Having trouble selecting a tire...

[MVOffroad]

So I'm having a lot of trouble picking a tire mainly due to my lack of experience. I've been researching for a few weeks but still don't know which direction to go. I bought my rubicon for the main purpose of exploring the mountains in colorado on the weekends and working my way up to more difficult trails over time. I will use the car as a daily driver but I don't commute so it's not like I'm always on the freeway. I don't think I'll be mudding a lot but I will probably be hitting loose rock and some boulders in the mountains. Also ice/snow performance is needed mainly for just driving around town at this point since I need to build some experience before snow wheeling. I'm concerned that an AT tire might not be offroad worthy enough and a MT tire may be more than I need? Is a RT or Hybrid Terrain where I need to be? I currently have toyo open country RTs but I'm switching them out because the previous owner put 20s and I'm going to 17s. The toyo RTs drive ok but they're not great on ice. What do you think I need?

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[blnewt]

You're going to get many different opinions. The Goodyear Duratrac is a good choice, it's not too heavy, is 3 peak snow rated and has an aggressive tread vs a regular AT. Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT is a good choice as well, 3 peak rated, deep tread, aggressive sidewall biters and more aggressive than other AT type tires. Those would be my top two choices for what your uses dictate.

As far as Ice, good luck w/ that, dedicated snow tires such as Nokians or adding studs to tires are your best bet. Not going to get many off road tires that perform well on ice.

 

[rjpjeep]

I am going to go with the Kenda Klever RT's. I have friends that have them and lot's of reviews swear by them. Good price point as well.

 

[blnewt]

I am going to go with the Kenda Klever RT's. I have friends that have them and lot's of reviews swear by them. Good price point as well.

Heard good things about them, I like that narrow 35" tire they offer. Only negative I've heard is the weight, but there's quite a few out there that have that problem

 

[J0E]

So I'm having a lot of trouble picking a tire mainly due to my lack of experience. I've been researching for a few weeks but still don't know which direction to go. I bought my rubicon for the main purpose of exploring the mountains in colorado on the weekends and working my way up to more difficult trails over time. I will use the car as a daily driver but I don't commute so it's not like I'm always on the freeway. I don't think I'll be mudding a lot but I will probably be hitting loose rock and some boulders in the mountains. Also ice/snow performance is needed mainly for just driving around town at this point since I need to build some experience before snow wheeling. I'm concerned that an AT tire might not be offroad worthy enough and a MT tire may be more than I need? Is a RT or Hybrid Terrain where I need to be? I currently have toyo open country RTs but I'm switching them out because the previous owner put 20s and I'm going to 17s. The toyo RTs drive ok but they're not great on ice. What do you think I need?

I don't think I'll be mudding a lot but I will probably be hitting loose rock and some boulders in the mountains.

So you don't want a MT. MT rule in the mud, AT are better in the rocks and dirt.

Also ice/snow performance is needed mainly for just driving around town

I've never understood why folks buy a $60K+ 4 wd then cheap out on an extra set of wheels with good studded snow tires. 800% more traction for a fraction of the price of the rig.

to build some experience before snow wheeling.

Get some pizza cutter studded snow tires fully aired up and pull out all the guys with wide tires, especially those aired down. That's what I did for 40 years. Get chains to go into deep snow.

I'm concerned that an AT tire might not be offroad worthy enough and a MT tire may be more than I need?

AT will out perform offroad except in mud and soft dirt. RT is a good choice too.

As far as Ice, good luck w/ that, dedicated snow tires such as Nokians or adding studs to tires are your best bet. Not going to get many off road tires that perform well on ice.

Make that no non-studded off road tires that perform well on ice - compared to good studded tires.

Why the worry about weight? It's the mass of the vehicle that counts, unless you're really sending it and bouncing on difficult lines.

32 psi? 16 psi? or 10 psi? Best tire pressure for winter traction.

 

[dragoneggs]

32 psi? 16 psi? or 10 psi? Best tire pressure for winter traction.

Interesting video. I assume then it doesn’t make sense to air down an AT tire as well in snow. I learned something.

 

[J0E]

Interesting video. I assume then it doesn’t make sense to air down an AT tire as well in snow. I learned something.

97% of the interweb thinks you air down in snow. We tested air down, wide tires vs skinny pizza cutters several hundred times. You need to get down to the ground, not float on snow and ice. That was true in dry MT snow and was more important in PNW wet snow. I've pulled out hundreds of mall crawlers, many aired down, with my fully aired up pizza cutter studded snow tires. Studs don't help in deep snow unless there's an ice base. Chains rule, no tire comes close in deep snow and ice.

Lots of folks have success with aired down wide tires. But it's success compared to a Prius, they've never tested a fully aired up pizza cutter side by side.

I love Matt's off road recovery, which is all about drama and not optimal methods. This is one of the deepest snow recoveries he's done, and I could have done that recovery in 1 WD (not locked) with a pair of chains. But where's the drama in that?

 

[Geronimo]

One of my favorites is a Wrangler Duratrac for exactly the uses you described. I see your in Colorado so I could also see the need for two sets, One studded (Duratracs are set up for studs and are sipped).
Secondly Duratracs provide excellent traction on rocks and provide self cleaning action in the occasional Poughkeepsie Gulch mud. Also mentioned they are less hefty than most. I ran them for many years, it wasn't until I started hunting more deeply into mesquite thicket that I switched to Cooper STT Pro because of the tough thorns. I prefer the Duratrac's though they cannot stop the mesquite thorns in sidewall. They are great for Colorado though.

Most everybody here has given you solid advise as well.

Until you get some trails under your belt and some good experience don't wheel alone and do pack for recovery and all that business. This forum is good on that subject as well.

Happy Jeepin to ya. The learning is allot of the fun

 

[J0E]

One of my favorites is a Wrangler Duratrac for exactly the uses you described. I see your in Colorado so I could also see the need for two sets, One studded (Duratracs are set up for studs and are sipped).
Secondly Duratracs provide excellent traction on rocks and provide self cleaning action in the occasional Poughkeepsie Gulch mud. Also mentioned they are less hefty than most. I ran them for many years, it wasn't until I started hunting more deeply into mesquite thicket that I switched to Cooper STT Pro because of the tough thorns. I prefer the Duratrac's though they cannot stop the mesquite thorns in sidewall. They are great for Colorado though.

Most everybody here has given you solid advise as well.

Until you get some trails under your belt and some good experience don't wheel alone and do pack for recovery and all that business. This forum is good on that subject as well.

Happy Jeepin to ya. The learning is allot of the fun

Great advice.

Until you get some trails under your belt and some good experience don't wheel alone and do pack for recovery and all that business.

Join a off road club. I might modify the above to say even once you get experience, don't do any hard core runs solo.

 

[dragoneggs]

I’ve been a big fan of BFG KO2s, been on my F150 since 2006 and now on my JLR. When I recently sized up on my JLR, I stuck with them. A lot of haters on them but I haven’t had a reason to… check their ratings.

Of course, ideally one would have a set of winter, muds, hwy, etc. but that isn’t gonna happen for most of us. Now I understand there are good reasons to have a set of studded or even better chains but for all around… show me better.

Obviously though, your particular environment/climate and use conditions dictate. Though there is a reason they are stock for Rubicons for the majority of drivers.

 

[Geronimo]

I’ve been a big fan of BFG KO2s, been on my F150 since 2006 and now on my JLR. When I recently sized up on my JLR, I stuck with them. A lot of haters on them but I haven’t had a reason to… check their ratings.

Of course, ideally one would have a set of winter, muds, hwy, etc. but that isn’t gonna happen for most of us. Now I understand there are good reasons to have a set of studded or even better chains but for all around… show me better.

Obviously though, your particular environment/climate and use conditions dictate. Though there is a reason they are stock for Rubicons for the majority of drivers.

Our 2018 JLUR came with KO2s and they were on it for a couple thousand miles but we needed taller MTs. We gave those to my daughter who loved them on her Silverado and I believe she is on her second set now and another set on son in-laws truck, they love them!. They came on my wife's 23JLR which are obviously new. These we will run until we wear them out or decide to go a bit more aggressive. At 34 PSI they run well on pavement and forest roads. We hate mud, but it is something that always shows up "doing the thing we do" (Off road as often as possible.)

I don't hear too many folks rag on them much (more good than bad) , I personally don't have enough miles of rock crawling tougher trails on KO2s to give an honest opinion on their off road performance myself. Jeep puts them on because they are obviously a good quality AT.

They are a "jack of all trades" and not necessarily the best option of any one type of terrain. A little harder compound which of course will give them longer tread wear on pavement I should think and possibly a bit less grip on rocks and a bit tight of tread pattern in mud. (my thoughts anyway).
Lots of good options out there, and in the end its what you really do with your vehicle that ultimately matters. Everything is a trade off.

 

[MVOffroad]

I don't think I'll be mudding a lot but I will probably be hitting loose rock and some boulders in the mountains.

So you don't want a MT. MT rule in the mud, AT are better in the rocks and dirt.

Also ice/snow performance is needed mainly for just driving around town

I've never understood why folks buy a $60K+ 4 wd then cheap out on an extra set of wheels with good studded snow tires. 800% more traction for a fraction of the price of the rig.

to build some experience before snow wheeling.

Get some pizza cutter studded snow tires fully aired up and pull out all the guys with wide tires, especially those aired down. That's what I did for 40 years. Get chains to go into deep snow.

I'm concerned that an AT tire might not be offroad worthy enough and a MT tire may be more than I need?

AT will out perform offroad except in mud and soft dirt. RT is a good choice too.


Make that no non-studded off road tires that perform well on ice - compared to good studded tires.

Why the worry about weight? It's the mass of the vehicle that counts, unless you're really sending it and bouncing on difficult lines.

32 psi? 16 psi? or 10 psi? Best tire pressure for winter traction.

Thank you for going point by point here. This helps me a lot.

 

[J0E]

I’ve been a big fan of BFG KO2s, been on my F150 since 2006 and now on my JLR. When I recently sized up on my JLR, I stuck with them. A lot of haters on them but I haven’t had a reason to… check their ratings.

Initially I wasn't a fan of the stock KO2's. Wheeled hard on them for 9 months. They hooked up good in the rocks, sucked in the mud. But I hate mud. Scored a set of used 37" Firestone - DESTINATION M/T2 - Really loud, which I liked. Awesome in mud. But I shredded the deep mud lugs in a few hundred miles of rock crawling. Got a set of 37" KM3's. Also great in mud but shredded in the rocks. Next week I'll have my Nitto 38x13.5R17's on bead locks. Several sets of those in my off road club and they seem to preform really well here.

So when it came time to get new tires for my TJR, I went with 295/70/R17 E rated K02's. My only complaint with the C rated K02's was all the abraded sidewall, barely puncturing one tire and making the other 3 look bad. The E rated K02's have 50% more sidewall protection. The TJR KO2's hook up great in the rocks, although that's impossible to quantify. They don't hook up as well as my buddies 42" Trep stickies, but that's a soft compound.

 

[limeade]

If you're going to play in the rocks, stay away from 2 ply sidewall tires. While I do like KO2's, DuraTracs, and similar tires for on-road and light off-roading, their sidewalls aren't as durable as others.

From your description of intended usage, my vote is for the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT. Their sidewalls are super strong, they're 3PMSF rated, and have very good off-road traction. I've seen other Jeepers do very well with them on the Rubicon and other rocky/hard trails.

For a daily driver, these tires make the most sense.

I've run Nitto Trail Grapplers and they have strong sidewalls, but I didn't like their traction or tread life. I currently have Nitto Ridge Grapplers on my truck and they're garbage. Poor traction, poor balancing, etc. I'll never own another set of Nittos.

I currently have MT Baja Boss MT's on the jeep and they're excellent......except in the snow/ice. I did add siping to the tread blocks, which helps a lot. Once these wear out, I will be getting the MT BB AT's.

 

[J0E]

If you're going to play in the rocks, stay away from 2 ply sidewall tires. While I do like KO2's, DuraTracs, and similar tires for on-road and light off-roading, their sidewalls aren't as durable as others.

Exactly, I abraded my KO2's C rated sidewalls and one got a slow leak. The 3 play E rated sidewalls on my TJR's KO's are much stronger.

Take a piece of rubber as thick as you want. Let’s say 10” thick just for fun, bend it and place a razor blade against it and I promise it will cut just as easy as a piece of rubber that’s 1” thick. If the sharp rocks you’re crawling on are taller than 2” your E rating means very little. The drivers understanding of the terrain is what saves sidewalls.

your E rating means very little.

Except for not going flat because of sidewall abrasion.

I've run Nitto Trail Grapplers and they have strong sidewalls, but I didn't like their traction or tread life. I currently have Nitto Ridge Grapplers on my truck and they're garbage. Poor traction, poor balancing, etc. I'll never own another set of Nittos.

We've had good luck with Nitto Trail Grapplers and as you say, they have strong sidewalls. You're right they don't have good tread life because they're a softer compound. I've confirmed that with my Durometer. Also agree with hard to balance, they're very heavy. In our subjective, biased opinion, they hook up better on the rocks than most other tires in our group except the Pats (that have the weakest sidewalls and blow often) and Trep stickies. The harder KO2's seem to hook up good too, are lighter, easier to balance, and last longer.

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