33's or 35's?
- Thread starter bskey
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powderpig
Hard Core 4+
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
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If you can afford two sets of rims and tires, then this will net you some better handleing and fuel ecomany. Just change the tires over to your more aggressive for wheeling. You may also want to look at the general tire The AT2. a 2 ply side wall, but a real nice tread pattern close to the BFG AT. It is a little more open, nice at tread design. I have a set currently and they are a tall tire. I paid 170 a tire and I saw on Tire rack they can be as low as 150. a tire for a 35(315 17 r16).
I personally like the better handling part of a good AT, better braking and ice handling is a key for me. I have swampers for my wheeling tires, which I like much better off road. Any how good luck on the choices you have to make. Later Robbie
I personally like the better handling part of a good AT, better braking and ice handling is a key for me. I have swampers for my wheeling tires, which I like much better off road. Any how good luck on the choices you have to make. Later Robbie
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Yes... and no...
Yes: The Red Chili is shod with MT/Rs. I like the way they handle in ice, snow, offroad, and for the most part on the highway. They are almost round this time, but that has been a bit of a challenge. MT/Rs have had quite a bit of quality variableness lately, and it took me two sets to get round ones. I would be interested in Toyos next go round for this reason. I use the Chili for wheeling, but also towing a camper to Wyoming and Utah and hunting or CM. So highway matters too. Swampers would never work for me. My goal is more expedition than rock crawling.
No: The BlackBean, a Taco, is shod with 33/10.50x15 BFG ATs. They have good clearance, they were free (I won them in a radio contest, go figger), they almost clear everything due to being pizza cutters, they are quiet on the highway, they do not impact mpg too badly, they will last a good long time compared to MT/Rs. This is my daily driver vehicle. They are just OK on ice, the MT/Rs are actually better. Some report experiences at odds with mine regarding this. They work OK.
No: The Green Chili, a 97 4Runner, is my wife's daily driver. It has largish 285/75R16 BFG ATs. They look pretty good on it, and they work pretty well. I had BFG ATs (smaller) when I had to take it to Cruise Moab in 2005 because the Red Chili was undergoing a motor swap. They did just fine on the slickrock, and wet sand/mud. The big decisionmaker here is mileage and highway comfort. Even ATs wore out too fast (my wife drives a lot).
So what you can take from this is, it depends. You have to decide based on intended usage and pocketbook.
My 2 cents worth since I can't resist 
I went with Toyo MTs and siped them. Realistically 95+%, of my yearly driving is on the road. The LX is my DD and of the 6-7K miles or so per year I put on the rig I the majority of those are on the road...Even in CM how many miles are actually offroad? On other offroad trips (unless you're doing expeditions) you probably spend more miles on the road getting to and from the trail than you do offroad once there.
So, with that logic I should have probably gone with ATs. I went with the MTs, siped them for better poor weather handling (despite contrary opinions about chunking etc), and haven't looked back. The Toyos seem to be wearing really well which was a concern for me considering how expensive they are. Romer has had his longer and might be able to comment on the wear better.
I went with Toyo MTs and siped them. Realistically 95+%, of my yearly driving is on the road. The LX is my DD and of the 6-7K miles or so per year I put on the rig I the majority of those are on the road...Even in CM how many miles are actually offroad? On other offroad trips (unless you're doing expeditions) you probably spend more miles on the road getting to and from the trail than you do offroad once there.
So, with that logic I should have probably gone with ATs. I went with the MTs, siped them for better poor weather handling (despite contrary opinions about chunking etc), and haven't looked back. The Toyos seem to be wearing really well which was a concern for me considering how expensive they are. Romer has had his longer and might be able to comment on the wear better.
The Toyos (which I am not at all familiar with) seem to have a great reputation for quality. That's a fear I have of the Mickey Thompsons. I'd love 2 sets of tires, but I will be keeping the studded snows I have on there now for next winter, and I live in an apartment, so more tires is not really an option.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
A stack of wheels makes a great end table. Creative repurposing!
DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
I'm running BFG ATs at the moment, but have run both ATs and MTs in various smaller sizes over the years. All BF Goodrich versions, no experience with anything else. I find the ATs noticeably less sketchy on snow packed roads than the MTs, even if you sipe them. Deep snow and mud, no question the ATs are not optimal. They do OK, but the AT is just that, an all terrain tread. It will be sufficient at most things and probably not perfect at any. I'd like to re-shoe the truck with MTs for the Rubithon, but I'm planning on keeping the ATs mounted, too. In the winter I like the ATs more, they just feel like to me they transition from traction to slipping a little less quick than the MTs. But like I say my experience is with BFG MTs and so the MT/R and some of the other patterns are supposed to be a bit better. Also BFG is coming out with a new MT tread, but the 15" sizes will remain the same until the end of this year. I very much doubt I'll be moving away from BFG at this point, primarily because of the 33x10.50 and 33x9.50 sizing in 15" rims. Personally I would stick with an AT tread for a DD as the first set and then if or when money allows, get a second set of rims. This is another reason I stick with 15" rims, you can get them for free all the time...
wesintl
Moderator
bfg 35's measure to be 33"
problem solved
problem solved
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
With that much wheeling, I'd say go for the M/T's. I run BFG A/T's, and my truck sees 99% road miles, 1% wheeling. I sacrifice offroad traction somewhat for on road manners and mileage.
But for that much bias toward wheeling, I wouldn't sacrifice offroad manners for minor inconvenience on the hwy.
Wish my bias was more that direction.
AxleIke
Hard Core 4+
I can speak to that. Transfercases make good art, bumpers and axles make good knick knacks!!!! LOL
So I am reading about these:
1. TOYO Open Country® A/T
2. BFG All-Terrain T/A® KO
3. Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ Radial Plus
4. General Tire Grabber™ AT2
I'm leaning towards 35x12.5x15. I may consider a narrower tire if available.
Opinions?
1. TOYO Open Country® A/T
2. BFG All-Terrain T/A® KO
3. Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ Radial Plus
4. General Tire Grabber™ AT2
I'm leaning towards 35x12.5x15. I may consider a narrower tire if available.
Opinions?
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Good size.
Now put a Toy V6 in that rustbucket and you won't worry about lugging them around.
Now put a Toy V6 in that rustbucket and you won't worry about lugging them around.
treerootCO
Rising Sun Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2005
- Messages
- 5,424
I plan on running the Toyo Open Country MT on the DD 80.
RockRunner
Hard Core 4+
When time comes to replace my tires I am going to look at Toyo, Truxes and one other brand, name escapes me. i like my MTR's but there are better tires out there for off road. Since we drive the 4Runner less than 2K a year and run about 10-15 trails a year we can afford to go more aggressive and forgo the MPG etc.
If price was not an option i would buy the Toyo's first then most likely the MT's and the General. I nearly got a set of generals before the MTR's but they could nto find the correct size. Since I am running 15" rims tire choices are getting less and less. No big deal but it does cause a first choice to be eliminated sometimes.
Pick a tire and go one more step aggressive, you won't notice it that much.
If price was not an option i would buy the Toyo's first then most likely the MT's and the General. I nearly got a set of generals before the MTR's but they could nto find the correct size. Since I am running 15" rims tire choices are getting less and less. No big deal but it does cause a first choice to be eliminated sometimes.
Pick a tire and go one more step aggressive, you won't notice it that much.
Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
Good point on the 15s. If I didn't already have the tires, I would have gone 16 or 17 when I bought the beadlocks.