New Falken AT tire (A/T3W)

[Bundutrailer]

I have only punctured 1 tire in the past 65,000 miles. It was on a very sharp rock that I slid sideways into. Discount Tire had me a new tire 2 days later (because Texas doesn't like winter grade rubber) for the cost of tire cert ~$35.

Thanks, was the side wall puncture repairable, or had to discard it.

 

[007Tacoma]

Thanks, was the side wall puncture repairable, or had to discard it.

Definitely not repairable. I'll see if I can attach the video from that day, but we aired it back up at home and it was a 3/4 inch gash. Discount Tire replaced that tire with a brand new one under their tire certification program for $32. No complaints.

 

[Bundutrailer]

Thanks very much, it’s fair to say for rocky stuff the sidewall not up to it? My K02 have been bombproof in my type of rocks and presume they have stronger sidewalls being 3ply.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

Thanks very much, it’s fair to say for rocky stuff the sidewall not up to it? My K02 have been bombproof in my type of rocks and presume they have stronger sidewalls being 3ply.

Been on pretty rocky stuff and slide into some sharp rocks but thankfully had no issues with my AT3Ws!

 

[007Tacoma]

Thanks very much, it’s fair to say for rocky stuff the sidewall not up to it? My K02 have been bombproof in my type of rocks and presume they have stronger sidewalls being 3ply.

I dunno. I've gone through some stuff in West Texas and Moab, Utah that I thought for certain was going to end up with a flat tire. No problems. My rims even took a hell of a beating that make it look like I was in a high speed accident - but the tires never lost air or punctured. The one flat I got was a hard drop on an extremely sharp rock and a 15 degree angle sideways. Kinda surprised it didn't pop the bead. I wouldn't hesitate to run these off road again.

 

[Aham182]

I’ve been rockin these in 275/70/17 for my 2018 on trd pro wheels and they are by far the best tires I’ve ever used. I’ve been a lifelong bfg guy with a few Nitto ridge grapplers in between and the falkens are better than the ko2 and ridge grapplers from my experience. Perfect on road manners and just handles anything off road and they are truely amazing in the rain and snow. Can’t recommend these tires enough. Also just something my uncle told me was cheaper tire places like discount tire have great prices but they usually take B-Stock and second run tires randomly. Obviously not all and more than likely you will be okay but places like that can occasionally have a dud because they are b stock which is why they can sell at a much cheaper price compared to other places where they are pretty stern about their prices. I’ve never had a problem but it makes sense and if this is true then that is probably why a few reviews have had issues but that goes for any tire not just falken. It’s rubber and not gonna be consistent every single tire out of all the tires they make. I got mine off amazon and did the tire installation service through amazon which was super convenient and good prices. I’ll be buying falken wildpeaks from now on that’s for sure.

 

[mustangr2]

So my update. I have gotten over 60k on my set of falkens. I would recommend this as all around good tire. I don't do a ton of hard core off roading but for what I have throw at them it handled it well. Snow and wet traction are great. I would say as they get to the end of their life they do get a little noisy but overall that is my only compliant about them. I wouldn't hesitate to replace them with another set. I regret not getting another set when they were cheap 4 or 5 months ago.

 

[kaitlyn2004]

Yesterday I went up a mountain road with another 4runner with BFG KO2

They were 275 while my falken were 265. This is my first "aftermarket" tire purchase ever, and I'm generally very happy with them. BUT. At the top parking lot which was a mix of snow/ice/slush, it seemed their tires were getting grip and moving much more easily.

Now hard to compare what I'm SEEING in the other car vs FEELING in my car, but yeah. I thought the falken were supposed to excel in these types of conditions but it SEEMED like the ko2 were doing better.

(It's not like my falken were failing and I was stuck at any point)

 

[teotwaki]

Yesterday I went up a mountain road with another 4runner with BFG KO2

They were 275 while my falken were 265. This is my first "aftermarket" tire purchase ever, and I'm generally very happy with them. BUT. At the top parking lot which was a mix of snow/ice/slush, it seemed their tires were getting grip and moving much more easily.

Now hard to compare what I'm SEEING in the other car vs FEELING in my car, but yeah. I thought the falken were supposed to excel in these types of conditions but it SEEMED like the ko2 were doing better.

(It's not like my falken were failing and I was stuck at any point)

Welcome to the Falken Club!

I was up in Colorado going over snowy mountain passes and my stock sized Falkens performed well.

Questions for you if you have the answers or can get them:

What model 4Runner do you have and what options?

Was the other vehicle in 4WD?

Were you in 4WD at the time?

Any sort of traction control engaged by you or the other vehicle?
(ATRAC, MTS, locker)

Was the other vehicle more heavily loaded than yours?

What sort of air pressure were you running?

Thanks!

 

[02SE]

Yesterday I went up a mountain road with another 4runner with BFG KO2

They were 275 while my falken were 265. This is my first "aftermarket" tire purchase ever, and I'm generally very happy with them. BUT. At the top parking lot which was a mix of snow/ice/slush, it seemed their tires were getting grip and moving much more easily.

Now hard to compare what I'm SEEING in the other car vs FEELING in my car, but yeah. I thought the falken were supposed to excel in these types of conditions but it SEEMED like the ko2 were doing better.

(It's not like my falken were failing and I was stuck at any point)

There are too many variables to say why one tire might do better than another in a given condition. One tire might do better than the other in specific conditions just due to tread pattern or rubber compound. Then there's the size difference which could be a factor. Then inflation pressure can and does make a difference. Driving style can also make a difference. Reading the terrain comes with experience, so one person might pick a better line through an area.

The best thing to do is experiment and gain experience with what works for any given condition.

 

[kaitlyn2004]

Welcome to the Falken Club!

I was up in Colorado going over snowy mountain passes and my stock sized Falkens performed well.

Questions for you if you have the answers or can get them:

What model 4Runner do you have and what options?

Was the other vehicle in 4WD?

Were you in 4WD at the time?

Any sort of traction control engaged by you or the other vehicle?
(ATRAC, MTS, locker)

Was the other vehicle more heavily loaded than yours?

What sort of air pressure were you running?

Thanks!

Mine 2020, theirs 2016. Both in 4HI 1st gear. Nothing else explicitly used.

I imagine very similar weight - both very close to stock

I assume similar tire pressure - at least neither aired down

 

[MIKE969]

So I ordered a set of SL P Metric 265/70R17 which were delivered today. I wanted stock size and SL since 99% of my driving is on road, with occasional mild off roading, and I need great wet traction. Living in Canada, I’m running a dedicated winter tire set so snow performance is just a bonus if I ever get caught in a storm before I switch over. My set was manufactured 28th week of 2020 in the Thailand plant.

This thread is full of good information and definitely helped me in my decision but I wanted to share some more information that I was never able to readily find.

1 - What do these tires actually f@cking weigh?

Falken's website states 46.5lbs which his HEAVY. Heavier than most LTC tires and likely the heaviest P-Metric SL tires in that size. When looking at their size and weight specs one can’t help but wonder if their numbers are off.

Spoiler alert, they are!

My bathroom scale measured 45lbs for each tire the first time. I measured them again and they each came in at 44.6lbs. The shipping label had them weighed at 44lbs. I have verified the accuracy of my scale with weights and it appears to be accurate within .2lbs.

Conclusion: The Wildpeak P265/70R17 actually weigh between 44lbs and 45lbs, call it 44.5lbs.

Definitely not 46.5 as stated on their website.

2 - Are they taller or wider than stock tires?

I had the stock Dunlop AT20's removed before I took delivery, with less than 2 km on them.

Corner to corner of the tread contact patch, the Falkens measure 8 3/4", and the Dunlops measure 7 3/4". The Falkens are definitely more squared off, and the tread contact patch is much wider, but the tires are similar widths overall at their widest point.

As for height, they're within 1/8" overall, not much difference there.

The Falkens look WAY cooler though

Bonus Pics:

 

[SpeedyKevin]

Yesterday I went up a mountain road with another 4runner with BFG KO2

They were 275 while my falken were 265. This is my first "aftermarket" tire purchase ever, and I'm generally very happy with them. BUT. At the top parking lot which was a mix of snow/ice/slush, it seemed their tires were getting grip and moving much more easily.

Now hard to compare what I'm SEEING in the other car vs FEELING in my car, but yeah. I thought the falken were supposed to excel in these types of conditions but it SEEMED like the ko2 were doing better.

(It's not like my falken were failing and I was stuck at any point)

Had the opposite experience when I was running my wildpeaks lol. You have the P or LT? Technically the P should perform better on snow due to the compound. That being said, what was the experience level of the other driver? Were they using MTS? I do find MTS set to low helps alot in snow when compared to normal traction control.

On a side note, loving my Wildpeak MT01s for snow! Thought I'd struggle with them when switching from the A/Ts but not issues so far. Been through several whiteout conditions around Wyoming, Montana, and the Eastern Sierra.

 

[RedRunner_87]

Had the opposite experience when I was running my wildpeaks lol. You have the P or LT? Technically the P should perform better on snow due to the compound. That being said, what was the experience level of the other driver? Were they using MTS? I do find MTS set to low helps alot in snow when compared to normal traction control.

On a side note, loving my Wildpeak MT01s for snow! Thought I'd struggle with them when switching from the A/Ts but not issues so far. Been through several whiteout conditions around Wyoming, Montana, and the Eastern Sierra.

Man I wish they would make the MT01's in 255!

 

[Bruin1md]

Great thread.......... debating 275 vs 265:

So as I get closer to replacing the stock Nittos on my TRD Pro, I know I want to go with the Falken A/T3W's, but here's the issue:

I don't want to make any mods in terms of offsets or lifts-- at least not at this time. I'm good with some minor trimming up front if need be.
I also know that Falkens tend to run larger than other brands, meaning a 265 Falken will run closer to a 275 from another brand.

Having said that, I would prefer to go up to a 275/70/17. The issue is that it only comes as a LT C load tire, which adds quite a bit of weight over the standard P SL load.
I've had E load BFG KO2's, which were total overkill on my GX 460, and they were horrible for rain/hydroplane resistance. That was poor research on my part before getting them (in terms of learning about the differences in driving characteristics based on load).

I'm looking for on road manners, grip for wet roads, light snow, icy roads at times, and occasional light off roading ventures.
Hence, I know an E load tire is out.
The main question(s) are with respect to what if any advantage a 6 ply C load Falken offers over the P rated 4 ply SL.
It's my understanding that the P rated falken may be better for wet roads/traction than the LT versions, but I don't know that to be true.

I would l love to go bigger to the 275 over the 265, but not if the negatives (significant weight increase cost, minimal improvement in puncture protection, worse wet traction) outweigh the positives.
If I want the P rated Falken my options are stick with the stock 265 or go up to 285 on the smaller TRD Pro wheels, which I know many of you have done w/o issues, but have needed some light mods to do so.

Anyone who has had C rated 275's and are able to compare them to the P rated SL's would be very helpful.

 

[jmeds]

So as I get closer to replacing the stock Nittos on my TRD Pro, I know I want to go with the Falken A/T3W's, but here's the issue:

I don't want to make any mods in terms of offsets or lifts-- at least not at this time. I'm good with some minor trimming up front if need be.
I also know that Falkens tend to run larger than other brands, meaning a 265 Falken will run closer to a 275 from another brand.

Having said that, I would prefer to go up to a 275/70/17. The issue is that it only comes as a LT C load tire, which adds quite a bit of weight over the standard P SL load.
I've had E load BFG KO2's, which were total overkill on my GX 460, and they were horrible for rain/hydroplane resistance. That was poor research on my part before getting them (in terms of learning about the differences in driving characteristics based on load).

I'm looking for on road manners, grip for wet roads, light snow, icy roads at times, and occasional light off roading ventures.
Hence, I know an E load tire is out.
The main question(s) are with respect to what if any advantage a 6 ply C load Falken offers over the P rated 4 ply SL.
It's my understanding that the P rated falken may be better for wet roads/traction than the LT versions, but I don't know that to be true.

I would l love to go bigger to the 275 over the 265, but not if the negatives (significant weight increase cost, minimal improvement in puncture protection, worse wet traction) outweigh the positives.
If I want the P rated Falken my options are stick with the stock 265 or go up to 285 on the smaller TRD Pro wheels, which I know many of you have done w/o issues, but have needed some light mods to do so.

Anyone who has had C rated 275's and are able to compare them to the P rated SL's would be very helpful.

Exact same thoughts here....hoping someone will answer, anxiously awaiting

 

[PCMSF]

Same, I have some 275s on hold at America's Tire while I wait for my wheels to show up.

I called Falken and spoke to a product specialist and they said the SL is what they'd recommend. Unlikely the 275s will be released in SL, so at this point I'm resigned to put up with the extra weight because it is really a perfect size for those of us that don't want to lift/mod to fit 285s.

 

[DallasTRDPro]

I have 285's on my Pro and I'm extremely happy with them in terms of noise and wet traction. I have the Eibach springs and have zero rubbing so far.

 

[TRD PANTHER]

So as I get closer to replacing the stock Nittos on my TRD Pro, I know I want to go with the Falken A/T3W's, but here's the issue:

I don't want to make any mods in terms of offsets or lifts-- at least not at this time. I'm good with some minor trimming up front if need be.
I also know that Falkens tend to run larger than other brands, meaning a 265 Falken will run closer to a 275 from another brand.

Having said that, I would prefer to go up to a 275/70/17. The issue is that it only comes as a LT C load tire, which adds quite a bit of weight over the standard P SL load.
I've had E load BFG KO2's, which were total overkill on my GX 460, and they were horrible for rain/hydroplane resistance. That was poor research on my part before getting them (in terms of learning about the differences in driving characteristics based on load).

I'm looking for on road manners, grip for wet roads, light snow, icy roads at times, and occasional light off roading ventures.
Hence, I know an E load tire is out.
The main question(s) are with respect to what if any advantage a 6 ply C load Falken offers over the P rated 4 ply SL.
It's my understanding that the P rated falken may be better for wet roads/traction than the LT versions, but I don't know that to be true.

I would l love to go bigger to the 275 over the 265, but not if the negatives (significant weight increase cost, minimal improvement in puncture protection, worse wet traction) outweigh the positives.
If I want the P rated Falken my options are stick with the stock 265 or go up to 285 on the smaller TRD Pro wheels, which I know many of you have done w/o issues, but have needed some light mods to do so.

Anyone who has had C rated 275's and are able to compare them to the P rated SL's would be very helpful.

Exact same thoughts here....hoping someone will answer, anxiously awaiting

Same, I have some 275s on hold at America's Tire while I wait for my wheels to show up.

I called Falken and spoke to a product specialist and they said the SL is what they'd recommend. Unlikely the 275s will be released in SL, so at this point I'm resigned to put up with the extra weight because it is really a perfect size for those of us that don't want to lift/mod to fit 285s.

I ran BFG KO2’s E load 275-70-17’s on my 2018 Pro at first. Ride was slightly more rough, especially over bumps and since they weighed ~58 lbs. each the mpg took a hit of 1.5-2mpg over stock. Both city and street. The ride was quiet. I ran these without issue or mods initially on my Pro. Then I decided to add a 1.5/1” Cornfed spacers lift and then after that I went to 285/70-17 AT3W’s in a SL rating. No clearance or rubbing issues, smoother ride and no difference in mpg over the 275’s. Also, interestingly, your speedometer will be closer to correct with 275’s than 265’s. My 285’s are maybe 1 mph at 40-45mph. I have had C load 285/75-16’s KO2’s on my previous 2001 4Runner and the ride was nice. There is a slight ly better ride difference in a C compared to an E load. As I recall, the 275 Falken AT3W weighs ~57 lbs. This will affect mpg. The Pro wheels and offset, coupled with the fender liner mod done at the port on the Pros, will clear 275’s without mods or issues. I prefer the 285 look and performance better than compromising on 275’s. The selection and availability of 285’s as compared to 275’s is much better and a 285 will still fit in the spare area. Attached are pics with 275’s no lift, 275’s with the 1.5/1” spacer lift and the same lift with my 285 SL AT3W’s.
Hope this helps.

 

[Mudballz]

I can’t praise the wildpeaks enough they really are a great 99% tire they fill the wheel wells good wet/snow traction and mild off-road all in one tire :guitar2: