Have my tire selection narrowed down, need some help

[G.I.G.]

So I thought my next set of tires would be an easy decision. Wrong!

I should be getting my OME lift here in the next couple of weeks and want to move up from a P265/70/R17 to a LT285/70/R17. Here is what I have narrowed it down to....

Bridgestone Revo 2
Goodyear Silent Armor
Goodyear Duratrac
Nitto Terra Grappler

I live in Colorado and my 4R is my daily driver. It is driven primarily on-road. I do light to moderate wheeling (8-10 trips per year) but will probably go more once I get my lift. I don't want to go to an MT because I want good traction on-road (snow, rain, etc.) and good road manners. I'm looking for some suggestions to help make the decision making process a little easier.

I was leaning towards the Nitto Terra Grappler but learned that it is only available in an E load rating in that size. From what I understand, an E load rating on a mostly stock 4Runner is way too much and that the ride would suffer. The Nitto sounds like a good balance between on-road manners and off-road capability but I am concerned about the E load rating.

I was also seriously considering the Revo 2. I have Revo's on my 4R currently and they have been great on-road in all kinds of conditions, as well as very capable off-road, especially considering that they are a P-rated tire. Unfortunately, as with the TG, the Revo 2 is only available in a E load rating in the LT285/70/R17 size.

The Duratrac sounds interesting. It almost seems as though it is boarding on the MT designation. Very aggressive tread pattern and side walls. It might be a bit too much tire for me, but I'd be interested to hear from anyone who is running them currently.

The Silent Armor is probably the front runner out of the tires I am considering. With my last set of tires I had narrowed it down to the SA and the Revo, but ended up going with the Revo because I heard that premature wear was common with the SA and that MPG's would take a bigger hit with the SA's than with the Revo. This time around, however, they may be a better fit for me. They come in a D load rating in the size I want, the sidewalls are supposed to be more durable than the Revo's, and they have a good reputation in the snow and on-road.

Any thoughts or input you guys might have based on experience with these tires would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ran]

Except for the Nittos, that is where I am at. My nephew said the KO at too niosy on his early Frontier 4x4. I am also considering Pirelli Scorpion. I am in snow/ice a bit each year in Southern Oregon.

____________
2007 SE v6 4x4

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I would go with the Duratrac, but I might be a little biased. Ha.

ran- Which Scorpion?

 

[MikesToy]

I vote for Nitto Terra Grappler. It'll marry your OME lift.

 

[G.I.G.]

I would go with the Duratrac, but I might be a little biased. Ha.

Are you running the Duratrac's? If so, what do you think of them?

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Are you running the Duratrac's? If so, what do you think of them?

Yeah, I am.

Like you said, they are aggressive. No problems in rain, haven't noticed side wall flex. Have taken them up to 80 or 90.

I have the C and they ride ride fine for me.

Not too sure on MPG yet because I got them during the winter.

 

[G.I.G.]

Yeah, I am.

Like you said, they are aggressive. No problems in rain, haven't noticed side wall flex. Have taken them up to 80 or 90.

I have the C and they ride ride fine for me.

Not too sure on MPG yet because I got them during the winter.

Cool. Have you taken them off-road? How do their on-road manners (handling, noise, etc.) compare to other tires you have experience with? I am really curious about these tires but I haven't heard enough about them from people who have actually owned them.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I know this isn't on your list, but you really need to consider the Hankook DynaPro ATM RF10's. I just got these on and absolutely love them. No real difference in on road handing, they are great for an AT tire (much better than expected). They wear great based on the reviews, and they should be at least as capable as the Revo's, if not more capable, off road. They are still the E load rating, but I was suggested these over the Nitto TG's.
Hankook DynaPro ATM's

Pics of them on my 4runner

 

[chaz]

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/tires/hankook/size/viewProductDetail.do?pc=10846 the toyo open country AT is nice too, http://www.tiresdirect.net/TOYO_Open_Country_AT_P285_70R1_P4391.cfm http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ive&cName=Tires&sName=Light+Truck+&+SUV+Tires all good tires, but i know guys that have gotten 50k out of the GYSA & peronally, i think they ride nice, more $ than the others in that size , they do come in D load tho. Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor

 

[G.I.G.]

I know this isn't on your list, but you really need to consider the Hankook DynaPro ATM RF10's. I just got these on and absolutely love them. No real difference in on road handing, they are great for an AT tire (much better than expected). They wear great based on the reviews, and they should be at least as capable as the Revo's, if not more capable, off road. They are still the E load rating, but I was suggested these over the Nitto TG's.
Hankook DynaPro ATM's

Pics of them on my 4runner

Looks like a great tire. I will certainly keep them in mind. What do you think of the ride considering that they are an E load rating? What PSI do you run them at?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I'm running a P rated 255/75/17, left that out of the first post. Right now they are at 32 (where the tire shop set them), I'm gonna raise it to ~36psi as they seem a little under inflated at the moment. As for the ride, it's just as smooth as the Bridgestone street tires they replaced. I also did my lift right before the tires, and that changed things a bit, but overall very pleased. I spend 80-90% of the time on the road, and I can say these tires are gonna be great. The little time I will spend off road, they'll do fine I'm sure. I just got the tires, so I can't really comment on off road or other performance characteristics, but I did a good bit of research and it all lead me to the Hankooks. Very pleased so far.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I liked my Nittos that I had for 46k miles and they were a solid tire on and off road but I wanted something a little more agressive hence me getting a set of Duratracs this go around. If you see alot of pavement miles a year then the TGs would be a good choice for the money.

 

[G.I.G.]

I liked my Nittos that I had for 46k miles and they were a solid tire on and off road but I wanted something a little more agressive hence me getting a set of Duratracs this go around. If you see alot of pavement miles a year then the TGs would be a good choice for the money.

I was waiting for Ron to chime in! :bigok:

Were your TG's P-rated or LT-rated? How is the on-road ride with the Duratracs compared to the TG's? I'm guessing you haven't had any problems with our recent snow storms with the Duratracs. I like the aggressive tread pattern and styling of the Duratracs.

I think the reason why I am leaning towards the GY SA's is that they sound like they are very durable and capable off road (Durawall construction, Kevlar, etc.) but maintain good on-road manners. But if I could get all of those qualities in the Duratracs, those could be the winners.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I only have experience with Michelin LTXs and the Duratracs so basically a very moderate AT and a very aggressive AT. The LTXs were really good on road. I can't complain about anything from them.

I have been taking turns a little slower since I got my Duratracs. I'm not sure if I could go as fast, but they don't feel quite as confident as the LTXs. Obviously the Duratracs are going to be good offroad.

The Duratracs really aren't loud for their tread pattern in my opinion. There is a slight hum that gets louder with speed, but almost any music covers the hum up.

The Silent Armors are also a good tire. It just depends on how much you drive, like Ron said, and how much you want to pay.

 

[Thai]

IMO, out of your list, i would get Goodyear SA without a doubt if you don't mind the extra cost. Why?

1. Goodyear's top premium AT tire...so, GY threw everything they had at it (tech wise), so, you are assured of a quiet comfy ride, durability, easy to rotate, and toughness
2. Snowflake (you knew i was gonna mention that!)
3. Strongest sidewall in GY lineup not named MT-R
4. It has the best combination of on-road and off-road features among GY tires...please see Goodyear's own ratings (http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_tire.jsp?mrktarea=Light+Truck).

So, why not get the best GY has to offer (if you have the cash)? When it comes to tires, i firmly believe in, "you get what you pay for." The only time in my short life that i skimp a bit on tires was when i got Firestone Destination M/T, which wasn't cheap but cheaper than the more popular MTs on the market. But, yeah, after so many miles, i regretted it. Even though you may not need the special sidewall of the SA, it is nice to have for peace of mind...and that alone is worth a few pennies in my book. (As you can tell, i am a big believer in a quality sidewall, esp. if you plan on taking it off-road, even just occasionally.)

 

[G.I.G.]

IMO, out of your list, i would get Goodyear SA without a doubt if you don't mind the extra cost. Why?

1. Goodyear's top premium AT tire...so, GY threw everything they had at it (tech wise), so, you are assured of a quiet comfy ride, durability, easy to rotate, and toughness
2. Snowflake (you knew i was gonna mention that!)
3. Strongest sidewall in GY lineup not named MT-R
4. It has the best combination of on-road and off-road features among GY tires...please see Goodyear's own ratings (Goodyear Tires | SUV and Truck Tires).

Those are some of the reasons why the SA is at the top of my list. I had narrowed it down to Revo's and the SA last time I was looking at tires (went with the Revo's) but due to the sidewall construction of the SA's and the fact that they come in a D load range has made them the front runner this time around. Not to mention they have good road manners.

I don't put as much stock in the snowflake symbol as you do, sorry. But the fact that the SA has it certainly doesn't hurt (FWIW, my Revo's do not have the snowflake symbol and they have been excellent for me in the snow). Regardless, I have heard great things about the SA's in the snow and I have a few friends running them and they have had great luck with them in the snow. BTW, how did someone from TX become so pationate about the mountain and snowflake symbol??? :biggrin2:

When it comes to tires, i firmly believe in, "you get what you pay for."....

I agree 100%. There are two things in life you don't skimp on......tires and guns! :gun6: That's not to say there aren't great, mid-price range tires out there that perform well, but I don't mind paying a little extra to get top of the line.

 

[Thai]

I don't put as much stock in the snowflake symbol as you do, sorry. But the fact that the SA has it certainly doesn't hurt

BTW, how did someone from TX become so pationate about the mountain and snowflake symbol???

I agree 100%. There are two things in life you don't skimp on......tires and guns! :gun6:

Exactly. Hey, i know that the snowflake may not mean everything, BUT it tells me that, at the very least, the SA has passed some sort of snow testing. It is kinda like buying a car that got a good crash test rating. Sure, the car may still crumple like a pretzel in certain type of crash, but at least, it was tested by a standard protocol and passed.

RMA is not paying me for pushing snowflake symbol! However, with research, you learn about it and appreciate it. Sure, i may never need it, but it is nice to have. Like conceal carry, sure, you may never need it, but it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I am sure that YOU understand that analogy! And yes, i totally agree with that last part...this is why i dumped Kahr PM9 after it malfunctioned and returned to me from factory 3 times.

And hey, i got snow this past winter in Houston TEXAS!! So, you gotta prepare for everything!!

 

[rook]

IMO, out of your list, i would get Goodyear SA without a doubt if you don't mind the extra cost. Why?

1. Goodyear's top premium AT tire...so, GY threw everything they had at it (tech wise), so, you are assured of a quiet comfy ride, durability, easy to rotate, and toughness
2. Snowflake (you knew i was gonna mention that!)
3. Strongest sidewall in GY lineup not named MT-R
4. It has the best combination of on-road and off-road features among GY tires...please see Goodyear's own ratings (Goodyear Tires | SUV and Truck Tires).

All valid points. But no one knows if the SA's durawall is stronger than what is offered in the DuraTrac. The SA's kevlar is only in the tread area wheras the MTR's kevlar wraps into the sidewall. Perhaps the durawall has some advantage, Goodyear is very limiting in the information it provides on it.
What we can see on the DuraTrac is decent tread on the sidewall for protection when on rougher terrain.

Being in Colorado, driving in varying snow conditions, the Duratrac may very well be a better choice.

Josh, aka HB 4x4 has 285/70/17 Duratracs. Duratracs on a 4th Gen

 

[G.I.G.]

I base my tire decisions more on reviews than the snowflake symbol. I agree that independent testing holds validity. Having the snowflake symbol on my tire would be more important to me if they required it here in CO. But chain laws only apply to commercial vehicles and there is no requirement for snow tires. If it's that nasty out, they just close the pass or the road.

You're right. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I have a CCW permit but I rarely carry. But hey, at least I have it!

 

[G.I.G.]

All valid points. But no one knows if the SA's durawall is stronger than what is offered in the DuraTrac. The SA's kevlar is only in the tread area wheras the MTR's kevlar wraps into the sidewall. Perhaps the durawall has some advantage, Goodyear is very limiting in the information it provides on it.
What we can see on the DuraTrac is decent tread on the sidewall for protection when on rougher terrain.

Being in Colorado, driving in varying snow conditions, the Duratrac may very well be a better choice.

Josh, aka HB 4x4 has 285/70/17 Duratracs. Duratracs on a 4th Gen

Yeah, I saw that Josh was running the Duratracs. His rig is definitely more modded than mine but I am still interested in this tire. My biggest concern with the Duratracs is on-road noise and comfort. While it does snow here in CO and I spend plenty of time going up snowboarding and time going up in the mountains, it is still a fairly mild climate (as I write this, I am watching it snow outside during the last week of March, LOL). So I'm not basing my decision strictly on snow performance but it ranks high up the list as far as priorities. I wish I could read more reviews on the Duratrac but it is still a relatively new tire.

I did note that the Kevlar on the SA's is only in the tread area and it is the sidewalls that are the most at risk when you are aired down off-road. But I wouldn't think that LT Duratracs have any better sidewall strength than the SA's.

Decisions, decisions.....