Time for A/T Tires

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Scotty54
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Time for A/T Tires

Post by Scotty54 »

Replacing my tires (30x9.5) and stock wheels with 15 x 8 aluminums and 31 x 10.5 x 15 tires. I have a 2.5" lift but even with the lift a 31" tire looks considerably bigger than my present 30's. All the reading I have done say the 31" is a good fit with a 2-2.5" lift so I will go for it.

My choices are:
Falken Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country
Cooper Discoverer AT3
BFG All-Terrain K02

Prices range from $213 to $237 per tire. Reviews are pretty comparable (on Tire Rack). My son highly recommends the Falken (as do several forums), the local tire store is big on the Toyo, and I really want an American made tire. The Toyo and Falken are Japanese, Cooper and BFG are USA made. Not a Cooper fan after several recalls and a previous problem I personally had. That puts the BFG on top but it's also the priciest. I have no quality concerns with the JP tires, just prefer to buy American when I can.

I would like to hear from any of you with personal experience with any of these four, or another tire I may have ignored. My Cherokee is typical use - 90% road, 10% mild to moderate trails. Not a daily driver. Stock other than the lift.

One more thing - all these tires are C rated. I was told (??) that 31's don't come E-rated.
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Northeast Tennessee
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kjandb
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by kjandb »

Of your choices I've had Toyos on 3 rigs and Falkens on 3. F150's and an Explorer. They're comparable but I got better life out of the Wilpeaks and the winter/snow driving was considerably better too.

I'll be putting 31x10.5x15 Wildpeaks on my Wagoneer in a few weeks. Unless I can find a slightly larger tire that will fit without cutting (4" lift).
Last edited by kjandb on Tue Mar 28, 2023 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stuka
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by Stuka »

There is a chance you will have to trim a small bit on the rear of the rocker panels. Its not much, its basically the lower corner bit. Be sure you at least pull up on a curb after installing to make sure they arent going to rub there at speed, as they can either rip the rocket off, or slice the tire.

Personally, I have run coopers on a lot of vehicles (Including my current JKU with the S/T Maxx, which is a hybrid tire). I have also run the AT3 on my wife's old KJ. Cooper is also one of two American owned tire companies (GoodYear being the other)

The BFG is kind of the go to for an A/T, hard to go wrong with it.

I have not run the Toyo or the Falken. The Toyo is an old design, but people still like it.

My next tires for the JKU are likely going to be Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires. They are also more of a hybrid tire, but are also 3 peak rated and have Cooper's armor-tech sidewall.

And yes, those will all be C rated tires, which is good as a waggy is not nearly heavy enough for E rated tires. So they end up riding very rough.
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Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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Scotty54
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by Scotty54 »

Stuka - that concerns me a little. The 30" looks puny but the 31" looked almost too big. But there is no in-between.

There is a chance you will have to trim a small bit on the rear of the rocker panels. Its not much, its basically the lower corner bit. Be sure you at least pull up on a curb after installing to make sure they arent going to rub there at speed, as they can either rip the rocket off, or slice the tire.
1977 Cherokee Chief 401 QT
Northeast Tennessee
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Yeller
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by Yeller »

Out of your list Falken would be my vote. Have had serious problems with round tires out of the other 3.

I committed a couple of years ago if a manufacturer doesn’t feel the need to support grass roots racing, which in turn supports off highway recreation, they don’t need my dollars. So that leaves Maxxis, Toyo, Cooper, Yokohama, Kenda and Falken. BFG only suports Baja, which isn’t grass roots IMO, and seem to have the most quality control issues.
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sierrablue
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by sierrablue »

We've loved the BFG KOs we have on the dentside and the XJ, and my uncle loved them on the '88 back when he had it. When we get new tires though we're not going BFG again--too expensive, and the KO2s aren't the same.

I'd probably go with the Toyos, personally. Or the Falkens.

We had the Coopers on the ZJ and they were ok but weren't anything super incredible.

31"s cleared on the '88 at stock height--only thing would be if the 2-2.5" lift springs move the axle forward that you'd have to worry about it hitting anything. The rears on the '88 would JUST hit the inner wells, on big bumps, so with the lift it shouldn't even be an issue.

I really liked the Nittos on the '88 just before we sold it but you can't get those in 15" anymore.
Last edited by sierrablue on Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by rocklaurence »

Ive run Generals, BFGs and Mickey Thompsons and must say that the BFG/KOs consistently hit 35-40 K miles. While the Generals only get 25-30 and the MTs didnt hit 30k. Now those MT MTXs were from 15 years ago but they chunked right away and were worn out in no time. I paid a premium price for them and havent bought another set since.

Srdayflyer
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Re: Time for A/T Tires

Post by Srdayflyer »

ive had bfg's on 4 vehicles 81 cj5, 91 cherokee xj, 75 cj5 currently and a new set for my 06 dodge ram 2500 and they have never let me down , ready to buy a set for my daughters 83 fsj cherokee.
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