Tyres

Thats a first??
BFG are pretty good.

Its the Cooper's you got to be careful with.

Hi Aimie,

I can see this thread developing with a huge divergence of opinions, but I'll start by nominating Mickey Thompson. Have had a really good run with the ATZs as well as the Dick Cepek varieties.

Had BFG's a number of years ago and they were good, but suffered tread fractures on rocky tracks when getting more than about half worn. Mind you, the ones I didn't destroy lasted around 80,000 km.

Mate in our 4wd club recently bought a full set of Kelly's - very nice looking tyre. Will be watching with interest to see how they go.

Cheers
Gerry

Hi Aimie L

This thread will open a can of worms.lol

Ive got a set of BFG's and they have lasted well. Ive done 48000km and will prob last another 15000km or so.

I believe it comes down to how they are driven, whether the pressures are lowered when they are required etc.

Most the reputable brands would be OK though.

Cheers Mike

I just shredded my first BFG AT after four sets. Tread started letting go but carcase didnt blow. Mind you it had done way over 120,000km and was about 9+ years old.

Im not bagging Bfg`s but the all terrains to me seem to be to much of a road tyre.
So I got the Dick Cepeks FC-II`s made by mickey thompson. They have a bit more agressive tread but not like a mud tyre.
Just got 95,000kms from a set of 33`s, would have got 100,000kms easy,but needed a new set for our next trip in 2 weeks..

I've destroyed them all. BFG's, Coopers (St's only), Dick Cepek FC2's, even the old Desert Duellers. They're all much of a muchness. The new model BFG have rave reviews but they all seem to be from parties that are reliant on advertsing revenues (sic; ARB, APC magazines). Coopers get the same wrap from the same self interested parties. Dependant on your intended useage, save yourself $150 a tyre and put on some Iron man LT65's. If you are doing some serious O/R work, Toyo Open Country M/T's. They appear to me to be the best, mind you they have a hefty price tag as well.

Cheers Mick

Hey Everyone,

Thanks heaps for your comments about the BFG's. Varied indeed! opening up a can of worms on that one! But some great comments on other options so thanks a million - as always.

cheers
aimie

Told by tyre dealer that BFs are hard to keep balanced, requiring regular balancing, and that people only buy them for the white writing on them. I said this to my mate, who is a tyre fitter and he said that the most common tyres that he is always fixing are the BF M/Ts.(which could mean 2 things, everyone has them, or there crap) Followed very closely by Coopers (which does mean 2 things, alot of idiots have them and there crap). I dont think i have ever heard of them blowing out for no reason though. Usually last a long time in all conditions the BF tyres.

I believe that in years to come the Bridgestone Dueler 694LT will be the tyres that all are judged upon though. Very good tyre. I am not not biased, or paid by them, or one eyed or anything. I have done the hard yards and the testing over heaps of country up here, and they are best for me in this country up here. Remember it really comes down to, Pressures, Speed, Conditions, Driving Style, Tread design, Tread levels and Terrain. Cover all those aspects correctly and you will be miles ahead with any tyre given it is well made or of brand name status. Its really not set and forget with tyres, constant maintenance is required in a sense, then they will serve you far better then just forgetting about them.

After going through a few sets of tyres, you will soon learn what works and what doesnt. And your driving style will definitely change also. I would buy BF Goodrich, if they didnt have the balancing issues and if they were the same price as Duelers, but the Duelers work for me so i cant complain. I would go either of these two as they have proven themselves really well.

I am on my second set now of the ATs. I got 100 000km out of the first and they still had a bit of tread but were not performing well at that stage and I got my first flat tyre.

I would definitely recommend them as value for money because they will last you for ages and will not throw lugs and have the 3 ply sidewalls (not many if any ATs have a 3 ply sidewall).

I have 2 mates that went to coopers as they were a bit cheaper but they are both disappointed and will not buy them again.

Goodyear has a new tyre out that is cheaper than the BFGs and has slightly more aggressive tread pattern and has 6 ply walls and kevlar! I would consider these but I don't know how well they would bag out with such a rigid sidewall.

BFGs are definatey good tyres.

Aimie
If you were to see where Memeber Noel K just took his over some of the roughest and rocky terrain in the Gregory NP NT and without any problems you would buying them,
I had Yokohama's and I too would have no problems If I wasn't gawking at bloody cattle under a tree , I had just come up out of a creek , doing around 20Kph and run the r/h side drive tyre over a rock that looked like the Mattahorn mountain , No brand of tyre would have survived that, the tyre still has about 70,000 K's of tread left .

.

If you want some serious tyres then have a look here [url=http://www.beadelltours.com.au/mrf.html]

All other brands of tyres have varying degrees of vulnerability and it mostly depends on the attention that the driver gives them. It's much of a muchness.

BFG's wreck more because BFG's sell more

Most common problem I see in BFGATKO and desert travel is that they stake sidewalls too often. Its because they have that stupid lip around the shoulder which is a magnet for sharp sticks. The sidewalls are too thin too. It might be three ply, but they are very thin plies. Find much thicker sidewalls on Goodyear MTR and even the Bridgestone 694LT.

Here's a tyre from one of our trips - got 3 plugs into it in 2 days:

Aimee L,

To answer your question, I have Bridgestone 694LT's, which have performed impeccably in All Terrains encountered so far.

Agree with that.
I have just done 7000 through the Flinders, and across the Simpson with no chipping (did put a stick through the sidewall though) (tyre is still on the Tojo) and they performed great in the rough stuff. Got 92000 out of my last Bridgestone A/T's