Any experience with Big O Big Foot A/T? (1 Viewer)

[new2mud]

I was in the Big O store yesterday and saw a magazine article that tested the Big Foot A/T All-Terrain tires on a CJ. They claimed very good on-road charactersitics, including low noise (then again, isn't everything low-noise compared to the actual noises coming from a CJ?), combined with decent off-road, and even light-mud duty. Their warranty even covers damages incurred while off-roading.

Anyone here have experiences with this tire, esp. compared to Revos or BFGoodrich KOs?

 

[Tool Pusher]

I was going to get Revos at the Big O store since they are conveniently located for me and decided to get the Big O brand A/T since they came with a warranty and were cheaper. So far they have been fine on the road. There is a little road noise, but not too bad. Have not tested them in snow, mud, or on rocks. I have some Big 0 X/Ts on my FJ40 and they have done well on the street and on the trail.

David Sword

 

[cary]

Would that be a Big O Published magazine, with articles written by Big O writers?

 

[new2mud]

No it wasn't Big O published--I forget the name of the mag, but they did actually mention some negatives, like ugly tread shoulder design.

With that said, many 'independent' magazines tend to be biased on revenue income (i.e. advertisers), so I don't necessarily trust the 'independent' rags completely.

 

[Romer]

You might want to check out the tire FAQ.

Open the sticky thread titled FAQ for 80/LX450 and scroll down to the General section. You will see the link there.

 

[cary]

Here is the problem I have with Big O and other house brand tire. They are usually pushed as being "just as good as" michelin, bridgestone, or whatever major brand tire you are looking at, but they are a cheaper and have a mileage warranty.

The reality is they are a cheaper tire than the reference that they usually compare to. Usually the next response will be, well they are made by the same company as makes brand X. That doesn't matter, Bridgestone makes Firestone tires, but you don't see anyone arguing that they are as good.

They are correct in one respect that they are good, they have a much higher profit margin for the dealer, the main reason they push them.

In my book, Tires are the last connection I have with the road. The best quality product I can get, is well worth the money. Same goes for brakes and suspension. When you are at the limit (accident avoidence, hit an icy spot and are trying to pick it up) that last 10% of difference can make the difference between being hurt and avoiding the accident.

 

[medtro]

I had one exploded while driving at 75 MPH, then another one had a side wall leak while parked overnight about a week later. Tires have about 50% tread left.

Here is the pic of the 75 MPH exploded tire.

 

[BROKEROB1]

nuff said... looks like the "Big C" for crapola

 

[Tools R Us]

I had one exploded while driving at 75 MPH, then another one had a side wall leak while parked overnight about a week later. Tires have about 50% tread left.

Here is the pic of the 75 MPH exploded tire.

Was it a Big-O that you ripped the sidewall out of on Smiley Rock trail?

 

[medtro]

Was it a Big-O that you ripped the sidewall out of on Smiley Rock trail?

oh yes, forgot about that one. 3 bad Big-O experiences for me.

 

[ginericLC]

I have no person experience with them but a friend put them on his mini and had a terrible time with them. They delaminated. He's pretty careful about inflation and alignment etc...

When I lived in Montana I wanted the Big O Big Foot XT for my pickup. I was just waiting for another BFG to explode to make the swap. By the time it did Big O had decided to pull out of the market as they figured out the ranchers were going to kill them with their road hazard policy. I never got more than 12k out of any tire before the sidewalls went. Our gravel roads were made of shale and every time they would grade them the sharp shale would rip a sidewall. Toyos were the tire of choice for ranchers with the 3/4-1 Ton trucks. Just because of the sidewall. Granted they weren't the new style Toyos and MTRs or the Silent Armor ATs weren't out yet. Anyway, I almost bought a set of 315 Big Foot XTs for my 80 but I compared them side by side to the BFG AT and they didn't seem as heavy or as well built of a tire. So I went with the BFGs and 6 months later and some 4,000 or so miles I ended up with Toyo MTs. I would still take the BFG over these for highway and hardpacked snow or ice.

 

[IronYuppy]

Here is the problem I have with Big O and other house brand tire. They are usually pushed as being "just as good as" michelin, bridgestone, or whatever major brand tire you are looking at, but they are a cheaper and have a mileage warranty...

For the record, the Big O "house" brand is manufactured by Kumho, at least last I heard.

I ran Big O X/T rate (which is a cross between A/T and M/T) for three years, and had absolutely no problems with them.

The big bonus with Big O is that their warranty is not subject to wear like other brands. Like, you don't get charged based on the remaining percentage of tread. I tore TWO Big O sidewalls out (at the same spot and on the same day, completely my fault), and when Ilimped back to Big O, I got two brand new replacement tires, absolutely free and no questions asked.

I'm running Hankooks at the moment, but next time I re-shoe, I'll go back to the Big Os.

 

[Jule]

5 year old set with 80K miles and approx 1/4-3/8" tread left.

Big O ATs

Bottom Line: Pros: Good AT tires, last for 100k miles on a FJ80, best warranty in the business (free rotation and replacement for life of tread, 2/32", or 5 years whichever comes first). Cons: Not as stylish as BFGs, not a replacement for agressive mud tires or snow tires.

Wear:
I bought a set of 265/75R16 (mine are load D, they also sell load E in that size) Big O ATs 5 1/2 years ago and have put 80,000 miles on them. I bought a set of 5 and rotated them regularly. I have approximately 1/4" of tread on the centers over the wear bars and 3/8" on the outside by the shoulders. (I usually run 40-50 psi to squeeze out better MPG, so my centers are worn more than if you went with recommmended 35 psi).

These tires were use exclusively on my 97 FZJ80 (remember full time 4wd vehicles like FJ80s wear the tires more than 2wd or part time 4wds). So the mileage is realistic (not off some 2wd truck that weights half as much). I was really surprised at how many miles I have gotten from the tires.

I have not had any sidewall failures. I have only one flat off-roading, sharp gravel in the tread in WA. Other couple flats were from nails, etc. on the road. I may be wrong, but I think the Load range D and E tires are tougher off road than range C tires of the same brand and style under the same vehicle.

The warranty is awesome, they replace tires no questions asked, used it many times in the last 10 years different sets of tires.


Noise:
I went from a set of MTRs to the Big O ATs, so I don't notice any noise really with ATs. (I do with the MTRs.) They are quiter than the BFG ATs that I had on my 92 FJ80. They ride and handle well (the ride is stiff when I run higher pressure like 50 psi, at 35 psi they ride as well as any other LT tire).

Traction:

My set are the OLD TREAD DESIGN (It changed a couple of years ago). While they are better than the factory Michelins off-road, I have not been real happy with them. I feel like they should do better in snow and ice for an AT. I have not been impressed with them in deep snow. (Maybe I am expecting too much from an AT tire in the winter, I have an XJ Jeep that has Parnelli Scorpian ATs that do not perform as well as the Big O ATs in snow and ice.)

BUT the new Big O AT tread design have bigger voids and a lot more sipping and the "snowflake" rating on the sidewall. So I assume they will have better traction year round.

I was planning on getting a set of BFG AT KO next time for better winter traction until the new tread Big O AT design came out that also had the "snowflake" rating like BFGs and ProComps. The Big Os does not "look" as cool as the BFGs, but that is not a big deal for me.

Since the new Big O AT tread design came out, I plan on getting a set of those. I know I will be able to get 5 years use out of them. If I do pop one off road, so what, I get a free tire. I have had very good experience with Big O's service in several different states. It is also peace of mind for me that if my wife has any problems when I am out of town, there are Big Os everywhere in the West and they will take care of her. (One time they came to our house, removed a flat tire, installed the spare, took it back to the shop and replaced it, and installed it back on our vehicle at their shop the next day, for no charge and this was not the store I bought my tires from either.)

Feel free to email me any questions. I have had 3 sets of Big O ATs and 1 set of their old MTs over the last 15 years.

Jule

 

[new2mud]

Thanks for sharing first-hand experiences.

Holy Cow--75mph blowout?!
Holy Cow--100k on same set of tires?!

I am looking for a tire to replace the stock Michelin LTX tires on a stock 97 FZJ.
I would like very civil road manners, with better mild-to-moderate off-road capability than the stock LTX. (I'm not needing hard-core capability like some of the rock crawlers on the board).

I already have a dedicated set of snow tires (Yoko Geolandar I/T), so not concerned about snow traction for my LTX replacements.

BTW, I was told by the rep that these Big O Big Foot A/T's are made by Goodyear, as the current Goodyear factory strike is affecting Big O's availability of the A/T's.

 

[new2mud]

Medtro--was your blowout on the pre- or post-redesign that Jules refers to?

 

[cary]

Thanks for sharing first-hand experiences.

Holy Cow--75mph blowout?!
Holy Cow--100k on same set of tires?!

I am looking for a tire to replace the stock Michelin LTX tires on a stock 97 FZJ.
I would like very civil road manners, with better mild-to-moderate off-road capability than the stock LTX. (I'm not needing hard-core capability like some of the rock crawlers on the board).

I already have a dedicated set of snow tires (Yoko Geolandar I/T), so not concerned about snow traction for my LTX replacements.

BTW, I was told by the rep that these Big O Big Foot A/T's are made by Goodyear, as the current Goodyear factory strike is affecting Big O's availability of the A/T's.

The tire you want is called a Bridgestone Revo A/T.

 

[KANE]

I have a set on my 97 and they perform well.

I have a set of 285/75-16s Big-O A/Ts on my 97 LC and I like them. They are quiet on road, yet aggressive enough off road to get me where I'm trying to go. . .I don't do the rock-crawling thing either. My rig has performed predictably in the snow and on ice. I'd suggest up-sizing to 285 as they make the rig look much stronger than the stock 275s. The tread pattern isn't as cool as some, but is much cooler than the stock Michelins or Bridgestone road tires that you'll see on mall cruisers.

If you run these tires at 40-50psi, the ride is rough (probably the same with any tire), but at 35psi, the ride is nice.

 

[cary]

I have a set of 285/75-16s Big-O A/Ts on my 97 LC and I like them.

If you run these tires at 40-50psi, the ride is rough (probably the same with any tire), but at 35psi, the ride is nice.

If you are running a LT Tire (which the tire most likely is), you should be running 42 psi minimum. The rule when going from a P metric tire (80 series OE) to a LT tire to increase the PSI by 10-15. This is because the load capacity is figured at different pressures for LT and P metric tires.

 

[Jule]

Here are pictures of the new (left) and old (right) tread designs. The new one had about 5,000 miles on it. It was replaced on warranty when I was out of town. The old one (and the other three) are still the original ones I bought 5 years and 80k miles ago.

Medtro's looks like the old design.

My next set are going to be LT285/75R16s like KANE recommends.

 

[Jule]

If you are running a LT Tire (which the tire most likely is), you should be running 42 psi minimum. The rule when going from a P metric tire (80 series OE) to a LT tire to increase the PSI by 10-15. This is because the load capacity is figured at different pressures for LT and P metric tires.

Cary, where did you hear rule about what pressure to run LT tires at vs. P tires? Is the pressure vs. load capacity a linear relationship?

The tire shop recommended 35 psi to me. (They may say that to everyone though.)

I figured that made sense because the D range LT265/75s are rated for 3000 lbs each at 65 psi, and my TLC weighs about 6000 lbs with the family in it. That is 1500 lbs a tire, half of the rated capacity, and 35 psi is just over half of the rated cold pressure.

If I had the TLC completely loaded down I would run it at higher pressure.

My D range tires are rated for 3000lbs @ 65 psi (46lbs/psi), my E range tire is rated for 3450lbs @ 80 psi (43lbs/psi). It seems like it is approximately a linear relationship.