Tires.....again

[Crawldit]

I have cut my choices down to 2 tires. The new BFG KM2's or the Nitto Mud Grappler. I'm going to be running 315/75/16's. My rig is a Daily Driver that gets 30k+ miles a year on the highway and hopefully some rocks on the weekends. I've run MT/R's, Trxus MT's, BFG AT's, Toyo MT's and LTB's. I've had good luck with some of them but there are so many good radial mud terrains out there that I would like to try something different than what I've had in the past (not a big fan of Pro Comp or Mickey Thompson though). I have done a bunch of research lately but the new KM2's are too new so the reviews are short term. The Nitto reviews usually consist of "look cool" and "really loud" without any good information. I know we have some guys on here with the KM2's and was wondering if we have any Nitto people? Looking for real world experience on and offroad.

BFG's
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTireByBrandDetail.do?rc=AZRINT&cs=315&typ=Truck%2FSUV&pc=38229&rcc=&rd=16&ar=75&tc=MTAVM6
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/crawldit/e3edcf83.jpg

Nitto's
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTireByBrandDetail.do?rc=AZRINT&cs=35&typ=Truck%2FSUV&pc=40278&rcc=&rd=16&ar=1250&tc=NITVM1
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/crawldit/df86e5f3.jpg

[SHNIPE]

BFGs.

[over's tj]

BFG.

You don't have to wait on reviews on the BFG KMII because most aspects have been proven from the old MT and Krawlers, BFG just puts out great multi use tires. If they are better then the old ones, you can't loose.

sounds like you might be better off with the BFG AT, I know its not as cool looking as the MT but if its your DD on the road alot you may be happier in the end, the AT's can take a huge beating off road and still deliver a smooth DD ride

The new MT's seem high in price and sizes were limited last I looked

I have had Nitto AT's and they were OK on the road for a P/U but I just havent read/heard anything great on the extreme Nittos, IMO they are more show then go

[Duality]

I loved my BFGs and wish I could have paid for another set when I upgraded.

[Kelly P]

Bfg

[YGOHOME]

the only experience Ive had with NITTO were their 315/35/17 drag radials. Good inexpensive tires for a street racer.

But my neighbor has the 35" mud grapler on his lifted nissan 4x4. The tread wear seems pretty good, he's had the same set for a year and a half now. I don't know how they do on the trails though. I'd probably go with the BFG. The grapplers look like something a "flatbiller" would run. lol.

[terron gregg]

there you guys go clownin the flat billers again come on bro haha jk

[neZZr]

I don't have experience with either... but the reviews of the Nitto use various analogies for excessive noise level. My favorite was "World War II bomber noise level"

I believe it was in Petersen's, the general word on the Nitto's that I remember from the article was that it is similar in performance to a Bogger, though not quite as good in the mud. But they balance true, better than the Bogger.

Still, if you drive it on the street at all, the choice between those two is clear.

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

You know what my vote is...

Jason

[Crawldit]

You know what my vote is...

JasonI knew you'd post up Jason. You gotta give me more than that though. Have you ever written an actual review on your KM2's? Maybe you did and I missed it.

How's the street ride? How are they in the rocks? Wet/Dry traction? Are they tough (i.e. sidewall cuts, chunking...)?

Give me some feedback buddy :smoking:

[over's tj]

these may not be real AZ world test but check them out:

http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/wheels/129_0711_bfgoodrich_mt_ta_km2_tire_test/index.html

http://hummertruckworld.tenmagazines.com/articles.asp?page=tenarticle&aid=3636

there are others out there, I did a GOOGLE search

[1toughxj]

30,000 a year??? You need these: http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/overview/radial-long-trail-t-a/15.html

[Crawldit]

these may not be real AZ world test but check them out:

http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/wheels/129_0711_bfgoodrich_mt_ta_km2_tire_test/index.html

http://hummertruckworld.tenmagazines.com/articles.asp?page=tenarticle&aid=3636

there are others out there, I did a GOOGLE searchThanks for the links. I've actually read those two already. I found alot of "short term" reviews from searching on Google and Ask.com. I'm really interested in results from people that use them on a daily as opposed to writers that got their hands on a set for a weekend for the sake of writing an article. I've searched on JU and JF and ROF and read good things about both. But like you said above, they're not real AZ world tests.

[Crawldit]

30,000 a year??? You need these: http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/overview/radial-long-trail-t-a/15.html

Hmmmm street tires :pinch: I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Seriously though, I've got over 40k miles on my MT/R's so I know you can get good tread life out of todays new radials. I've got no problem replacing tires every 1.5 years or so. My old LTB's only lasted 24k miles and I had to replace them after only like 8 months. Now that sucked. In a perfect world I'd have a set of street tires and a set of Bias offroad tires, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

[over's tj]

You could go crazy on deciding the best tires, If I were you new BFG KM2's would be my choice, its just that they are a somewhat aggressive tire for a jeep doing 30000 mi. a year on road driving, you may have to replace them due to wear within a year and a half, the more aggressive a tire is the softer the tread compound (again the BFG AT may be a better fit for you)

just ask yourself a few questions, are you choosing a tire because you like the way it looks, can you afford the compromises of that tire, ie, MPG, fast wear, noise, cost

if the compromises are ok with you, then the new BFG KM2's are just about the toughest tires for Az trails while still being street friendly

I have had the last gen BFG MT, 35's and they were great and I now have 35" Krawlers, I also have 315/70/17 BFG AT's Hummer H2 take offs on my Ram and aired down off road they are awsome

How's the street ride? How are they in the rocks? Wet/Dry traction? Are they tough (i.e. sidewall cuts, chunking...)?
if they are even close to the krawlers and last gen MT's you should be pleased, the sidewalls on BFG offroad tires are the best you can get without going to a big heavy bias plys, on wet roads and snow the AT's are better, the tread block on the MT's need more sipes for good wet performance

[ossirisus]

BFG

My friend has the Nitto's on his 07 LR3, he hates them, claims they are loud and not as sticky as the BFG's he had.

I do not know how hard he off roads it, i only know he uses it as the most expensive hunting vehicle i have ever heard of.:aagh:

[tywilson88]

no contest BFG

[Crawldit]

You could go crazy on deciding the best tires, If I were you new BFG KM2's would be my choice, its just that they are a somewhat aggressive tire for a jeep doing 30000 mi. a year on road driving, you may have to replace them due to wear within a year and a half, the more aggressive a tire is the softer the tread compound (again the BFG AT may be a better fit for you)

just ask yourself a few questions, are you choosing a tire because you like the way it looks, can you afford the compromises of that tire, ie, MPG, fast wear, noise, cost

if the compromises are ok with you, then the new BFG KM2's are just about the toughest tires for Az trails while still being street friendly

I have had the last gen BFG MT, 35's and they were great and I now have 35" Krawlers, I also have 315/70/17 BFG AT's Hummer H2 take offs on my Ram and aired down off road they are awsome


if they are even close to the krawlers and last gen MT's you should be pleased, the sidewalls on BFG offroad tires are the best you can get without going to a big heavy bias plys, on wet roads and snow the AT's are better, the tread block on the MT's need more sipes for good wet performance
You give good advice and raise good questions. I think I've answered some of them already in previous responses. Honestly I've run the BFG AT's before and wasn't impressed. I'm about to buy my 4th set of tires for my Rubi in the past 2-2.5 years. I would much rather have a capable offroad tire than a good commuter tire. My MT/R's have cuts and plugs and chunking to the extent that I can't break 65 on the freeway because they ride so bad. I'm all about compromise :)

So far it sounds like the KM2's are the clear winner. I had just heard bad things about the sidewalls on the older BFG MT's. After having two sidewall bubbles on my Toyo MT's with one blowout plus multiple sidewall cuts on my current MT/R's, I am definitely more concerned about sidewall strength than I used to be.

[Stickbuddy]

I called Discount today for a quote on 5 35/12.5/17 KM2's ($1785 out the door tax, mounted and balanced w/road hazard insurance). I asked how much the RH insurance ran per tire, the guy told me $41 a tire. That's not too bad. they look great and for my purposes (no where near the highway miles you run), they'll do fine. Oh, but then, how much are the spacers, the 5:13's, the dinners out and flowers to appease the wife/girlfriend. It sure adds up!:)

[over's tj]

I don't have direct experience with Goodyear MTR's but what I observe on the trail and read and talking to people, the sidewalls do not stand up to the sharp arizona rocks like the 2nd gen BFG MT km's. so, if you had good luck with MTR sidwalls you will love BFG

I know there are much tougher sidewalls out there, but those are on very aggressive tires like bias swampers etc. that are not well suited for DD use, have you considered Maxxis or some of the other newer tires?

Just get some KRAWLERS and replace them every 6 months :laugh2:

[Crawldit]

have you considered Maxxis or some of the other newer tires?
Actually yes. I've been searching for tires for months. I've looked at the Maxxis Trepadors and the Pro Comp Xterrains and the Mickey Thompson Radial Claws. I'm not sure if I'm a real big fan of directional treads or not. I have friends with Pro Comp MT's and Mickey Thompson MTZ's and neither are overly impressed. I've run Swamper Trxus MT's and loved them but want to try something different. I made the mistake of commuting on bias swampers before and won't do that again. Some time in the far off future the Jeep will be a toy I'll get some nice beadlocks and some bias Maxxis (either Creepies or Comp Trepadors). Until then it will always be a compromise.

[Allen]

I have run BFG MT's on my last 4 jeeps and they were all daily drivers that got to see some sharp rock! Of all the tires I've seen they hold up the best in a multi-use tire! You'll find them a lot less noisy than you'd think, tougher than you were told, and stickyer than you expected. The only place I've been that they perform less than perfect is for the first few rocks on large steep rock when wet. Seems like you gota heat'em up a bit to get the slick surface off them... then they'll stick the rest of the trip!


Nittos are for crawlin the mall!

[darkslide750]

I ran the Nitto's for about 25,000 on my chevy 2500hd, 37's. I have to say that these tires balanced out and drove great on the freeway. Now, they sound like a small prop plane crop-dusting, and they are super loud. But the on road performance suprised me. Off the Road the tires had excellent grip in mud, much better than, mt/r, mt, tsl radial, and toyo mt. I never ran any rocks with them.
I am considering them for my TJ build-up,(non-DD 35x15) but would like some rock testing info.

[Andrew F]

BFG. Way more technology in the tire. They fixed the few problems the old tires had.

[over's tj]

I'm about to buy my 4th set of tires for my Rubi in the past 2-2.5 years. I would much rather have a capable offroad tire than a good commuter tire. My MT/R's have cuts and plugs and chunking to the extent that I can't break 65 on the freeway because they ride so bad. I'm all about compromise


BTW my KRAWLERS are not that bad on the highway considering how they perform on the rocks

if they had them in your size it could realy be a contender for your needs, I would think someone could get 10,000 or more out of them if they were highway miles