BFG AT trouble.
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 19, 2005 at 22:58
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GeoffSA
Hi All. I have a set of BFG AT KO's 275/70/16 on my Landcruiser TD (IFS front end). At 44,000 km they are almost shagged despite spending 80% of their life on the tarmac. The treads are badly worn accross all tires and now they have started to shed lumps of tread block down to the casing. The outside shoulders of the passenger side fronts keep wearing down rapidly despite 3 wheel alignments and two rotations to date - I am told they are too stuffed to rotate now.
I am obsessively careful with pressures (around 35psi on road and 30 or less off road), do not do hard terrain and travel max 90kmh off road to avoid punctures. I often tow a trailer. My last two sets of BFGs (on 80 series) lasted 90 thousand.
Asking around tyre dealers I have heard a few comments about reduced quality of BFG tyres, then they try to sell me another brand.
Has anyone had a similar experience. Why do you think this might have happened and what should I do?
Thanks for any advice.
Geoff.
Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:05
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:05
Geoff
that certainly sounds unusual. I just got 80,000 out of a set on the LX470 and the rears still had lots of tread left.
I'd be thinking: how long have you had the 100 series? do you know its history?are the tyres made in USA?
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: GeoffSA - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:35
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:35
Thanks for the reply.
Had the cruiser since Jan 04, brand new. Tyres are made in USA.
FollowupID:
389300
Reply By: Member - John Thomas B (VIC) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:37
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:37
Geoff I run BFG T/A they seem fine however I've just done 6500Klm on them Loaded and found that the tyre presures have a lot to do witrh it. GVM around 2700 Kg with 40PSI rear and 38PSI front is best.
Good luck.
AnswerID:
135364
Reply By: Member - Ivan (ACT) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:38
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:38
Hi Geoff,
I've got some BFG AT KO's 265/75/16 on a 90 Series Prado - they've done (believe it or not) 44,000 km as
well. Very bad chipping, tread block tears (in a couple of
places down to the casing). Not shedding lumps of tread (but I'll be looking out for that..) I reckon I'll get another 10,000 out of them, but they'll be close to slicks by then ;-)
A very similar story - I wonder if they were out of the same batch!
AnswerID:
135365
Reply By: vitara - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:56
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 07:56
Hi there Geoff, I am running the bfs on the hilux. I had heard bad reports on these prior to me buying
mine, the reason was that they were trying to produce them in thailand/china and the quality was a major issue and they had a huge loss in sales due to this. They have now started to manufacture again in usa where they we made in the first place.Should be stamped on the tyre where they were made.This info was given to me buy a mate who has worked in the tyre game for about 15 years, so I'm presuming he's not telling me porkys and I've had no troubles with
mine.I run 35psi all round and 40 in the rear only when I'm loaded and
mine cop a pretty hard time off roading, rocks etc.I bought
mine in march this year so it was prior to this they changed back to usa. I would be writing a leter to the manufacturer including the copy of your receipts for the alighnments and rotations and tell let them know your not happy, can only try. Goo luck Vitara
AnswerID:
135367
Reply By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 09:29
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 09:29
crikeys I have never got 45,000k on any tyres on any vehicles ever my first 4 by I was on my 3rd set when i sold it after 63,000
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Reply By: Member -Dodger - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 11:41
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 11:41
Some of our 4wd club members are having the same probs with the BFG AT KO's and they are stamped made in USA....
I have used BFG for the last 7 yrs and found them great and have avgd 70k per set however I was talked into Goodyear wranglers. These tyres are not even close to the previous BFG's as far as performance on or off the black top IMHO.
Going back to BFG as soon as I hear good reports and these X%x% tyres wear out.
AnswerID:
135397
Reply By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 13:23
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 13:23
My BFG's have 47,000k's on them, just went out and took some random tread depth measurements... Averaging 8mm of tread left.
Mine have been treated like crap, fair bit of off-road, rocks and the like. So far, very happy with them as I was with the last set(different vehicle though).
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Reply By: muzzgit (WA) - Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 22:00
Thursday, Oct 20, 2005 at 22:00
Same here. I bought 5 new BFG AT's the week I bought my second hand patrol (I'm not a big fan of Bridgestone's). I've now added 40,000 K's to it and am rather happy with them. These are my third set of BFG AT's on different vehicles and have no reason to contemplate changing.
My advice would be to contact Michelin Australia (the Australian distributor of BFG tyres)and ask what they will do to stop you going out and buying Coopers.
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Reply By: Member - Howard (ACT) - Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 13:28
Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 13:28
I am experiencing similar with BFG AT KOs.285/75/16'2 on landcruiser 80 Put a set of 4 on in 2003 for Kimberly trip. 15000km later rears were were 1/3 worn down but had about 15% of tread blocks chipped off. fronts seemed unaffected.normal wear pattern compared to previous set of ATs (non KO's0 ) which did 100,000 km.
The set of tyres which are only used for trips not daily running saw the rears completely shagged after about 25,000km including googs and simpson trips.fronts now have about 45000km but are down to about 1/4 tread and are starting to chip badly even though majority is blacktop running.
When the rears wore out I acquired a 2nd hand set of AT's which were run with the front KO's and they show no signs of abnormal wear at all over the last 20000km.
the KO's were USA manufacture.
howard
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: chump_boy - Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 21:13
Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 21:13
Hi Howard,
Is it marked on the tyre where it is made? I would like to check
mine as they were bought around the same time as the wearing ones, they are wearing a bit funny and I was not sure why,
Thanks Ben,
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389556
Reply By: Member - Bill F (VIC) - Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 21:57
Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 21:57
Geoff and all other responses
PLEASE type the amount of NORMAL weight and NORMAL tyre pressures eg. % of your total mileage of your normal month to month running on your tyres
Geoff, I think your tyre pressure is to low on the tarmac but I dont know if you carry around the kitchen sink like me (camper)
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Follow Up By: GeoffSA - Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 23:05
Friday, Oct 21, 2005 at 23:05
Thanks for the reply Bill.
Most day to day running is to work and back, 100% bitumen, maximum weight 2800kg. Family trips and weekends with four on board, about 50% off road, maximum weight 3200kg including weight of trailer drawbar. Overall about 20% off-road, road pressure 35psi, off road 30psi or less depending on how soft the terrain is. Have been down to low 20's on sand.
Geoff.
FollowupID:
389585
Reply By: Member - Banjo The First (SA) - Saturday, Oct 22, 2005 at 18:11
Saturday, Oct 22, 2005 at 18:11
Sorry to hear the saga Geoff - my USA made BFG's have been good to me on the Jack - we tow a camper over the outback stones for about 10-15% of our mileage - the rest is all urban - 80k was my limit on set one - this second set might do the same. Very strong and reliable tyre in my view - never had a flat - on the new camper too - you may have a dud batch - could also be that your frequent towing, combined with a heavy vehicle and gravel road surfaces may add up to a harsh environment for the tyres. We tour at 90k on the sealed, and go quite conservative re speeds on the gravel, with reduced pressures - 36/40 lbs for sealed - 8lbs less for the gravel - works for us. Could be a dud batch though, seeing you had a good run on the 80 series.
AnswerID:
135752