Tyre choice for 15,000 km trip
Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 12:37
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workhorse
I drive a Ford Courier ute with a canopy and all the bits which weighs in it at 2800kg.
Im leaving for 10 weeks of travelling with 20% bitumen the rest sand,gravel, gibber.
I currently run BFG KM2 for the
farm and all other driving. They are great.
I am deciding on what tyre for the trip and have considered these.
BFG KM2 muddies -
PROS - have them now. great on and off road.
CONS - My main concern is their 110 (D) load rating and poss wear rate
$230
Maxxis Buckshot -
PROS - my last set. They were great, did everything I wanted. Have a 115 (E) rating
CONS - wonder if they are as good a tyre as BFG technically
$215
Cooper AT3 - no experience with these. Have used ST and ST Maxx
PROS - 115 load rating, harder sidewalls
CONS - not used to going back to ATs after living in muddies now.
$240
Prices are too close to consider a factor.
Any
feedback?
Reply By: olcoolone - Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 13:44
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 13:44
The only benefit in muddies is in muddy conditions and then it has to be pretty muddy to show any real advantage.
A mud tyre will chip more, has less
puncture resistance, worse handling , more noise and increases fuel consumption.
We use to run Toyo Open Country M/t/s on our last 4x4 and they were a fantastic tyre, when we got the 200 series we went to Mickey Thompson MTZ's...... they are the worse tyres I have ever used.
After 25k we changed over to Cooper S/T Maxx's and I love them..... they handle
well, are quite, work
well in mud and are fantastic on fast unsealed roads and sand.
I have come to the conclusion about muddies....... why have a tyre that you're only going to see any advantage with in maybe 5% of driving and for the other 95% you have to put up with noise, bad handling, less strength and increased fuel consumption.
AnswerID:
509607
Follow Up By: Member - Leigh (Vic) - Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 19:43
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 19:43
Cannot help but think its the 5% where it can all turn to sh#t though!
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Reply By: Mountain Goat - Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 19:06
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013 at 19:06
I'm onto my second set of Mickey Thompson ATZ LT tyres after getting around 140,000kms out of the last set of 5 in the rotation.
I think they are a brilliant tyre for all-round traction, wear and
puncture resistance.
If i was to go for another similarly good tyre, I would go for Cooper's new ST Maxx.
After a mate's 4WD blew a Maxis sidewall out on a
rock that an MT or Cooper would roll over, and had me lying in the mud and rain changing it for him, I will never go for a cheap tyre. You get what you pay for.
AnswerID:
509624
Reply By: workhorse - Thursday, Apr 25, 2013 at 20:31
Thursday, Apr 25, 2013 at 20:31
Thanks for the replies.
Im pretty used to the specifics of my vehicle driving it daily around some pretty steep muddy
farm tracks, rotten potholed dirt road into town, winding bitumen mountain road and highway. Its been on long highway runs, Fraser Island,northern NSW forests, gravel roads out west. Im fortunate to run several sets of tyres at the same time having 3 sets of rims. This allows me to have a good idea of the small differences in tyres driving them back to back. A newset of tyres will always feel different to a worn set. The tyres Ive run have been BFG AT, Cooper ST, Toyo M55, Maxxis Buckshot, Cooper ST Maxx. None of these tyres were bad. I dont believe in bad tyres, possibly an occassional defect but some tyres are more suited to certain vehicles and certain conditions more than others.I dont have a mind set for or against any brand, that seems limiting. Comments that one brand are rubbish and others perfect dont hold water considering the number of tyres manufactured and the abuse they are subjected to intentionally or not. Im surprised by comments on tyres by those who havent driven on them and havetnt driven my vehicle with them on. An example are the Cooper ST Maxx tyres. I think these are fantastic tyres but not suited for my lighter Courier ute. On this trip, loaded up they would be a good choice but when I return and run around empty they will be too hard walled for me. I had them for a few thousand kms and thats how they rode on my vehicle. A 100 series running around empty at approx 2800kg may ride completely differently.
I was hoping some
feedback might be a bit more based on actual experiences mixed with the vehicle type I have not just blanket comments.
In the end I will take mud tyres as Im 80% off road on this trip, love them on the gravel and think some extra grip if it turns to manure out there is sensible. I was hoping some comment might have been made about the specific query about the load rating of the BFG KM2 Vs the others. I have decided if BFG has given them a lower load rating Ill take their advice.
Buying the tyres tomorrow (Maxxis Buckshots) and will let you know how they faired on my return in late July.
Many thanks
AnswerID:
509781