What tires for an emergencyehicle? (2008 Expedition 255-70 R18)

When Interstate traffic is at a standstill the EV has no choice but to use the outside shoulder or median shoulder where there may be debris.
Would be nice to save gas using highway tread tires. (The SUV has aggressive snow tires on 17-inch wheels.)
Are highway tire treads not as deep and therefore more vulnerable to punctures?
Are All Season tires less vulnerable?

  1. Any tire recommendations?
  2. Should a can of Fix-A-Flat or equivalent be carried in the vehicle? How many for a large tire?
    Can the tire be patched after its use?
    Will it ruin TPS sensor?

Thank you.

@RobertGift

Fix-A-Flat can most definitely ruin a TPMS sensor

My brother put some fix-a-flat in his tire and ruined his very expensive TPMS sensor. He put it in before asking me for my advice.

At least you asked before using that stuff.

I would recommend fix-a-flat only for tires w/o sensors.

Only for sealing very small holes (from a nail or screw)

NOT for sidewall damage

And only as a VERY temporary repair

That means you drive to the tire shop IMMEDIATELY after using fix-a-flat

Thank you.
During an emergency transport the vehicle must get to its destination.
I have practiced efficiently and quickly changing the tire with the spare.
(The spare is lowered and checked monthly for full pressure.) (Wish that it did not need to be lowered to check pressure, but there is no access to the air filler tube from the SUV’s rear floor.)

What are “highway tire treads?”

What are "highway tire treads?"
Highway tires with less aggressive tread pattern = less rolling resistance. Every big tire I see out here is either All Terrain or All Season Mud and Snow.

Idea * ( for evertbody )
Re-mount the spare…valve stem DOWN.
You’ll never again have to lower it to check the pressure
AND you’ll be more likely to check it more often when it’s easier to do.

Without commenting on your driving style, from what I remember you might want to consider an “H” rated tire. Tire Rack lists only one for your Ford. I have a set, they’re fine.
tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=Scorpion+STR+A&partnum=57HR8SCORSTR&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Ford&autoYear=2008&autoModel=Expedition 2wd&autoModClar=XLT

"Re-mount the spare....valve stem DOWN."
Good idea! But the metal holder at the end of the cable goes inside the concave side of the wheel, facing the wheel outside, up.
Without commenting on your driving style, from what I remember you might want to consider an "H" rated tire.
The Expedition acts as though governed at 105 mph. Attained over 110 on open, dry, vacant Interstate on a slight downgrade after the hospital called to "speed it up". Just because it is remarkably quiet and smooth at high speeds doesn't mean I am not concerned about drivetrain overstress/damage. Rarely is driven above 95 mph. Its T-rated tires are to 118mph, I recall. But they are now 5 years old.

My thought was, even if you’re well under the H tire speed rating, the added heat handling capability of a higher-rated tire would be worth having in reserve.

Michelin makes tires for SUV’s and Michelin LRR tires are the best as far as mpg. My experience is Michelin tires are at least as good as average tires for puncture resistance and likely better. I don’t think the style of the tread design impacts puncture resistance. In fact a street, highway tire, might have more rubber and less open grooves and do better in puncture resistance. Hard core off road tires might have better puncture resistance going over over sharp rocks and could be better handling road debris, but at the expense of handling, lowered speed rating, and poor mpg.

For your emergency driving I’d only go with Michelin tires if I was in the driver’s seat.

"... I'd only go with Michelin tires..."
Another voldumbteer, an engineer, suggests Michelin. But would the greater co$t negate all fuel savings?

With driving habits like yours, it would seem that you would want the absolute best tires you can get regardless of cost.

I feel you will get a significant improvement in mpg with Michelin LRR tires and yes you will recoup the money spent for Michelin tires in reduced fuel expenses. You will also find them smooth running, quiet, and an improvement in handling in corners over just about all the competitive tires. Likely they will last significantly longer before you need to replace them. So you save money on 2 fronts, better mpg, and longer replacement interval.

You can save money with cheaper tires. You will pay more for gas if you go cheap on the tires. If you plan to keep this vehicle 50 to 100K more miles you’ll get your money’s worth from the Michelin tires. If you plan to trade in 10-20K miles then go cheap.

I see were at it again.

If this guy kills someone barreling down the highway bouncing off the speed limiter going down the interstate, who will be responsible? Why don’t you get a mustang or something… Expeditions are not meant to go that fast.

"Expeditions are not meant to go that fast."
How fast can an Expedition safely travel on open smooth plains Interstates with no traffic? Fordealers say the governed speed. (seems to be 105mph).

This is not about speed. It’s about traveling on shoulders when Interstate or highway traffic is stopped.
Would All Season or All Terrain tires be any less vulnerable to punctures than highway tread tires?
When vehicles in conjested lanes can move, I straddle the white line between lanes 1 and 2.
Left lane vehicles move left. Vehicles in lane 2 move right and the EV is not traveling on any debris.
When stopped, the vehicles cannot move so the Expedtiton is forced to travel on shoulders.

Puncture resistance of all season tires and summer highway tires is the same - no advantage to all seasons on this point.

Hard core “all terrain” tires might have more puncture resistance, but have poor highway handling, are heavier, and the chunky treads are not good on wet pavement. So, the all terrain tire is dangerous for higher speed travel. Any advantage in puncture resistance is more that offset by the disadvantages.

Thank you, UT. I told others of your suggestion and now we’re looking at Michelin.
Hate traveling on shoulders. But last Friday afternoon drove four miles on shoulders during each of three different blood platelet emergentransports. Police dispatch advised that there were no alternate routes to avoid the stopped I-270 and I-25 traffic. Looked OK when we got on, then it’s a parking lot.
Wish I still had my motorcycle.

I think you are over-thinking this.

The difference in the rate of punctures between all season and all terrain tires (and winter tires) is so small you can ignore it.

What is the possibility of buying a tire that is all ; speed rated, all terrain, AND puncture self-sealing all in one ? ( I havent checked yet. )
I suppose you could ignore the tpms sytem fault ( just check psi the old fashioned way ) and just put in some Slime puncture sealant to start with ( like our bicycles ) so that it’s already there should you encounter debris .