Tire decision help (please)

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Well 2 years later and my Falkens are at 7/32 in the front and 5/32 in the rear. With winter coming on it's probably time to get them replaced. I've been researching for the last week or through here, google, tire shop sites, etc.

I really liked the Falkens. Prior to these I had Cooper AT3s (older style) and the F-AT3W definitely blew them out of the water because I like a stiffer, more "truck like" ride and the Falkens being XL was so much nicer than the P/SL of the Coopers. That being said it leaves me with a dilemma. I only got around 28-30,000 miles out of my Falkens, I prefer the stock 265/65/17 size for speedometer/odometer accuracy, definitely need to be an AT, and I like the stiffer ride so my tire options are very limited. I also like the 3PMSF on the tire too. Admittedly I do not go off road too often but with my build my mindset has always been "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". I have run into floods, pulled people out of the muck, hell I accidentally drove through the outer bands of a tornado once. Here in Oklahoma it hasn't iced and snowed in the winter nearly as bad in recent years but, I still like being prepared for anything.

With that said, these seem to be my tire options. My information and figures were gathered by discount tire.

1. Falken Wildpeak A/T3W $180/EA
- Weight: 43lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 660
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: B
- Max PSI: 50

2.Nokian Tire Rotiva AT $187/EA
- Weight: 36lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 700
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: A
- Max PSI: 51

3. Toyo Open Country A/T III $180/EA
- Weight: 40lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 600
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: B
- Max PSI: 50

4. Pro Comp A/T Sport $190/EA
- Weight: 53lbs
- Load Index: D
- Speed rating: up to 100mph
- Tread Depth: 16/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 65

5. BFGoodrich KO2 $222/EA
- Weight: 51lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 112mph
- Tread Depth: 15/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

6. Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT $217/EA
- Weight: 47lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 16/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

7. Yokohama Geolander A/T G015 $194/EA
- Weight: 47lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 106mph
- Tread Depth: 17/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

One of my concerns with the E load rating is my cousin has E pro comps on is Tacoma and it rides horribly. Of course he also has no weight over the rear axle compared to the 4R and I also have a winch bumper. I will probably end up with the Falkens again though the Nokians interest me. I would love feedback and suggestions though. I am still open to the P/SL rated tires if they don't feel mushy.

Thanks y'all.
 
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I would give a solid look at the General Grabber ATX. From memory it checks most your boxes. Priced nicely also.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 
I used to have Nokian Rotivas on my Discovery. Handles snow very well, quiet, has a wear indicator(a nice touch) Lasted 3 seasons till I sold the truck and they were @40%. Oh.... cheap. May be try ebay for pricing, worked well for me.
 
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montijo505 said:
I would give a solid look at the General Grabber ATX. From memory it checks most your boxes. Priced nicely also.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

+1 on the Grabbers. I've got these and I love them. They look good, ride good, (smooth but not mushy), and they also have the three peak snow rating. Totally satisfied with mine. Haven't really taken them off road but I have no doubt about their ability based on the reviews I've read. They're also #2 out of 29 A/T tires on tire rack.
 
I've got bfg ko2s and I really like them, I havent had many issues with them and they ride pretty well. I've put some snow miles on them too and I really trust them while driving on the road with snow. I havent had any other AT before but im pretty impressed with the ko2 and think its a very solid option. Costs a little more but comes with a 50,000 mile warranty and in my opinion wears very evenly

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Considering the tires on your list, I would TOTALLY go with the Toyo Open Country AT III.

Reasons:

First of all, the Toyo, the Falken, and the KO2 have the best tread for offroading of all tires on your list. The others are milder and the Rotiiva is NOT meant for serious rocks (I have talked to Nokian, they have a rock tire, too). So this eliminates the others for me.

Now, I have owned the AT II, the KO2, and the AT3W (as well as the previous Geolander) so the rest is even easier.

The AT3W is superior to KO2 in all conditions other than the desert. The KO2 is in a higher league from the AT3W in the desert of AZ but not in Utah or Montana or Colorado. Also, SL AT3W is much cheaper than KO2. So this is a tie and it all depends on your needs and terrain.

So where does the Toyo AT III fit? Well, the AT II was superb on dirt and very nice on road. JetBoy did the Rubicon in the SL version of the AT II. But, above all, the AT II was the champion when it came to long life SL AT tires. The AT III has a very appealing tread.

Downsides of the AT3W: short life and strength in the desert. So, in 265 70 17 where the AT3W can be bought for 120-140, it is a no brainer for people not in the desert. You just get a new set every two years.
Downsides of the KO2: it is nothing special outside of the desert and it is a meh tire on road. It really is a great desert tire but there is little else to like about it.

And so the AT III would be my choice from this list as well as for an SL tire.

Quick notes on the others:

The General Grabber gets occasional great reviews, but the opposite is true as well. I have read extensively about it on different forums. There is nothing special about its construction to suggest it is any stronger in SL than any of the others.

The Cooper AT3 is reviewed extremely well for a mild use tire but its rock abilities have been proven very deficient in the experiences of people whose offroading habits I know (they are serious offroaders).

The previous Geolander was a hard working but always subpar tire, never gave up, but was subpar on and offroad. The new version is way better but a Discount Tire guy I know, who has an FJ, moved from it rather quickly. It gets the job done, that is for sure, but it is on the milder side of tread. On road, it seems like an evolutionary improvement on the previous model. What was needed was more of a revolutionary improvement as the old Geolander was borderline dangerous in corners and under hard braking.

At the end, tires are subjective to a great degree, but do also consider that tire tech has improved greatly over the last decade and that the Toyo AT III brings you the latest tech.
 
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Also, if you stiffen up your suspension, you can do LTE. For example, the LT Wildpeak lasts a lot longer than the SL model per Discount Tire store data.

With my current setup, the LTE ATZP3 ride better than the SL AT3W.

It is counterinutitive, but the reason is that the heavier tire prevents the suspension from being too jittery over the small chop on road.
 
Radials
Michelin Defender LTX: 265 60r17- these were pretty good when I was stock. The compound was nice in the rain and snow when I lived in Kansas and Colorado. They were super quiet and smooth with great tread life. They worked ok on basic dirt roads and small, smooth obstacles. I recommend these for stock vehicles driving long distances, and even towing. They aren't too expensive at all and can be found anywhere.
All-Terrain
BFG All Terrain (discontinued): 31 10.5x17- these were a great first "introduction to offroading" tire. Affordable, durable with good ply, good when aired up OR down for basic offroading. They wore very well, were easily balanced, and had a decent rubber compound. They did get very hard in the winter and did not offer the traction I desired. Price point is a little higher than the R/T's, but you are paying for a different level of product! Ask your dad about them, and ask your grandpa about them- I bet they ran them at one point in time!
BFG All Terrain KO-2: 33 12.5x17- I added more lift so I needed more tire. I will preach SIPING IS MOST EXCELLENT on this product guys. The ply on these allow you to safely air down to utilize the siping and gain lots of traction off road. Just like its predecessor, they wear great, last a long time, but again! Not enough traction for me in the snow here with its harder rubber compound. Price point is again higher ($286/tire) but you are getting an improvement on a legendary tire.
Hankook Dynapro ATMRF-10: 315 70x17- Again! More lift! These were an affordable option for me and I have been impressed on several occasions by the performance from this affordable and attainable tire. The tread pattern is mean yet quiet for an AT providing lots of grip and a quiet ride to your wheeling location. The ply on these aren't as sturdy as the BFG's but I still air them down to 15PSI to wheel comfortably with no problems. They balance OK on my steel wheels, but not perfect. Their compound is wearing well since I've owned them. Their price point is cheaper than the BFG coming in at $238/tire. They work well in the winter and give me adequate traction all year round. I recommend these guys.
Mud-Terrain
Cooper MTP: 315 70r17- I ran these guys between my 33" BFG ATKO2's and my Hankook Dynapro ATMRF10's. I have to say, this was a GREAT TIRE for what I do up here in the mountains of Colorado. Aired down, they grip and freaking rip man. Dirt, rocks, tree roots, water crossings, they work very well in all situations. They are pretty noisy from 15mph to 75mph, but at the time, I loved that noise. Their rubber compound wore well, but became pretty hard in the winter time not allowing me to have great purchase on snow and ice. These cost about as much as the ATKO2's at $285/tire. I still have one as my spare tire, and I would gladly go back to this!

In conclusion: for the weekend warrior (myself) who likes to run easy-moderate trails OR dirt roads, an affordable option and my recommendation would be all-terrain tires. They work great off-road and on-road, won't make the wife/husband wonder where the kids college fund went, are easily replaced at any reputable tire store across America (in sizes ranging from 31-35"), and work well in most (if not all) seasons. They look kinda neat too! Best of luck finding the right tire for you!!!!
 
404NotFound said:
Well 2 years later and my Falkens are at 7/32 in the front and 5/32 in the rear. With winter coming on it's probably time to get them replaced. I've been researching for the last week or through here, google, tire shop sites, etc.

I really liked the Falkens. Prior to these I had Cooper AT3s (older style) and the F-AT3W definitely blew them out of the water because I like a stiffer, more "truck like" ride and the Falkens being XL was so much nicer than the P/SL of the Coopers. That being said it leaves me with a dilemma. I only got around 28-30,000 miles out of my Falkens, I prefer the stock 265/65/17 size for speedometer/odometer accuracy, definitely need to be an AT, and I like the stiffer ride so my tire options are very limited. I also like the 3PMSF on the tire too. Admittedly I do not go off road too often but with my build my mindset has always been "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". I have run into floods, pulled people out of the muck, hell I accidentally drove through the outer bands of a tornado once. Here in Oklahoma it hasn't iced and snowed in the winter nearly as bad in recent years but, I still like being prepared for anything.

With that said, these seem to be my tire options. My information and figures were gathered by discount tire.

1. Falken Wildpeak A/T3W $180/EA
- Weight: 43lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 660
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: B
- Max PSI: 50

2.Nokian Tire Rotiva AT $187/EA
- Weight: 36lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 700
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: A
- Max PSI: 51

3. Toyo Open Country A/T III $180/EA
- Weight: 40lbs
- Load Index: XL
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 13/32
- Tread Grade: 600
- Traction Grade: A
- Temp Grade: B
- Max PSI: 50

4. Pro Comp A/T Sport $190/EA
- Weight: 53lbs
- Load Index: D
- Speed rating: up to 100mph
- Tread Depth: 16/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 65

5. BFGoodrich KO2 $222/EA
- Weight: 51lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 112mph
- Tread Depth: 15/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

6. Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT $217/EA
- Weight: 47lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 118mph
- Tread Depth: 16/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

7. Yokohama Geolander A/T G015 $194/EA
- Weight: 47lbs
- Load Index: E
- Speed rating: up to 106mph
- Tread Depth: 17/32
- Tread Grade: ?
- Traction Grade: ?
- Temp Grade: ?
- Max PSI: 80

One of my concerns with the E load rating is my cousin has E pro comps on is Tacoma and it rides horribly. Of course he also has no weight over the rear axle compared to the 4R and I also have a winch bumper. I will probably end up with the Falkens again though the Nokians interest me. I would love feedback and suggestions though. I am still open to the P/SL rated tires if they don't feel mushy.

Thanks y'all.
Click to expand...

Take the Toyo A/T off your list, worst wet pavement and snow traction tire I've ever run. Like really dangerous cornering on wet pavement and useless in even light snow. They also tend to cup early on requiring cross rotations.
The Nokian looks interesting to me, the rest of your list looks solid. I might add Firestone Destination AT if you don't mind a less aggressive look. Personally I'd stay away from heavy load range tires. I usually run LT or even P rated to save weight and keep a nice ride.
 
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