Help me decide on tires
- Thread starter lumbee1
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The other trails have trolls. My KM2s got significantly chewed on the trail that day. Little chunks bitten out all over.
Rice and James, this is very interesting to hear about the KM2's. I'd regarded them as a solid tire and was considering them for the 80 when it comes time to replace my KO's. Actually, I'm overdue for replacing the KO's, I'm just waiting to do tires until I've done some suspension upgrades. The next set of tires will inevitably be on the 80 when it meets its demise in a few more years...
Jonathan, I have ST Maxx tires all around on my 100. They're pretty quiet on the road and other than one muddy evening in Uwharrie, which you may or may not remember, have served me well off-road.
Jonathan, I have ST Maxx tires all around on my 100. They're pretty quiet on the road and other than one muddy evening in Uwharrie, which you may or may not remember, have served me well off-road.
There are stories on the web of km2 walls getting cut but I considered that nothing special since any tire can take a bad hit. I'm not prepared to say it isn't a good tire yet, namely because I never got a look at what cut it in the first place. I will say the km2's never leave me guessing when it comes to grip.
Sorry for the hijack.
I have them on the 40 and they're great. But the big ones on the 80 took quite a beating on the trails. Like rice said, part of that is my right foot plus my lack of experience, your mileage may vary.. Certainly on the road they ride nice and I would guess they will last.
- Thread starter
- #29
I most certainly remember climbing up and down Dutch John on my hands and feet, watching my wife slide and then fall, relying on a boy scout knot to get you out, watching a winch line fall off the spool, hearing a front differential scream in pain, listen to tires spin over and over, feeling the night encroach around us, begging my one flash light not to die.... I don't know where I was going with this but I do know the ST Maxx does NOT do well in Uwharrie mud.
^^I'm going to have bad dreams tonight!
The Toyo Open Country MT has bombproof sidewalls. They weigh a ton and are $ but they are extremely tough and last forever.
I have proof of your wife sliding in the mud. Now if I could only post damn pics!
You guys got back so late that we had eaten about all of the food. Didn't Shannon have to ride back home in those muddy britches?
Oh man!!! I was so consumed with the 100 that I didn't even realize this happened! Sorry, Shannon! Yeah, the ST Maxx's have large chunks of rubber missing, but I think it was all from that night. It's the only time I've had them in the mud and they didn't help me like I felt they should have... They were even aired down. I can't say it enough, it was amazing how much the club came together that night. I really appreciate you helping with the winch line and sticking around! You didn't have to, but it really showed your character.
Sounds like KM2's remain high on the list then? I LOVE my KO's. They've been around for years and still have life.
Back on topic, Yes KM2's are great when things get wet and sloppy. Of course so are IROK's. Either you want a no compromises off road tire or you make compromises in difficult conditions for the sake of the other 95% of your driving. Live with droning tires and not being able to use the stereo on the highway, or make a compromise. After 3 years on KM2's, I was ready for the ST Maxx.
NO TIRE performs well in wet clay. The year we went to GSMTR in E Tenn. and it rained the night before, was the slickest I've ever experienced. Jason and I went out the first day and made it like 100 yards on the easiest of trails. Both fully locked and I was on BFG KMs and he was on IROKs IIRC. That day I think we saw every tire on the planet submit to the clay - I guess a Bogger would maybe be a little better???
My point is, if you are judging tires on performance in wet clay, you most likely are always going to be less than impressed.
My point is, if you are judging tires on performance in wet clay, you most likely are always going to be less than impressed.
- Thread starter
- #37
Ramon, both the Hankooks MT's and Trail Grapplers had no problem with the wet Uwharrie trails. John Rives's Duratracs struggled a bit and Jeremy's ST Maxx had a really rough time.
Thanks for the input Kevin. The KM2's were $200 more for a set of four and I've seen reports of weak sidewalls.
I had mud in the Cruiser for almost 8 months from Shannon sitting in the passenger seat. I cleaned the seat 3 times and could still wipe the seat down with a white cloth and pull up red clay.
I want a tire that does it all well but more importantly I want a tire that will get me out of some hairy situations. The BFG's are great on road and off road when it's dry but I don't think they are aggressive enough or can handle mud. The ST Maxx, my first choice, are now off the list for obvious reasons. The Nitto Trail Grappler had quite a few reviews stating it had the best highway characteristics of any aggressive mud tire. I also witnessed its performance as Matt Vitelli had no issues with slipping and sliding on the trails and drives them every day.
Thanks for the input Kevin. The KM2's were $200 more for a set of four and I've seen reports of weak sidewalls.
I had mud in the Cruiser for almost 8 months from Shannon sitting in the passenger seat. I cleaned the seat 3 times and could still wipe the seat down with a white cloth and pull up red clay.
I want a tire that does it all well but more importantly I want a tire that will get me out of some hairy situations. The BFG's are great on road and off road when it's dry but I don't think they are aggressive enough or can handle mud. The ST Maxx, my first choice, are now off the list for obvious reasons. The Nitto Trail Grappler had quite a few reviews stating it had the best highway characteristics of any aggressive mud tire. I also witnessed its performance as Matt Vitelli had no issues with slipping and sliding on the trails and drives them every day.
I actually wrote a very similar statement but deleted it because I figured we beat on the ST Maxx's enough... But yeah, everyone else made it up the chute and I wasn't the only one with ATRAC. The tires had barely any wear on them but they just couldn't grab. They are very quiet on the road, though... So I'd still give them a thumbs up as a decent AT.
Keep in mind that the same tire with 1/2-tread will perform differently than a brand new one, so it's pretty hard to compare. Clay is a killer. Doesn't matter what you have, you will submit at some point. Different vehicles with different weights/weight distribution, driving style, etc, blah, blah, blah...
I think Rice's sidewall issue should be viewed as a freak occurrence and not typical of KM2's.
To be honest, @lumbee1 , our Hankook's have excelled in every offered condition we've put them in. It's only the fact that they seem to have a 30k mile lifespan that makes us want to change, right? Well, that and ice/slush.
I think Rice's sidewall issue should be viewed as a freak occurrence and not typical of KM2's.
To be honest, @lumbee1 , our Hankook's have excelled in every offered condition we've put them in. It's only the fact that they seem to have a 30k mile lifespan that makes us want to change, right? Well, that and ice/slush.
Lots of good comments and thoughts rolling in here. Ill add what I can add from experience
If you werent at GSMTR 2011? You wouldn't understand
Whole group spamked by trail #1. Aka. Access road
I've had wrangler MTR. BFG at. Truxxs. Iroks. Terra grappler. Km2. Stt cooper on the 80.
Km2 have rocked. I would consider again. Maybe wear faster and sure some reports of weak sidewalks. Still done the "best" wheeling I've ever done on 315 km2
Stt cooper are a hard one to judge. They have been good with caveat they were a bit uneven in wear to begin with and I chunked them rather badly on Daniel.Could maybe be pointed at passenger inspired driver error. Aka skinny pedal. But quite before and always make it to the top and if not I don't blame tires. Lots of first hand accounts of poor wear though and ill buy toyo before these and pay weight penalty
Truxxs. Might be the best compromise and avail for 16" or 17" in 35 and 37. I liked mine. Some drone. Good wear. Concrete ran em for a while after me. Stuck to rocks better than iroks.
Iroks. Loud
Terra grappler. Very impressive. Have wheeled em and with many and do well on trail for being more at biased. Good even wear in road. Quiet.
BFG at. What's to say. 25 yr old pattern must work. Super quiet. Almost fast pack with mid exceptionally well. Low hum. Last forever. Sold mine too soon
It was the NLA wrangler so doesn't apply. But not quite as loud as Irocks
Have been eyeing the trail grappler lately. ESP with set of 5 used avail. But then I've been eyeing all kinda of used deals cause I hate new tire $ and if you shop early you may find a Deal. The AWD sucks for needing near new wear though on an 80
If you werent at GSMTR 2011? You wouldn't understand
Whole group spamked by trail #1. Aka. Access road
I've had wrangler MTR. BFG at. Truxxs. Iroks. Terra grappler. Km2. Stt cooper on the 80.
Km2 have rocked. I would consider again. Maybe wear faster and sure some reports of weak sidewalks. Still done the "best" wheeling I've ever done on 315 km2
Stt cooper are a hard one to judge. They have been good with caveat they were a bit uneven in wear to begin with and I chunked them rather badly on Daniel.Could maybe be pointed at passenger inspired driver error. Aka skinny pedal. But quite before and always make it to the top and if not I don't blame tires. Lots of first hand accounts of poor wear though and ill buy toyo before these and pay weight penalty
Truxxs. Might be the best compromise and avail for 16" or 17" in 35 and 37. I liked mine. Some drone. Good wear. Concrete ran em for a while after me. Stuck to rocks better than iroks.
Iroks. Loud
Terra grappler. Very impressive. Have wheeled em and with many and do well on trail for being more at biased. Good even wear in road. Quiet.
BFG at. What's to say. 25 yr old pattern must work. Super quiet. Almost fast
pack with mid exceptionally well. Low hum. Last forever. Sold mine too soon It was the NLA wrangler so doesn't apply. But not quite as loud as Irocks
Have been eyeing the trail grappler lately. ESP with set of 5 used avail. But then I've been eyeing all kinda of used deals cause I hate new tire $ and if you shop early you may find a Deal. The AWD sucks for needing near new wear though on an 80