KO2 / KM3 / X3 / AT2s (1 Viewer)

[loucaojr]

Hi,

It came the time to get new rubber for my HDJ80, currently I'm running some 285s Cooper ST Maxx, but since new EU regulations the only tires I'm able to get are the ones on the subject.

Have BFG evolved they're tire compound so they're tires are better in the wet or they still the same?
I've punctured the STs a couple of times, are the X3 good regarding puncture proof?
So which would be my best choice?

Thanks for your feedback!

Cheers

 

[Wermz]

Love my x3’s great tires, quite, good traction off road. I had ko2’s on another truck once, also quite, okay offroad. My friend has km3’s he hates them on road, noisy and unbalanced, slippery in the wet, but they seem real good offroad.

 

[spazzyfry123]

What’s your use? I’ve got 315 KM3s that have been great, but I also don’t drive the truck often.

 

[Irish Reiver]

It all comes down to how much time you spend on-road versus off-road. I had the Cooper STT Pro's which were great off road but lethal in heavy rain. They were also noisy and very unbalanced. I swapped to KO2's last year and don't regret it at all. I have put a good 15k miles on them and they are much quieter, perform well off-road and about 2mpg better fuel efficiency. What's not to like

 

[loucaojr]

What’s your use? I’ve got 315 KM3s that have been great, but I also don’t drive the truck often.

Hi,

It use to be my DD, weekend warrior, travel buddy, family car... But not anymore... So, I would say the ST Maxx would represent my use perfectly well!
Some times it's my DD but I do off-road quite bit but not all that more extreme stuff anymore.

As per my road cars, I prefer tires that perform well on wet and with all the "horror stories" regarding BFGs wet performance, even more when the STs are such a good wet tire, I tend to start running away from them...
So let's put it like this... Since the quotes I'm getting for these are very close, for my use I would say KO2s no need for a MT, but if the X3 are as quiet and have better wet performance and resist punctures as good, that will be my choice..

Thanks!

 

[loucaojr]

It all comes down to how much time you spend on-road versus off-road. I had the Cooper STT Pro's which were great off road but lethal in heavy rain. They were also noisy and very unbalanced. I swapped to KO2's last year and don't regret it at all. I have put a good 15k miles on them and they are much quieter, perform well off-road and about 2mpg better fuel efficiency. What's not to like

Maybe I can find some STT Pro, but it seems to have a to much aggressive thread for me and the speed rating on 285s is ridiculous ( they're K rated)... Thanks for your input.

 

[graham5david]

X3 is what I run and will continue to run. Quite, and great in all conditions on and off the road.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

since new EU regulations the only tires I'm able to get are the ones on the subject

#portugalexit!!!!!!

 

[devo]

I’m interested in what the EU regulation on tires is about? Why are Coopers effected by the regulations and BFG is not?



devo

 

[greentruck]

No personal experience with the KO2. Garage I used to work at put a set on the company president's Suburban and he was very happy with them. If you're mostly about the road and most of the forest trails typical of Europe (I lived in Germany for a few years and did my share of those sorts of trails), the KO2 will be fine.

No experience with the X3.

On the KM3, running them currently. I started on the original Radial All-Terrains, went to the Radial Mud-Terrain, then followed with each succeeding generation. The KM3 is an improvement, a noticeable improvement, over the KM2, which was an improvement of the MT. The KM3 has less open space in the tread, but I think it's most a matter of improved tire compound. That said, if you're in the rainy parts of Europe, you still need to consider they aren't as good in the wet as some others tires. Driving conservatively in the rain will largely compensate for that, but can never make up all the difference. The KM3 is designed for maximum off-road performance and, as with other tires that do that, this inevitably sacrifices on-road performance to some degree, pick your poison.

Another consideration: Snow. Lots of what applies to rain applies to light snow. Heavy snow they're OK for me. Others differ, but that depends on your snow. But I don't think the KM3 is Snowflake rated, if that matters, unless this happened recentky

 

[loucaojr]

I’m interested in what the EU regulation on tires is about? Why are Coopers effected by the regulations and BFG is not?



devo

Devo,

First of all this issue is happening with the 285s, I don't if there are other sizes that just disappeared from our market.

But... Here in EU we have a "Energy Label" for almost everything, for tires it's something like the following image.

So a couple of years ago a EU legislation came out stating that tires that are F or G rated could not be sell within EU from 2018 or 2019 onward and existing stocks you could be sold till 2021 I believe. The "excuse" was due to emissions... I've contacted Cooper and they just say "Since EU legislation hasn't changed we won't be supplying those sizes".

So major brands just quitted EU off-road market, which I believe is a residual and decaying market when compared with AU, USA and middle east.

Beside this Energy Efficient label, for example, Cooper didn't bother with homologation of some sizes like the skinny 255/85R16. Getting the E-mark is to painful for the revenue.
Even on the skinny's, I was able to get 255s KM3, Toyos and Maxxis... Nowadays just Maxxis.

All this makes me think, that one of these days I won't have any proper tires available... All off-road tires with reinforced sidewalls will be heavy and consequently not very Energy F...ing efficient... And meanwhile the prices went through the roof!!

And thank you all for your inputs!

Cheers

 

[loucaojr]

X3 is what I run and will continue to run. Quite, and great in all conditions on and off the road.

This is my bottom question, wet performance when compared with the other options.

Tomorrow I'll know if there are another options like the AT2s or something else.

Cheers

 

[devo]

Thanks loucaojr




devo

 

[b16]

Jesus Christ, they're going after your tires now? This is the exact reason you need the 2nd amendment out there. lol

That is insane though. I though CA was bad..

 

[loucaojr]

In the EU there are some things that don't make much sense since it's foundation, nowadays, mainly regarding emissions... And then, you get to situating where countries are ditching coal power plants in favour of greener solutions as per carbon neutral policies while others are building brand new coal plants and all within EU... Since old habits haven't changed because you didn't had the time your just shifting emissions not really being greener at all, just being energy dependent. But I'm going off-topic here...

 

[zthesixty]

I run a 315 KM3 on my 80, and they are actually pretty quite. Off road they do extremly well off road air downed and in the mud.

 

[loucaojr]

So, I also managed to get quotes on the AT2s. How will these perform considering my previous concerns?

Cheers keep it coming!

 

[ajordan1975]

I run KO2 on my DD 3rd gen 4Runner and 37" KM3's on my LX450.
Can't lose w/ BFG's in my opinion.
Love both tires

 

[sxp]

Beside this Energy Efficient label, for example, Cooper didn't bother with homologation of some sizes like the skinny 255/85R16. Getting the E-mark is to painful for the revenue.
Even on the skinny's, I was able to get 255s KM3, Toyos and Maxxis... Nowadays just Maxxis.

Can you get Maxxis Razr AT's or Razr MT's? Both of those get good reviews.

I have KO2's now. They have been fine for the last few years. Good road manners, and decent offroad. I don't run them in the winter as I use a dedicated snow tire. I am replacing them with Yokohama G003's soon for something more aggressive.

 

[crx7]

I had KM3s and I prefer the KO2s I have currently.

KM3 wore down very fast and wasn't very good on the road. Great off road but that's it.

I have yet to find a limitation of the KO2. Almost as good as a snow tire, but not quite. Great off road, I drive a lot of rock crawling. I don't know about wet as I'm in the desert and it doesn't rain much. KO2 is very quiet on the road and handles very well.