AT Tires

Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] for the original post - made me even more torn about what to do, but in a good way. I was previously only considering the KO2s but the AT3's are now on my radar given that most of my driving is highway w/ only some forest and gravel roads and thus ride comfort and noise are more heavily favored.

What I'm struggling with is the load rating. Typically, the 112 rating on the C would be a non-issue (Toyota wants 113), but I'm about to head out West for a month of national parks sightseeing and am adding considerable weight to the truck in the form of rock sliders, ARB awning, cargo box, drawer/bed system + me and my pup.

Are the AT3 SL tires are sufficient for that type of weight, or would the C-rated AT3 or KO2 be better? To be honest, I've read a crapload of stuff but still don't fully understand how ply, load rating, weight rating, etc. all add up and what the recommendation is. Want to keep it safe and reduce the chance of blowing all 4 tires 3 hours in.

Also, I'm running a fully stock suspension on my 2016 SR5p 4x4.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] for the original post - made me even more torn about what to do, but in a good way. I was previously only considering the KO2s but the AT3's are now on my radar given that most of my driving is highway w/ only some forest and gravel roads and thus ride comfort and noise are more heavily favored.

What I'm struggling with is the load rating. Typically, the 112 rating on the C would be a non-issue (Toyota wants 113), but I'm about to head out West for a month of national parks sightseeing and am adding considerable weight to the truck in the form of rock sliders, ARB awning, cargo box, drawer/bed system + me and my pup.

Are the AT3 SL tires are sufficient for that type of weight, or would the C-rated AT3 or KO2 be better? To be honest, I've read a crapload of stuff but still don't fully understand how ply, load rating, weight rating, etc. all add up and what the recommendation is. Want to keep it safe and reduce the chance of blowing all 4 tires 3 hours in.

Also, I'm running a fully stock suspension on my 2016 SR5p 4x4.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
SL rated would be fine. You think you are adding a lot of weight but in reality you are only adding about the weight of three adults and their luggage for a week. My only concern for your trip is if you are going into a desert or heavy shale environment. Sidewall thickness is really important there ( E rated is best for that) but then you will lose any good road comfort. Good luck.
 
Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] for the original post - made me even more torn about what to do, but in a good way. I was previously only considering the KO2s but the AT3's are now on my radar given that most of my driving is highway w/ only some forest and gravel roads and thus ride comfort and noise are more heavily favored.



What I'm struggling with is the load rating. Typically, the 112 rating on the C would be a non-issue (Toyota wants 113), but I'm about to head out West for a month of national parks sightseeing and am adding considerable weight to the truck in the form of rock sliders, ARB awning, cargo box, drawer/bed system + me and my pup.



Are the AT3 SL tires are sufficient for that type of weight, or would the C-rated AT3 or KO2 be better? To be honest, I've read a crapload of stuff but still don't fully understand how ply, load rating, weight rating, etc. all add up and what the recommendation is. Want to keep it safe and reduce the chance of blowing all 4 tires 3 hours in.



Also, I'm running a fully stock suspension on my 2016 SR5p 4x4.



Thanks in advance for any advice!



Also remember that max load rating on a p rated tire is discounted by about 10 percent when used on an SUV or light truck. So the 113 tire load rating on our stock vehicle p rated tires is roughly equal to a 111 or 112 on an LT tire, so long as the LT tire is inflated to its max load rating, usu. 51 psi (35 psi on a p rated tire).


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I've had stock size Nokian Rotiiva ATs on my SR5 for around 8000 miles. I've really liked them. P rated, 115 weight rating, 'snowflake' symbol, T speed rating, 13/32s tread depth, full 31.7" diameter, very light (37 lbs), nice tread width ~8.7". They don't get a lot of love on this forum, but I'd highly recommend them based on my experience. They look good too, with a Cooper AT3 looking sidewall. They come with a pretty cool tire wear feature having percentage of tread remaining etched into the tread (80 percent, 60 percent and so on). They have a 'high' utqg rating (700 AA). After 8000 mi they are down to the 80% marking. When I got them they were unusually cheap on Amazon, almost like the price of an off brand tire ($100@); I assume that though a high quality tire, Nokian is still in the process of making inroads into the US market. Price has risen on Amazon since I've purchased them. And yes, I checked the manufacture date when I purchased them and they were 'fresh.'


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:cheers: [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION], I hadn't really thought about the weight in terms of people + luggage load. That makes sense.

One thing I notice is the substantial "softness" of braking on my crapo stock Grandtreks with the weight added to the truck. I know you said braking and handling mildly improved with the AT3's, and would be further improved with C-rated tires - guessing that's due to the stiffness of the sidewall?

So TL;DR - thicker sidewall = harsher ride but better handling, thinner sidewall = softer ride and softer handling?
 
:cheers: [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION], I hadn't really thought about the weight in terms of people + luggage load. That makes sense.

One thing I notice is the substantial "softness" of braking on my crapo stock Grandtreks with the weight added to the truck. I know you said braking and handling mildly improved with the AT3's, and would be further improved with C-rated tires - guessing that's due to the stiffness of the sidewall?

So TL;DR - thicker sidewall = harsher ride but better handling, thinner sidewall = softer ride and softer handling?

Yes. Sidewall height has a lot to do with it too. The 4Runner doesn't exactly have low profile tires lol. It will be a bit better with pretty much any AT tire you decide to use. You will be fine.
 
Thanks [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] for the original post - made me even more torn about what to do, but in a good way. I was previously only considering the KO2s but the AT3's are now on my radar given that most of my driving is highway w/ only some forest and gravel roads and thus ride comfort and noise are more heavily favored.

What I'm struggling with is the load rating. Typically, the 112 rating on the C would be a non-issue (Toyota wants 113), but I'm about to head out West for a month of national parks sightseeing and am adding considerable weight to the truck in the form of rock sliders, ARB awning, cargo box, drawer/bed system + me and my pup.

Are the AT3 SL tires are sufficient for that type of weight, or would the C-rated AT3 or KO2 be better? To be honest, I've read a crapload of stuff but still don't fully understand how ply, load rating, weight rating, etc. all add up and what the recommendation is. Want to keep it safe and reduce the chance of blowing all 4 tires 3 hours in.

Also, I'm running a fully stock suspension on my 2016 SR5p 4x4.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I put the AT3's on my limited 54,000 miles ago and decided to go with the C rated as I wanted similar handling that the 20" limited combination provided. I found the ride to be very similar and have been happy with them so far. When I had my last service a few weeks ago they measured them at 9/32" tread left, so for 54,000 miles, they are really lasting.

I put a set of the earlier mentioned Rotiva's on my wife's Rav4 and they are great tires in the snow, but she's got 13,000 miles on them and they are to the 60% mark on the tread.
 
SL rated would be fine. You think you are adding a lot of weight but in reality you are only adding about the weight of three adults and their luggage for a week. My only concern for your trip is if you are going into a desert or heavy shale environment. Sidewall thickness is really important there ( E rated is best for that) but then you will lose any good road comfort. Good luck.

Truth in this statement. I put E rated BFG K02's on mine and while they will be durable as a tank off-road they ride like crap on the freeway even though they are balanced and road forced properly. My wife says she doesn't notice the harsh ride but I definitely notice it personally. They sure look good though :cool:
 
I've been happy with my stock size C-load KO2s so far, but the truth is that I don't go out and air down and crawl around in the rocks like my Huck Finn imagination thought I would.

No downsides on the tire that I can define at the moment and my on-board computer claims 18.5mpg average with 90% around town driving. I just don't think I'll be spending that kind of money on the next set of tires and will probably go with a Toyo AT2 or similar in P-metric load rating.
 
I just bought my T4R last month. Transitioning from a Taco, I needed the more seating capacity.

I plan on setting the T4R up with KO2's in 285/70-17, the exact same tire I put on my Taco. Unbelievably, the truck rode better with the bigger tires than it did with the stockers.

I put 5100's on the front and add-a-leaf to the rear, with 1.25" spacers.

After feeling the ride of KO2's I wouldn't go with anything else. They are well worth the extra dollars.
 
Truth in this statement. I put E rated BFG K02's on mine and while they will be durable as a tank off-road they ride like crap on the freeway even though they are balanced and road forced properly. My wife says she doesn't notice the harsh ride but I definitely notice it personally. They sure look good though :cool:
So, I'm gonna have to be "that guy" here. I came from fairly worn, stock size P rated ATPs...replaced with 275 E rated KO2.

Maybe it's because the ATPs were so worn, but these KO2s are surprisingly smoother and more comfy on the pavement. They ride is leagues better than I was expecting. I didn't want these tires, and they were quite the compromise, but I needed tires and couldn't wait for Wildpeaks to be ordered. At this point, with a 1000mi on them, I'm not in the least disappointed in anything. Other than the cost.
 
Im considering the AT/3 and ATP coopers as my next set of tires. Currently have on ST Maxx 255/80/17s with a Toytec lift with total chaos UCAs. First had the ST Maxx tire on stock suspension and didnt have rubbing issues and obviously nothing after the lift install. Just wondering if any of you think, throwing on 285/75/17s will still be the case.

I know every vehicle is a little different and I was amazed to see the 255/80s fit without issue. With that said I would think a delta of +1.02" (st maxx to at/3)
OR a delta of +1.26 (st maxx to bigger st maxx) wouldn't make much of a difference. maybe the bigger ST Maxx would rub, not sure.

Opinions?

- Rob
 
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After wheeling this weekend I am probably ready to jump ship to getting rid of the stock tires. I know everyone loves the KO2 and they are proven but really considering the falken a/t3. They look to be about 60 bucks cheaper or so. That is a pretty decent chunk of change.
 
My 2014 4runner is my 3rd Toyota (Tacoma, FJ also). Recently got Falken AT3W's in 285/70/17 P rated. Snowflake rated. Couldn't be happier. Quiet, aggressive, and fairly cheap. They look much better in person than in internet pics. Highly recommended.
 
I had P rated Cooper AT3s installed on my TE about a week ago, stock size on an unmodified rig. Straight up I like them a lot!

Previously I've had Firestone Destination ATs and Duratracs for about 55k miles each. My rig can be sensitive with tires and had some steering wobble/vibration with both but a lot more with the destinations. The AT3s have mounted up with no issues plus they are comfortable and very quiet. Hopefully they hold up in some terrain.

I was looking at other tires but pulled the trigger on these after reading this thread (thanks 1E) and finding them for an insano deal during Americas Tire 4th of July sale... after rebates these will only cost $390 OTD!!
 
Hello all! New here. Hoping to be buying a 2017 TRD Off-Road KDSS this month. One thing I'm looking to do is work a deal with the dealer to swap out the sucky stock tires for something better.

Spend most of my time on city streets and several 4 hour road trips a year. So I want a tire that is quite, good in heavy rain, tracks well on the highway but is tough enough for the times I will be off-road, nothing too extreme. I also want something that will stand up to the horrible streets we have in town and not slash the sidewalls on a pothole.

Also don't want to kill my MPGs or get-up and go that is already lacking in the 4R.

I have the Goodyear Kevlars on my Taco and have been fairly happy with them. I think they could track better and be a bit quieter.

Seems like people are loving their Cooper AT/3s here. My cousin had them on his 4R and liked them much better than his BFG ATs he has now.

I'm open to a less aggressive tire, just want it tough enough for rough terrain.

Wouldn't mind going up a size to fill out the wheel wells either, nothing to the point of rubbing or killing mpgs. Truck will remain stock.

Any suggestions?
 
Hello all! New here. Hoping to be buying a 2017 TRD Off-Road KDSS this month. One thing I'm looking to do is work a deal with the dealer to swap out the sucky stock tires for something better.

Spend most of my time on city streets and several 4 hour road trips a year. So I want a tire that is quite, good in heavy rain, tracks well on the highway but is tough enough for the times I will be off-road, nothing too extreme. I also want something that will stand up to the horrible streets we have in town and not slash the sidewalls on a pothole.

Also don't want to kill my MPGs or get-up and go that is already lacking in the 4R.

I have the Goodyear Kevlars on my Taco and have been fairly happy with them. I think they could track better and be a bit quieter.

Seems like people are loving their Cooper AT/3s here. My cousin had them on his 4R and liked them much better than his BFG ATs he has now.

I'm open to a less aggressive tire, just want it tough enough for rough terrain.

Wouldn't mind going up a size to fill out the wheel wells either, nothing to the point of rubbing or killing mpgs. Truck will remain stock.

Any suggestions?

The new BFG seems solid so far. The AT is what it is, no so good on pavement, not so good in rain, not so good in mud, not so good in dirt.. I am quite happy with my set so far all the same.

But it is what it is and its either an AT or the alternatives are a MT or P rated slug.
 
vondy21, I think the Cooper AT/3 is your ticket (I have a Trail with KDSS). Silica compound is great in the rain (a priority in the PNW) and I'm amazed how quiet they are for an AT. Just drove 3300 miles to and from North Dakota and I took at sweepers at 85 no sweat and it was easy cruising at 90. Got the C rated in stock size which is a good weight and didn't notice any difference in acceleration from the stockers though I had those for only 400 miles. (Found a shop that gave me $100 bucks a piece for them and Coopers are relatively cheap, too). Took three tries to balance is the only bummer. No complaints in dirt or snow (no real mud experience).
 
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vondy21, I think the Cooper AT/3 is your ticket (I have a Trail with KDSS). Silica compound is great in the rain (a priority in the PNW) and I'm amazed how quiet they are for an AT. Just drove 3300 miles to and from North Dakota and I took at sweepers at 85 no sweat and it was easy cruising at 90. Got the C rated in stock size which is a good weight and didn't notice any difference in acceleration from the stockers though I had those for only 400 miles. (Found a shop that gave me $100 bucks a piece for them and Coopers are relatively cheap, too). Took three tries to balance is the only bummer. No complaints in dirt or snow (no real mud experience).


Thanks for the reply!

Are they noisier than the stock tires? I was very impressed with how quite the 4R was on my test drive. It was a tad quieter than the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk I drove an hour before on the same highway. The Trailhawk did have the same Wrangler Kevlars that my Taco has. I was very surprised to see the crapy tires on the 4R. Seems the TRD "Off-Road" should at least have the same as the Taco.

Thanks!
 

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