Bowhunter23
Well-Known Member
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- #1
So I've been looking for 35s for my Rubicon 4XE. I have a set of Method NV305s I'll be putting new tires on. What I really wanted was an aggressive hybrid like the MT Baja Boss AT or Wrangler Duratrac. Something more aggressive than the stock KO2s. Preferably something under 70#/tire and in a C or D range. I do 90% on road (daily driver) but when offroad, it's typically mud so ATs clog up fast. Not opposed to a full mud terrain as long as they wear decent (i know MTs wear faster than ATs but just want to get more than 20K miles out of them) and need do decent on snowy roads as well (Ohio).
I came across a pretty good deal on some brand new (still had the stickers on the tread) 315/70/17 BFG KM3s yesterday and jumped on them.
Now I'm kinda second-guessing these. They are E-Load and I put them on a scale and are 74#. The Methods are 30# so my combined weight is 104#. Which is about 25# more per corner than stock Rubi setup.
My concerns are:
- is an E-Load tire going to ride like crap in a Wrangler? Sidewalls too stiff? Wondering if the added weight of the 4XE batteries, plus bumper/winch, and slipstream and gear in back would help enough here that an E-Load wouldn't be too bad. But I've never run anything stiffer than a D-Load in the past that I can remember anyway. Is the ride much stiffer than a D-Load?
- added weight of a 104# spare setup likely require tailgate reinforcement. kind of a big concern actually. Tailgate reinforcement is not cheap. I only got 4 of the KM3s so thinking not using the 5th NV305 and having to get a 35" spare and just keeping the stock Rubi 33" spare? If needed, would I have any issues running a 33" spare temporarily on the road to get me home? Wouldn't think it would be an issue with lockers off. Maybe airdown the three 35s to get closer to same height?
- treadwear and winter road driving. I don't have experience with the KM3s. How do they wear and handle winter roads? Have run KO2s and Faulken Wildpeak ATs and very happy with both of those for wear and winter driving, just suck in the mud. Tradeoffs with everything I know. I ran the original BFG MTs back in the 90s and early 2000s and don't remember them wearing horribly so hoping the KM3s are decent.
- added weight killing acceleration/mileage (anticipated obviously by going to 35s but there are definitely lighter combinations). 25# per corner increase seems pretty significant.
- road noise - minor concern. I'm a top down, doors off, radio up driver plus used to run Swamper TSLs years ago but obviously the quieter the better and have heard the KM3s get loud as they wear down.
Thoughts? Other tire recommendation or lighter wheel recommendation maybe? I could trade/sell while the KM3s are still new and unmounted.
The MT Baja Boss ATs are just a few pounds lighter so don't think that would be worth it unless ride, wear, and winter driving would be a significant improvement. Duratracs are about 13#/tire lighter if that data is correct so that's the tire I really had my eye on. That's a pretty significant weight savings. But I don't have firsthand experience with these tires either.
Cooper SST Pros are E-Load but only weigh 67# so 7#/tire savings. How do these compare wear-wise and winter driving to KM3s?
Or should I just suck it up and run em since I got em? Could always swap back to stock KO2s for long trips and winter driving.
I came across a pretty good deal on some brand new (still had the stickers on the tread) 315/70/17 BFG KM3s yesterday and jumped on them.
Now I'm kinda second-guessing these. They are E-Load and I put them on a scale and are 74#. The Methods are 30# so my combined weight is 104#. Which is about 25# more per corner than stock Rubi setup.
My concerns are:
- is an E-Load tire going to ride like crap in a Wrangler? Sidewalls too stiff? Wondering if the added weight of the 4XE batteries, plus bumper/winch, and slipstream and gear in back would help enough here that an E-Load wouldn't be too bad. But I've never run anything stiffer than a D-Load in the past that I can remember anyway. Is the ride much stiffer than a D-Load?
- added weight of a 104# spare setup likely require tailgate reinforcement. kind of a big concern actually. Tailgate reinforcement is not cheap. I only got 4 of the KM3s so thinking not using the 5th NV305 and having to get a 35" spare and just keeping the stock Rubi 33" spare? If needed, would I have any issues running a 33" spare temporarily on the road to get me home? Wouldn't think it would be an issue with lockers off. Maybe airdown the three 35s to get closer to same height?
- treadwear and winter road driving. I don't have experience with the KM3s. How do they wear and handle winter roads? Have run KO2s and Faulken Wildpeak ATs and very happy with both of those for wear and winter driving, just suck in the mud. Tradeoffs with everything I know. I ran the original BFG MTs back in the 90s and early 2000s and don't remember them wearing horribly so hoping the KM3s are decent.
- added weight killing acceleration/mileage (anticipated obviously by going to 35s but there are definitely lighter combinations). 25# per corner increase seems pretty significant.
- road noise - minor concern. I'm a top down, doors off, radio up driver plus used to run Swamper TSLs years ago but obviously the quieter the better and have heard the KM3s get loud as they wear down.
Thoughts? Other tire recommendation or lighter wheel recommendation maybe? I could trade/sell while the KM3s are still new and unmounted.
The MT Baja Boss ATs are just a few pounds lighter so don't think that would be worth it unless ride, wear, and winter driving would be a significant improvement. Duratracs are about 13#/tire lighter if that data is correct so that's the tire I really had my eye on. That's a pretty significant weight savings. But I don't have firsthand experience with these tires either.
Cooper SST Pros are E-Load but only weigh 67# so 7#/tire savings. How do these compare wear-wise and winter driving to KM3s?
Or should I just suck it up and run em since I got em? Could always swap back to stock KO2s for long trips and winter driving.
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