Briedgestone Dueler HT 265 70 17 - what to expect on the trail?

[Seymore Butts]

Hey guys, I have a set of these Duelers that came off a friend's brand new TRD Off Road 4R. The tires are great in the city, and now I'm wondering what would happen if I don't get any "summer" tires for this year's 4-wheeling season.

I don't do any rock crawling, just 10 to 20 "medium" mountain trails per summer. A lot of sharp boulders, shale, a few 12" creek crossings, so just the usual low-key Colorado mountain stuff. I don't even have to engage 4-LOW on most of these trails. If you're familiar with Hagerman Pass, Mosquito Pass, Old Tennessee Pass in Colorado, then you'll know what I'm talking about.

These Duelers don't have thjat aggressive-looking tread pattern that I'm used to seeing on my beloved BFG Long-Trail TAs, so I'm wondering what, if any off-road capability I'll lose if I keep the Duelers during the summer.

Of course, tread looks aren't everything, and perhaps these are very trail capable tires, or Toyota would not have shipped them on the TRD Off Road package 4Runners.

My primary TRAIL concern is enough traction for occasional steep trails, rainy-day grip, resistance to rock punctures, and sidewall durability.

If you have any actual real-world experience with these tires off-road, please let me know your opinion of them.

 

[mqphung]

Hey guys, I have a set of these Duelers that came off a friend's brand new TRD Off Road 4R. The tires are great in the city, and now I'm wondering what would happen if I don't get any "summer" tires for this year's 4-wheeling season.

I don't do any rock crawling, just 10 to 20 "medium" mountain trails per summer. A lot of sharp boulders, shale, a few 12" creek crossings, so just the usual low-key Colorado mountain stuff. I don't even have to engage 4-LOW on most of these trails. If you're familiar with Hagerman Pass, Mosquito Pass, Old Tennessee Pass in Colorado, then you'll know what I'm talking about.

These Duelers don't have thjat aggressive-looking tread pattern that I'm used to seeing on my beloved BFG Long-Trail TAs, so I'm wondering what, if any off-road capability I'll lose if I keep the Duelers during the summer.

Of course, tread looks aren't everything, and perhaps these are very trail capable tires, or Toyota would not have shipped them on the TRD Off Road package 4Runners.

My primary TRAIL concern is enough traction for occasional steep trails, rainy-day grip, resistance to rock punctures, and sidewall durability.

If you have any actual real-world experience with these tires off-road, please let me know your opinion of them.

I had to opportunity this past weekend to take my stock 4Runner out to Lone Star Toyota Jamboree this past weekend. It was raining the first and second day of the event so it made for a lot of mud. I was honestly impressed with how these tires held up on the trails. I went up a muddy trail at an incline and got up without much problems. I was running most of the trails with some lifted FJ's with better tires and I was able to do all the trails with them without a hiccup. At the end of the day the guys I was with were all surprised that I had no issues what so ever following them. I know everyone bashes the stock tires, but I found that they worked very very well given that I was traveling in mud that was 6 or so inches deep and was able to work myself out of it (granted with lockers and atrac).

Also I had them aired down to 20psi and ran over some rocks and didn't end up with any punctures for the 3 days I was out on the trails.

 

[Crocket]

I did some off-roading for the first time last summer on the stock Duelers. As mentioned above I was pretty impressed with how they did. I forded 15" or deep mud ponds, and was able to ascend and descend fairly tight and steep grades covered in soft sand and dirt (all without a rear locker). There was no real rock climbing opportunity where I was at, but feel they would of done okay there too. I will be going back again to the same spot this year now that the tires have over a years worth of mileage and see how they do. Below is some more info on my first time out with the stock Duelers with pictures to get an idea of how they did.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ota-4runner-off-road-pics-97.html#post2839098