Best Off Road Tires for the Arizona Desert (2 Viewers)

[Arizona Jeff]

I'll be in the market soon for new shoes (1996 FZJ80) and thought I'd reach out for input. Looking for great tires given the following:

-Must be a mud terrain, none of this all terrain sissy nonsense.
-Currently running 315/75R/16 Toyo MT's.
-Was thinking of stepping up to 37's but that really limits the selection since I run factory 16" wheels. I'd prefer to keep the factory wheels.
-Mostly desert off roading. Minimal snow/ice conditions.
-NOT a daily driver
-Radial vs. Bias Ply. Looks like there are pros and cons to both. Bias has stronger sidewall protection, but that is a general statement and I'm sure there are radials with better protection than some bias ply. Do radials last a lot longer? I was always taught that radials are superior but that is probably not the case for a "mostly off road" vehicle.
-Wear factor. There can be a large discrepancy on how fast tires wear based on usage, pavement, etc. Any strong opinions on great or terrible wearing tires?
-Always wanted Super Swampers as a young kid. Anyone run them in our climate? Bonus points for feedback on this...

I appreciate the feedback!

 

[Cruiserhiggs]

@BrandonAz runs super swampers on his 80. He loves them. Not too loud. His are the tsl radials. In his words “I’ll never run anything else” haha

 

[DSRTRDR]

keep in mind that the dry heat also dry rots tires in about 5-7 years - we are in the market, too

in past years, I used to have BFG KM2s on the 40 and really liked them - Michael had Goodyear Wranglers on his K5 and there were always availability problems when he needed to warranty a tire

when it came time to select tires for our 80, PepBoys had a smoking deal on Maxxis Bighorn (in '13) - when the 40 got 80 wheels a year later ('14), we used the same PepBoys offer to get the price matched at Four Wheel Parts, since they have a much better warranty - and then did the same thing again a year later for the LX ('15) - the tires have worked great on the trail, typical road noise for an MT tire, but as all tires in AZ, they have started to chunk pretty badly and are entering their dry aging phase by now, one truck per year . . . the original idea was that all trucks with 80 series wheels have the same tires and be totally interchangeable, we still like the idea, even though real life has never tested that interchangeability . . .

not sure what we will be going with now - haven't seen a similar smoking deal on the Maxxis yet - Michael recently got ProComp Extreme MT2s for his Blazer and really likes them - before those he had Toyos that he also liked - I want MT-type tires again for the trucks, and definitely want the Four Wheel Parts warranty again, so that will dictate our choice in the end

 

[Arizona Jeff]

keep in mind that the dry heat also dry rots tires in about 5-7 years - we are in the market, too

in past years, I used to have BFG KM2s on the 40 and really liked them - Michael had Goodyear Wranglers on his K5 and there were always availability problems when he needed to warranty a tire

when it came time to select tires for our 80, PepBoys had a smoking deal on Maxxis Bighorn (in '13) - when the 40 got 80 wheels a year later ('14), we used the same PepBoys offer to get the price matched at Four Wheel Parts, since they have a much better warranty - and then did the same thing again a year later for the LX ('15) - the tires have worked great on the trail, typical road noise for an MT tire, but as all tires in AZ, they have started to chunk pretty badly and are entering their dry aging phase by now, one truck per year . . . the original idea was that all trucks with 80 series wheels have the same tires and be totally interchangeable, we still like the idea, even though real life has never tested that interchangeability . . .

not sure what we will be going with now - haven't seen a similar smoking deal on the Maxxis yet - Michael recently got ProComp Extreme MT2s for his Blazer and really likes them - before those he had Toyos that he also liked - I want MT-type tires again for the trucks, and definitely want the Four Wheel Parts warranty again, so that will dictate our choice in the end

Good info. I bought my Toyos at Discount Tire. They will match or beat anyone- even online vendors. You can get road hazard warranty as well.

 

[Arizona Jeff]

@BrandonAz runs super swampers on his 80. He loves them. Not too loud. His are the tsl radials. In his words “I’ll never run anything else” haha

Thanks. Hopefully he will chime in on radials vs bias on the Swampers

 

[Azca]

The best tire for the desert. I don't know that even with the CSC gang there will be a consensus let alone a true winner. On top of that, what is best? Best for mud? Rocks? Longevity? Reliability? I have run Toyo MTs, Pro Comp xtreme MTs and BFG Mts (20 plus years ago). The Toyos are durable, have strong sidewalls and last a long time. They are also heavy and don't like to flex aired down due to the sidewalls. When combined with the hard rubber, traction suffers a bit.

I did not have any issues with the BFGs but, that was so long ago, and two different generations, that hardly can be used as a comparison now.

I am still running the Pro Comps. My third set. They flex nicely aired down, they have been durable with only one failure from a 1" sharp branch through the upper sidewall (doing some real off road stuff towing a trailer to retrieve a downed animal) and they perform well in all conditions (except snowy/icy roads). They are relatively quiet and ride smoother than the Toyos.

If reliability or longevity is your primary goal, the Toyos would be a good choice. I keep running the pro comps due to cost and traction. They go on sale, buy 3 get the fourth free, frequently. And discount tire beats the price on top of it.

I have considered the KM3s and the Goodyear MTs and may do so on the next go round however, these are working great and it is hard to fix something that isn't broken.

I can tell you to run away from the Goodyear Dura Tracks. VERY soft sidewalls. Great for pavement or gravel, beyond that, they are a terrible risk.

So, the best? If you don't mind a rough ride, I hear nothing but good about Pit Bull Rockers for a trail rig. For a dual purpose rig, If you stay with Goodrich, Goodyear, Toyo, Nitto, Pro Comp, Yokohama and a few others, I think they will serve you well.

 

[peacesells63]

Bias tires will hold up better off-road when aired down a lot but they dont drive very well on road. I ran 39.5 iroks for a long time on a trailered rig, they were terrible on the road but took a ton of abuse and worked great even when nearly bald. I wouldn't run bias ply on an 80 if you ever drive above 50. Bias ply tires also get flat spots if they sit more than a few days.

I ran sx's in 38's and tsl radials in 35's before. Both worked good, but not as good as iroks. The tsl radials were really noisy on the road, but drove ok.

I have run a lot of tires and the most impressive to me have been Coopers. I run stt pros or st maxx's on 4/5 of my trucks. I've had much better luck with these vs bfg or mtr sidewalls. They are quieter than all similar tires as well, and balance easily.

Probably controversial, but I think 37's are too much for an 80 if you actually wheel hard. Elockers will end up twisting shaft splines, front ring gears blow up, hub studs, knuckle studs, sector shaft etc. I upgraded everything and still wouldn't go above 35's on my 80.

 

[DSRTRDR]

Good info. I bought my Toyos at Discount Tire. They will match or beat anyone- even online vendors. You can get road hazard warranty as well.

I found the Discount tire warranty lacking (had that on my KM2s) - they really do not want to warranty when the tire blew offroad - that said, I sold those tires to someone who managed to get them all replaced under warranty within a year

also, Four Wheel Parts warranties by tread depth, while Discount Tire prorates years, so in later years, their warranty gets you practically nothing - apart from that, the Fountain Hills Discount Tire store drastically reduced their selection and inventory of offroad tires several years ago

 

[Arizona Jeff]

The best tire for the desert. I don't know that even with the CSC gang there will be a consensus let alone a true winner. On top of that, what is best? Best for mud? Rocks? Longevity? Reliability? I have run Toyo MTs, Pro Comp xtreme MTs and BFG Mts (20 plus years ago). The Toyos are durable, have strong sidewalls and last a long time. They are also heavy and don't like to flex aired down due to the sidewalls. When combined with the hard rubber, traction suffers a bit.

I did not have any issues with the BFGs but, that was so long ago, and two different generations, that hardly can be used as a comparison now.

I am still running the Pro Comps. My third set. They flex nicely aired down, they have been durable with only one failure from a 1" sharp branch through the upper sidewall (doing some real off road stuff towing a trailer to retrieve a downed animal) and they perform well in all conditions (except snowy/icy roads). They are relatively quiet and ride smoother than the Toyos.

If reliability or longevity is your primary goal, the Toyos would be a good choice. I keep running the pro comps due to cost and traction. They go on sale, buy 3 get the fourth free, frequently. And discount tire beats the price on top of it.

I have considered the KM3s and the Goodyear MTs and may do so on the next go round however, these are working great and it is hard to fix something that isn't broken.

I can tell you to run away from the Goodyear Dura Tracks. VERY soft sidewalls. Great for pavement or gravel, beyond that, they are a terrible risk.

So, the best? If you don't mind a rough ride, I hear nothing but good about Pit Bull Rockers for a trail rig. For a dual purpose rig, If you stay with Goodrich, Goodyear, Toyo, Nitto, Pro Comp, Yokohama and a few others, I think they will serve you well.

Thank you @Azca - ProComps are on my short list. I’ve heard good things about them and their price point is better than most. Reliability is very important an I have been very happy with my Toyos, but with so many options out there I figure I might try something else. Cheers.

 

[Arizona Jeff]

Bias tires will hold up better off-road when aired down a lot but they dont drive very well on road. I ran 39.5 iroks for a long time on a trailered rig, they were terrible on the road but took a ton of abuse and worked great even when nearly bald. I wouldn't run bias ply on an 80 if you ever drive above 50. Bias ply tires also get flat spots if they sit more than a few days.

I ran sx's in 38's and tsl radials in 35's before. Both worked good, but not as good as iroks. The tsl radials were really noisy on the road, but drove ok.

I have run a lot of tires and the most impressive to me have been Coopers. I run stt pros or st maxx's on 4/5 of my trucks. I've had much better luck with these vs bfg or mtr sidewalls. They are quieter than all similar tires as well, and balance easily.

Probably controversial, but I think 37's are too much for an 80 if you actually wheel hard. Elockers will end up twisting shaft splines, front ring gears blow up, hub studs, knuckle studs, sector shaft etc. I upgraded everything and still wouldn't go above 35's on my 80.

This is exactly the kind of feedback I am looking for. Thank you @peacesells63

 

[Skrugg]

I'm boring. Been running falken wild peak ATs in 315 75 16. Quiet on the road and they have really deep tread. Been great for everything I've done off road. Haven't tried them in mud though.

 

[splitshot]

also, Four Wheel Parts warranties by tread depth,

Just curious if Four Wheel Parts charge extra or use the manufactures warranty? I looked at all the tires I have used over the years and how often I have used the Discount certificate. After doing the math I found I was loosing in a big way.
As of late I have been buying online and having delivered to the front door without the added cost of their "certificates" and taking them to a local shop for balancing.

Been running BFG's for well over a decade, but within the last 5 years, have become a fan of Pro Comps.

 

[DSRTRDR]

I suspect you are right that the math isn't designed to end up in the long run - hey, corporate guys know how to make, not lose, money

that said, at ~$35 for each tire warranty at Four Wheel Parts, when they warrantied the first tire to the tune of just disposal fee and taxes (together some $25), I had come out ahead - it's all a gamble between tire mishaps (one BFG blew on the second trip three months after acquiring a whole new set) and duration - between the 12 Maxxis Bighorns on three trucks, only two have blown in the past 6.5 years combined: 1 tire blew on the truck with 6.5 years X 5 tires = 32.5 tire years; the second tire went on the truck with 5 years x 5 tires = 25 tire years - and then there's the LX, which got the same tires in 2015, so it has 4 years x 5 tires = 20 tire years, no tire mishap to this day on the LX (of course, now I jinxed it, and I'll be flat out there in no time soon )

so, if you tally 15 tires x 35$ each for their warranties = $525, and I got two new tires (that combined would have been more than $525), but factor in the disposal and taxes and new tire warranty for two tires, I have probably struck just about even or slightly ahead, by between $100-$200 - so, in the grand scheme of things, it's been pretty much a wash for us, I guess

 

[DSRTRDR]

also in the grand scheme of things, we have run 15 of these tires and only had 2 blown in the aggregate of 77.5 tire years (both tires were damaged within the first year of installation, both construction site nails ), so make that 75.5 combined tire years, and we paid $525 on warranty = $6.95 warranty/effective tire year

sorry for all the math nerdiness - I am a scientist afterall

 

[DSRTRDR]

would I buy the Maxxis again ? on our historical experience with them - totally yes

alas, somehow we have yet to find the killer deal now that turned us onto these tires back then

 

[DSRTRDR]

also, Four Wheel Parts warranties by tread depth, while Discount Tire prorates years, so in later years, their warranty gets you practically nothing

someone with a contact to Discount Tire on the corporate side informed me today he was assured that Discount fully warranties a tire under their warranty certificates even if it's 6 years old, provided you purchase a new warranty to go with the replacement tire - so I wanted to amend my earlier post to reflect this new-to-me information

upshot is: read the fine print really well, or better yet, asks lots of questions with real-life scenarios before any buy

 

[peacesells63]

someone with a contact to Discount Tire on the corporate side informed me today he was assured that Discount fully warranties a tire under their warranty certificates even if it's 6 years old, provided you purchase a new warranty to go with the replacement tire - so I wanted to amend my earlier post to reflect this new-to-me information

upshot is: read the fine print really well, or better yet, asks lots of questions with real-life scenarios before any buy

It says on their website that certs are only valid for 3 years, and they definitely stick by that in my experience.

I stopped buying certs about long ago, they simply aren't worth it if you buy quality tires. The same discount tire manager that assured me that they warranty tires "no questions asked" refused to warranty a tire on my half ton chevy because he said it looked like it was used off highway, then pointed out the fine print. The tire had about 2k miles on it, and about 200 miles of dirt roads when it picked up a nail close to the shoulder. Their corporate office backed him up and refused to warranty the tire. A friend of mine that worked for discount informed me that I could get a refund for the certs (since they would not honor them) which totaled $20 more than a new MTR cost. I also got refunds for the certs on my other 2 vehicles at the time, neither of which I would have used within the 3 year range.

I still use discount for mount and balance, but buy all of my tires online. Depending on the location, they also will negotiate on mount/balance, I paid $95 out the door for the last 2 sets of 5 tires. Just because I asked how much they charge for certs on each set, $75 each +tax for my 35's and $95 each + tax on my 37's. For the cost of 5 certs I could buy another spare and still have $150 left over.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Getting ready to replace my 315/75-16 Nitto Terra Grapplers on the 80 series with the same. Not exciting but I can hear my motor and they work great for me.
Anyone in the market for some slightly used 315 Nittos hit me up.

 

[Azca]

Anyone in the market for some slightly used 315 Nittos hit me up.

Slightly used on LCPs rig! On these tires, it is not the age or mileage, it is where they have been!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

/

Fix it
Slightly used on LCPs rig! On these tires, it is not the age or mileage, it is where they have been without any issues!