Purchase new tires or not?

[j_shoe99]

Currently have a 2012 SR5 w/1,000miles on it
I am in the decision process of whether or not I should replace my stock Bridgestone Dueler H/T tires or not. (and then sell my OEM tires on CL)

My main reasons to "upgrade" would be: (The Pro's)
1. perform better in the WI snow during Winter.(if we get snow this year!)
2. looks more aggressive.(I'm an ex Jeeper)
3. better handling.(from a LT tire. C or E load perhaps?)

the Con's:
1. worse mpg's
2. road noise
3. shorter treadlife

Realistically, i'll do 99% on pavement driving year round. I'd love to get a full-on mud tire, but probably not the most practical for what I need. I will most likely stick with the 265/70/17 stock size for new tires.

I do a lot of driving throughout the state, for mountain bike races(with a fully loaded vehicle) during the Summer, and xc skiing/snowshoeing/etc during the Winter.

I also have a camper that i'll tow a handful of times per year.

The larger the snowstorm, the more I like to drive to a trailhead for some fresh snowshoeing! I want to get there safely!

Yes, i've searched most of the forums on this site for the above criteria, before I get lashed at!

I love the look of the GY Duratracs, but i'd be concerned with road noise/mpg's lost and also initial cost($1100 ish) is pretty high. I DO like that they are 'snow rated' or whatever though too!

I'm leaning toward replacements, so i can sell my OEM's($400ish?) and recoop some money, instead of getting a complete separate set of dedicated snow tires/wheels.

I'd like to hear what you all have to say about tire selection, as well as any fire power to help convince my wife that I need to replace my brand-new tires already! "You don't need to buy tires! Your's are brand new!":whipping2

I think im looking for a justification of purchasing the Duratrac's to suit my needs :biggrin2:, or open to any other suggestions you may have? :shrug:

 

[SigSense]

The main justification I'd use is safety. Having driven in WI during a few winters, I was happy for the BFG AT's that assisted in better grip/control. You can always sell safety to women, that's how I got my wife into hunting, shooting etc ------ safety. Here's a prospective scenario: "Honey, I am concerned that we'll have a worse winter than last. Those tires on the 4Runner are for mainly highway use in good/fair weather. I think we need to INVEST in some SAFER tires in order to ensure that we can travel during those snowstorms. If an emergency arises we need to be able to get to a hospital SAFELY."

 

[scanny]

My justification was that instead of buying set of show tires I buy all terrain tires which rated for severe winter contitions and sell OEM tires to offset some of the cost. In a result we might spend a little bit more than for winter tires, but we save trouble to change ties and we got better safety on the road and offroad since Duratracs are way better then OEM tires.

My only doubt was about road noise, but it didn't appear to be that bad. I have only 25,000 km (about 15K miles maybe) on Duratracs so far so I can't really say much about tread life, but if the tread lasts for at least 45K miles my next set will be Duratracs too.

Oh and I forgot to say that my only regret about Duratracs that I didn't buy them earlier.

 

[veloindy]

Picked up my TE this week, ordered Cooper AT3's from Discount today at lunch. I went with stock size, and P rating. I can't deal with the stock tires this winter in CO. I kept the original tires on my 06 for a winter, never again! I'm in the mountains every weekend during winter, either snowboarding or snowshoeing. Next year I'll do a dedicated snow tire on another set of rims. This year the AT3's will be new, so they'll be fine for this winter.

I didn't want a super stiff tire, with a big tread pattern. I'm not in the mood for road noise, or a jarring / stiff ride. A "P" rated all terrain tire has never caused me problems on the fire / mining roads I like to explore in CO and SW. Duratrac's look super cool, but at the end of the day, they're overkill for me.

They gave me $60. each for the stockers, there's 100 miles on them.

 

[philsey]

Suggest a P-rated, normal passenger, quality brand tire, along with Blizzaks on their own wheels for the winter. Many have had their tire dealer take the oems in trade, I did.

Plus (see up top) use the GOOGLE search tool for "caster", and get yours set to +4* as per discussion. Makes a huge handling difference.

If you Google "tires" you'll find more than you can handle - topic has been discussed ad nauseum, with more opinions than you can count.

 

[Prolex7]

Currently have Nokian Vatiiva MTs in factory size and love them. They are rated excellent in mud and snow, both of which I can attest to. Added spacers to fill out the wheel well and it looks perfect. My next tires will be the Duratracs (who knows when though).

I travel often so one of my excuses (now) is with 10-ply tires you are less likely to get a flat tire. Had an industrial staple in one tire and pulled it out with pliers and absolutely no air leaks. Numerous rock/gravel roads and had no issues. Within this past month of driving I went from being in North Dakota to Louisiana, then to Illinois.

I'm just a ramblin' man but good luck in your search.

 

[Dongbeiren]

Why don't buy another set of snow tires and change them during seasons?

 

[Barry694]

Tires

If you do mostly road driving put on a set of Michelin LT MS2's. They will cost around $900. They have a great ride, great mileage, and if you get them through a dealer who sells Michelins you can problem sell him the tires you presently have. Those are not great tires and the odds of selling them on CL is small. I sold mine to the tire dealer last year when I got my 4Runner and got a $400 credit against the Michelin. Great deal, great tire. If the dealer will give you a creadit against the new tires you will not have to take pics, post and get a lot of questions from people who most likely not buy them or they will want a substantial discount. Try the hassle free way first. Your ride will be greatly improved and get good mpg to boot.

 

[j_shoe99]

Change of Plans

Thanks all for your above advice! I appreciate it all...

I went 'tire browsing' tonight to a few places.

I've changed my plans, and eliminated the Duratracs from my options, since they are way overkill for my non-offroading needs.

They talked me out of the E-rating, and instead am leaning toward the P-rating.

I'm now deciding between the Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO 2, or the Goodyear Silent Armor.

I prefer the slightly more aggressive looks of the REVO, but think the snow/wet performance is better with the GY Silent Armor. (per reviews on tirerack.com)

Pricing is nearly identical too. But, the GY has a $160 (credit card) rebate right now, and the REVO has a $100 discount up front.

I think i'd prefer more performance, than cosmetic looks.

I think the winner is the Good Year Silent Armor, which suits my needs overall the most.


PS: I played 'the safety card' to the wife tonight. I think she still thinks I'm crazy for wanting to buy brand new tires to replace my brand new tires. But, with a baby on the way, I think I made my case pretty well. :thanks:

Thoughts?

 

[scanny]

I was looking at the Silent Armor too, I think it's a good choice, I picked Duratracs because they are better in snow according to the reviews. And you don't need E for sure, C is more than enough.

 

[runnaz]

I was in the same boat. Got the AT3's and was able to sell my stock tires on CL for $400. It took a few weeks, but they sold. There wasn't a lot of interest in them. The tire shop would only give me $60 for each one. If you have the time to wait for the sale, try selling them yourself.

 

[brockeverly]

Duratracs

 

[Doozi]

Two years ago I went through this same thing and ended up with the Silent Armors. They have been a great all-around tire... summer trail rides, road trip to Indianapolis and back hauling a trailer, great on ice and packed snow, and I've even done several winter trail rides in mountains without any issues. I've tried to justify buying a more aggressive tire (mainly for the looks), but the Silent Armors have never let me down. There's a slight hum at around 40-55 mph with the windows down, but above that the wind noise is louder even with the windows up. The Michelins would be a fantastic tire, too. I've put Michelins on a couple of other vehicles and have been very impressed.

 

[veloindy]

Don't rule out the AT3's. Consumer Reports has them rated above the Revo's, and they're less money. Also, the Discount Tire guys said the AT3's perform better in snow. I was deciding between those two yesterday, and ordered the AT3's. I had good luck with Cooper ATR's in snow, and the AT3's appear to be more aggressive. Cooper is offering a $75. prepaid Visa with a purchase of 4.

 

[Ukie]

I'm now deciding between the Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO 2, or the Goodyear Silent Armor.
...
I think the winner is the Good Year Silent Armor, which suits my needs overall the most.
...
Thoughts?

Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor is rather a heavy tire so expect some MPG drop. Other than that, it's a nice all around tire. You can check my post http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...r-wrangler-silent-armor-265-70r17-load-c.html with some pictures and additional info on SA.

 

[j_shoe99]

dang you.....you are making my decision even harder now...

I'll check out the Cooper AT3's too first.....You initially turned me off of them when you stated "they will be fine in the snow this year, but will get a dedicated snow tires next Winter". Meaning the longevity will not be there for multiple Winters, which is something I want. They will be on the 4R, year round, until they wear out completely.

 

[veloindy]

dang you.....you are making my decision even harder now...

I'll check out the Cooper AT3's too first.....You initially turned me off of them when you stated "they will be fine in the snow this year, but will get a dedicated snow tires next Winter". Meaning the longevity will not be there for multiple Winters, which is something I want. They will be on the 4R, year round, until they wear out completely.

Oops, sorry about that! I just don't want to buy 2 total sets of tires for a NEW truck. I'd be sleeping with them in the garage!

 

[Gerdo]

It sounds like you are already steering away from MTs but MTs are horrid on snowy roads. Wide MTs ARE the way to go if you are snow wheeling in deep snow.

Duratracs are, from what I have heard, great in the snow.
I have run BFG ATs and they do well. I have been running Yokohama ATs for the last few years and they do great. My only disappointment is that the Yokos are not aggressive looking.

I always sipe my tires too. This makes a huge difference in the snow.

 

[Barry694]

Tires

For mostly on road driving I would still go for an "LT" tire. They are designed for your vehicle and light trucks. "p" rating is more for passenger cars and in my opinion not the optimal tire for a SUV.

 

[j_shoe99]

Cooper AT3's on Sale

I just stumbled upon a local ad nearby for a Fleet Farm, and the cover of the weekly ad is calling out for Cooper AT3's ON SALE!

I'll stop by tonight after work, and fully expect them to be on my 4R very soon!
:guitar2:

UPDATE: I stopped by after work, and ended up purchasing the Cooper AT3's. They get installed on Tuesday.
I thought pricing was pretty good from what I've seen. $795ish installed. Plus a $50 gift card, and $75 mail in rebate.
I'll get my tires on CL shortly, and hopefully someone will snag them before Winter!

Thanks everyone for your advice in helping with my over analyzing everything!