I feel that I have put enough miles on these (around 1000), and have got them tested in mud, snow, dry and wet road.
I have these in the 35x12.5x17 LR/E flavor.
Dry road performance: Initially, VERY quiet for an M/T. However, its still a mud terrain and although Falken bills these to offer a quieter ride, they still hum but it is MUCH better than my previous worn out ProComp Xterrains.
They grip very well and feel very soft, the tread blocks definitely feel softer than most M/T's. I don't much feel the extra weight, since my old tires were of very similar weight and I got used to those. Gas mileage is no different. I am regeared to 5.29's as well.
Wet road performance: I could not find one instance of slippage or reduced performance in wet conditions. It hasn't been raining much in California but when it did, I found confidence in these tires. I was able to "safely" drive through a decent puddle at speed (off public roads), to check hydroplaning, and like any tire I lost a little control but not enough to have me give my seat bottom a mohawk. Very impressed with wet performance for a M/T.
Mud: Wow. Self clearing on these is next level stuff. I basically crawled through a mud pit in 2wd and dipped in and dipped out with no issues. They spray mud everywhere like crazy (which is a good thing!) so close your windows! (More of a note to self.) They really just hook up in the mud with no complaints.
Snow: I actually literally had to venture off the beaten path to check snow performance. I visited the Rubicon during Memorial Day weekend, and was surprised to find snow still on the ground. I found a good patch of the stuff, and decided to put it in 2wd and see what would happen. I ended up getting stuck, and promptly put it back into 4wd, upon which point I walked right back out. I did not go faster than 3-4mph at this time, maybe even slower so I cannot comment on higher speed snow maneuvering. After playing around with a few other snow drifts, I did not feel very confident with these tires, and had to utilize a lot more skill to ensure I didn't get stuck. Take from this what you will, but I would still not hesitate to hit some snow with these at the proper PSI and such. During this trip, I did NOT air down.
Rock Crawling (at stock PSI): Very nice. Never met a rock I couldn't climb (although I didn't go through big sluice, little sluice, etc..) These tires have extra step down supports in the tread blocks to ensure that if you stick a rock right in the space between blocks, it will give you extra support and grip. They also have a few "Rock defense" features that I didn't feel I fully tested, but maybe I did and just didn't notice due to ease of travel with them.
Overall impression: I like them! I would feel safe recommending them to a 3rd gen owner looking for a quieter ride out of an M/T tire while still maintaining the standard definition of a mud tire.
Cons: I got these in 12.50 wide, and was a little disappointed when I inspected the tread contact width: it was only 11 and some change. If you look at the tire, you'll see the sidewall scoops/curves up into the tread, giving it this characteristic. It appears that the more the tire wears down, the more width I'll have on the ground.
This size is only available in a Load Range E. But then again, most other M/T's this size are. Still a con, I'd prefer a L/R: D.
And now, onto the pictures!
Clip of me mounting the tire:
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Few questions. How's the price compared to other tires that people like to compare?
Do you have a weight per tire for that size? This was one of the reasons I went with my narrow Toyo. Besides not needing a wide tire, the weight savings were quite significant.
I plan on regearing to 5.29 also for my next large upgrade. Only drawback is I can't find a tire that's a 35" and not a 12 1/2" wide. I really like my narrower stance and it works for me. I'm asking these because I will be getting new tires next year it looks like. Everyone runs Toyo MTs up here for any off road it appears (and 90% of the Mall Crawlers....) But I love to review different options!
Few questions. How's the price compared to other tires that people like to compare?
Do you have a weight per tire for that size? This was one of the reasons I went with my narrow Toyo. Besides not needing a wide tire, the weight savings were quite significant.
I plan on regearing to 5.29 also for my next large upgrade. Only drawback is I can't find a tire that's a 35" and not a 12 1/2" wide. I really like my narrower stance and it works for me. I'm asking these because I will be getting new tires next year it looks like. Everyone runs Toyo MTs up here for any off road it appears (and 90% of the Mall Crawlers....) But I love to review different options!
Since I bought these tires before they were publicly available due to my connection, I did not pay full price so that was NOT a factor in my decision in purchasing these. Prices don't appear to be publicly available yet, you would have to call your local Falken distributor to get a price. I would estimate around 280$ a tire though, from what I remember.
I believe my tires weigh 75lbs a piece.
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I don't know where the extra weight comes from (couldn't get a solid answer when I got my current set) but is it more sidewall? Better tire? Or on the other hand, crappier \ cheaper material which weights more but has the same specs as the other brands. That I wish I knew. Maybe I'll pray to the tire Gods tonight and see if they will respond...
This is awesome. I literally just ordered a set of these about 10 minutes before I saw this. Glad your review on them was positive. I went with the 285/75/16 flavor.
Nice review & the tire sounds solid.
I'd like to see an opinion from someone who lives up north & drives to work in the snow.
I went with the Hankook Dynapro MT's (285/70R17) because they came "D" rated. And I got an awesome deal through a Discount Tire Direct sale. I paid around $720 for all 4. They've been awesome so far & I have about 4000 miles on them.
This is awesome. I literally just ordered a set of these about 10 minutes before I saw this. Glad your review on them was positive. I went with the 285/75/16 flavor.
Let us know how you like them!
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I have been riding on Grabber A/T2s for 7 or 8 years in the 265/70/16 size, and they were getting weather cracked, so i have been looking at tires. The Grabbers still had 10/32 nds on them. I went to Discount and got some 265/75/16 Falken MT load range E just installed today. What a difference, the Falkens have less noise, yes i said less road noise, and much smother ride on the road discount said they put 35 psi, and from the looks of them after driving for a few miles the fronts look like they are touching the pavement all the way across the tread, and the rears are not quite touching on the outside edges, and am happy with that. I am very happy i went with the Falken mt's. I will update when i get more miles, and get them dirty.
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These Falken's are within one pound of the Toyo so that's a plus. I'll have to call and compare prices, but I know most everyone up here in Alaska leans towards the Toyo. I've had my 255/85FR16 for 3 years now.
Comparing specs, the Toyo appears to be a bit louder, but a bit better in the snow. I don't have snow tires at this time since I hated the ones I had before and gave them to my brother. I would prefer to swap out each season to winter tires so if I get a new set, this won't be an issue.
Personally, I prefer the looks of the Toyo, but looks isn't everything. We'll see the price differences...
These Falken's are within one pound of the Toyo so that's a plus. I'll have to call and compare prices, but I know most everyone up here in Alaska leans towards the Toyo. I've had my 255/85FR16 for 3 years now.
Comparing specs, the Toyo appears to be a bit louder, but a bit better in the snow. I don't have snow tires at this time since I hated the ones I had before and gave them to my brother. I would prefer to swap out each season to winter tires so if I get a new set, this won't be an issue.
Personally, I prefer the looks of the Toyo, but looks isn't everything. We'll see the price differences...
I feel that the falkens are an amazing snow tire. I didn't get a very good picture of when I buried them almost completely and walked right out; in 2wd my initial snow review of them, was on many times refrozen snow. In the picture, were looking at fresh powder.
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Last edited by Konkordmusk; 03-07-2017 at 03:19 AM.