Which Tire is right for me? - FAQ Tire Information (1 Viewer)

[Romer]

This is probably the question that goes through each cruiserheads mind on multiple ocassions. Tire's cost a lot of money and you want to make sure you get the perfect set of tires for your hard earned cash. The problem is what's perfect for you, is not what's perfect for others.

How do I plan on using my truck?
The first thing you need to do is to define your long term plans for your truck. Tires last years and you don't want to have to change them 6 months down the road:

1) Do you plan to wheel your truck?
2) Do you have a lift, or are you going to have a lift for your truck.
3) Do you expect to be driving in winter conditions or mud.
4) Do you drive lots of highway miles.

Using a Larger Than Stock Tire

Clearance and traction are the primary factors to consider when going off-roading. Your vehicle will have to maneuver over and around obstacles and through terrain, and the right tire, along with compatible components, will give you an increase in both. A taller tire gives more clearance under the differential and chassis, and a wider tire, or change in tread pattern, can give more traction.
One thing to consider in a tire upgrade is fender clearance. Not only does your vehicle need sufficient clearance while at rest, but it must also accommodate maximum up and down travel and side to side tire movement caused by steering and cornering.

Another item worth noting is the affect the weight of a larger tire can have on braking. It's quite common, after upgrading to larger-than-stock tires, to note a decrease in stopping power or longer stopping distances. Many people upgrade their brake discs and/or pads to offset this slightly. Regardless, your driving style may need to change somewhat to accomodate the limits of your new tires.

Most people select Larger than stock tires. This thread won't discuss lifts and gears (use the search function):

• The 305 sized tire is the largest tire that can fit in the stock spare location.
• 33" (285, 295, 305) sized tires will work fine with stock gears.
• The larger tire you run, the more your speedometer will be off. Stock is a 31" tire, so if you are running a 33" tire, your speedomter and odometer will be off by and you will need to multiply it by a factor of the difference over stock, for 33" tires (33/31) 1.065 is the factor.

Advantages of larger tires for off-road travel:

• They could make your vehicle look better
• Larger footprints provide more flotation on soft surfaces.
• Larger footprints mean less likely flat tires.
• Larger footprints mean an increase in traction.
• Taller sidewalls mean more cushion between nasty rocks and the rim.
• Taller sidewalls mean better ride comfort.
• #1 and main reason is CLEARANCE!!!

Disadvantages of taller tires

• A loss of performance.
• With every inch over stock diameter you'll lose 3.5% of torque.
• Larger tires have a negative influence on stopping power.
• Draw back of heavier tires is a possible decrease of comfort on pavement.
• More unsprung weight means a rougher ride on pavement.
• Draw back of wider tires is a loss of steering accuracy.
• Wider tires have a higher rolling resistance resulting in higher gas consumption

What is Siping? - Siping on a tire will provide additional traction and can be added later by most tire shops. This will be discussed later, but a lot of Mud Terrain tires do not come with siping and perform poorly on ice.

Here is a link on Siping to better explain:



Learning to Read a Sidewall - it's not Rocket Science

Example: P215/65R15 89H​

"P" means this is a passenger car tire (as opposed to a tire made for a truck or other vehicle). P-metric is the U.S. version of a metric tire-sizing system.​

"215" Section Width: The width of the tire in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall. This measurement varies depending on the width of the rim to which the tire is fitted: larger on a wider rim, smaller on a narrow rim. The number on the side of tire indicates the width measured with the tire fitted to the recommended rim width.​

"65" Aspect Ratio: The tires sidewall height. The ratio of height to width; this tire's height is 65% of its width.​

"R" Construction: How the plies are constructed in the tire carcass. "R" means radial. "B" in place of the "R" means the tire is belted bias construction. "D" in place of the "R" means diagonal bias construction.​

"15" Rim Diameter: The diameter of the wheel in inches.​

"89"Load Index: This tire has an industry-standard maximum load of 1,279 lbs. Different numbers correspond to different maximum loads. The maximum load is shown in lbs. (pounds) and in kg (kilograms), and maximum pressure in PSI (pounds per square inch) and in kPa (kilopascals). Kilograms and kilopascals are metric units of measurement.​

"H"Speed Rating: This tire has an industry-standard maximum service speed of 130 mph. Tires using an older European system carry the speed rating in the size description: 215/65HR15. Different letters correspond to different maximum service speeds.​

The letters "DOT" certify compliance with all applicable safety standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Adjacent to this is a tire identification or serial number; a combination of numbers and letters with up to 11 digits.​

ALL-SEASON DESIGNATION​

This is a marking which means that the tire meets M&S/M+S requirements without the drawbacks of noise and rolling resistance associated with the traditional deep-lug winter tires. The M&S/M+S designation means that the tire is suitable for normal all-weather driving applications. Tires that meet the requirements of the M& S designation have better winter traction compared to those without the M&S symbol.​

North American tire manufacturers and the RMA have established a voluntary, industry-wide definition for passenger and light truck tires intended for use in SEVERE SNOW CONDITIONS. Tires must meet a performance-based criteria featuring tread pattern, construction elements and materials which generally provide snow performance superior to that of tires bearing the RMA current M&S Rating. Such tires will display a mountain/snowflake symbol.​

The sidewall also shows the type of cord and number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.​

For larger off-road focus tire sizes, the rules are the same:​

33/12.5/15​

33" overall diameter - usually rounded up a bit (33" = 32.7" or so, but this varies by tire and manufacturer)​

12.5 inches wide as measured across the tread-face​

15" rim diameter​

Reading Tire Age from the sidewall:​

When it comes to determining the age of a tire, it is easy to identify when a tire was manufactured by reading its Tire Identification Code (serial number). Unlike vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and the serial numbers used on many other consumer goods (which identify one specific item), Tire Identification Codes are really batch codes that identify which week and year the tire was produced.​

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Code be a combination of eleven or twelve letters and numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size, manufacturer's code, and week and year the tire was manufactured.​

Today, the week and year the tire was manufactured is contained in the last four digits of the serial number, with the 2 digits used to identify the week a tire was manufactured immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.​

Examples of tires manufactured since 2000 with this Tire Identification Code format:​

XXXXXXXX 0600​

XXXXXXXX 0600 06 - Manufactured during the 06th week of the year​

XXXXXXXX 0600 00 - Manufactured during 2000​

And​

XXXXXXXX 0604​

XXXXXXXX 0600 06 - Manufactured during the 06th week of the year​

XXXXXXXX 0604 04 - Manufactured during 2004​

The Tire Identification Code for tires produced prior to 2000 was based on the assumption that no tire would be in service for ten years. They were required to provided the same information, with the week and year the tire was built contained in the last three digits. The 2 digits used to identify the week a tire was manufactured immediately preceded a single digit used to identify the year.​

For example, if the Tire Identification Code on a tire reads:​

XXXXXXXX 0680​

XXXXXXXX 0600 06 - Manufactured during the 06th week of the year​

XXXXXXXX 0680 8 - Manufactured during the 8th year of the decade​

While the previous serial number format identified that a tire was built in the 8th year of a decade, there was no universal identifier that confirmed which decade (tires produced in the 1990s may have a small triangle following the Tire Identification Code to identify the decade). The Tire Identification Code format used since 2000 accurately confirms the year.​

And finally, hold on to your sales receipts. Most tire manufacturer's warranties cover their tires for four years from the date of purchase, or five years from the week the tires were manufactured. So if you purchase new tires that were manufactured exactly two years ago they will be covered for a total of six years (four years from the date of purchase) as long as you have your receipt. If you lose your receipt, your tires' warranty coverage will end five years from week the tire was produced (resulting in the tire manufacturer's warranty coverage ending only three years from the date of purchase in this example).​

​

Summary of Tire Pressure-

The Stock 80 uses a P-metric tire (designated by the use of a P in the size i.e. P275/70/16), with a recommended inflation pressure of 32psi. When converting to a light truck tire (LT) which most A/T and Max Traction tires are (LT is designated on the sidewall next to the size i.e. LT275/70/16), you should add approximately 10psi to the factory recommended pressures. Based on the load charts (and this doesn't matter whether you are running a C, D, or E rated tire) you should adjust your base pressure to be as follows when changing to an LT tire:

275/70/16, 265/75/16 - 42-45psi,
285/75/16, 305/70/16 - 40-42 psi,
295/75/16- 38-40psi,
315/75/16- 36-40 psi.

You should not go below the minimum pressures above. If you have a truck that has a lot of extra weight (i.e. sliders, bull bar, winch, bumpers, etc.) add 5-8psi to the above.

Tire Sizes -

We should be a little more accurate in our sizing for the faq, at least have the information out there. The actual sizes of various tires are as follows:

275/70/16- 31.2"
265/75/16- 31.8"
285/75/16- 32.8"
305/70/16- 33.0"
295/75/16- 33.2"
315/75/16- 34.6"

Note these are BFG A/T sizes, various manufactures will vary by up to .2" but are generally at the same size.

For reference traditional inch size tires measure as follows:

31x10.5 - 30.7"
32x 11.5- 31.7"
33x 12.5- 32.7"
35x 12.5- 34.7"

So when computing tire sizes, keep in mind the OEM tire is really what would be 31.5" tire under traditional sizing.

265/75/16 the tire size nobody talks about. The 265/75 gives you a split between the stock size and stepping up to a 285/75 tire. They are 1/2" taller than stock and are available in more choices than the stock size. After careful thought I have stuck with this size rather than go to 285/75 as I am unwilling to take the accleration and gas mileage penalty.
.

Understanding Tire Tread

Tread - Note BF Goodrich tires are used below for examples.

Tire tread comes in all sorts of flavors, however, when off-road performance is the focus "All Terrain Tread" and "Mud Tread" are probably best suited for the task.


Street/Performance Tires/ All season - These are typically radial tires were the only consideration is on pavement performance.

All Terrians- All Terrain tread performs well under a variety of off-highway conditions and to some extent has closed the street/trail performance gap. The closed tread design is usually quiet on the highway, yet noisier than a street tire, and performs well on rocks, sand, and on the highway. As you might expect, they tend to load up with mud, but some of the AT designs perform surprisingly well in muddy conditions. For highway driving with minimal trail use, the AT design is an excellent choice.

Mud Terrians - Mud Tires, and this may not surprise you, perform well in mud. Beyond the obvious superior performance in mud, they generally also do well on rocks and in deep snow. The MT is at its worst in rain and some can be outright dangerous in icy conditions. The performance on ice for many mud tires is due to a lack any siping and consist of large flat surfaces, ie the ends of the tread lugs. Large flat surface on ice equals no traction and greatly lessens control as well. Some mud tires however are siped in an effort to improve their performance on ice. Siping should be a deciding factor if you live in areas that get icy roads. Another possible disadvantage of the aggressive tread of the Mud Tires is that they have a tendency to be noisy, however, for the true mudder, this is hardly an issue.

Thse more aggressive Tires (May be still classified as an MTR, but are much more agressive)- Some specialized tires, like the BFG Krawler, were designed to be the leader in one category - in this case, rock crawling. This is one of the fastest growing aspects of competative offroading, and these tires reflect th eleading edge in tire technology - super sticky computer designed void pattern and specific rubber compounds designed to resist abrasion are used. Available only in selected sizes over 35", these would be ideal on a rock buggy, but not so good on the street. They are, however, street legal.

Mil-Spec Tires and Non-DOT Tires -

Micheline Mil-spec XML

Non-DOT Tires

Other Threads or articles related to Tires:

cary's thread on tire inflation
Walking Eagles Thread on C vs D tires
Landtoys thread on Gross weight and tires
Christo Slee's article on Lift size vs. Tire Size

Note- will clean up and add nice links later for the below
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...l+narrow+tires
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...narrow+tire s
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...narrow+tire s
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...ighlight=tires
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...narrow+tire s
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...l+narrow+tires


So which tires are right for me?

Once you have defined your current and future plans for your truck, you can then begin to wade through all the different varieties.

If your primary concern is highway performance with an ocassional off road expedition adventure, an All Terrain tire might be the ticket. If that's the case, you now have to decide which tire.

 

[Romer]

Street/ All Season Tires:

General Advantages:
1) Better Traction on dry pavement
2) All season tires will often perform BETTER than All-Terrain tires in the snow and ice, as well as in rain. All Seasons have softer compounding, more siping, and better tread patterns for rain channeling

General Disadvantages:
1) poor offroad capabilities
2) Poor traction in mud.

Tires in this catagory:

The stock Michillin LTX Radial Tires would classify as a pure street tire. From vendors web site

The Michelin LTX M&S (which is supposed to be good in the rain and snow) is available in a 285/75/16

 

[Romer]

All Terrians:

AT (All Terrain) tires area combination tire designed for on road and offroad use. They are less aggressive off road, but what they give up in aggressiveness they gain in on road handling. This is the tire for you if your primary concern is Highway performance and still want the ability to go offroad. Some choose AT style tires who expect to encounter snow or lots of rain. They provide better traction for these conditions than standard radial tires and may be enough of a reason to decide on AT's.
All-Terrain tires are engineered for solid on-road performance with added grip for dirt, snow, and wet surfaces, making them an appealing choice for occasional light-duty off-pavement excursions.


General advantages:
1) Tend to wear longer
2) Quiet on road
3) Better ride (not as bumpy)
4) Good traction in snow and rain (vs better in MT??)

General Disadvantages:
1) Not as good as an MT in snow or mud (Not sure of diff in rain)
2) less offroad traction than an MT
3) ???

Tires in this catagory:

1) BFG AT KO's - From vendor web site

Damn Tires Last for ever - cary

​

Hants input to the FAQ

BFG AT KO 285/75R16

1997 LX450 OME 2.5" Medium

Considerations for Purchase:
- Purchased while still stock height (rotted Michelins made it easy to go to 33's immediately)
- Fit in stock spare location (no rear bumper until Phase III of "The Plan")
- On-road friendly (not loud/bumpy) and off-road capable (only significant weakness is mud -- and IH8MUD )
- Local Discount Tire (in San Diego) couldn't sipe (I was also considering BFG MT's)
- Great water/snow/ice traction and directional stability (we were planning to move to Colorado)

Performance:
The tires are great onroad and (aired down to about 18psi) very capable offroad. When I air them up to 45psi and drive at freeway speeds, I notice a slight vibration that I attribute to the relatively open tread (compared to street-tires). I now run them at 38/40 psi on-road, and have no issues. I've had them in snow, on icy roads, soft sand, slickrock and granite -- in all cases, I've been very happy with them. No chunking or sidewall damage so far. There's a rim-protection-lip that works great to minimize damage to the wheel (rock-rash).

Recommend:
Yes​

Elmariachi's input to the FAQ:

I am on my 7th FJ-80. I have run Good Year AT 285s, Bridgestone AT 285s, Dunlop AT 285s, Yokohama MT 315s and BFG AT and MT 285s and AT 315s. I am running an OME J-lift with BFG 285/75r16 ATs on both the truck and M416 trailer.

Considerations For Purchase
My truck sees a lot of highway use but occasional rocks and cactus in hilly Texas terrain. I need a tire that is tough on and offroad, yields long life, good looks and readily available.

Performance
They are very tough in the rocks, clear well enough in the mud and aren't too noisy until they get near the end of life. I wasn't impressed with them in the snow, but I don't have much snow experience. They are readily available through numerous tire stores and they wear extremely well if you keep them balanced. I have had several BFG ATs that were out of round when mounted new, so you have to be on-hand at the balancing machine and look for a slight "hop" in the tire. That hop, combined with a tire needing excess weight (2.5 ounces or more) and I ususally ask for a different tire.

Recommendations
I ran 315s on my supercharged truck and thought they were great. But I think they otherwise knock the stock performance down too far in my opinion to be worth running with stock gears and power. The 285 BFGs fit the stock wheel (as well as the spare area underneath), don't negatively affect performance or economy too much and yield excellent articulation on 2.5-3" lifted trucks. Its now the only tire I will run.​

2) Yokahama Geolander AT- From Vendor website

Maddbaggins input to the FAQ:
Yokohama Geolander AT 285/75 r16 on black steel rims

Considerations
At the time I purchased it was a toss-up between BFG AT's and these. I went with these because the manager at Discount (a family friend) has them and recomended.

Performance
I have very little road noise that I can hear over my exhaust
I get excellent traction in the dry rocks and dirt of Southern AZ and have very little trouble with wet surfaces either. I run 40psi street and about 16-18psi offroad.
I wheel on a lot of nasty rocks down here and have lost a few chunks of rubber here and there. I have about 16k miles on them.
They are only a 2-ply sidewall however as compared with the BFG's 3-ply.
Overall I am happy with them and would recomend them.​

Alia176 input to the FAQ:

Yokohama Geolander At II+ tires 315 75 16 (34.7")

1996 FZJ80 850J/863 Lift

Considerations for Purchase:
The purpose of these tires were to get me to the trail head in peace and quiet with excellent hwy manners. Trail head from my house is a min 1,000 miles (Chicago). They have to handle snow/ice/slick rock and little mud; basically, Jack of all trades but master of none sort of thing.

Performance:
These are excellent tires and wear nicely on the 80. I do rotate the tires religously and keep the front end aligned. I have about 30,000 miles on them and they're wearing great (currently at 14/32" out of 19/32"). Hwy noise is very minimal and traction for off roading is superb. I don't play in deep mud but have run trails in AZ,UT and CO. Just did the Crown King trail in AZ and noticed minor chunking all over. This trail has sharp rocks on it but I didn't have a flat tire and that was a large concern of mine due to the thinner sidewall. Traction in Moab is superb, even when wet. The attached pictures are of the tires doing a short climb while being wet.

Normal air pressure is 34/38 and I bump them up to about 38/42 when heavily laden. Depending on the trail, the air pressure can be anywhere from 18-25 psi.

Recommend:
Yes but do keep in mind:
- max load at 35 psi and 2535 pounds (may not be enough for some folks)
- nice side lugs for light muddy trails but not for super deep, gooey stuff
- center lugs great for wet traction and quiet operation
- load range C so watch the airing down on the trail and sharp rocks!
- good value for the money.​

Note: Yokohama AT+II is being replaced by a new tire called the A/T-S (picture below).

3) Bridgetsone Revo- From a Vendor Web Site

Mars input to the FAQ

Bridgestone Dueler Revo A/T 285/75/R16 (33 inch tires)

1993 80 - stock

Considerations for Purchase:
My truck spends a lot of time on the freeway getting me where I need to go, so road handling characteristics played in big part in my purchase. Very important was also the need for a tire that could handle deep snow and heavy rains, on both pavement and offroad. Stock suspension for the time being, with a 2.5" lift planned, so a big enough tire to not look goofy with the lift was considered.

Performance:
Very capable tire all around. My experience is limited to light, road oriented tires, and a set of BFG A/T's, so I don't have a ton to compare it to. The BFG A/T was my second choice when I was shopping, and the Revo won it over for me because of its high reviews in wet conditions. The Revos seem to shed mud, and don't get packed with snow nearly as easily as BFG A/T's, which was a primary concern of mine. Excellent onroad tire, and the sidewalls feel stiff enough for anything I've thrown at them.


Recommend:
Yes​

4) Nitto Terra Grapplers - From Vendors web site

Threads discussing Nitto Terra Grapplers:

Alia176 asking for opinions
Hayes write up on his install
Shortbus review
​

5) Goodyear Wrangler ATS - From Vendors Web Site

Reviews from e-opinions - Could not find anyone running them here with a search


6) Dunlop Rover RVXT - From Vendors web Site

7) Dunlop Rover RT - From Vendors web site

Discussion thread on Dunlop AT

8) Nokian Vatiiva-

This a tire that is a split between a A/S and A/T. Nokian is a Finnish manufacture that is well known for their snow tires. The Vatiiva is their SUV tire and is supposed to have the RMA Severe Snow rating soon. From the information I found, everyone that has run them, loves them. They are available in sizes up to 315/75/16 for those that want a less agressive road tire in a large size

9) Toyo Open Country AT - From Vendor web site

I am told lots of folks in the Lone Star Club run these tires.

 

[Romer]

Mud Terrains: The mud terrain or mud tire pattern is characterized by large lugs on the tire with large voids between these lugs. The large lugs provide plenty of bite in low traction conditions while the large voids allow the tire to clean itself by throwing off mud or other material when spinning thus providing a good bite on every rotation of the tire. These tires are also very popular for rock crawling as the large lugs can provide a way of gripping and pulling the tires up and over irregular rocky edges where a smoother pattern would just spin. The biggest disadvantage of these patterns is that they run rough and loud on the highway. To reduce this problem choose a tire with irregular or asymmetric spacing of the lugs and voids to reduce harmonic vibration at highway speeds. There are also situations such cold powder snow or sand where an all-terrain pattern would be better.

General Advantages:
1) Better Traction in Mud, Snow and Off road
2) A capable offroad tire that can still be used for daily driving

General Disadvantages:
1) Louder than an AT. Some are a lot louder than others. Research this point if road noise bothers you.
2) Not as good traction on wet (rain) pavement
3) Typically do not wear as long
4) May have a bumpy ride
5) Some have poor performance on icy roads.

The performance problems on ice for many mud tires is due to a lack any siping and consist of large flat surfaces, ie the ends of the tread lugs. Large flat surface on ice equals no traction and greatly lessens control as well. Some mud tires however are siped in an effort to improve their performance on ice. Siping should be a deciding factor if you live in areas that get icy roads. However, sipping can be added for a fee at most tire shops.

Discussion thread on Mud Terrains and Ice

Tires in this catagory:


1) BF Goodrich Mud Terrians - From Vendor Site

BFG Mud-Terrain T/A KR- From LandCrusher70 ​

2) Toyo Open Country M/T - From Vendor Site

Kasmanff write-up from the FAQ

Toyo Open Country M/T 285/75-16​

OME J's with Mr. G's up front.​

Considerations:​

a) Wanted an aggressive tire with decent on road manners. Was a toss up between these and MTR's, these were cheaper and rarer so I gave em a try.​

b) I didn't want to re-gear and with all the hills here I would have had to if I went with 35's.​

Performance:​

So far these are very good on road. There is almost no noise, were easy to balance, and wear very well.​

I have only made a couple of trips off road into difficult terrain, but these have performed admirably. As well as my MTR's that I had on a Heep. I have yet to air them down as I haven't had a need to.​

MOJ write-up for FAQ

Toyo Open Country MT 315/75/16​

1994 fzj80 2.5" Lift​

Considerations for Purchase:​

After running BFG A/T's on various trucks since 1992 I was ready for something different. Since I no longer use the 80 as a daily driver I also wanted something more aggressive. The BFG A/T's are excellent tires and of all the sets I've had I've never had a problem with wear or flats. I ended up choosing the Toyo's based on some reviews I read on MUD. I had a few folks say they wore better and were less noisy than the GY MTR's. Whether or not that's true I don't know as I've never owned MTR's. I also like the siping on the Toyo's and am hoping it makes them more useful in the snow and ice. They're made in Japan and the build quality looks great.​

Performance:​

Highway noise is very tolerable but louder than the A/T's of course. Off-road I've only had time for some mild stuff around my property. I have one loose dirt climb that I'd done several times with the A/T's. That climb involved some slipping when going up unlocked but the MT's it chugged up without a hitch. Re-gearing will be in my future but the need isn't near as bad as I thought it would be. I'll probably spend the re-gear money on other modifications instead and do the re-gear another day. Right now I'm going to focus more on accomodating 35 inch tires as the rears do rub on the mud flap on full stuff. As I put the passenger side front tire up a ledge the driver's rear began to rub on the mud flap at about the point at which the passenger rear came off the ground. The unloaded spare mounted on a stock 16x8 wheel measures 34.9. They balanced out very well. I'll edit this once I have some more experience with them.​

Recommend:​

Yes​

3) Cooper Discovery STT - From Vendor web site

Trinny's write-up from FAQ

Cooper Discovery STT 315/75R16​

This is my first set of Cooper mud terrain tires, however, I am also running the Discovery A/T's on our family van (Ford E-350). So far they have been a great tire.​

Considerations for Purchase​

Having owned MT/R's on a previous Tundra and not been happy witht he treadlife, noise, or balance characteristics, I wanted to find a tire that had the following characteristics:​

1) Agressive yet offer a relatively quiet ride​

2) Balance well without adding excessive amounts of weight​

3) Excellent offroad performance, I plan to use on all terrain from Moab to mountain dirt and shale​

4) I had to have a 315. I didn't want the look of a smaller size tire.​

Other tires that were considered include: BFG MT, ProComp Mud Terrains, and Toyo MT.​

Performance​

I have had these tires on since January 2006. So far I have driven them on both wet and dry roads, in deep, wet snow, and on the rocks and mud in Moab. In all conditions I am very impressed. These tires are very quiet for such an aggressive mud terrain (althought he LX is well insulated). Excellent balance characteristics and handling on dry roads. Have run up to approx. 85mph without any significant bounce or wobble. Tends to follow ruts a bit, but typical of a tire this big. Granted the 80 is no hot-rod, but I can't get them to break traction on dry pavement.​

Wet pavement characteristics are similar. Snow performance is excellent. During a recent snow run, found they dug extremely well. Performance on Moab mud and rock is also exemplary. Lugs clean well and grip great, even on wet slickrock. Ran at 18psi without any issues, and felt I could have ran them much lower to get better flex from the sidewall.​

Have driven them for approx 1500 miles and the little nubbies are barely worn off. I was also able to fit the spare in the stock location under the rear cargo area...barely. However, it did rub on the rear panhard (rubbed the paint off).​

Not a true 35" tire, measures out to 34".​

Recommendations​

I am MUCh more impressed with this tire than the Wranglers ran previously, particularly regarding wear, noise, and balance. Performs similar to the wrangler on the rocks, however, I feel the STT is a better snow tire. I have also since found that they are lighter than the Toyo, which means easier to get rolling and to stop.​

Although I have not run them for many miles, my short term recommendation if an emphatic "buy". Besides, they have cool little knights on the sidelugs​

LXCRSR Thread on Cooper Discovert STT Tires


4) Cooper Discovery ST - From Vendor Web Site

5) Goodyear MTR - From Vendor web site

6) Interco Trxxus M/T - From Vendor Site

FJBEN's writeup for FAQ

Interco Trxxus M/T 35X12.50X16​

1993 FZJ-80 4" slee coils/J spring rear​

Considerations for Purchase​

I was looking for a "true" 35" tire to run in a mud terrain. I was also looking for something very tough with good hookup/performance traction. I have had BFG m/t's, A/t's, Goodyear MT/R's, Pro-Comp M/T's and the Michelein LTX on rigs before. I wanted a decent lasting tire, good strength and decent daily driving as I only drive around 1-2 miles a day...maybe​

Performance​

Not much to really add at this point as I've only had them a week. My innitial impression is that that are smooth and pretty quiet. Not A/T quiet but nice enough to tell you have a mud terrain without being annoyed. They did take a bit of weight to balance but feel fine. In the rain I noticed no slipping or weirdness, and on the highway up to 80 things feel fine.​

I'll add more as I go on a few runs.​

Recommend​

So far yes, seem smooth and others have reported they are a tough tire, possibly hard to balance and prolly need rotated often to get the most use. I maybe put 5K on a year so thats like once a year balance for me.​

I will regear to 4.88's next year although it's not *that* bad. Perfect size tire for the lift. I will check the rubbing tomorrow once the bumpstop spacers are on.​

Nay write-up for FAQ

Interco Trxus 35x12.5x16 (previously 33x12.5x15)​

1995 FZJ80 3" Lift​

Considerations for Purchase​

- Tire had to perform well in all snow conditions from extreme conditions in the Colorado High Country to hardpack around town to deep trail snow​

- Tires had to be comfortable and safe for a family of six...no excessive road noise or harshness or poor handling​

- Excellent rock crawling tire that can handle both rock and unexpected snow conditions in potential precarious conditions (ledge roads)​

- Must have excellent lateral traction​

- Reasonable road wear acceptable as mileage is 5K per year​

- No smallish 315's that are the size of 34" trxus​

Performance​

I have run these tires three different times, two of which replaced BFG AT ko's. In a 33" size, they are as quiet as the BFG's, but dramatically outperform them in all snow conditions including hardpack. 35's are something of a different beast. You know you are running a large load range E tire, but I've never run 315 BFG AT's to compare.​

Due to the much heavier sidewall, this tire can be run at about 5 PSI less than BFG AT's for the same level of handling, and I have found them to be a more comfortable "around town" tire because of this. They soak up the bumps much better.​

As a snow tire, the trxus MT is simply unbelievable. I used to "white knuckle" around in BFG AT ko's, and lose traction in mild offroad conditions, and these things perform like a dedicated snow tire. I trust 4 small kids and my wife in sometimes very ugly conditions, and there is no tire I would rather have in those rapidly changing conditions.​

Offroad performance is excellent and they are tough tires. Lateral traction is outstanding.​

You will balance and rotate every 3K, and maybe sooner - make sure free balance and rotation is included in your purchase. Some say that no one tire does everything well. I disagree. This is a true all terrain in a true 35" size. Get to know your tire guy and you'll love this tire.​

Recommend​

Cannot recommend this tire highly enough for people who rock crawl in the summer and deal with snow 6-8 months out of the year on and off the trail. But it is a lot of tire and probably not the best for a daily commuter tire.​

7) Buckshot Maxi Mudders - From Vendor Site

jaxcruisers write-up for FAQ

Buckshot Maxxis Mudders​

1994 with 4 inch lift​

Considerations for purchase:​

I wanted a cheap aggressive mud tire that would last and it had to be a 35 12.50"​

I picked them up for 115 a piece installed at big chief tire​

Performance​

You cant hear them when your driving on the street. They self clean beautifully. I have gottent 15,000 and i still have half the tread left. They work good in rocky terrain. I run them at 45 psi and i have them on stock rims.​

Recomended:​

YES​

8) Dick Cepec Mud Country - From Vendor web site

Quote:
Originally Posted by woody
thus far, I love them...I do a 5 tire rotation every oil change, and wear is minimal for the 20+k I have on them...the lettering on the sidewall where the raise white is gets worn thru, so some of the other letters are white. Noise is better than the BFG-MT's I ran, and on par for most AT's. These are considered an aggressive AT. Mileage on the highway is 15 or close, at 70mph...so rolling resistance isn't terrible (tho I run 45-50 on the highway, and 65psi when towing). Zero complaints on road use, regardless of weather, and none offroad either.

Of the 8-9 streetish tires I've ran in the past 10 years, these are thus far my fave's....Dunlops, BFG's, General's, Goodyears....just rotate them VERY regularly and they'll wear great. IIRC, they are made by Cooper now, so their quality went up big time a few years back.


9) Dunlop Radial Mud Rovers - From Vendor Site

Cruiserdans Write-up

 

[Romer]

More Aggessive Tires ( Not recommended for street)

These tires are focused primarilly as an offroad tire and not recommended for anything other than a trail rig with short on road trips.

General Advantages:
1) Better Traction Off road
2) Thicker sidewall for puncture protection

General Disadvantages:
1) Loud!!!!
2) Not comfortable on Highway
3) Typically do not wear as long

Tires in this catagory:


1) BFG Krawler - From Vendor Site - Who it’s for:Rock crawling competitors and hardcore off-roaders

Clownmidgets write up

BFG Krawler 37/12.5R17

Considerations for Purchase:
The quest for a tire that behaved nicely on pavement and could handle sustained speeds of 80 mph and yet do nicely off road. The BFG AT was/is the standard for pavement performance. I wanted something that was nearly as quiet and nearly as behaved. The reputation the Krawlers had off road was good enough for me to try them. The size was ideal as I have a set of the 17" Rock Crawler steel wheels. The dimensions fit the lifted 80 perfectly.

Performance:
I got this set with about 60% tread depth so take that into consideration. They did have uniform wear and had been on a street princess H2 (ie, never off road). They required quite a bit of weight to balance but once balanced ran nice and true on the truck. They were as loud as Super Swampers - like a helicopter. These were the "Blue Dot" street version, not the "Red Dot" competition version, but still seemed to wear quickly from pavement. They had the same behavior of getting "loose" feeling once they were heated up from running on the freeway at speed. I only ran them on a couple of trails, one kind of muddy, one just rocks (John Bull). They did excellent and I really had no issues off road at all. They did great at street pressure (~30 psi) and really shone when I took them down to 16 psi. I never took them in snow or "real" mud but the thin gritty stuff here in the local mtns got shed pretty well.

Recommendations:
Probably as a trail only set with minimal street time I'd say emphatically "Yes". Lots of street distances to trails and want to carry on conversations with your passengers or talk on a phone - keep looking
​

2) BF Goodrich Baja's - From Vendor Site - An ultra-high performance off-road tire. Designed for off-road competition. One of the most dominant tires in off-road racing history. Who it’s for: Off-road racing competitors.

3) Maxis M8090 Creepy Crawler - From Vendor Web site

4) Super Swamper TSL/Bogger - built for the Professional Mud Bogger - From Vendor web site

 

[Romer]

Mil-Spec and Non-Dot Tires

Tires: These are not for the typical cruiser owner.

General Advantages:
1) Non-DOT Designed for pure offroad use
2) Mil-Spec tires can be used on road

General Disadvantages:
1) Can not use on road for the non-DOT. Mil-spec tires will provide poor on road performance.
2) Loud

MIL-Spec and non-DOT Tires in this catagory:

Milspec Micheline XML tires: Web Site discussing Mil-spec tires

Discussion Threads:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=XML
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=XML
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=XML
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...&highlight=XML

Clownmidgets write-up for the FAQ:

Michelin XZL 9.0R16

Considerations for Purchase:
I wanted a radial tire that performed as well as a Super Swamper (or better) but had better road manners and a better build quality (ie, balanced with less weight, less chunking, etc). I was also a victim of the "cool" factor and mystique that these tires had (have). I started looking for them just before the latest scrap in the Middle East and there were still several sets floating around that were "affordable". I would add, under the given circumstances, that general availability to purchase a spare or replacement should be a big consideration. They are currently very difficult to source in good condition, let alone new.


Performance:
I mounted these on the OEM Land Cruiser alloy wheels with no issues and they required very little weight to properly balance. They measured an honest 36.5" diameter. Each tire weighed nearly 90 lbs unmounted. There was essentially no difference in the tire stance from 50 psi down to 18 psi. Once at or below 15 psi you could discern some bulging. The sidewalls are extremely thick and stiff. The tires were louder than I expected on pavement given what I'd been told, nearly as loud as a garden variety swamper. They did behave fairly well except that as they heated up on the pavement the handling became a bit squirrelly. They were rated to 65 mph although I took them up to 80 mph with the behavior noted above. Off road I had them in mud and they performed excellently. Same for snow. They did not flex enough for rock crawling although I never really got to place that it would have been noticed. They did seem to be wearing rather quickly from all the pavement use to get to trails. Biggest downsides: weight, sidewall stiffness, squirrelly behavior when hot on pavement. Biggest upsides: nice size and dimensions for a lifted 80, very good on most types of trails an 80 would be on, very high quality construction.


Recommendations:
Get them with you eyes wide open. They are hard to source. They are not a miracle, one-tire-does-it-all solution. I imagine the sidewalls are bulletproof.

​

Centipedes / Non-DOT
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...ght=centipedes
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...ighlight=tires
The only reference I remember of someone using these has been from Australia guys. One of them had their truck LineX'd orange or something? Does anyone know who this is for a solid reference?

 

[thebigtexan]

Just making sure I understand... A 285 75 R16 will fit a stock non-lifted 96 LX 450? I do plan to lift at some point, however, my tires are so bad I need to replace them now and don't have the extra cash to fund a lift as well.

 

[retrofive]

Just making sure I understand... A 285 75 R16 will fit a stock non-lifted 96 LX 450? I do plan to lift at some point, however, my tires are so bad I need to replace them now and don't have the extra cash to fund a lift as well.

Yes.

 

[Annie]

I'm so confused. I just bought my '89 FJ62 today which will be my first Land Cruiser, first SUV, first 4 wheel drive, etc. I can't find any locally so bought it in another city and it will be shipped here. It is scary buying it without seeing it but I did a lot to research it. The seller is going to put new tires on it for me and I have to make a decision by tomorrow before he ships it. I need a tire for snow, ice and rain - not mud. I won't be taking it over cliffs but just city driving in snow and ice and on gravel roads in the country. They are going to put 31x10.5x15 tire on it and the choice is BFG A/T or Michelin LTX (I hope LTX is an all terrain tire as well).

Everyone likes BFG A/T but I'm not sure why other than that they look good. What are the differences between the two. Does BFG do better in snow. Will BFG last longer? Is the BFG noisier than the Michelin LTX? Does one have better performance on the highway and in town driving. I know you are all for

I went to these sites and having been reading for days on this forum.
BF Goodrich review:
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO

Michelin LTX review:
Michelin LTX A/T 2

I can't thank you enough. I 'm nervous. Annie

 

[lp2k]

Would it be possible to have this thread updated for 2021? Pictures are lost and I think some of the tires mentioned have been superseded to something newer.

 

[Romer]

Would it be possible to have this thread updated for 2021? Pictures are lost and I think some of the tires mentioned have been superseded to something newer.

that would be up to the posters to update their posts. The site does not have that ability