I have a 2017 GX with stock wheels and its time for new tires. I live in the Northwest so lots of rain and I ski so some snow driving as well . I think BFG KO2s, Nitto Ridge Grapplers or Falken wildpeak at3w? Thoughts mixed reviews on all of them. Any input would be great. Thanks again.
Tire recommendations
- Thread starter AceKerman
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WA state passes are maintained quite well... I'd be looking at what performs best on ice myself as that is an area that would give me pause versus driving through several feet of snow. What rubber compound is closest to a winter tire.
Im pretty sure there is a tire thread about this as well.
forum.ih8mud.com
Search results for query: tire thread
forum.ih8mud.com
Dunno if it helps but bought some Nitto Ridge Grapplers for both my 460 and my wife’s 470 (265/70/17 on both) and the rain performance was pretty good in a couple of good old fashioned Texas flash flood rain storms.
Haven't tested snow yet, but hopefully in the next 6 months we will get on a road trip to the Pacific Northwest to try it out.
Haven't tested snow yet, but hopefully in the next 6 months we will get on a road trip to the Pacific Northwest to try it out.
I’ve heard good things about the newer Toyo AT3, but run KO2s
r2m
Richard
My KO2's mud terrains do not work very well on ice. Everything else, they're great! And after over 30,000 miles, they still have lots of tread!!
Also, if you look at TireRack: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Tire...us&autoYear=2013&autoModel=GX460&autoModClar=
They have reiveiws and ratings of their tires. That may be a good resource for checking out TireRacks test results and also seeing what other's think of their tires.
Also, if you look at TireRack: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Tire...us&autoYear=2013&autoModel=GX460&autoModClar=
They have reiveiws and ratings of their tires. That may be a good resource for checking out TireRacks test results and also seeing what other's think of their tires.
all good choices.........
Been wanting to try the Falkins myself.......
running two sets of Goodyear UT's right now
Been wanting to try the Falkins myself.......
running two sets of Goodyear UT's right now
Not impressed with overrated Falken's, KO2's are great in everything but snow, and much to my surprise I am very pleased with the Ridge Grapplers. I haven't had them in snow yet but they are great everywhere else. Given your location I voted for the Ride Grapplers over the KO2's.
Not on your list, but I have read great reviews on the Michelin defender M/S. These are not an AT tire, but the do claim to have offroad and winter weather capability. They look a little boring though.
Not on your list and very heavy - Cooper ST Maxx.
I live in Pittsburgh where we get more than our fair share of rain and slushy snow. I ran BFG KOs for years on several different Jeeps and never cared for their wet or snow performance. I switched to Goodyear DuraTracs on my Tacoma, much better wet/snow performance but were soft and wore quickly. I have ST Maxx tires on my GX and I love them. They are hands down the best tires I've had in snow and rain. I've had them for two years and almost 20k and I constantly get asked if I just got new tires. I feel like at this rate, I'll have them for 10 years. The only downside is they're E load rating and they weigh like 60lbs a piece. Getting used to driving with cement blocks for tires took some time, but I don't notice them now.
I live in Pittsburgh where we get more than our fair share of rain and slushy snow. I ran BFG KOs for years on several different Jeeps and never cared for their wet or snow performance. I switched to Goodyear DuraTracs on my Tacoma, much better wet/snow performance but were soft and wore quickly. I have ST Maxx tires on my GX and I love them. They are hands down the best tires I've had in snow and rain. I've had them for two years and almost 20k and I constantly get asked if I just got new tires. I feel like at this rate, I'll have them for 10 years. The only downside is they're E load rating and they weigh like 60lbs a piece. Getting used to driving with cement blocks for tires took some time, but I don't notice them now.
I just installed falken Wildpeak at3w 265/65/18
on my 2012 and I’m very happy with them. Tread is very aggressive and they ride quiet... I did a quick video here: . Lot of options out there - good luck!
Many of the glowing reviews I see for falkens are people who just put them on and haven’t really done much with them. The size I’m going with I’m limited to the cooper st maxx and the ko2’s. I’ve heard a lot of people say they weren’t happy with the ko2 and they do poorly in mud.
Not on your list (mentioned once) Goodyear Duratrac
I'm similarly on the Salish Sea in Ballard with regular runs into our mountain passes year round. I'm running the tire on the tall skinny side as a 255/70R 18. I've found them to be great with standing water on I-90 and on our NW transitional often slushy snow (32deg +/- 10deg)... This is my second experience (after GY tall/skinny on an FJ62). 10K miles on this set and doing 5 tire rotation at 5K miles. I've been pleased with them included 10ish days of backcountry travel this summer. Airs up and down well.
Note that the Tirerack reviews for this tire are under "on-off road commercial traction" and these metrics rate it higher that the ST Maxx on wet, snow and overall.
I previously ran Toyo AT2 on a UZJ100 in between and found good offroad, but less grip in NW snow and rain...
Unsolicited but... I purchased at Discount Tire Shoreline and I think they treated me and the truck well. Good service at fair price.
I'm similarly on the Salish Sea in Ballard with regular runs into our mountain passes year round. I'm running the tire on the tall skinny side as a 255/70R 18. I've found them to be great with standing water on I-90 and on our NW transitional often slushy snow (32deg +/- 10deg)... This is my second experience (after GY tall/skinny on an FJ62). 10K miles on this set and doing 5 tire rotation at 5K miles. I've been pleased with them included 10ish days of backcountry travel this summer. Airs up and down well.
Note that the Tirerack reviews for this tire are under "on-off road commercial traction" and these metrics rate it higher that the ST Maxx on wet, snow and overall.
I previously ran Toyo AT2 on a UZJ100 in between and found good offroad, but less grip in NW snow and rain...
Unsolicited but... I purchased at Discount Tire Shoreline and I think they treated me and the truck well. Good service at fair price.
I've run both for 20k(+) miles a piece on different vehicles. I was very pleased with DuraTracs in slush/snow conditions. They're snowflake rated and almost as soft as dedicated snow tires like Bridgestone Blizzaks with tons of siping. The trade off (in my experience) is a very soft riding tire that wears relatively quickly (mine also started chunking from mild off-road driving around 25k). They did grab well off-road, but I wouldn't trust them to hold up to root/rock punctures on the trail.
My ST Maxxs (also a "commercial" tire) seem to be as good as DuraTracs in the snow and better off-road (granted, my DuraTracs were on a Tacoma and my Coopers are on a heavier SUV, so not apples to apples). However, they are heavy, stiffer (only E-rated), and they do get noisier than the DuraTracs did after 15k-20k.
That said, if OP is looking for help with snow driving to the slopes and not heavy off-road use, I'd agree that DuraTracs are probably the way to go simply because you can get them in the lighter C rating and there's no need for an E rated tire in that scenario.
Were are you at in Pittsburgh? I'm up in Wexford/Gibsonia.
While DuraTrac's have a simple and pleasant design and they do well on road and in the sand, I found them to be a subpar tire overall. They are soft and wore fast and funny and they left a lot to be desired in the mud. My biggest complaint about the tire is the weak sidewall. Between me and my father we've had four puncture flats with the Goodyear Duratrac which is most likely why these tires have earned the nickname "DuraCraps".
I ran DuraTrac's on a Range Rover Sport Supercharged, and they did pretty well overall. I agree they wore a little on the fast side, but on a heavy truck I didn't think it was terrible out of line.
I lived in Utah at the time - they were pretty good in slush / snow.
My only real complaint with them was that as they wore, they got LOUD. By the time they were 50% worn, I think they were every bit as loud as a mud tire.
I lived in Utah at the time - they were pretty good in slush / snow.
My only real complaint with them was that as they wore, they got LOUD. By the time they were 50% worn, I think they were every bit as loud as a mud tire.
Murrysville. I am originally from Wexford though!
Nice! We have family and friends in Murrysville.
TCEd
SILVER Star
I have the Nitto Grapplers since June and they seem to be very loud or quiet dependent on the road surface. with some asphalt surfaces they have a high pitch whine and others quiet. Hope they are good in snow as we get a lot. ed
