Should I get All Terrain Tires? (1 Viewer)

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I'm going to go against the grain here.

I have BFG KO2 275/70/r18 on my LX470. They look great. They are awesome offroad.

But... they are E rated and heavy and take away from the smooth Lexus ride.

I kind of wish I went with the Michelins. It is so rare that I do any serious offroading and when I do, it isn't extreme rock crawling or anything. Usually forest service roads and some mild trails. The Michelins could do these, have better gas mileage, and be smoother/quieter on the road (which is where most of the driving is.)

In an ideal world, it would be nice to have two full sets of wheels & tires, but who has space for that?
 
Sounds reasonable. I don't really need the BFG A/Ts, but keep talking myself into them. "But what if the world ends tomorrow and I have to drive up the side of the mountain?!"

When you mention Michelins, are you referring the the A/T ones? I was looking at those, and the tread did not seem too aggressive. But then there's the Continental TC A/Ts which several people on this forum that are using and very happy with, so if I go the less aggressive milder A/T I'd go with the contis because they are less expensive than the Michelins.

I'm going to go against the grain here.

I have BFG KO2 275/70/r18 on my LX470. They look great. They are awesome offroad.

But... they are E rated and heavy and take away from the smooth Lexus ride.

I kind of wish I went with the Michelins. It is so rare that I do any serious offroading and when I do, it isn't extreme rock crawling or anything. Usually forest service roads and some mild trails. The Michelins could do these, have better gas mileage, and be smoother/quieter on the road (which is where most of the driving is.)

In an ideal world, it would be nice to have two full sets of wheels & tires, but who has space for that?
 
You can put 305s on the stock Toyota 18 inch rims? Got a picture of what those look like? Noisy? Does it feel stable on asphalt? How much do you need to inflate them to feel right? No rub? Did you need to add spacers for extra clearance?
I am working on a build thread, so I don't have pics yet. They ride great and very minimal noise for a fairly aggressive AT. I run around 33 psi. They clear everything fine and I would not run a spacer, as this is where you WILL start to have clearance/rub issues. It is a much wider tire. so VERY stable on/off road.
 
Sounds reasonable. I don't really need the BFG A/Ts, but keep talking myself into them. "But what if the world ends tomorrow and I have to drive up the side of the mountain?!"

When you mention Michelins, are you referring the the A/T ones? I was looking at those, and the tread did not seem too aggressive. But then there's the Continental TC A/Ts which several people on this forum that are using and very happy with, so if I go the less aggressive milder A/T I'd go with the contis because they are less expensive than the Michelins.

I waffle back and forth between wanting the Michelin LTX M/S and the LTX A/T2.

Tire shopping sucks because there isn't really a good way to try a bunch of different tires out to find the right set. You just have to rely on other opinions. You end up buying something and then using them for a few years and then start the whole process over again.

I really do like the KO2s. They look amazing, and frankly, that is half the battle. :)
 
If durability matters, my 1999 UZJ100 is on it's second set of 285/75R16 BFG ATs (both first gen design, E-rated). The first set lasted 60K miles (90% road, 10% dirt roads and mild trails) and the 2nd set has a little over 54K miles (80% road, 20% dirt roads and mild/medium trails) and will be replaced in the next couple of months (not because they're worn out, but because I'm making this 100 the dedicated hunting rig and moving to more aggressive tires). They're reasonably quiet and have stood up well to their intended use.
 
Argh. I am now seriously considering 305s... Those wide tires just look so good.

305/65/18 BFG KO2 Pics

The local Town Fair Tire has Nitto Terra Grappler and KO2s in this size for $288 and $349 each.



Damnit! I really like the wider tire look. I might head down to the tire shop to have a closer look.
 
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Pics of 285/60R18
 
I like how the Michelin LTX's are available in a LT295/70R18 size (34.5"). Smooth down the highway, quiet and durable. I'd get those! :grinpimp:
 
275/65r18 Continental would be a mighty fine choice. Just a good combination of all you want/need,
 
I'm still wondering if I should do SL or E. Seems like E would be more robust / durable. Is there any advantage or disadvantage with E over SL in terms of sidewall toughness while airing down for beach driving?

I went with P metric in 275/65/18 because an LT tire would be wasted on my vehicle since I don't tow or take it over terrain that would be high risk for puncturing a sidewall. Just be honest with yourself about your intended use and buy accordingly.

An LT tire will weigh 10-15 lbs. heavier than a P metric tire of the same size. If you need the durability of an LT tire, go for it but expect to see a 10-15 % reduction in MPG's if going from a stock size p metric to an LT275/70/18. That's the trade-off for the additional durability. Acceleration and braking may be noticeably affected too. 10-15 lbs overall doesn't seem like much, but 10-15 lbs of rotational mass per wheel can be noticeable.
 
I went with P metric in 275/65/18 because an LT tire would be wasted on my vehicle since I don't tow or take it over terrain that would be high risk for puncturing a sidewall. Just be honest with yourself about your intended use and buy accordingly.

An LT tire will weigh 10-15 lbs. heavier than a P metric tire of the same size. If you need the durability of an LT tire, go for it but expect to see a 10-15 % reduction in MPG's if going from a stock size p metric to an LT275/70/18. That's the trade-off for the additional durability. Acceleration and braking may be noticeably affected too. 10-15 lbs overall doesn't seem like much, but 10-15 lbs of rotational mass per wheel can be noticeable.


^^^^^ Good advice. It's hard not to succumb to the temptation of just wanting something that 'looks' appealing. And frankly there is nothing wrong with that. But in terms of pure practicality, your point is well made. Rotating mass WILL make a difference whether or not it is felt.

The LT tires I chose (after much research) are a full 20 lbs. heavier (each) than the OEM tire I took off. While I can not 'perceive' any loss in acceleration...it is certainly there and braking (whether felt or not) is affected as well (increased wear for sure). These were all factors I weighed into my purchase.

Ultimately, my needs/wants were well served. But my situation is different than for many.

1. We live way out in the country on a ranch.

2. The vehicle is my Wife's daily driver. She is an accountant and during Tax Season will not get home until late at night. We need a rugged tire that will handle most road hazards as well as ranch roads here.

3. In Deep East Texas we actually get a lot of rain (upwards of 55 inches per year on average). The water 'pools' on the highways..so we need a tire that will channel that rain away (at reasonable speeds). My wife already hydroplaned our 80 series off the highway many years ago on a set of Michelin M&S (I call them hydroplaners). We AREN'T going back to anything that doesn't have a DEEP tread and open shoulders.

4. Longevity (tread life) is NOT important to me. If I get it...fine, but the most important thing to me is SAFETY. Your tires are the final link to the road, regardless how else your vehicle is equipped. I could give a damn if I get 40K out of set or 55k. The Farm to Market road we live off of is one twisting turn after another, it is both narrow and very dark at night. So full time 4WD and GOOD tires are the just ticket for us.

In the OP's case...it sounds like a compromise tire (tread design and size) would best fill his 'needs'. His 'wants' could be something altogether different.
 

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