sizes are close, but check your sticker.
- Duallys are different. The DRW trucks run narrower tires like LT235/80R17 or LT235/80R18. This guide is about single rear wheel trucks.
Every one of those factory tires is Load Range E. Remember that. It comes up again in a minute.
What Fits: Stock vs. Leveled vs. Lifted
This is where people get in trouble. Some shop tells you “35s will fit,” and then you’re trimming plastic in your driveway. Here’s the honest version.
Stock height
- LT275/70R18 (about 33 inches) is basically the largest factory size, and it fits fine on a stock truck.
- LT285/65R20 (about 34.5 inches) is a popular step up on 20s. On a stock truck it can touch at full lock or when the suspension compresses. Some guys get away with it. Some don’t.
Leveled (around 2 inches up front)
- LT285/65R20 and LT285/70R17 or LT295/70R18 (roughly 34 to 34.5 inches) are the usual sweet spot.
- 35s are possible on a level, but expect some rubbing at full turn and you may need to trim the front mud flaps or push back the plastic liner. Wheel offset matters a lot here.
Lifted (4 inches and up)
- 35s fit well on most 4 to 6 inch lifts.
- 37s need real lift. Even then, plan on some rubbing unless the lift is tall and the wheel offset is right. I’m living proof of that.
The stuff nobody tells you about big tires
- Gearing. Mine still has the stock 3.73 gears. Bigger tires make the truck feel like it has taller gears. It’ll feel slower off the line and hunt for gears more when towing.
- Speedometer. Bigger tires throw off your speedo. Get it calibrated. Mine has been, and it checks out against GPS now.
- Fuel mileage. It goes down. A big, heavy tire takes more work to turn, and a taller tire changes your effective gearing. Lift and wind drag add to it. How much it costs you depends on your truck, gears, and how you drive. I’m getting about 12.5 to 13.5 mpg on 37s with the gas motor, and about 9 towing. Don’t expect big tires to help.
- Weight. A 37 in Load Range E is a heavy tire. That’s more on your brakes, ball joints, and steering parts.
Why Load Range E Matters on an HD
A 2500HD isn’t a half-ton. It’s built to carry and pull a lot of weight. The factory tires are Load Range E for a reason.
Here’s the simple version. Load Range E is a 10-ply rated light truck tire. It’s built to run higher air pressure, up to around 80 psi on most, and carry more weight per tire. That’s what you want when there’s a trailer on the hitch or a load in the bed.
A lot of the big “fitment” tires and some passenger-style tires come in lighter load ranges like C or D, or they’re P-metric. They might look good and ride softer. But under a loaded HD, they can overheat, squirm, and wear out fast. That’s not where you want to save money.
My rule: if you tow or haul, stick with LT sizing in Load Range E or F. Check the load index on the sidewall against your door sticker. And air them up before you hook up a trailer. The door sticker gives you the right pressures.
I hauled a load of boxes in my 18-foot enclosed trailer. It wasn’t that heavy. With the trailer empty, it pulled the truck around a little. Once I put the load in, the truck pulled great and stopped great. The only bummer was getting 9 mpg.
My Top Tire Picks for the 2500HD
I picked one tire per type. Every one of these comes in real HD sizes in Load Range E. Always double check your exact size before you buy.
Best for Highway and Towing: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Who it’s for: You mostly drive on pavement, you tow, and you want tires that last and stay quiet.
This is the tire I’d put on a 2500HD that spends its life on the highway with a trailer behind it. It’s an all-season highway tire built for trucks. It comes in common HD sizes like LT275/65R20 and LT275/70R18 in Load Range E.
Pros: – Quiet and smooth on the highway – Long treadwear warranty for a truck tire – Feels stable and planted when towing – Good in the rain, which matters down here
Cons: – Costs more than most highway tires – Not made for mud or anything soft – Looks plain if you care about that
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 LT275/65R20 126R Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 LT275/70R18 125/122S
Best All-Terrain: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Who it’s for: You drive on the highway most days but hit gravel, pasture, job sites, or boat launches regularly.
The KO2 was the tire everybody ran for years. The KO3 replaced it and is now showing up as factory equipment on some 2500HDs. It comes in plenty of HD sizes, from stock up to 35s and 37s.
Pros: – Tough sidewalls that hold up to rocks and job site junk – Good traction on gravel, dirt, and light mud – Looks right on a truck – Easy to find in LT Load Range E sizes
Cons: – Louder than a highway tire – Heavier, so you lose a little mileage – Pricey, especially in bigger sizes
If you want a strong alternative, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W is worth a look too. It’s usually a little cheaper and comes in common HD sizes.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 LT275/65R20 Falken Wildpeak A/T4W LT275/65R20
Best R/T (Hybrid): Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Who it’s for: You want the aggressive look of a mud tire but still drive the truck every day.
This is what I run. An R/T sits between an all-terrain and a mud tire. The tread is bigger and more open than an A/T, but it’s not as loud or as rough as a true mud tire. It comes in a lot of sizes, including 35s and 37s on 20s.
Pros: – Looks aggressive without full mud tire noise – Good in mud, wet grass, and gravel – Sidewall tread helps when you air down or get in ruts – Big sizes for lifted trucks
Cons: – Louder than an all-terrain, especially as it wears – Heavy in the big sizes, which you’ll feel in fuel and braking – Costs more than most A/Ts
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail 37×12.50R20LT 126Q E Toyo Open Country R/T Trail LT295/65R20 129/126Q E
Eric’s Take: My Toyos
My truck came with the lift already on it, and I put Toyo R/T Trails on it in 37×12.50R20. I like how they look. They’re the first thing people comment on.
They do rub some. I don’t know exactly what lift is under there, so I can’t tell you for sure what it takes to clear 37s cleanly. Just know a lift alone doesn’t guarantee they won’t rub.
I’m still on the stock 3.73 gears. I had the speedo calibrated and it matches GPS now. I’m getting around 12.5 to 13.5 mpg. And yes, I tow my enclosed trailer on them.
The Toyos ride great. I think the 60 psi I run is a bit much, but I do that to keep the tire pressure sensor from going off. That sensor is no joke on this truck. One time a rear turn signal started blinking by itself, and it turned out to be Tire Fill Alert telling me I had a low tire. I hear some people get the TPMS reprogrammed to something around 50 or 52 psi to soften the ride. I might consider doing that, but for now 60 rides good. When I hit a bump, my wife does complain that we get thrown around.
They do rub when I turn at full lock, and I don’t love that. They seem to be holding up well. I’ve put 3,000 miles on the truck since I bought it, and the tires are doing good. I like the tread pattern, and I’d go with them again.
What I’d do differently: Honestly, I’d keep the 37s. They fill the wheel well and look so good. 35s would be a bit too small on this truck. I love that the 2500 looks like an old square body but is a huge truck, and the 37s with the lift just look proportional. 35s wouldn’t.
Regearing isn’t a problem that I know of. I wish I got better gas mileage, and even if regearing helped, I still wouldn’t do it. But it’d be nice to figure out how to get 14 or 15 mpg, and maybe the tires are part of the problem.
Best Budget Pick: Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT
Who it’s for: You need a solid set of Load Range E tires and don’t want to pay top dollar.
Cooper has been around a long time and the AT3 LT is built for heavier trucks. It comes in the common HD sizes in Load Range E. It’s a mild all-terrain, so it rides closer to a highway tire than a KO3 does.
Pros: – Usually costs less than the big names – Comes in LT Load Range E sizes for HDs – Pretty quiet for an all-terrain – Good treadwear warranty for the price
Cons: – Not as tough off road as the KO3 or Wildpeak – Fewer really big sizes for lifted trucks – Less “aggressive” look
Make sure you pick the AT3 LT, not the AT3 4S or XLT. The LT version is the one meant for HD trucks.
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT LT275/65R20 (closest; AT3 LT not found)
Best Mud Tire: BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3
Who it’s for: You actually drive in mud. Hunting camps, marsh roads, deer leases, wet fields.
Down here in Southwest Louisiana, that’s a real thing. If your truck spends time in deep mud, a true mud tire cleans out better than anything else. The KM3 comes in big sizes for lifted trucks.
Pros: – Cleans out mud well – Strong sidewalls – Big sizes available
Cons: – Loud on the highway – Wears faster on pavement – Worse in the rain on wet roads than a good highway tire – Not what I’d pick for long towing trips
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 LT285/70R17
How I’d Pick, Plain and Simple
- Mostly highway and towing? Get the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2. Stay close to stock size.
- Highway plus gravel and job sites? Get the KO3 or the Wildpeak A/T4W.
- Want the look and still drive it daily? Get an R/T like the Toyo.
- Watching the budget? Get the Cooper AT3 LT.
- Living in the mud? Get the KM3 and accept the noise.
Whatever you buy, stay in Load Range E if you tow. And don’t buy a bigger size than your truck can clear without a plan for the rubbing.
If you’re thinking about going bigger, I covered fitting 37s on a 2500HD and what changes when you do. For towing, here’s the hitch I tow with.
FAQ
What size tires come on a Silverado 2500HD?
It depends on the trim and wheels. Most trucks came with LT245/75R17, LT265/70R17, LT275/70R18, or LT275/65R20. The ZR2 runs LT305/70R18. Your exact size is on the sticker inside the driver’s door.
Will 35s fit on a stock 2500HD?
Not cleanly. On a stock truck, 35s will usually rub. A level kit gets you closer, but you’ll likely still rub at full turn without trimming or the right wheel offset. A 4 inch or taller lift is the easy way to run 35s.
Do I need Load Range E tires on a 2500HD?
If you tow or haul, yes. The truck came with Load Range E for a reason. A lighter tire may ride softer, but it can’t carry the same weight at the right pressure. Check the load index on the tire against your door sticker.
Do bigger tires hurt towing on a 2500HD?
They can. Bigger tires act like taller gears, so the truck works harder pulling away and climbing. They also add weight and cut mileage. Recalibrate your speedometer, and if you go really big and tow a lot, it’s worth talking to a shop about regearing.
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