How are you liking the Ko2 tires

[DanW]

They're good in everything except mud, you have to spin them really fast to get the mud to clear which can have the negative effect of burying you deeper.

Maybe it depends on the consistency of the mud. I thought they didn't do too badly in Indiana mud compared to my KM2's.

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[ATXMTB]

They're good in everything except mud, you have to spin them really fast to get the mud to clear which can have the negative effect of burying you deeper.

Well that’s good to know. Not a lot of mud down here’s in central Texas, but worth taking into consideration.

 

[NFRs2000NYC]

Yup, there are different muds. Duratracs (most ATs) have the same problems as K02s....the tighter lugs, which allows them to be quiet, get packed with mud and have a hard time ejecting it. MTs have larger spaces between lugs which assist in mud flinging, but the gap between the lugs creates noise while on the road. I found that mud made out of dirt/soil like we have in NJ for instance, gets real goopy and sticks to high heaven and is almost impossible to fling out with an AT tire....ANY AT tire. However, mud made up of silt/sand such as the red stuff in moab for instance, they had no problem ejecting and clawing through it.

 

[DanW]

Yup, there are different muds. Duratracs (most ATs) have the same problems as K02s....the tighter lugs, which allows them to be quiet, get packed with mud and have a hard time ejecting it. MTs have larger spaces between lugs which assist in mud flinging, but the gap between the lugs creates noise while on the road. I found that mud made out of dirt/soil like we have in NJ for instance, gets real goopy and sticks to high heaven and is almost impossible to fling out with an AT tire....ANY AT tire. However, mud made up of silt/sand such as the red stuff in moab for instance, they had no problem ejecting and clawing through it.

Good examples. Everything is a compromise, anyway. My KM2's were good in mud and horrendous in snow. They were pretty good in water, great in Moab, and great in the sand. They were really noisy and had a rough ride. They did wear well. So far, the KO2's have been great in snow, sand, and dirt, decent in Indiana mud, good in water, a little quieter than the KM2's, and they really have a nice smooth ride.

Overall, for my use, the KO2 should be a good compromise. However, that KM3 looks like it has more siping, so if it gains ground over the KM2 in snow, I may give it a look one day.

I'm going to give the KO2s a good flogging in Moab in October, so I'll post up then.

 

[foofykid]

I must have gotten robed, my ko2 are 32" not 33"

 

[DanW]

I must have gotten robed, my ko2 are 32" not 33"

Lol, that's why I went metric. I don't really know what it means, so I wouldn't be disappointed!

 

[WXman]

I am very curious how people are liking the stock 33in Ko2s on their rubicons. I have a sport S and would like to move up to those tires. Is it dumb to only move up to 33s or should I do the full lift and 35 route. No lift needed with 33s sounds nice tho. Thanks.

You should go up to 34s or 35s considering that the Rubicon versions are only .25" taller than stock Sport tires (so you're only getting 1/8" of added ground clearance).

I've tested my KO2s in river mud, slippery rocks, etc. and they seem to pull harder than the KOs. The KOs suck in mud and snow, so time will tell how these KO2s do this winter. In heavy rain the KO2 seems to do well also. They are extremely quiet and roll smooth as silk for a 34" class tire. Honestly, there is nothing I can complain about with the KO2. There really isn't. Excellent tires. However, I'm just not 100% happy with them. Maybe it's because everybody and their Mom has them. Or maybe it's because I'm used to tires that are more aggressive. I don't know but I find myself browsing discounttiredirect.com all the time, even though my KO2s are only a month old.

 

[KrispyKotex]

I had Mickey Thompson 33 inch MTZs on my old JK. The KO2 33 Inch on my Rubi seem fine for now, but do seem to pick a lot more rocks than my old MTs. So much that they have chipped my rear door hinges. I had to take off my rock rails and go with side steps. I do like the tires, but where I live, around gravel...it is becoming very apparent that they are not the tire I should stick with. I'll be upgrading very soon. They are a great tire otherwise.

 

[JIMBOX]

I can't recommend KO2"s--the only thing decent about them is that they look mean, but they're not--If you really want a quiet tire, then you should get goodyear wranglers-

My favorite(18 years) is the HANKOOK DYNAPRO LT295/75X16 MT/LOAD RANGE "D" and noisy !

They'll -perform very good in anything except "ice", but ???

W.E.

JIMBO

 

[Carolina88]

You should go up to 34s or 35s considering that the Rubicon versions are only .25" taller than stock Sport tires (so you're only getting 1/8" of added ground clearance).

.

I still don't understand how it's possible that it's only a .25 inch different between 245/75/17 and 285/75/17. KO2s also come in 255/75/17, I believe (same size tire as stock JK Rubicons). So would that fit in between the 245 and 285s?

 

[WXman]

I still don't understand how it's possible that it's only a .25 inch different between 245/75/17 and 285/75/17. KO2s also come in 255/75/17, I believe (same size tire as stock JK Rubicons). So would that fit in between the 245 and 285s?

I measured my 245/75-17 Sport tires at exactly 32.0" while on the Jeep, using a level and a tape measure.

I measured a buddy's 285/70-17 Rubicon tires at 32.2" tall while on the Jeep, using the same method.

That's why I bought 285/75-17 KO2s when I installed my lift kit. It's pointless to do a Rubicon tire swap in my opinion, because of how little you get for the money.

 

[POWDO]

Put 315/70R17s on this weekend! Love them. Look great with no lift. No rubbing so far.

 

[JIMBOX]

Earlier I had said that I don't recommend the KO2's for the WRANCLERS and--

That's not because they are A low quality tire, because they're not , they are great tires and they are used a lot on expeditions in EUROPE, but --

Those are used with LAND ROVERS/RANGE ROVERS and they do great, but-

They aren't recommended for the WRANGLERS, because of the fender coverage/body design and the fact that most of our WRANGLER drivers go OFF-ROAD on Forest Trails and gravel infested roads and those are the roads that cause most of the damage because of the KO2 tread design-

We have many OFF-ROAD tires that aren't subject to gravel "BATTLES"--

Have a great Monday !

W.E.

JIMBO

 

[JeepJL18]

So did you make the switch to the KO2’s? I have a stock Sport S and am trying to make the same decision now. How do the 33s perform and would you do it the same way again?

I have a Sport S and the KO2's. I also have RC 2.5 lift and they both work wonderfully in parallel with each other

 

[FranklinFlyer]

To me the ko2s are massively overrated. They are so weak in rainy conditions and they wear out pretty fast. I think the General Grabber AT3 is the best AT in the market. Goodyear Wrangler AT Adventure is 2nd and Yokohama Geolandar G015 3rd.
I don't get the hype about the ko2.
Just my honest opinion.

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