Sorry, the predecessor to the more recently released version.
Opinions on Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires. (1 Viewer)
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- #42
I appreciate everybody’s opinions. I’m getting a feel that tires are like politics, everybody’s got their opinion choices.
All I can say is I’m running to vehicles with KO’s and KO2’s. I put them through many task from Hauling big weight to carrying big weight to beating them up on sharp rocks at high and low elevations.
One big benefit of the all-terrain over a mud terrain is that you float more on the desert sand. I’ve been through tons of desert sand and even Sandune’s, by accident actually. One time I found myself in San dunes at the end of a normal rugged dirt road. I had not aired down my Tires and didn’t even lock up my center differential or put it in 4L on my 4Runner.
The KO2’s floated on Sand as much as phusically possible and got me out as I did a U-turn.
I have plenty of friends with the same tires and nobody has had one blowout or problem. It seems to me that the problems I’ve heard about are not that wide spread and probably just bad batches.
Interesting about the French and technology. Never thought of it that way.
Also didn’t know that Mitchell is a French company that owns BFG?
And all my looking at reviews on multiple different tires it seems that everybody has an issue. I was looking at Nitto problems as well. In a side-by-side comparison they wore down twice as fast as BFG’s.
I also saw a video from a jeep caravan on normal dirt 4x4 roads and a Nitto tire had a side puncture.
Like I said, I’m going to stick with what I know and trust. BFG’s.
All I can say is I’m running to vehicles with KO’s and KO2’s. I put them through many task from Hauling big weight to carrying big weight to beating them up on sharp rocks at high and low elevations.
One big benefit of the all-terrain over a mud terrain is that you float more on the desert sand. I’ve been through tons of desert sand and even Sandune’s, by accident actually. One time I found myself in San dunes at the end of a normal rugged dirt road. I had not aired down my Tires and didn’t even lock up my center differential or put it in 4L on my 4Runner.
The KO2’s floated on Sand as much as phusically possible and got me out as I did a U-turn.
I have plenty of friends with the same tires and nobody has had one blowout or problem. It seems to me that the problems I’ve heard about are not that wide spread and probably just bad batches.
Interesting about the French and technology. Never thought of it that way.
Also didn’t know that Mitchell is a French company that owns BFG?
And all my looking at reviews on multiple different tires it seems that everybody has an issue. I was looking at Nitto problems as well. In a side-by-side comparison they wore down twice as fast as BFG’s.
I also saw a video from a jeep caravan on normal dirt 4x4 roads and a Nitto tire had a side puncture.
Like I said, I’m going to stick with what I know and trust. BFG’s.
Like you said, tires can be very political with everybody’s use and experience being different. If you ask 1,000 people, you’ll get 1,372 opinions.
That said, you can see trends in tire performance pretty quickly from reviews. I personally like Tirerack for those as it generally gives miles driven on each review and on the tire overall.
“Generally” the new the tire, the better the tech.
To answer your original question, the BFGs are a pretty stout tire. Not the best at any one thing, but a pretty good overall performer. They’ll have their work cut out for them in future years as tire tech is becoming more competitive. I anticipate we’ll see a KO3 a lot sooner than the KO2 came.
I’ve read countless reviews on the Duratracs weak sidewalk and actually know someone that blew one on the trail. If sharp rocks are a consideration, the Duratracs may not be a top contender. Their snow performance “seems” to be at the top, though.
Last, I want to address tire pressure. Tire pressure is extremely important as you need to find a good pressure on the road, on nasty, rocky terrain, and on gravel or washboard roads. Each one requires different pressures if ride quality or distance is considered. The wrong pressure will generate excess heat and that will cause a blowout. For example, too low of a pressure on a gravel road.
Good luck with your purchase but it sounds like the KO2 is in your future.
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Opinion time: I ran the original KOs and the Terra Grapplers on my Tundra and got better mileage out of the TGs. Cheaper tire and maybe 15% more mileage. I liked the traction of the KOs more.
My neighbor got over 60k on his first set of KOs and is about cashed out on the KO2s with 52k miles. His Tundra is a heavy, supercharged crewmax
That said, you can see trends in tire performance pretty quickly from reviews. I personally like Tirerack for those as it generally gives miles driven on each review and on the tire overall.
“Generally” the new the tire, the better the tech.
To answer your original question, the BFGs are a pretty stout tire. Not the best at any one thing, but a pretty good overall performer. They’ll have their work cut out for them in future years as tire tech is becoming more competitive. I anticipate we’ll see a KO3 a lot sooner than the KO2 came.
I’ve read countless reviews on the Duratracs weak sidewalk and actually know someone that blew one on the trail. If sharp rocks are a consideration, the Duratracs may not be a top contender. Their snow performance “seems” to be at the top, though.
Last, I want to address tire pressure. Tire pressure is extremely important as you need to find a good pressure on the road, on nasty, rocky terrain, and on gravel or washboard roads. Each one requires different pressures if ride quality or distance is considered. The wrong pressure will generate excess heat and that will cause a blowout. For example, too low of a pressure on a gravel road.
Good luck with your purchase but it sounds like the KO2 is in your future.
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Opinion time: I ran the original KOs and the Terra Grapplers on my Tundra and got better mileage out of the TGs. Cheaper tire and maybe 15% more mileage. I liked the traction of the KOs more.
My neighbor got over 60k on his first set of KOs and is about cashed out on the KO2s with 52k miles. His Tundra is a heavy, supercharged crewmax
If you think tires are like politics around here, I dare you to start a thread about which motor oil is best for the 1fz......
Three pages of tire opinions and you are going to stay with the most boring tire made. I can’t wait for your motor oil thread.
While I don't agree the KO2 is the most boring tire, I would say if snow traction is important, Duratracs have better grip in snow and ice by a country mile. KO2 is good safe choice and is a decent all-rounder.
LINUS
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
Preach it, bro - for real.
We all just need to pick our own flavors of any fluid or tire based on how we each use our 80 & climate you live in, etc.
The best one for each of us is the one that suits our usage & where the GPS says we each are.
96FZJ80
SILVER Star
But at least everyone can agree on the best radiator.
I am approching tire buying time. I am dreading it. I am not only torn on 35/37 debate, i also have no idea what tire to buy. My 315 nitto trail grapplers have been loud but a tire that has not let me down.
I live in az and rocks are sharp and hot, I don’t do snow or ice.
I like the look of the new general and have even looked at guard dog by treadwright(remould, half the cost of any similar tire, prob for good reason).
My buddy has e rated duratracs on his gen 5 4runner and beats the piss out of them. 20k miles and look nearly new.
I live in az and rocks are sharp and hot, I don’t do snow or ice.
I like the look of the new general and have even looked at guard dog by treadwright(remould, half the cost of any similar tire, prob for good reason).
My buddy has e rated duratracs on his gen 5 4runner and beats the piss out of them. 20k miles and look nearly new.
ewillis
SILVER Star
My Toyos have been great in everything:Sierra rock, Tahoe blizzards, Oceano Dunes, Mojave Desert, freeway, etc. Still look new. Hoping the AT-III or KO3 come out in the next couple years when it's time to replace. If I were buying today, I'd go with the Toyo or Coopers. 35" only for me...never been limited anywhere by not having 37". To each their own though...
LINUS
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
^^^^ Treadwrights were the culprit of a bad rollover 80 at high speed in Nevada area (so warm climate) - I want to say the dude had ‘Stormtrooper’ in his username.
I’m still missing some long term memory from my concussion/ vaca from the internet, but that has to ring a few bells with somebody whose been here since ~2010_2011.
Retreads are a non-starter from memory, you’re carrying yourself and loved ones, not just carrying cargo in a semi / tractor - trailer. Buck up, tires are your shoes at 70mph in 2.5-3tons of a vehicle with $hitty brakes.
Got a reply prior to mine - this is for @Jgunner
I’m still missing some long term memory from my concussion/ vaca from the internet, but that has to ring a few bells with somebody whose been here since ~2010_2011.
Retreads are a non-starter from memory, you’re carrying yourself and loved ones, not just carrying cargo in a semi / tractor - trailer. Buck up, tires are your shoes at 70mph in 2.5-3tons of a vehicle with $hitty brakes.
Got a reply prior to mine - this is for @Jgunner
Well, it was some mild ice on a hand full of bridges, nothing serious. Good thing some of you more experienced guys chimed in. Like I said I’m from Alabama so take that particular statement with a grain of salt.
I can however say that the KO2s I had on my 1/2 ton GMC performed great in the ice and snow. We simply don’t have the equipment to treat our roads with salt because it’s not cost effective for the 2 day “blizzards” we get once every 5-10 years. Anywho, in 2015 or 2016 we had a heavy snowfall one afternoon and into the night, ground wasn’t cold enough for the snow to stick so it melts. An hour after nightfall 99% of our roads were covered in ice, then getting covered by snow. I was able to put my truck in Auto4wd and cruise around town pretty easily with the KO2s.
Needless to say if I was in OPs situation needing a good all around tire for all the elements, the KO2 would probably be my choice.
I am going to echo a lot of the things that were already said about the Duratrac's. I have had them on my truck for what seems like forever. I put them on in 2012! I have a lot of miles, been from Texas to Montana, Utah to the Atlantic and back. They were driven in Moab on trails probably 4 days a week for 3 months. The only major issues I have had with them is as they wear they get loud. I have been pretty religious about rotating them but they are still wearing a bit wavy and are to the point it is a little tough to carry on a conversation with the windows down. But they have been good tires. And yes everyone is saying they sidewalls are thin. They are, but they are also considerably lighter than something like the Toyo MT's. And before I had a turbo adding a bunch of rotating mass was something I wanted to avoid.
I’m not sure what to make of this comment. The original BFG KO had the same pattern for like 10+/- years did they not?
Not hating, but if I had a product that consistently sold I wouldn’t change it either. Maybe you meant the Duratracs, although a solid well rounded tire, is due for a remodel just like the BFG KOs got?
I put on a set of 265s on my rig last year and so far they have been great. They are great in the snow and the desert trails that I am usually on. For a fairly aggressive tread they are quiet on the highway. So far I am very happy with them.
ChaseTruck
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Au contraire - soft rubber on rocks = good rubber. And after 3-4 years in the AZ sun, tires succumb to cuts anyways as the rubber dry-rots. But up until that time, the grip is great.
I'm on Toyo R/Ts for my trail truck, mainly because in the Phoenix area, getting a hand on a GY MT/R was exceedingly difficult; 315s were a problem, 37s even more so. It seemed GY were making larger truck tires when they perhaps felt like, or perhaps it had to do with when they were making tires for the military.
As far as I'm concerned, BFG are far too optimistic about the size of their tires - the "37" BFG ATs I once had measured 1/4" over 35" with the weight of the truck (a K5 at ~ 3 tons). The Toyo R/T measured 1" taller, same truck, same wheels. Those are past 3 years now, we'll see how they do in the next year.
COYS
SILVER Star
I can only live in the present. Original KOs were never in the buying equation and won’t ever be because they’re old and have been replaced with new tech. It was KO2, duratracs, or AT2s for me earlier this year. I simply chose the newest model.
On a semi-related note, I just drove from LA to Seattle with a stop in NorCal. My 35” KO2 interstate driven thoughts...
-I don’t want any louder than this type of tire. My set is 3k miles young. I can hear the big pickup trucks buzzing by on much more aggressive tread. MTs are much too fatiguing for me on long hauls. Look sweet though!
-70 mph is the sweet spot... no louder than going 55 mph. 75 mph is pushing it. Buzzing a bit.
-pavement type makes a noticeable diff in ride quality and noise. I actually prefer driving on the concrete gray slab construction type as I find them less grooved and smoother than cheap tar asphalt which also seems to crown a lot more. Even the newer paved asphalt surfaces not a fan in the 80 or my other car with 17.5lbs 20” BBS roadforced wheels wrapped w Michelin ps4s.
Km3 dreams have disappeared with this road trip. I’m bone stock other than modest lift and 4.88s which rock on climbs and altitude. Zero gear hunting.
If k03s dura2s or at3s get quieter I’m all in.
You know what they say; when in doubt,whip it out, which means buy 37’s and have none of that buyers remorse.
The SS trxus radial is a soft tire that won’t last as long as the other ordinary tires mentioned so far but it’s a very tough tire that grabs snow, ice, rocks, dirt, mud,tree roots, wet asphalt, and small animals. It’s soft, siped, won’t chunk out and the tread design clears out well. The icing on the cake is that they are unbelievably quiet not just for what they are but unbelievably quiet. I think it has to do with the soft rubber compound or maybe my OCD rotations and air pressure checks.
Also on the plus side is that they are truly 37” tall and have a somewhat narrow tread width making then easier to tuck up into the 80 series fenders. If you are going to pound pavement driving to the mall in your 80 A LOT, probably not the tire for you because they do wear faster.
Ater 12k miles my trxus are quieter, better handling on the road and way better off road than any other aggressive tire I have ever had. Although, I did love my 35” original MTR’s from years ago they are a distant second place. The second gen MTR’s were a mistake altogether.
When I was shopping for cruiser tires last time, I gave heavy consideration to the Cooper STT Pro also but after messaging with two Mud members who had nothing but good things to say about the trxus, other than tread life, and reading other info available elsewhere on the web, I had to try me a set of these sexy tires. And don’t believe all the hype about how impossible they are to balance. Mine have never had more than 7 ounces of lead on them.
Duratracs are marketed as a commercial traction tire. The first time I saw one I got kind of excited because it reminded me of my dad’s snow tires when I was a kid in Norther Michigan. As I said earlier, I run Duratracs on my 3/4 T Dodge for nearly 100k now (second set) and I will buy them again.
KO2’s remind me so much of the original BFG AT that was popular, what, 25 yeas ago? I have no internest in even looking at them.
I had Duratracs and they were hard to balance, got loud after a few thousand miles and sidewall separated at one of the little triangle treads. Perfect crack straight down.
I owned ko2s and older bfg kos and never liked them in snow or ice. Otherwise they were good on all other things.
Currently running Mickey Thompson atzp3 and think they have been the best all around tire I’ve ever owned. Good in all conditions. Hold up without chunking on tough rock trails and still are fairly quiet with good tread life. I’m about to put on toyo open country mts because I got a dealon them. We will see how they do!
I owned ko2s and older bfg kos and never liked them in snow or ice. Otherwise they were good on all other things.
Currently running Mickey Thompson atzp3 and think they have been the best all around tire I’ve ever owned. Good in all conditions. Hold up without chunking on tough rock trails and still are fairly quiet with good tread life. I’m about to put on toyo open country mts because I got a dealon them. We will see how they do!
How long do a set of truxus last? Ok
The number of miles they last will depend on a few variables, but from what I have gathered, from those who have had them longer than myself, you should expect 30k if not more.
I found info saying the trXus in 37x12.5r16 have 21/32” of tread depth when new. At 12k miles mine measure an average of 16/32”. During this 12k miles there has been a good deal of wheeling on rocks and plenty of wheel spin.
If you DD your 80 because it’s the only car you have, this is probably not a good choice of tires for you. I like to replace my wheeling tires every 4 years, or so, no matter what and these TrXus will certainly last me that long because my 80 sits in the garage until I decide I want to drive it that day or we go off-roading.
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