BFG Vs Nitto,

[Thai]

Alas, you speak words of truth. To the original poster, Nitto's would be best for your needs, or you can also expand your search to other tires as well since these aren't the only 2 great tires out there. Take a look at the Goodyear Silent Armors.

I keep an open mind when i give advice about tires...always have, always will.

The problem with Goodyear SilentArmor is that it is more along the lines of the BFG AT KO since it is a true all-terrain tire. It is made to be aired down with a strong sidewall (Durawall technology). It is a relatively heavy tire. And, unfortunately, it also has a reputation of knocking the fuel economy down 1-2 mpg.

 

[Thai]

You also seem to be overlooking the fact that all of the companies that BFG pays to run their tires, run nothing but brand new tires in perfect condition. That's a lot different than consumers who pay over $1k for tires and would like to see more than 20-25k out of their purchase before their teeth rattle out.

Well, you must have sensitive teeth...because i see plenty of people with BFG AT KO well over "20-25k" miles, including myself. But hey, i dumped the Nittos TG in less than 500 miles due to annoying highway hum and thin-as-paper sidewall. Josh, your needs may differ.

And yes, i had both Nittos AND BFG AT KO on the SAME vehicle...so, it is/was a valid comparison. I really wanted to like the Nittos because they made a good size for my original 18" rims. (After the failed experiment with the Nittos, i was forced to buy $2500 worth of German rims for my G...just to get all-terrain tires on my truck. This was back in 2004-2005 when there weren't many AT tire choices for 18" rims.) I went with the BFG AT KO because it is relatively quiet for an AT tire (more so than Nittos), strong as nails (which i need for off-roading), made to be aired down (major plus for off-roading), proven history & durability, and is thus a true all-terrain tire. No bling needed on the tires. (Although i have no need for a snowflake tire, it is nice to have one.)

 

[Annoyed]

Well, I can't say anything about the OR capabilities of the BFG ATKO's, there simply isn't any place to go offroad (legally) in western NY.

But we do get plenty of snow.

My vehicle prior to this was a Toyota Tacoma 4WD truck, and from 26,000 miles to her death at the hands of the crusher at 51,000 miles, she had BFG ATKO tires.

I found these tires to be a very strong performer in snow. Even without engaging the electrically lockable rear end on that truck, I never came close to getting stuck on snow of any sort, loose, plowed snowbanks, packed or whatever. On snow covered roads, I always had to keep an eye on the mirror when stopping, to be sure the car behind me wasn't going to hit me; they held well enough on snow that often I had to ease off the braking power to give the guy behind me a little more space.

Downsides: On wet roads, their lateral traction could have been a little better; they did break loose in turns a little early, and they did have to be balanced precisely to get a good ride. The dealer was the only one who ever managed to get it right. Additionally, if the truck had sat a few days, the tires would take a "flat spot" that took a few miles to wear out. This felt alot like an out of balance condition, but wasn't.

Your needs may vary, but since the only really adverse environment I drive in is winter/snow, I would have purchased a set of these for my T4R without hesitation, if they were made in the proper size range. However, currently, the size for my T4R is only made in load range E, which would ride a bit stiff for my taste.

From what I've read on these boards, I may end up going with the Nitto's when I do change tires before next winter. Those yoko's on there now are really bad in snow, and I will not suffer them to be on there for another winter.

Also, I am considering a slight front/rear "leveling" lift, which would give me greater choice in tires. If I do that, I would probably go with the BFG's in a non-OEM size once I don't have to worry about rubbing/etc. As much as these trucks are computer controlled however, I'm on the fence as far as that goes.

 

[HB 4X4]

Thai,
Did you find the Nitto's to be louder than the KO's? The KO's on my old truck, and on my step dads current truck aren't unbearable, but they are a decent amount louder than the Nitto's.

The Silent Armors come in P rated if he needs them on a daily driver.

 

[Thai]

Thai,
Did you find the Nitto's to be louder than the KO's?

Yes...strangely, on my truck, there was an annoying hum on the highway with the Nittos. The BFG AT KO does not have this hum...it is very subtle road noise, which is very tolerable. The Nitto hum was annoying for me...none of the other AT tires that i have had (REVOs, LTX A/T) had the hum.

 

[EH007]

If you want a good all-around tire that works well on the road, on the trail, in the rain & snow, then check out the Discoverer ATR. They are really great tires that are competent in all conditions, but not outstanding in any one particular area. They are really good in snow though, which is probably why I see so many plow trucks using them in upstate NY.

 

[Falls]

The BFG AT is a tough tire , no doubt . The major part of the technology in this tire is quite old and has not changed much. Although a good tire they are riding on borrowed time with the new technology coming out in the competition. The BFG die hards love them. ( me too ) BFG biggest competition is Nitto as of recent.

There is no definition for a true "all terrain" tire. They all suit different purposes for different people , different driving habits , conditions.

off topic ....take it for what it's worth. My friend is a tire dealer and wholesaler and is the biggest BFG AT dealer in our state retail and wholesale. This winter with the snow and now spring with the mud and soft silt crap , he has been testing tires like he and his father before have been for many years. He told me snow , off road , road , the Michelin AT2 has been running circles around the other tires all-terrain tires he/they carry .
Which are:
BFG
Bridgestone
Donlop
Continental
Firestone
Goodyear
Hankook
Michelin
Uniroyal
Perelli
Nokian
Nitto
Yokohama

Granted everyones flavor is different and these are his words that they have been extremely impressive even in mud since he also does agriculture tires and drives out in muddy , snow cover rutted fields on a daily regular basis. Recommendation for an all terrain to me was not a BFG even though he and I are both fans of the tire and have run countless sets between us.

 

[Thai]

Cool...i gotta try the A/T-2 some time in the future for sure...i am reading really good stuff on it!

 

[Tony Tacoma]

I just bought a new set of BFG AT for my truck and a set of Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour for my 4runner. I'll tell you that the BFG's really look good, but the ride is very rough. I feel every bump on the road. I did not notice any increase in road noise. The Silent Armour are tens time smoother. I regret not putting these tires on my truck. The silent armours seem to be a good all around fit - decent in snowand mud, handle well on wet roads and look somewhat aggressive.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The Nittos hum a bit when new but after 15k miles they quieted down quite a bit and I'm at almost 45k on mine and they still have been doing well in the wet and our recent snows which has pleasantly suprised me.

If my truck was not so much my DD right now and was primarily for off road trips I'd probably run a set of BFGs but my next set will be Nittos again in the next few months.

Maybe not much *bling* with a set of BFGs on purpose but I know alot of people that buy them for their looks alone and never go beyond a gravel road plus the tire shops around here automatically seem to recommend them even if you aren't ever going off road but thankfully I was there to say no when my mom was buying tires and she got the Yok AT-S which still might be a bit much for her truck but she's happy with them.

 

[JB.]

I just bought a new set of BFG AT for my truck and a set of Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour for my 4runner. I'll tell you that the BFG's really look good, but the ride is very rough. I feel every bump on the road. I did not notice any increase in road noise. The Silent Armour are tens time smoother. I regret not putting these tires on my truck. The silent armours seem to be a good all around fit - decent in snowand mud, handle well on wet roads and look somewhat aggressive.

Are the Silent Armours LT rated?

 

[Thai]

The Nittos hum a bit when new but after 15k miles they quieted down quite a bit and I'm at almost 45k on mine and they still have been doing well in the wet and our recent snows which has pleasantly suprised me.

Maybe not much *bling* with a set of BFGs on purpose but I know alot of people that buy them for their looks alone and never go beyond a gravel road plus the tire shops around here automatically seem to recommend them even if you aren't ever going off road but thankfully I was there to say no when my mom was buying tires and she got the Yok AT-S which still might be a bit much for her truck but she's happy with them.

Well, it is hard to believe that a tire gets quieter as it ages...most (if not all) tires that i know/experienced have gotten louder as they aged, including highway tires on my sedans. So, if the Nittos are getting quieter with age, then this is a first for me.

I get turn off more when a tire manufacturer adds bling to their tires as opposed to what a consumer does with the tire after purchase. When a manufacturer adds "lightning bolts" to the sidewall design (with no apparent purpose), then i call that pure 100% unaldulterated BLING...and it makes me laugh...you may differ in your opinion.

 

[HB 4X4]

Are the Silent Armours LT rated?

They come in both P rated and LT rated just like the Nitto's.

 

[Thai]

I just bought a new set of BFG AT for my truck and a set of Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour for my 4runner. I'll tell you that the BFG's really look good, but the ride is very rough. I feel every bump on the road. I did not notice any increase in road noise. The Silent Armour are tens time smoother. I regret not putting these tires on my truck. The silent armours seem to be a good all around fit - decent in snowand mud, handle well on wet roads and look somewhat aggressive.

Tony, did you notice any drop in fuel economy?? I like it a lot, but i have read some mixed reviews on it here on this forum. My next tire may be between the SilentArmor and A/T-2 since i don't off-road much anymore.

Also remember that you put the BFG on a truck, while the Goodyear went on your 4runner...the Goodyear will fair much better being that the 4runner is inherently smoother and quieter than the Tacoma. There is no doubt that the Goodyear will be a bit smoother, but it would be a cool comparison if you swap the tires...Goodyear on Tacoma, BFG on your 4runner. The fact that you did not notice any increase in road noise on a TRUCK is a BIG testament to what i said above...the BFG is a pretty quiet AT tire despite its aggressive tread pattern!

When i had my 4runner back in 2002, i tried all different AT tires (Michelin LTX M/S, LTX A/T, REVOs, Bridgestone Dueler H/L, stock, and BFG AT KO). Nittos were not available at that time. Seriously, the quietest tires in the group mentioned above was the Dueler H/L and the LTX M/S. The other tires were about equal in noise...surprisingly, i did not find the BFG to be any louder than the REVOs nor the LTX A/T. Remember, these comparisons were done on the SAME vehicle.

This was why i was soooo pumped to use the Nittos in 2004 when i got my G500...it was a new tire that had some good reviews by the G owners. They had the size that i wanted and was saving me a lot of money (due to the fact that i did not need to change rims). Then, the Nittos made that annoying hum on the highway that the other tires did not. On my G500, it was not so bad from the driver's seat, but the rear passengers can readily hear it...maybe because the rear passenger is closer to the noisy cargo area, which is where most road noise come through in a SUV/wagon?

 

[RonMAIDEN]

It is funny they got quieter as they aged and at 45k they are definetly not as loud as they were at 20k which is opposite of BFGs that I've owned so maybe my a fluke or I'm going deaf as I get older.

The main reason I even ended up with Nittos (LT not P) was a suggestion from a respected member over on yotatech who had significant experience on them after I needed some suggestions for an A/T tire and the "lightning bolts" never factored in. Plus the price at the time was over $200 cheaper than BFGs which definetly made them more attractive.

I've got the miles on them and over 40 off road excursions and 4 winters on them and I really can't be happier with them compared to the several sets of BFGs I've driven on.

The big diff between the BFGs and the Nittos is the wet/dry handling on pavement and the Nitto's compound hasn't hardened up after a few years like BFGs seem to do.

Off-road it's pretty close to a draw (better side lugs on the BFGs would tip the scales a bit) from my experiences with both but on a DD the Nittos have the better margin for error (wet and dry traction) on the street and they don't seem to have balancing issues that BFGs get reported having.

But if you only see pavement both Nittos and BFGs aren't the best choices by far and are overkill.

If Nittos had obvious issues I wouldn't be ready to shell out a chunk of change for another set and definetly not for the "lightning bolts" as I've never put *bling* over performance on any of my cars over the last 20 years.

 

[Tony Tacoma]

My 4runner is a V8 and I had the Silent Armour tires on since November. I can honestly say I did not notice any difference if fuel economy.

I never tried swapping the tires, but I do know what the ride was like before and after putting the BFG AT's. Unless it is a smooth surfaced highway, you will certainly notice the difference. The BFG AT's are stiffer and it makes the ride a lot rougher.

 

[rjyhdc4]

has anyone had any experience with the Pirelli Scorpions

 

[EH007]

I can't believe anyone would make a big deal out of lightning bolts on a tire's side wall and call that "bling"

It's not like the lightning bolts are white or anything, it is simply a design molded into the sidewall of the tire and doesn't really stand out much. You actually have to look closely to even see them. No big deal to me.

What about the scorpion molded into some Pirelli tires? Is that "bling"?

 

[HB 4X4]

I can't believe anyone would make a big deal out of lightning bolts on a tire's side wall and call that "bling"

It's not like the lightning bolts are white or anything, it is simply a design molded into the sidewall of the tire and doesn't really stand out much. You actually have to look closely to even see them. No big deal to me.

What about the scorpion molded into some Pirelli tires? Is that "bling"?

A good percent of tires have patterns on them that could be considered "bling." That's just Thai going on his rant against Nitto's. He really hates them especially when people put them in the same category as BFG's (Which is becoming a more frequent comparison lately as Nitto is becoming one of BFG's biggest competitors).

I think if a tire performs well, who cares what it looks like. Performance over appearance should outweigh anything else on a vehicle, we aren't driving Hummers here.

 

[EH007]

To me, "bling" is something chrome...usually something big, gaudy, and chrome. The lightning bolt pattens on the sidewall of Nittos isn't bling in any sense of the word as far as I'm concerned.

But if there's one thing I know from reading this forum, it is that it's impossible to argue with Thai. So if he thinks it's bling, then it must be bling. :bigok: