BFG All Terrains- how's the handling?

P

PAULUNM

New member
So I'm hearing that the BFG A/Ts aren't great on road handling tires because of their antiquated design.

I realize these are trucks, but I do spend a lot of time on road, and I have to take canyon roads every day, so cornering feel is somewhat important...

I currently have Firestone Destination LEs, which aren't great tires to start with, bu they are street tires.

Thoughts?

Anyone in the L.A. area want to take me for a spin? I tried finding a TRD FJ to drive, no luck...

Thanks!
 
Register to hide this ad
I could not tell a difference in handling at all. Highway noise is
higher and ride is about the same. They take a little more power away over stock because they are heavier but for me the trade-offs are worth it when I go off road. If I did not go off road I would probably rather have a highway tire.
 
I run 265/75-16 All Terrains and would not think twice about what my next tire purchase would be. If you can come to Maine, I would be more than happy to show you why. They are one of the most popular tires up here. I put 22k miles on them so far with no issues. I do drive 325 miles to Connecticut once a month or so. You will be glad you have them on the canyon roads. I know some will say that they are not that great in the rain, but I personally have never slipped in the rain. Just buy them, you will be glad you did. On another note, if you are on dirt roads, rear shocks would do alot for the ride. Not so much comfort, but handling. If you find your ass end swaying side to side, then that is your shocks. Yes your tires will help, but new shocks will cure it. Throw on some bilstiens and some BFG AT's, and 75 mph down a dirt road will feel better and more controlled than most stock trucks on the highway.
 
I'm not so concerned about the ride, I realize the sidewalls are stiff, it's just the on road cornering I'd be worried about.

I plan to do a coilover lift (Icon or SAW).

Thanks guys!
 
I've driven on a few sets of BFGs and my first set of Nittos have been better on-road by far especially in the dry. Nittos will wear a little quicker but that dry grip has to come from somewhere. In the wet the Nittos will hold off hydroplaning a bit longer and you can tell by comparing tread pattern to the BFGs which don't really have well defined water evac channels.

I demand a lot form my tires since I have a bit of a leadfoot and tend to drive hard through corners and the BFGs slide around more than the Nittos.

My truck is a DD and I have over 40k miles and 4 years on them and they've been good to me all year round on and off road.

What kind of off road excursions are you planning with your truck since other tires may fit your bill better;I was only comparing BFGs and Nittos since I have first hand experience on both and on 4Runners.
 
Problem is, the nittos don't look nearly aggressive enough for me.

I bought my truck in September and I've put 20k miles on it since then. I do A LOT of highway driving.... So.... I realize it isn't the best decision to go with the BFG, but I'm looking for that aggressive look. The nittos, Revos, etc just don't do it for me. Never said I was smart!

What was the on road difference you noticed between the nittos and BFG?
 
PAULUNM said:
Problem is, the nittos don't look nearly aggressive enough for me.

I bought my truck in September and I've put 20k miles on it since then. I do A LOT of highway driving.... So.... I realize it isn't the best decision to go with the BFG, but I'm looking for that aggressive look. The nittos, Revos, etc just don't do it for me. Never said I was smart!

What was the on road difference you noticed between the nittos and BFG?
Click to expand...

I'd recommend you check out the Cooper Zeon LTZ. It fits your description perfectly and I have seen them on full size trucks, they look good. Cooper's website shows they make a 265/70/17.

coprl2.ang.jpg
 
I had BFG A/T KO's on my Tacoma, and I loved them. Yes, they would break loose a little early on a wet road, but nothing I've ever had comes close to their performance on snow.

Currently, my T4R has Yokohama A/T's on her, and I sincerely hope that by this fall, BFG makes the A/T KO's in the 265/65-17 that my truck takes.

I will not go thru another winter with the Yokohamas on there, and I don't want to buy anything besides the BFG A/T's. But since they don't currently make them in my size, and these things seem to have clearance problems, I might not have a choice. :mad:

Yes, I know, even a 1.5 " lift on the front would make room, but an arm injury is going to prevent me installing any heavy mods this year.
 
PAULUNM said:


What was the on road difference you noticed between the nittos and BFG?
Click to expand...

Yeah,they could be a little more agressive but when you have an agressive looking tread pattern it does sometimes affect on-road performance.

The biggest diff between the Nittos and BFGs on-road to me were the dry grip of the Nittos was pretty significant and recovery after losing grip was better and in rain at highway speeds the Nittos didn't lift as easy as BFGs and had a better margin of error when they did start to hydroplane.

Off road the nod would go slightly to the BFGs but my Nittos cost over $200 less out the door and that made my decision even easier.

If you want something different than BFGs but still more agressive than Nittos then try the new GY Duratracs or the Wal-mart exclusive GY Authority which are similar to each other.

Nittos do look good when new but mine have over 44k on 'em and look a bit rounded now and will be deciding between anothere set or maybe try out the new Duratracs..
Picture109.jpg~original
 
I've got the BFGs in 265/65/17 - I do most of my driving in the city/hwy and occasionally off road. Never had any regrets about purchasing them.
 
SportT4R said:
I've got the BFGs in 265/65/17 - I do most of my driving in the city/hwy and occasionally off road. Never had any regrets about purchasing them.
Click to expand...
They almost have to be load range E. Doesn't that ride harsh?
 
PAULUNM said:
What was the on road difference you noticed between the nittos and BFG?
Click to expand...

For me, the Nittos made more road noise than BFG AT KO! In fact, it made more noise than any other AT tire i have had...and i have had many! It makes an annoying hum/roar at highway speed. BFG AT Ko makes a slight rumble, but nothing that would bother you. The hum/roar of the nittos was noticeable immediately and annoying.

For me, if you were even considering the Nittos, then i would get Michelin LTX A/T-2 (better looking in real life than in pics), Bridgestone REVOs, or Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor over the Nittos. Nittos offer nothing special over these tires, except those corny "lightning bolts" which no one has dared to copy! :D

BFG AT KO is a true all-terrain tire IMHO...as such, it may not meet your requirement of handling, which seems to be a high priority. I would seriously look at the REVOs and LTX A/T-2 in your case. Goodyear Duratec looks primitive...and doubtful that it would meet your requirement either.

Good luck.
 
all the tires mentioned here are very good, & you couldnt go wrong with any of them, but seems like your leaning more towards an agressive look first , handling second, so maybe checkout the wrangler duratrac. it looks in the same group as the BFGs, & is also getting fairly good reviews for handling. of course, i do like my MT baja atz, good luck in your choice.
 
They're all fine tires. Nitto's are less aggressive looking, but BFG's are louder, rougher, and only get worse as time goes on. By 15K-20K they are extremely rough. I will put MT's on my truck next, because if I am going to get the poor ride of KO's, I might as well have a much more aggressive tire.

Everyone's experiences vary. Some KO owners swear they are the best/quietest tires they have ever had. Whether that is just justification for following the herd, no one will know. My experiences with KO's on previous vehicles was poor, but my step-dad loves his (but he also runs a 2004 Jeep Cheroke so ride comfort isn't a big factor.)

Just go with what you feel is best for your needs. Everyone will justify the tire they purchased, so be wary of reviews/ forum discussions.
 
HB 4X4 said:
By 15K-20K they are extremely rough.
Click to expand...

Uh-oh, i am way past that mileage...and i still have all my teeth! :D Talking about being bias!! :(

Unlike some on here, i am pretty much unbias and are freely to accept the limitations of BFG AT KO...thus, i do NOT recommend BFG AT KO to the original poster.
 
HB 4X4 said:
They're all fine tires.

Just go with what you feel is best for your needs. Everyone will justify the tire they purchased, so be wary of reviews/ forum discussions.
Click to expand...

Jackpot !!! :bigok:

ok , now that that is settled .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 386 (members: 8, guests: 378)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,316
Messages
3,554,110
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top