Smaller More Aggressive or Larger Less Aggressive Tires?

[DallasCrzr]

Hey all, I picked up my first cruiser, or lx, about a week ago. After reading this forum for over a year it's been engrained in my brain to upgrade this into a trail rig. There's just no other way it can happen.

So my first upgrade will be tires. I feel like that is the probably going to give me the most performance upgrade for my buck. So after doing my searching around here I had decided I wanted 295/75/16 Nitto Trail Grapplers. Then upon further research discovered the biggest they make for a 16" wheel is the 285/70.

Those tires look like very aggressive off road tires especially given that where I tend to be off road theres a lot of mud and being in texas you encounter a lot of slippery clay and the like.

It looks like the BFG A/T are the only ones that come in 295/75 but they are a less aggressive tire. The KM2 comes in 285/75 but not 295.

So there's a trade off whichever way I go. Does the larger size of the BFG A/T make up for it's less aggressive tread or would the smaller but more aggressive tire be better?

 

[2000UZJ]

285 AT's vs 305KM's are very similar in side wall height, it's the width. 305's are 20mm wider and much, much more aggressive. I have ran both tires on the 100 and hands down the KM-2's are the winner.


If I were to do it again on a trail rig, I would of saved a lot of money and went with the KM-2's first time around rather than swapping the AT's with 80% tread life, they just did not perform like I thought they would. It all depends on your wheeling style, and how you choose yours lines. The AT's took me 90% of the places I wanted to go. The KM-2's take my 95% of the places I want to go but much safer and more controlled.

 

[farinvail]

Depends on your needs. Where you gonna drive? I prefer an AT tire to mud. I run a lot of pavement, snow, dirt, rocks, Very little mud. I have no need for a mud tire. Anual rainfall near me is less than 13" I carry chains if I think it's gonna be muddy. There is no right answer. I really liked the 295. 75.r16 Nitto Terra grappler and BFG At in same size. I prefer load range D tires to E. Something else to be aware of.

 

[TheFuzz]

There are far fewer options in 295, but there are some good ones. Looks harder!

Some of my top picks in 295 (ie, ones I'm considering currently):

Nitto Terra Grappler - always a solid choice. Used em, love em.

General Grabber AT2 - looks very much like a BFG ATKO with a much lower price tag. I've read VERY positive reviews. These rate higher than the BFGs, actually. These are currently on national backorder right now though - they are popular suckers.

Hankook DynaPro MT RT03 - This will probably be my pick. Aggressive tread without getting into true "mud terrain" territory. Great reviews, only moderately noisy on the street.

 

[DallasCrzr]

Thanks for the info thats pretty much what I thought but since I don't have a lift (yet) and I really don't want to go much bigger than 33-33.5" diameter I don't think I could fit the 305's from what I've read here without rubbing.

I've seen some of your pictures 200uzj and you do some terrain I dont think ill encounter very much. im really worried about mud and slush and that slick clay.

I guess im asking my best option with a max size of 295/75

Edit: You guys are too fast for me lol, I'll definitely check into those three tires in the 295, I just don't know about fitting the 305 on there. The less problems to deal with the better

 

[2000UZJ]

Thanks for the info thats pretty much what I thought but since I don't have a lift (yet) and I really don't want to go much bigger than 33-33.5" diameter I don't think I could fit the 305's from what I've read here without rubbing.

I've seen some of your pictures 200uzj and you do some terrain I dont think ill encounter very much. im really worried about mud and slush and that slick clay.

I guess im asking my best option with a max size of 295/75

You will be fine with both sizes. I will admit, I like the ride of the KM-2's much better than the AT's. Then again I got a bad batch of AT's and had to swap early, KM-2's seem much softer over the rough stuff. MT's in GA is a must, red clay and GA clay will get in yours tires and cake them. The KM-2's are self cleaning yet, they turn into mud skates in GA Clay. AT's were dangerous where I live, but don't let my words scare you into a MT where you possibly don't like the noise or onroad manners, they are different on the street and in poor weather, much different.

Here is a side by side comparison between width and height of a 295 (15K) and KM-2 right off the shelf. Not much difference other than width and tread. They are loud compared to AT's, but very quiet compared to other MT's. Choose the tire that will least affect your current driving style, if you do massive amounts of highway driving, maybe a AT is for you. If you don't care about the mileage of the tire and the noise but want the performance, go with a MT. I have no regrets going to a MT

 

[DallasCrzr]

That side by side makes the A/T look like a high performance summer racing tire...so that KM2 is a 305/70? Would I have rubbing problems with no lift and that tire? I have AHC and have been thinking about doing the slee AHC mod til I can get around to an OME heavy 2.5"

 

[2000UZJ]

That side by side makes the A/T look like a high performance summer racing tire...so that KM2 is a 305/70? Would I have rubbing problems with no lift and that tire? I have AHC and have been thinking about doing the slee AHC mod til I can get around to an OME heavy 2.5"

AT was a 296/75/16 and the KM-2 is a 305/70/16. Very similar in size once put on the 100. I don't see any issues with rubbing. I found it shocking that my 295's rubbed in the rear wheel wells and the 305's do not. I have yet to see frame rub, or fender rubbing with the 305's. They are close to the A-arm, but do not make contact in any position. Only thing I must worn you about is the cost, be prepared to gasp when you see the bill.

 

[Dobie]

My next tire on the radar are the wrangler duratracs !

 

[Jamomac]

I have an LX with 265s on right now, but I think my next purchase will be 295 Terra Gs. I had a set of 20s that came with the car and the tires were 305 and I had no rubbing issues.

 

[DallasCrzr]

Only thing I must worn you about is the cost, be prepared to gasp when you see the bill.

Yeah I just priced up some KM2s on discount tire and it added up to 1700 with the repair replacement certificate which i think would be worth it. I was figuring around 1300 but I forgot about the spare.

I also just checked out the Toyo Open Country MT's, they look pretty sweet but I haven't seen anybody here use them which makes me wonder. I'm gonna do a little more research.

I like the look of those wrangler duratracs but the tread is pretty close together in the middle which would make it hard to clear mud that I'll surely get in there.

 

[1loudLX]

nobody uses the open country MTs? Not sincity, hoser, crux, me?

 

[2000UZJ]

Yeah I just priced up some KM2s on discount tire and it added up to 1700 with the repair replacement certificate which i think would be worth it. I was figuring around 1300 but I forgot about the spare.

I also just checked out the Toyo Open Country MT's, they look pretty sweet but I haven't seen anybody here use them which makes me wonder. I'm gonna do a little more research.

I like the look of those wrangler duratracs but the tread is pretty close together in the middle which would make it hard to clear mud that I'll surely get in there.

price is definitely absurd. You can see more pictures of the KM-2's if you click on my link in my sig. Let's see some pics when they get mounted!

Good luck with the tire debate, seems to be the hardest part about building a offroader

 

[Mean Green]

Count yourself lucky to be shopping for tires to go on your 16" wheels. 18" wheels take the sticker shock to a whole new level.

 

[Dobie]

I think the biggest issue with the open country MTs is they are HEAVY tires. I'd imagine in the power performance/gas mileage/braking area you would notice a large difference than a different tire with similar tires.

 

[DallasCrzr]

I think the biggest issue with the open country MTs is they are HEAVY tires. I'd imagine in the power performance/gas mileage/braking area you would notice a large difference than a different tire with similar tires.

Yeah from what ive read around in the last day youre spot on. Im thinking KM2 is how im gonna go. Really like the way the trail grapplers look but apparently they wear out kinda fast. I feel like the km2 is the best for a daily driver relatively speaking for a tire that aggressive.

 

[Littl42]

Is this going to be your DD? I fitted 285/70/17 BFG AT to my DD and very happy with it. No rubbing anywhere and pretty quiet on road. It does a good job off road in mud and dirt, obviously has its limitations. But at 30 000km per year I thought it is a good compromise

 

[DallasCrzr]

nobody uses the open country MTs? Not sincity, hoser, crux, me?

Well i guess i should have said nobody id seen. Whats the best way to find build threads? Ive heard about yours around but never seen it.

Is this going to be your DD? I fitted 285/70/17 BFG AT to my DD and very happy with it. No rubbing anywhere and pretty quiet on road. It does a good job off road in mud and dirt, obviously has its limitations. But at 30 000km per year I thought it is a good compromise

Yeah its my dd. Thing is i really dont drive a whole lot. Maybe 9k miles a year + whatever road trips i have $and time for. I like the AT but theres just so much more mud than any other terrain here

 

[rlawdawg]

Count yourself lucky to be shopping for tires to go on your 16" wheels. 18" wheels take the sticker shock to a whole new level.

I just purchased an 03 LC and have been trying to locate 16" wheels to replace the 18's it came with. It's been really frustrating..done tons of searches and have a really hard time finding any. I will think I found some since the selling company says they'll fit. Then after doing more research, mostly on this site, I learn they won't work out..I feel ya with the sticker shock!

 

[Dobie]

I looked around and bought an additional set of oem sixteen inch wheels. I ended spending a couple hundred more including wheels and tires vs getting tires for my 18s. Now I have an extra set of 18s that I could put 33s ATs on for winter tires.