Tire Dilema. MT's or AT's (1 Viewer)

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Feb 16, 2007
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I ordered a set of BFG AT's from an Ebay store but received BFG MT's instead. Initially I thought of returning them for my first choice, but I do like the look and they're a more expensive tire. This is where I'm torn. Can someone answer these questions? The FAQ was helpful, but I think I need some more info before I can decide

1) Will siping help at all on wet or icy roads at all with this tire?

2) How much noiser are the MT's than the AT's on the highway?

I live in SoCal and do mostly city and highway driving except for about 5 to 10 trips a year to the Sierras both in the Winter to Ski and in the Summer to off-road etc. I've got a new lift and am still riding stock road tires. Am I just being impatient or is it a good idea to keep the Muds?
 
1) sping helps a lot. My Toyo MT's came siped from the factory, and I paid to have them siped some more.

2) Nvere had BFG MT's so I can't answer this, they will be louder, how much is unclear.

The MT's will grip better offroad.
 
Siping an MT changes the tire completely. I've run old style BFG MT's without siping and I might as well have been on a sled in the snow. Seen the same tire on the same rig but with siping and it's a different tire (in that case the old style BFG MT siped was a much better snow tire than the old style BFG AT).

MT's these days are hardly louder than AT's, and the BFG AT really isn't that quiet. Unless you are rock crawling and tearing up the outer tread blocks, I don't think it's a big deal (but keep them rotated).

So...yes, I would sipe them for all conditions if you are going to keep them. The big thing is you may have been expecting 60K miles out of your AT's, and you aren't gonna get that out of an MT. So from a pure treadlife perspective, you are paying more money because you will be buying tires sooner.

If you really need the tread life and snow performance, send 'em back and get a set of Nittos or Revos and skip BFG all together. They are a very dated design and you can get more tire for your money from other brands.
 
If you really need the tread life and snow performance, send 'em back and get a set of Nittos or Revos and skip BFG all together. They are a very dated design and you can get more tire for your money from other brands.

One of my best friends that lives in Anchorage would probably disagree. I talk to him and visit him regularly. He has siped BFG MT's and constantly praises them. He wheels pretty hard and now wants 37"super swampers. Having little experience in snow and ice myself, I won't profess to be any kind of expert but I completely respect his opinions as he's the main reason I ended up with an 80 in the first place. The couple times that he left me unattended, I found myself sliding through the same intersections he traversed without incident:D
 
Ask them for an additional discount to keep the MTs (think of what they are going to save on shipping a set of tires back and the correct set of tires to you) :)

Use the MTs for your off road trips and buy another set of ATs (whatever you like) for the rest of the year. I've had the Revo's and they are a decent tire.

Regardless of what you decide, if you keep the MTs get them siped. The $10-$20/tire most places charge is a small fee for the dramatic change. Of course you won't get to experience the change if you don't drive them before siping and then after but I'm with Romer in that siping a MT (even one that is semi siped from the factory like the Toyo MT) REALLY helps.
 
Don't drive them and THEN get them siped. Most places will not risk the expensive blade in their machine to sipe a used tire. The tires are full of grit and such from just a couple miles. Some shops might be dumb enough to do it, but here where siping is a very popular thing the shops know better.

DougM
 
I have to disagree - I found a HUGE difference in noise between the MT's and the AT's. I switched to the AT's and wouldn't go back. For primarily road use with some off roading, it's hard to beat the AT's. MT's just sucked for highway and driving around use, in my experience.
 
I have used both MT's and AT's. Both were siped. I drive in the moutains alot in winter, ice/snow/rain/etc. AT's are way better. MT's are much better off pavement. MT's with siping are not too bad in ice/snow/rain, as long as you slow down and drive like an old lady. But AT's are way better.

I ended up with MT's on my 60, and don't use it for winter driving. Use it for off-road and summer driving. I use the 80 for winter driving, have siped Michelins.

My recommendation is to return the MT's.
 
I live up here in AK and the AT's rule for the snow. I'd guess over 1/2 of the 4x4's up here are running the BFG A/T. I've seen a few MT up here in the winter. I used to run them in Washington on my truck, and theydid fine in the snow. I'd also recommend the siping. I ran them on my daily driver Toy pickup when I lived in So. Cal. I'd say they are a little louder than an A/T (at least compared to my Swampers). They ride fine and got good tread life, I'm actually looking at running them on my 80 for a summer tire.
 
BFG AT's suck off-road and suck on-road. BFG MT's just suck on-road. Buying the AT's was the worst mistake I ever made with the cruiser, because they last forever, slide like astro-glide on wet roads, gave me worse traction than my old Michelin LTX M/S, etc.

I'd go MT's or street tires. AT's accomplish pretty much nothing.
 
What rig did you have your ATs on? Mine doin great on road even in the rains that we get in memphis. ( when it rains it pours here) I mean, they arent a mud tire so when you go in the mud they are going to clog up pretty easy compared to the M/T. Ive heard great things about the mud terrains on road and off. Check tire rack for some reviews of both.
 
BFG AT's suck off-road and suck on-road. BFG MT's just suck on-road. Buying the AT's was the worst mistake I ever made with the cruiser, because they last forever, slide like astro-glide on wet roads, gave me worse traction than my old Michelin LTX M/S, etc.

I'd go MT's or street tires. AT's accomplish pretty much nothing.

Finally, a voice of reason. Nothing like a tire that is expensive, sucks, and lasts forever :flipoff2:

Let me say this one more time: trxus MT's are to BFG AT's in winter driving what snow shoes are to ballet shoes. Wear the ballet shoes to the dance hall, wear something that works if you are really going to need it.
 
BFG AT's suck off-road and suck on-road. BFG MT's just suck on-road. Buying the AT's was the worst mistake I ever made with the cruiser, because they last forever, slide like astro-glide on wet roads, gave me worse traction than my old Michelin LTX M/S, etc.

I'd go MT's or street tires. AT's accomplish pretty much nothing.

That's a pretty big generalization... My AT's on my LX450 have been fine... Lots of wet and snowy road miles without incident. At River Shiver I made the whole weekend unchained and made it up everything (better than most), I needed one tug from a poorly choosen line. I also yanked a Fullsize Dodge PU, buried to his frame out of 2 ft of snow and dragged him 200 feet to the road... on BFG AT's.
If you drive 90% on road good distances the AT isn't a bad tire at all.
That being said, I have PROCOMP MT's on my 40, but it serves a different purpose: Few road miles, lots of wheeling.
 
What rig did you have your ATs on? Mine doin great on road even in the rains that we get in memphis. ( when it rains it pours here) I mean, they arent a mud tire so when you go in the mud they are going to clog up pretty easy compared to the M/T. Ive heard great things about the mud terrains on road and off. Check tire rack for some reviews of both.

I agree whole heartily. I had the old BFG ATs on my Jeep wrangler going 80 mph during a Tropical storm heading down to Brownsville TX on the left lane - nary a problem only when there was deep standing water. My experience.
 
keep the MTs and sipe them if you're planning on wheeling the rig.

send them back and get the ATs if you'll rarely, if ever wheel.
 
I faced this same dilema after selling the Cooper STT's that I had when I was thinking about selling my 80. I threw the old LTXs back on and they are great on the highway, but I picked up a piece of glass through the sidewall and bam I needed tires. I had been thinking about AT or MT and with my experience with the Coopers (although I think they use a softer rubber and wore to fast, my friend that I sold them to barely puts 8K on LX so he didn't care) I didn't mind the extra sound and vibration. I got a great deal (at least I think so) on the Toyos MT in 285s from my local discount who matched the price off the web of $183 per tire plus $20 shipping. So they ended up being $203 a tire, and the BFG AT was $188. I have had the BFG on my last truck and while they last forever, I just didn't care for them when it was wet or slick. I duck hunt a lot as well as train my retrievers, so for me having the added ability to get into some nasty terrain and have a tire that may get me out where the AT would leave me stuck is worth the money. Keep the MT and get them siped, plus they look cooler :cool: My .02.
 
Got the AT's on my 80 and can't wait to get rid of 'em. I've run MT's (mud tire anyway) on the last several 40's and the 55 I had and you give up little on road but the true test is off the pavement. The AT's I have now ned to go.

Sipe the MT's and run 'em. My opinion

:beer:
 
Finally, a voice of reason. Nothing like a tire that is expensive, sucks, and lasts forever :flipoff2:

Let me say this one more time: trxus MT's are to BFG AT's in winter driving what snow shoes are to ballet shoes. Wear the ballet shoes to the dance hall, wear something that works if you are really going to need it.

I couldn't agree more. My Trxus MT's really outperformed my Revo AT's in the snow this past winter, on identical terrain/conditions. Those tires are UNBELIEVABLE in the snow!

I would also pick up a nice set of LTX's or similar street or even AT tire like the REVOS. They can often be had used, along with a 2nd set of rims. It may be worth swapping a couple of times per year.
 
I have had both BFG MTs and ATs. I am not a fan of the BFG MTs, they are great for about 10k then become really loud due to cupping and always need constant balancing to try and combat this. I have wheeled my BFG ATs from Moab to Mexico to Big Bear to Calico. I have never had a problem due to traction and I get a nice and quite ride on the street. Here in SoCal we see very little rain, and mud is almost nonexistent. In rocks you want lots of edges not big lugs, take a look at the tread you will see which one has more edges. In my opinion for a daily driver that sees trail use there is no better tire then the BFG AT.

Tonygray looks like you are in SoCal, check in and introduce yourself to the other members of SoCal 80s in the Clubhouse Connor section.
 
I have had both BFG MTs and ATs. I am not a fan of the BFG MTs, they are great for about 10k then become really loud due to cupping and always need constant balancing to try and combat this. I have wheeled my BFG ATs from Moab to Mexico to Big Bear to Calico. I have never had a problem due to traction and I get a nice and quite ride on the street. Here in SoCal we see very little rain, and mud is almost nonexistent. In rocks you want lots of edges not big lugs, take a look at the tread you will see which one has more edges. In my opinion for a daily driver that sees trail use there is no better tire then the BFG AT.

Tonygray looks like you are in SoCal, check in and introduce yourself to the other members of SoCal 80s in the Clubhouse Connor section.

Hey, thanks for the advice. I had a feeling the ATs would be a better choice and more practical. But I guess I'll have to figure that out the hard way because I gave in and had the MTs mounted. :doh: I love the way they looked and got them for below cost do to the distributor's mix-up. If I notice them underperforming or becoming too loud I'll pull em and get some ATs. I'm sure I'll be able to get a good price for the MTs if they don't have too many miles on them.

I'll check in with you at the SoCal 80s
 

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