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Speak from experience... Tires

WheelinJR

WheelinJR

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Portland, Oregon
I'm wanting people to speak from personal experience on this one.

I am looking for suggestions and experiences with tires. After running this last rally it is blatantly obvious that a BFG M/T is not ideal for gravel roads both wet and dry at speeds (which I already knew before hand of course, but ya run what ya brung).

So now I am looking for suggestions on tires. The other Cherokee runner uses a set of 33x12.50 procomp AT's and is pretty happy with them after 5 rallies, but I am not sure if they are the kind of tire for me.

So what have you used and had good luck with? bad luck with?

Basically I am going to be on alot of gravel roads, some dirt/logging roads, in the rain, and in the dry. They need to be able to keep the Jeep pointing the direction I turn the wheel at speed (35-50mph closed course).
 
I'm a big fan of MT/R's but they do suck when it gets wet.

You might look at one of the swamper tires, they do well with mud. 33x13.5 LT/B's would be cheap, but maybe not such a good high speed tire. Any of that series might be up the right alley though.
 
For the terrain you are looking at, My experience likes the BFG AT.
They are by far the best all around tire for almost all that you encounter, with one exception.....MUD! Now depending on the Mud, you can get by, if it doesnt gum up bad or you only have to go a short distance?
Here in Souteast Colorado, we mainly have dirt road and gravel and logging road situations, with occasional Mud. When the mud is at its best, the side biters on these tires help alot. But i have been in some that it gummy and cakes bad on the tire and makes you like you are on the ice.
I would like to have a mild mud, but at the same time, that woudl hurt the old gas mileage.......as you know that matters alot right now!!!
I presently looking into a set of Retreads, due in part to the cost of tires and gas now. "HITECH RETREAD" is the company.
I have seen alot of these on rigs and have read the reveiws, they say they are a great alternative??
 
I'd give Maxxis Bighorns a look.
I've got 6000 miles of experience with mine. In that short time, they've been in about all conditions I can throw at them. Snow, mud, wet pavement, gravel........
So far I'm impressed with their performance.

Hale
 
No offence...but you DONT want a superswamper LTB. Heres my history with tires.
Ive run BFG M/ts (not what I wanted offroad)
TSL(AMAZING OFFROAD, but no siping, not so good in wet on road conditions)
LTBs(also amazing offroad, tend to dig deeper than the TSLs did...suck on the street if its not bone dry.
If i were you, ide look atthe trxxus M/T. Its greta in th emud, good on the rocks, and comes siped from the factory to dissplace water both on and offroad. Check those out, seem to fit your bill!
 
From my experience the BFG AT is an excellent tire for the conditions that you are describing. I would recommend them and am surprised that Jeff? was not happy with them? I also don't believe the the BFG MT is that bad of a tire in those conditions as well so I am surprised that you are not happy with them.

I believe that the MTR is probably the most logical "compromise" between the BFG AT and MT so I wouldn't be opposed to recommending them although I don't have personal experience with them only from what I have seen on the trail on friends rig's.

I have been running the Hi-Tech retreads for several years now (33x12.5R15 MT version) and they have been extremely impressive for everything I have asked from them. And they are an excellent tire both on road, off road, trail, etc, etc. I eventually grooved them significantly and they did even better. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them also but with the number of miles you put on your Jeep I am not sure they are the best choice.

Michael
 
From experience on three sets, the BFG AT's are a good selection. I am going to sipe my new set to aid in wet and icy.
 
Not that I have experience with this, but I think I would be looking into what some of the baja teams are running. Sounds like roughly the same conditions, and they definately run them at speed!
 
bfred said:
Not that I have experience with this, but I think I would be looking into what some of the baja teams are running. Sounds like roughly the same conditions, and they definately run them at speed!
Click to expand...


Baja teams run wet gravel roads?
 
Those Baja T/A's are an interesting option. I totally forgot they made those.

Keep in mind I will probably still run a BFG M/T as a trail running tire, so these will probably see rally usage and some highway mileage. Also thinking of sizing. I will probably run a 33x12.50 to keep my sizing in check with my future gearing.

Each rally between transits, travel to and from, and actual on stage action, I see anywhere from 500-700 miles.

Considerations to this point:

BFG Baja
TRXXUS M/T
Maxxis Bighorn
Bridgestone Duellers
 
Personally, I like Pro Comp AT's. I had very good luck with them, good traction in a wide range of conditions and very durable when running 60+ mph at 8 psi in the desert.
 
I drive in the rain alot as I do alot of wheeling in the rocky mountains and I have found that the Cooper Discoverer STT is great on gravel in the rain. It does have some sipeing on every lug. When I say gravel i mean like gravel roads I have found that they are not great in deep gravel.

Matt
 
I have Maxxis Bighorns on mine. Ive only had them on the street and some gravel but i love them. They come sipied and for the price i dont think you can beat them
 
When I lived in Oregon I always ran the old Dueler AT's. They worked very well on the logging roads and such. I currently work for Bridgestone/Firestone and for the conditions you run in you need to play around with AT tires. Unless you have the experience to regroove a set of mud tires. THe only problem with our tires is we do not cater to the aftermarket, so up sized tires are limited. I am running the new Dueler Revo AT in 245/75R16 and love the tire. Only problem with it is if you want to go bigger than 31's you have to go with 16" wheels. As far as the Baja AT, I really don't think it would work well in wet or muddy roads. Gravel and dry it would be awsome. That tire may suprise you though.

The best advise is go with what the other guys are running and doing well with. If money is no object there are tons of choices but if others are have good luck with a certain tire it is probably your best bet.
 
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