All terrain tyres - Discussion

[GLR2012]

could I please get people's opinions choice on a good reliable all terrain tire. I've read all about them and still can't choose so opinions and help is more then welcome.
Thanks heaps.

[JamoGLXR]

Safari TSR's are quite good, fairly quite on road, nice tread pattern deals with mud well.. cant tell you about reliable yet only had them for 10 thousand K's

Mickey Thompson 4 Rib. Very good. only reason i didnt go for these was cost. at $90 a tyre cheaper i thought id give the TSR's a crack.

id have no hesitations to get either of the above again.

[gauci204]

depending on the size, if in 265/75/16 i like the Mickey Thompson ATZ 4 rib as they have a very good load and sidewall rating.

[NowForThe5th]

GLR2012, rather than turn this into a procession of opinions which probably won't help you at all, why don't you give us a couple of starting points.

Budget?
Short list of tyres that you might consider?
What kind of driving you do? Percentage on road / off road?
Your location so that locals might be able to chime in with good deals?
Type of off roading that you do beach/mud/rocks/trails?
Do you want to stay strictly legal on size or stretch the rules a little?
What's important to you? Upfront price or best long term value for money?
How important is on road handling/grip vs off road?

With a few clues like this members might be able to narrow your choices down a little.

You might also like to have a look through the Tyre and Wheel section of the forum
http://www.newtriton.net/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=36

The first few threads have some great information and the Forum Directory at the top can also point you to some specific threads.

[GLR2012]

Well known brands " to me ", coopers, bridgestones, mickey thompsons, bf Goodrich, maxxis and yokohamas. Mostly road driving Monday to Friday, but on the weekends I usually hit occasional mud but more so rocks dirt sand. Budget 1000 total "fitted balance". 265 is a good size over standard 245. On road grip is just as good as off road. I'm located in brisbane like to hit glasshouse, coomera. Anywhere I see a dirt track almost I'll have a quick look.

[NowForThe5th]

OK. For $1000 fitted and balanced you're not going to find much, certainly amongst the "name" brands.

Had a quick look on Ebay to check current pricings and about the only thing I can find in SEQ is Silverstones like these at $220 tyre only:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-tyres-265-70-R16-4x4-Silverstone-AT117-All-terrain-Tires-/261137342879?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cccffa19f

or Sumitomo, like these
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/265-70-R16-AT-Sumitomo-Tyres-suit-4x4-all-terrain-265-70-R16-/261153733679?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccdf9bc2f

These are unlikely to be LT construction so expect maybe 50,000km out of them.

You might be better off extending your budget, if possible. For example, Bob Jane have a special on Bridgestone D697LT in 265 70 R16 that would be ideal, but at $280 each. $400 more but a lot more tyre.

I did a little exercise on long term cost of cheap tyres versus something like Coopers that were more expensive but offered long life guarantees. Might be worth a read:
http://www.newtriton.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=8403&p=267460&hilit=cooper+tyre#p267460

[chris_s]

BFG all terrains regularly get 100,000km and more. It's one of the few tyres with 3 ply sidewalls. Cooper, etc have 2 ply sidewalls and seem to have more sidewall punctures when running low pressures.

[motoz]

Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac in a 265/75 x 16 are a great AT. Quiet on the road, great in sand mud and rocks.

The bag out well once deflated. Have on inbuilt rim protector and moulded side biters.

$275 each fitted and balanced.

[deermaster]

Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac in a 265/75 x 16 are a great AT. Quiet on the road, great in sand mud and rocks.

The bag out well once deflated. Have on inbuilt rim protector and moulded side biters.

$275 each fitted and balanced.

I got the same in 265/70x16. The silent armor is the best, as they have kevlar in the walls and across the tread. I have so far given them a good workout and they are great, good on the road very quiet and great off road handle the mud and rocky country well. Got the best deal ever from a place in Ipswich called Tyre guys on the main road. They will probably need some business soon seeing as they were right in line to get flooded again.

[5immo]

i got some hankook dynopro atm 265s fitted up here non the sunshine coast for $980 and that was for the heavier rated tyes as they didnt have the others in stock. Ive had them on for 15000 now and been pretty impressed

[gauci204]

A cheap option you may want to look at is the KENDA KLEVER MT KR29. in the LT 265/75/16 size they are 123Q rated, which is exactly the same as the Mickey thompson ATZ. I paid $220/tyre balanced and fitted.

I have recently bought a set for my camper so that i have the same size tyres as the car. they have a great looking tread and sidebiter. Actually made me think about chucking them on the triton to go have a play in some sticky stuff to see how they go.

[Lin1952]

I use Bridgestone Dueler AT LT d694's 265/70/16. I have done 60,000K on tracks/roads all around Australia, never had a puncture and still plenty of tread left.

Bridgestone have now replaced this type with LT D697's which I am about tp purchase for $279 each. I will be using my old 694's on the camper trailer.

[NowForThe5th]

BFG all terrains regularly get 100,000km and more. It's one of the few tyres with 3 ply sidewalls. Cooper, etc have 2 ply sidewalls and seem to have more sidewall punctures when running low pressures.

Misleading. Other brands are also capable of very high mileages and the number of plys in the sidewall construction has little to do with mileages achieved. Certainly two ply sidewalls are more slightly more prone to sidewall puncture damage but there are degrees of this too. Cooper tyres, for example, were long considered one of the best for offroad work until their competitors caught up and passed them.

Your statement that Cooper tyres have 2 ply sidewalls is also erroneous. In the off road range the S/T Maxx and STT both have a third sidewall ply while the A/T3 has increased sidewall strength compared to the old A/TR, leaving only the S/T with the older, 2 ply construction.

Most of the sidewall damage I have seen can be largely attributed to vehicle loading, incorrect tyre pressures for the conditions and poor driving practices. There have been the instances of just sheer bad luck, too. The third sidewall ply, while increasing strength, doesn't prevent damage. If you come down hard on to a sharp rock or branch with the sidewall you can do just as much damage with 3 plys as with 2.

[Big Damo]

Also depends on the thickness of each ply.....

[Cowboy Dave]

And Fraz would be the worst bloke for you to tell this since about a dozen of us watched him puncture the sidewall of his BFG ATs out at Lithgow on something that didn't look all that threatening.

[Lovethatcar]

I've got some Cooper st maxx tyres 245/75R16 loving them! Great offroad, done 15000km so far, so good. I like the look and tread pattern of the Goodyear Wrangler 'Duratrac' though!

[DocBassett]

I have had three types of A/T's on my car- the original set that came with the car which were dunlop grantreks. These were about as useful as willy flavoured gatorade and you would be better off wrapping used condoms around your wheels to get more decent rubber. Second set were wranglers- managed to ruin two relaltively quickly with fatal sidewall injuries. I replaced those two with BFG's. The BFG's are sexier than Angelina jollie in lengerie and perform just as good as she would too. Infact they may even excite me more. They look great for an A/T with an epic tread pattern. More importantly they have handled everything I have thrown at them (hills, sand, mud, rock, lizards, birds, a bush turkey etc). Not only will i apparently get about 100,000km out of them, but they aren't chipping as much as the wranglers (we do some pretty intense rock hills made up of loose sharp rocks etc.) I will always buy BFG's from now on as i feel I am on to a good thing. I'm not saying others are bad (apart from the dunlops), as many I haven't tried. Unfortunately after only a few thousand Km's I have decided i need some 33's. which means I will be selling my tyres and rims. If I can afford it I will be getting BFG muddies My advice would be to not skimp on the tyres. pay the money. They not only make your car a lot more capable on and off road, but can save your life too

[Cowboy Dave]

How do they perform in the wet onroad? A few users have reported they don't perform too well at all in those conditions.

[DocBassett]

The BFG's? they are great. Havent had any dramas in the wet.

[koshari]

I got the same in 265/70x16. The silent armor is the best, as they have kevlar in the walls and across the tread. I have so far given them a good workout and they are great, good on the road very quiet and great off road handle the mud and rocky country well. Got the best deal ever from a place in Ipswich called Tyre guys on the main road. They will probably need some business soon seeing as they were right in line to get flooded again.

i use the same bikkies and are pretty happy with them, quiet on road, tread holding up pretty well,

i will likely replace with the same

[chris_s]

Re comments by NowForThe5th
I state that the BFG AllTerrains can exceed 100,000km (I know four vehicles that have covered these distances with minimal chipping and cutting of treads).
You don't state any other tyre (brand) that does this but criticise my observations by saying they are misleading. How are they misleading - I am stating my observations on what I have seen and what other tyres appear to get - notably 50 - 70,000om seems a good run out of them.
My comments above are pure observation of my two sets of BFG AllTerrains. The first set were on my Nissan Patrol, Three vehicles (two patrols) one new Prad0 traveled from Melbourne to Kalgoorlie then up on the Canning Stock Route to Halls Creek, onto Wyndham then along the Gibb River Road to Mitchell River Plateau (north to Crystal Head on the Admiralty Gulf), then to the Pilbara. All vehicles travelled the same country, same roads and tracks. They were similarly loaded with very similar tyre pressures. One set of All Terrain tyres (two ply rating on sidewall - highly advertised) seemed prone to getting side wall punctures from mulga stakes - had 3 tyres ruined. The BFG's seemed to have no damage.
The patrol then did the drive from Melbourne to Cape York and return and almost completed its 100,000km (98965km) run before being written off by another vehicle.
My 'new' Triton has almost done 100,000 (just over 99,000km) in three years, including the Birdsville Tk, Oodnadatta Tk and again a trip to Cape York and return.
Again, these are not made up stats or hearsay, they are what I have experienced.
Would love to know what other tyres get 100,000km or more.
Cheers
Chris

[Calblitzen]

How do they perform in the wet onroad? A few users have reported they don't perform too well at all in those conditions.

I can attest that they work well in the wet. Have had to stop in the wet recently, and they worked well with the ABS.

[c-dale]

How do they perform in the wet onroad? A few users have reported they don't perform too well at all in those conditions.

I can attest that they work well in the wet. Have had to stop in the wet recently, and they worked well with the ABS.

Unless the rubber compound has changed in recent years my BFG A/T's (on the old HiLux) were Sh*thouse in the wet. 1/2 worn and the arse end would slip out just looking at a corner. Ended up facing the wrong way on Sandgate Rd (3 lanes each way, so not a good place to be facing the wrong way) after some rain. Had to drive miss daisy around round abouts unless the road was bone dry. My Bighorns are going the sameway now.

Mickey T 4 Ribs for me next time I think

[Calblitzen]

How do they perform in the wet onroad? A few users have reported they don't perform too well at all in those conditions.

I can attest that they work well in the wet. Have had to stop in the wet recently, and they worked well with the ABS.

Unless the rubber compound has changed in recent years my BFG A/T's (on the old HiLux) were Sh*thouse in the wet. 1/2 worn and the arse end would slip out just looking at a corner. Ended up facing the wrong way on Sandgate Rd (3 lanes each way, so not a good place to be facing the wrong way) after some rain. Had to drive miss daisy around round abouts unless the road was bone dry. My Bighorns are going the sameway now.

Mickey T 4 Ribs for me next time I think

Have had them on 3 different vehicles over the past 12 years. I love them. But everyone is different, with different expectations.

[NowForThe5th]

Re comments by NowForThe5th
I state that the BFG AllTerrains can exceed 100,000km (I know four vehicles that have covered these distances with minimal chipping and cutting of treads).
You don't state any other tyre (brand) that does this but criticise my observations by saying they are misleading. How are they misleading - I am stating my observations on what I have seen and what other tyres appear to get - notably 50 - 70,000om seems a good run out of them.

Chris, my statement that your earlier post was misleading related not to the mileages attained but that you attributed this to 3 ply sidewalls. You will note that I said " the number of plys in the sidewall construction has little to do with mileages achieved.". I acknowledged that the BFGs do quite regularly get very high mileages by saying "Other brands are also capable of very high mileages" I did not criticise your observations, although you did not state that these were observations, rather than fact. Instead I simply pointed out that linking the number of sidewall plies to potential mileage is misleading and then went on to explain why, including giving an example. Might I suggest that you go back and read my whole post, rather than jumping to a conclusion and taking umbrage at something that I did not say.

Do I have personal experience with other brands? Sure. You may wish to follow the link that I provided in my second post in this thread. In the linked post I give details of personal experience with three sets of Cooper tyres that lasted in excess of 120,000km. I have heard anecdotal evidence on high mileages achieved by other brands as well, curiously all American brands, but without verification I wouldn't offer this in support, even though I have no reason to disbelieve the claims.