FYI: Bridgestone Duelers A/T Revo’s

[Brentbba]

FYI: Just got back from a 2 week camping vacation. Over those two weeks put on 2601 miles. Thats from time I left my driveway to the time I returned home and parked it in the same spot.

Went through all weather conditions during the trip. From heavy coastal mist and fog in the low 50's of Coastal NoCal to the nasty hot desert of Death Valley at 110 degrees.

I planned my trip around off-road trails. From easy gliding hard packed unpaved roads to sandy dunes to deeply rutted trails to loose down hill gravel to fairly large rock gardens....and everything in between.

The Revo's handled business.

Ok - but did you have fun?

Sounds like it from the description of the types of driving you did. the gas bill, you liked the tires!

 

[roncruiser]

Way too much fun

I went into withdrawals first day back at work from the trip.

Gas? Small price to pay considering what I did.

Back to business: Revo's recommended big time!

 

[freebornred]

anybody running yokohama geolander a/t's i hear there just as good,if not better than the revos esp. offroad!

 

[roncruiser]

There are many tires much better than the Revo's for "offroad". What makes a tire better overall is defined by the user.

For everyday driving around town then having the capbility to just go where you need to go offroad (within reason), the Revo's are pretty darn good. A nice balance between both worlds.

 

[spartan]

Jim - I can specifically answer your question re BFG's. After going through probably 10 sets of BFG AT's over the past 22 years I will never buy another set. They are over priced and there are far better tires available. Specifically three: Bridgestone AT Revos, Nitto Terra Grappler AT's and Toyo AT's.

I have 285 65 16 Revos with over 20K miles on them on a 97 LC and they look and perform like new. Much better than the BFG's they replaced for road ride comfort, less noise, superior to any tire I've ever driven on wet pavement and a really decent off road AT tire. I expect to get 50K miles out of them easy.

They do not have a three ply sidewall like the BFG, but I have cut and punctured several three ply BFG sidewalls over the years. I think the three ply thing is more gimmick than function or every off road tire would have it.

The 295 75 16 Nitto AT's - a compromise tire size I really like - are on a Superduty 8500# GVW truck and also are far superior to the BFG 35 12.5 AT's they replaced. They by the way, happen to be the next best LT tire I've ever driven on wet pavement, only second to the Revos. The best part is that they are a killer off road AT tire. Better than anything I've ever run short of a mud tire off road. The downside is that they are showing wear at 15K miles, but they are on a very heavy truck that is used for work. I expect to get about 35K out of them, but for the price they can't be beat.

Toyo AT is the same tire as the Nitto with a slightly different tread shoulder tread.

I did routinely get 40-45K miles out of all the BFG's I ran, but were what I considered dangerous on wet pavement after the first 10K miles of use. They were the best in their time, but have been surpassed.

 

[Tools R Us]

They do not have a three ply sidewall like the BFG, but I have cut and punctured several three ply BFG sidewalls over the years. I think the three ply thing is more gimmick than function or every off road tire would have it.

They were the best in their time, but have been surpassed.

My other hobby is high power rocketry, we use a lot of composite materials, the technology has advanced greatly in the last 10 years. When we order composite cloth, glass, Aramid, carbon, hybrid, whatever, we specify the thread count, weight, weave and a bunch of other details that determine the strength of the lay-up. By selecting the proper cloth and resins a thinner, lighter structure can be much stronger than a thick many layer one or even steel.

Tires are a composite structure, cloth and rubber, the same rules apply. 2 ply, 3 ply what cloth? If you look at big truck tire add copy some are advertised as 10 ply rated - 6 ply, why, newer cloths are stronger, that 6 ply tire may be stronger, more flexible, lighter and cheaper to make, buyers are looking for a 10 ply tire so the add guys put the 10 ply rated on them. Take 3 ply of nylon pantyhose and 1 of ballistic nylon and stick a pencil though them, I think the 1 ply of ballistic nylon will be stronger. The ply issue is only good add copy without data, probably sells a lot of tires!

I think it's goodyear that's loudly trumpeting their "new" Kevlar tires. Do they have a good belt of ballistic Kevlar that would do some good, is it Kevlar tissue, or Kevlar dust in the mix so they can advertise that they have Kevlar in them? As for the "new" thing, Aramid belted tires have been around for a long time, if you pay too much for Aramid from DuPont you get to call it Kevlar, Kevlar is just DuPont's registered trade name for Aramid.

Some testing would be cool, take sidewalls and tread sections from tires, stretch them in a frame, place that in a press and push a half inch rod or whatever into them, to see how much pressure it takes to permanently deform them and how much to poke a hole. Without data all we have is the testimony of other wheelers and advertising BS!

 

[Romanknight]

Another voice against BFG AT/KO: they suckey in rain, on wet pavement my rear end on a Exploder wandered all over the place. Otherwise, great tire on dry roads and mild off-road, even couple inches light mud. Seemed to last forever, too, little treadwear. But, if it's a daily drive in rain, I'd stay away from it.

 

[Grouseman]

According to Tire Rack tire survey the Revos are hands down better than BFGs. Check out Tire Rack off road/all-terrain chart.

Grouseman

 

[roncruiser]

Check it out: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Dueler+A/T+Revo

 

[collector_edi]

I bought mine two weeks ago, I week after getting my 80. It still had the original LTXs on it, and wandered a bit one her first drive to her new home.

The Revos took about half of that out. Much better, and as I posted in another thread, GREAT even once I took out the 150psi the tire guys put into them. (Ran at about 35psi for a week, and have dropped to 32).

I had it aligned last week and it is solid a straight tracker I've ever owned, and most of my cars were new. Check the alignment, one of my figures was out of range, and it really made a big difference.

Here is Roncruiser's twin I think:

cruisen carolina and roncruiser:

Any more pictures? Profile shots, etc. I believe I have narrowed it down to Revo's and am now debating to go 285's or 265's. Comfort and aesthetics are important as well. I have a burgandy 97 so your shots may help me decide further. I went to the local Firestone shop and I think they are trying to take me for a ride, no pun intended. They quoted the 285's for $201 each in Chicago. Tire rack lists them for $151. In any event before I attempt to negotiate I still want to make a definitive decision.

 

[alaskacruiser]

collector- my local Firestone tire in LA matched tirerack's $150 / tire when I asked.

 

[collector_edi]

collector- my local Firestone tire in LA matched tirerack's $150 / tire when I asked.

Good to know. Did they counter that price with shipping and having to pay someone else to mount and balance? Just trying to prepare myself for their spill.

 

[alaskacruiser]

Good to know. Did they counter that price with shipping and having to pay someone else to mount and balance? Just trying to prepare myself for their spill.

Sorry i wasn't more specific- I meant $150 / tire + mounting / balancing. Forgot the exact total, but very reasonable. I told them tirerack has them for $150/tire and I'd drive home with them if they matched that price. I was a bit surprised, but the guiy at the counter didn't say much, just typed some numbers into his computer and then agreed. Must be my imposing presence.

I currently have 30k w/ a fair amount mild/moderate offroad on the tires with minimal wear (will measure and grab a pic later if you'd like).

Here's a pic of my 285 Revos (that's not me in my truck, BTW).

 

[collector_edi]

ALASKA:

I have stock suspension and Michilens and I understand for the lx450 the tires produced more stability. Do you think if I go with the 285's my on road manners will become more stiff? I've read so many different opinions and I'm beginning to develop paralysis by analysis. Simply put... I think the Michelins with the stock toyota shocks are not absorbing the bumps very well. But many say the Revo's are superior in every catagory. Including highway manners. Others indicate the ride is harder. Which is it? I know opinions vary but at least I've narrowed it down to the manufacturer. Should is stick with the 275 70 r 16 or go up to 285 75 r 16? I know it's a loaded question.

 

[collector_edi]

Alaska: Tough looking rid by the way. And thanks for publishing a picture.

 

[alaskacruiser]

ALASKA:

I have stock suspension and Michilens and I understand for the lx450 the tires produced more stability. Do you think if I go with the 285's my on road manners will become more stiff? I've read so many different opinions and I'm beginning to develop paralysis by analysis. Simply put... I think the Michelins with the stock toyota shocks are not absorbing the bumps very well. But many say the Revo's are superior in every catagory. Including highway manners. Others indicate the ride is harder. Which is it? I know opinions vary but at least I've narrowed it down to the manufacturer. Should is stick with the 275 70 r 16 or go up to 285 75 r 16? I know it's a loaded question.

collector- if you have stock suspension and esp. stock tires, then you've probably noticed the lx450's side-to-side sway over certain types of bumps at highway speeds. This is due to the different shocks used in the LX and can be fixed by replacing the shocks with LC/other shocks (like OME), or it can be REDUCED by switching to tires with a stiffer sidewall. When I switched to the Revos, the side-to-side sway was greatly reduced (but not completely gone). The 285s have thicker sidewalls (higher load rating) so they are somewhat stiffer than the smaller size.

As for the stock shocks not absorbing bumps very well, the combination of LX shocks and Michelin tires are about the best you'll get for absorbing bumps and having a cushy ride on a Cruiser. I prefer a more firm ride / less cushy / more feedback from the road, which is why I went with the Revos and why I will switch to OME springs/shocks when I get the $.

If you are looking for comfort where that is defined as a cushy ride / absorbing bumps better, the Revos will firm up the ride somewhat and you will be able to feel the bumps *more*, so keep that in mind. They do help with the side-to-side sway, though. The Michelins are probably the best tire in terms of cushy ride comfort. Your shocks may be worn so check that. If I were you, I'd stick with the Michelins for ride comfort / family hauling (safer) but examine your shocks and make sure they are not worn. Replacing with Landcruiser shocks will also make the ride more stiff, FYI.

Bottom line IMHO: cushiest ride for family hauling / no offroad = LX stock shocks with Michelin tires, but that sway is pretty bad so I'd go with stock LC shocks with the Michelins.

 

[ed97fzj80]

. . . The 285s have thicker sidewalls (higher load rating) so they are somewhat stiffer than the smaller size.

. . . I prefer a more firm ride / less cushy / more feedback from the road, which is why I went with the Revos . . . .

If you are looking for comfort where that is defined as a cushy ride / absorbing bumps better, the Revos will firm up the ride somewhat and you will be able to feel the bumps *more*, so keep that in mind.

Seems like I've heard that somewhere before.

 

[firetruck41]

An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...

Repeat...

 

[collector_edi]

An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...
An all terrain tire, will not be more "cushy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...

Repeat...

An all terrain tire, will not be more "cusy" (bump absorbing) than a road tire...

I'm cured of the paralysis by analysis. Thanks for the council.

 

[collector_edi]

collector- if you have stock suspension and esp. stock tires, then you've probably noticed the lx450's side-to-side sway over certain types of bumps at highway speeds. This is due to the different shocks used in the LX and can be fixed by replacing the shocks with LC/other shocks (like OME), or it can be REDUCED by switching to tires with a stiffer sidewall. When I switched to the Revos, the side-to-side sway was greatly reduced (but not completely gone). The 285s have thicker sidewalls (higher load rating) so they are somewhat stiffer than the smaller size.

As for the stock shocks not absorbing bumps very well, the combination of LX shocks and Michelin tires are about the best you'll get for absorbing bumps and having a cushy ride on a Cruiser. I prefer a more firm ride / less cushy / more feedback from the road, which is why I went with the Revos and why I will switch to OME springs/shocks when I get the $.

If you are looking for comfort where that is defined as a cushy ride / absorbing bumps better, the Revos will firm up the ride somewhat and you will be able to feel the bumps *more*, so keep that in mind. They do help with the side-to-side sway, though. The Michelins are probably the best tire in terms of cushy ride comfort. Your shocks may be worn so check that. If I were you, I'd stick with the Michelins for ride comfort / family hauling (safer) but examine your shocks and make sure they are not worn. Replacing with Landcruiser shocks will also make the ride more stiff, FYI.

Bottom line IMHO: cushiest ride for family hauling / no offroad = LX stock shocks with Michelin tires, but that sway is pretty bad so I'd go with stock LC shocks with the Michelins.

I have to get this through my thick head. Thank you for reiterating and everyone else that has supplied feedback I don't always adhere to.