"Best" tire in 285/65/18 (1 Viewer)

[M1911]

Well, I guess comfort to means road feel and not floating across the road following every groove in the road. Quiet vs mud tire drowning out my tunes.

What eat, sleep, wolf said:

- Off-road performance.
- Comfort and quiet.

Pick one.

A highway tire will be quieter, more comfortable, have better road feel and less float, get better fuel economy, but have worse traction off-road. An aggressive mud tire will give you better traction off-road, at the cost of being louder, have less road feel, get significantly worse fuel economy, etc. And when changing tires, the extra weight of the off-road tire will be very noticeable (oh my aching back...).

 

[Angelo1]

I’ve pretty much settled on either the Bridgestone A/T revo 3 which appears to be a good compromise from the more aggressive A/T from other brands or the Cooper AT3 XLT.

 

[Angelo1]

What eat, sleep, wolf said:



A highway tire will be quieter, more comfortable, have better road feel and less float, get better fuel economy, but have worse traction off-road. An aggressive mud tire will give you better traction off-road, at the cost of being louder, have less road feel, get significantly worse fuel economy, etc. And when changing tires, the extra weight of the off-road tire will be very noticeable (oh my aching back...).

Lifting weight isn’t an issue for me it’s what I do 6 days a week

 

[M1911]

Lifting weight isn’t an issue for me it’s what I do 6 days a week

I’m 60-years-old. 70+ lb wheels and tires are a pain.

 

[Angelo1]

I’m 60-years-old. 70+ lb wheels and tires are a pain.

You have 17yrs on me, so I am sure I’d feel the same

 

[Madtiger]

Leave this here: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=249

KO2 did pretty good.

 

[atlhoo]

Had the oem Dunlops on it. I haven't checked fuel mileage but my gut feeling is i've lost 1 or 2 mpg. The ride is much better though and between that and the improvement in looks.... i'd make that trade all day every day and twice on sunday.

I just left Discount Tire after reading lots of tire/wheel threads here and elsewhere. Went in ready to pull the trigger on Coopers or BFG's and walked out with a recommendation for these Goodyears Ultraterrain AT's and an appointment tomorrow. They suggested 275/65r18 and confirmed that it works with no problems. They could not guarantee the 285/65r18s worked and I would really rather not deal with any modifications, slight as they may be. I'm going to test fit the 275 tomorrow and see how well it "fills out" the well and then make a final decision. I had not heard of, or researched, this particular Goodyear so am doing that tonight but so far it appears like a viable option.

 

[TeCKis300]

Leave this here: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=249

KO2 did pretty good.

This paints a better picture to help individuals decide whether this tire fits their use. Personally, from my experience with this tire on my previous rig, there are better tires out there.

 

[Madtiger]

This paints a better picture to help individuals decide whether this tire fits their use. Personally, from my experience with this tire on my previous rig, there are better tires out there.

Sure better on-road maybe........but for a true AT, is there a better one that combines Off-road toughness, off-road traction, and on-road performance? I have not found one. I have done a ton of reading on AT tires. Because that is what we want, right? A tire that is tough on-road and off-road. Otherwise, we all be using Michelin Defender which is amazing on-road (and tough for its kind too).

The CLOSEST one is the Yokohama G015 LT. BUT, as pointed out above in TireRack comparo, Yoko G015 P-metric got horrible mileage (but stellar on-road everything else)...and if P-metric gets bad fuel economy, then that means that LT is even worst.

The next one in my book is the Goodyear Wrangler AT with Kevlar. Good tread design that favors on-road. Sidewall pretty good for off-road with their DuraWall compound. But does not come in stock size. And it’s Goodyear...i just don’t have a warm cozy feeling for Goodyears for some reason.

And the last one is Michelin Defender. But it looks soooooo boring. But damn good tire...even for light off-roading. And i would bet that its sidewall is as strong as most AT tires.

 

[TeCKis300]

Sure better on-road maybe........but for a true AT, is there a better one that combines Off-road toughness, off-road traction, and on-road performance? I have not found one. I have done a ton of reading on AT tires. Because that is what we want, right? A tire that is tough on-road and off-road. Otherwise, we all be using Michelin Defender which is amazing on-road (and tough for its kind too).

The CLOSEST one is the Yokohama G015 LT. BUT, as pointed out above in TireRack comparo, Yoko G015 P-metric got horrible mileage (but stellar on-road everything else)...and if P-metric gets bad fuel economy, then that means that LT is even worst.

The next one in my book is the Goodyear Wrangler AT with Kevlar. Good tread design that favors on-road. Sidewall pretty good for off-road with their DuraWall compound. But does not come in stock size. And it’s Goodyear...i just don’t have a warm cozy feeling for Goodyears for some reason.

Glad it meets your needs. And that's fair. But recommending to others should take their priorities into consideration and I would go so far as to say many put NVH priorities pretty high. There's been enough cases on this board alone of those that have jumped into the dream of KO2s, only to return them once reality hits.

I want it all. I won't put up with a tire the rides rough with poor on-road NVH where I drive 98% of the time. Several more recently designed tires have a better blend on-road performance, better NVH, and toughness and capability off-road.

I've tried KO2s. I know what they excel at and where they come up short. For my priorities.

 

[Madtiger]

Glad it meets your needs. And that's fair. But recommending to others should take their priorities into consideration and I would go so far as to say many put NVH priorities pretty high. There's been enough cases on this board alone of those that have jumped into the dream of KO2s, only to return them once reality hits.

I want it all. I won't put up with a tire the rides rough with poor on-road NVH where I drive 98% of the time. Several more recently designed tires have a better blend on-road performance, better NVH, and toughness and capability off-road.

I've tried KO2s. I know what they excel at and where they come up short.

At 17k miles, KO2 still quiet. I am sure that they will get louder with age.

But even TireRack were shock at how quiet they were for such an aggressive tread. I trust TireRack comparisons.

Your Falkens are heavy as hell. Weak sidewall with numerous sidewall puncture stories on forums I visit. But they are cheap I give you that.

 

[TeCKis300]

Your Falkens are heavy as hell. Weak sidewall with numerous sidewall puncture stories on forums I visit. But they are cheap I give you that.

Don't be upset that the Falkens are a better performing tire with more rubber and taller tread depth to have better rain performance. Sidewall punctures happen in every tire. I'm not a wannabe Baja racer, and I have zero worries that Falkens have any weakness in this area. On the contrary, I've done my research to know they are tough where it matters.

I can afford any tire I want. I choose what I did because they deliver where it matters, and others did not.

You have a beef with a tire that you've literally never touched or tried. More power to you.

 

[Madtiger]

Don't be upset that the Falkens are a better performing tire with more rubber and taller tread depth to have better rain performance. Sidewall punctions happen in every tire. I'm not a wannabe Baja racer, and I have zero worries that Falkens have any weakness in this area. On the contrary, I've done my research to know they are tough where it matters.

I can afford any tire I want. I choose what I did because they deliver where it matters.

You have a beef with a tire that you've literally never touched or tried. More power to you.

Better rain performance due to taller tread depth? So, Falkens are better in rain than Michelin Defender that has 13/32? No!! Rain performance these days has much more to do with rubber compound and tread design, NOT depth. Your thinking is like 30 years old dude!

I don’t know if Falkens are better than KO2 ON-road...maybe....but Falkens are vulnerable off-road. Not sure about you, but I HATE punctures...i hate having to change tire in the middle of nowhere under hot sun or cold freezing winter. It just sucks...been there, done that.

So, Teckie, 98% of what you do is on-road and from pics, your off-roading is mild, then Michelin Defender will run circles many times around Falkens. And i would bet that it is a tougher tire too. And many pounds lighter!

 

[Madtiger]

@TeCKis300 BTW that sidewall tear pic.......BFG KO2.....what load range? Show me link of that pic.

Most (if not all) sidewall tear pics i have seen of KO2 is Load Range C. Some Load Range C (esp in Rubicon size i think) has thinner 2-ply sidewall. All D and E KO2 have the thicker 3-ply.

EDIT: compare that pic of KO2 sidewall...to this Falken:

 

[TeCKis300]

Better rain performance due to taller tread depth? So, Falkens are better in rain than Michelin Defender that has 13/32? No!! Rain performance these days has much more to do with rubber compound and tread design, NOT depth. Your thinking is like 30 years old dude!

I don’t know if Falkens are better than KO2 ON-road...maybe....but Falkens are vulnerable off-road. Not sure about you, but I HATE punctures...i hate having to change tire in the middle of nowhere under hot sun or cold freezing winter. It just sucks...been there, done that.

So, Teckie, 98% of what you do is on-road and from pics, your off-roading is mild, then Michelin Defender will run circles many times around Falkens. And i would bet that it is a tougher tire too. And many pounds lighter!

If you want to make it personal, from your novice comprehension of engineering topics, I've got at least 30 years more on you and probably have forgotten more than you know buddy. Carry on.

 

[Madtiger]

If you want to make it personal, from your novice comprehension of engineering topics, I've got at least 30 years more on you and probably have forgotten more than you know buddy. Carry on.

Wow, now we measuring penis and education.........nice!

 

[TheGrrrrr]

I've had 4 models of tires. All E load rated. I would rank them like this:

1. Nitto Ridge Grappler
2. Nitro Terra Grappler G2
3. BFG KO2
4. Goodyear Duratrac

Now, obviously because I am posting on an Internet forum, I am right and you are wrong. In fact if you don't agree with me 100%, you are a piece of s***. The tires you like suck, they are the worst, therefore you are the worst. Which tires? Doesn't matter. Which ever ones you like suck, unless they are exactly what I like. Oh and you better like those for the same reasons, or else you are stupid. I fart in your general direction.

 

[CharlieS]

Would you be willing to share what kind of driving mix you have and what distinguishes one from the other? If you drive mostly highway, versus mostly dirt roads, or mostly rock crawling, etc, it might help...

 

[TLC2013]

In reference to the 275 vs 285/65/18, I would guess the rubbing I encountered with stock wheels and 285s would not occur with the narrower 275s. 285s caused Minor polishing of the KDSS bar on the passenger side at full lock. Pretty sure a dedicated/competent allignment shop could make things better but I ended up swapping wheels with a more friendly offset and the issue is gone.

I am happy with the general grabber ATXs. If I wasnt off roading regularly I would have considered the Michelin AT2 or kept the Michelin LTX That were already on it when I purchased my LC.

 

[MHLC08]

I'd like a recommendation from the group. I am just not mathmatically inclined but have absorbed as much as I can from this thread and this one:

LT285/65/18 + 18” stock rims and KDSS

@gaijin mentioned in another thread that this tire size on Toyota 18” OEM rim may interfere with KDSS in 2016+ LC. If so, then which part of KDSS does it touch? Is this something that happens at extreme steering angles or max flex? Down the road, i am thinking of upgrading to this size...but...

forum.ih8mud.com

I have an 08 LC stock. Been running the Geolandar's in 285/60/18. When I bought it I think it had 275's on it and they looked think and awful. In the next year I'll do probably 85% on road and 15% off with mostly National Forest Service road, hunting roads, and possibly a trip to CO to explore some BLM land. Love the look of the KO2's but concerned about highway road noise and, reading here, had no idea tire weight was a thing.

Seems like some good options are the Goodyears Ultraterrain or Duratrac and Revo 3's but they are in the 285/65/18's. If I do the slightly larger tire what mod's do I need to make? Would someone like Discount Tire help make the mod's or am I on my own?

Had no idea I could get analysis paralysis on a set of tires.
TIA