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« on: February 08, 2013, 11:13:37 pm »
For baseless opinions on tires, bare with me.
I am big proponent of BFG MT but I like the original MT T/A wore the best for me I really prefer these as all around great jeep tires Then they changed them[/i} and came out the BFG MT KM, Close enough you say but with this change I found that tread life was reduced and I started to experience sidewall failures as those side bitters the out west rock hound like so much would catch on something and ripe the side wall of the tire out (happened more than once) Which brings me to the BFG MT KM2, I have two of these, as I have to save money to buy these expensive tires two at a time. So far I like the older MT tread better, the KM2 have loaded up on me which did not impress me at all, The older KM1 on the front axle did not pack up! They also seem louder, but I am going to reserve complete judgment until I have all four and put some more mileage on them. Now The BFG AT and AT KO, Dad likes these a lot as a great all around tire, its just not a sloppy mud tire. They are much better in the rain or ice though. Now the others. What did you think I got a kick back from BFG? here are some other tires I have tried.
I have used Mud kings in 235x75R15, they were OK, wore alright, sidewalls were OK, ripped one out and replaced all four.
Dunlap Mud Rovers, Once upon a time in the late 1990s BMJA members got a GREAT deal on these but on one of the first trail rides of the year they gained the moniker of DUNFLAT spare rovers. We experienced so many failures it was epidemic.
My rubicon came with 245x75R16 good-a-year MTs, I thought these were great for the first 10000 miles by 20100 miles they were bald enough to be dangerous on wet roads and LOUD on the highway. They wore funny, and did I mention LOUD I pulled them off at 24000 miles and I am very disappointed in that. I replaced them with BFG MT KM 265x75R16 these lasted 48000 miles and still have a little life in them but not much, I had one that need a patch that it.
But with the tread change I swallowed my pride and went with Good-a-year again. this time with 265x75R16 DURATRAC tires in Feb 2012. So far I have been pleased with the wear and lack of noise they do respectable in the woods and are a LOT better than the goodyear MTR or even the BFG MT or MT KM1 BUT I lost my first sidewall on the highway in Sept, and the second tire had a sidewall failure in Nov. This might have been a bad batch but the sidewalls look extremely thin. I returned these tires to 4WD hardware who warrantied them both and replace them. So I really can't complain about that other than the drive out to OH to return them. (It was cheaper then shipping them back) Great all around tire except sidewall strength.
Just so we are clear here is the BFGs we have used.
BFG AT 12R15 yup the old school 1978 tires 88000 miles and still some life
BFG AT Ko 33x10.5R15 dads CJ6 still fairly new
BFG AT Ko 285x70R17 dad's new dodge, to yearly to tell
BKG MT KM1 Dads CJ6 255x85R16 lasted forever, lots of life but dry rotted.
BFG MT KM1 30x9.5xR15 these are on my 1946 Cj2a, I have not driven it enough to judge but they still hold air, got them in 2004.
BFG MT 35x12.5XR15 this is what came on my 1982 when I bout it, they were worn out and soon replaced with the 33s
BFG MT TA 31x10.5R15 my 1981 CJ8, lasted 86000 miles replaced them with another set. which I still run these have 38000 miles on them and are still 50%
BFG MT TA 33x12.5R15 on my 1982 Cj8 lasted 85000 miles replaced them with 35s
BFG MT KM1 35x12.5R15 40000 miles lots of life will 80% tread but had two side wall failures and they are starting to dry rot and leak air.
BFG 33x12.5R15 these are Jen's old tires that I bought used to hold me over until I squirreled enough cash away for tires last winter, the cops did not like them.
BFG MT KM2s replaced two that had side wall failures with these, remains to be seen
BFG 33x9.5R15s why in the hell did they discontinue this size, I had one as a spare from way back when and found three more used ones to maybe put on my 1981 to try out this summer.
This has been my experience, maybe that helps maybe it does not.
I really had high hopes for these Duratracs but with those side wall failures, I do not know, I guess I'll see if they come apart again other than that I could not be happier with them.
The MTR, were so bad I will never have them on anything I own again. 20000 miles of life is just not worth it.
BFG, has been good to us, but I am not getting the life that I used to and that is very disappointing and I am not crazy about the new KM2 tread pattern and the AT is not trail biased enough in my opinion for a dual use trail jeep/ daily driver.