New AT's, give me your opinions.

[KiwiBacon]

It's time to replace my road/sand/gravel tyres on the rangie. I've just worn out it's second set of BFG AT's and looking around to see what's best.

Most people either love or hate the BFG's, I've had a really good run and will buy them again if I can't find anything better.
I have a second set of wheels with SAT retreads, so I don't need anything chunkier.

They've gotta be quiet on road.
They've gotta have square shoulders so they don't drift on gravel roads.
Good tread life and acceptable traction on dry and wet tarmac. Some people really bag the BFG's for this, but I've had no issues with them.
Good solid casing.
Available in 225/75R16.

Other than the BFG's, Savero AT and Adventuro AT have been mentioned. Anyone running these? Price is a damn site cheaper than the US made BFG's.
Anything else I should consider?

[Jerry]

Wranglers?, had the AT/R's on the diesel zuk and found their road manners good.

[SMOKEY]

I haven't had personal experience with BFG's but my best mate has, he has a business that sees him visit logging gangs around the south Island, he has over many years and many different vehicles mainly twin cabs and 4wd vans, he has done thousands of km and tried many makes of AT type tyres, his current twin cab was spec with BFG's AT's,

BUGGER THE REST BUY THE BEST,

FITZY.

[KiwiBacon]

Wranglers?, had the AT/R's on the diesel zuk and found their road manners good.

Are they an LT casing? Website only lists one size ATR as LT.
I run them at 40psi (roughly 600kg on each wheel).
How are they wearing? I got 85,000km from the last BFG's, could have got 100 if I'd found the bent axle casing sooner.

[NJV6]

Two Mazda Bounty Turbo's. ONce the original Michelin's (80 & 90km) wore out I replaced with BFG AT. Both would be pushing 90 to 100km with the AT's, but they are not in my hands now. I would have replaced them with same again if I still had them.

Only other tyre I would consider as a more 'agressive' all terrain is the Cooper ST.

Currently Ford Escape with 235/70/16 BFG AT's! (drive across paddocks with the job) But I would not put them on this vehicle again due to noise. They whine something shocking in town, you can turn the radio down when get to the open road they are that bad. I think it is becasue they have no chassis and all the noise gets transmitted.

Never noticed the noice at all on the Bounty, or Dad's Defender or Range Rover (all shod with BFG AT's!!!!!) When you get that many km's and plan on keeping the vehicle to do them, price isn't really a consideration.

My 2 c.

P.S. Try the 235/70R16 or 245/70R16 for your Rangie. The 235 is the same OD as the original and the 245's marginally taller which your diesel might like...? Both make them not look so undertyred!

[KiwiBacon]

P.S. Try the 235/70R16 or 245/70R16 for your Rangie. The 235 is the same OD as the original and the 245's marginally taller which your diesel might like...? Both make them not look so undertyred!

Thanks.
I agree that the bigger tyres look way better. But it's the fitting of chains (snow/ice, this is also my ski wagon) that keeps me with the 225/75R16's. I need at least 10mm clear all around the tyres at full compression and articulation. If I didn't need chains it'd either be 245/70 or 235/85.
Gearing isn't a problem, I'm only turning 2000rpm at 100km/h and has enough torque to pass and climb hills in 5th.

I'm currently running two Michelin 235/70's (from an escape) on the back as I killed one of the BFG's last summer (tube perished, by the time I could stop the tyre was too hot to handle). The rounded corners on the michelins are death on gravel, I had them on the front for a while and they found and stuck in every single rut. The BFG's with 85,000km on them track far better.
It took that experience to make me realise how good the BFG's tracked on loose stuff.

[lneil]

I have personally seen the Wrangler AT/R perform really well off-road for an all-terrain, and their road manners are superb. Pete Ritchie uses them a lot and aired down a bit for off-road they clear suprisingly well.

The only downside to Wranglers is the cost, they aren't the cheapest all-terrain.

[IcedJohnno]

They may be an MT but try the KL71, Khumo.
I find them really good on-road and as good as my BFG's on shingle. No where near as good as my Simex ET's on shingle though!
They are quiet, handle like a road tyre and seem to be wearing reasonably well. Slightly less traction than the BFG MT on wet painted lines when driving off from lights.

I have used both BFG MT's and AT's. I found the MT gripped better on wet roads and eventually never bothered to change them back. Admittedly the AT's were jap imports 2nd hand tyres that came with my Swb, although so were two of my MT's
Probably got about 90000 K's out of the NZ new MT's. Still using 1, the other new one got sliced by a big rock at 75k.
Like you I have a need for 4 chains whilst maintaining a ski area just prior to the season. I use 31 x 10.5 x 15
Cheers John

[KiwiBacon]

They may be an MT but try the KL71, Khumo.
I find them really good on-road and as good as my BFG's on shingle. No where near as good as my Simex ET's on shingle though!
They are quiet, handle like a road tyre and seem to be wearing reasonably well. Slightly less traction than the BFG MT on wet painted lines when driving off from lights.

I have used both BFG MT's and AT's. I found the MT gripped better on wet roads and eventually never bothered to change them back. Admittedly the AT's were jap imports 2nd hand tyres that came with my Swb, although so were two of my MT's
Probably got about 90000 K's out of the NZ new MT's. Still using 1, the other new one got sliced by a big rock at 75k.
Like you I have a need for 4 chains whilst maintaining a ski area just prior to the season. I use 31 x 10.5 x 15
Cheers John

Are you talking about Broken River?
Just "discovered" that one last season, very impressed.

[IcedJohnno]

Of course, where else!
OK I am biased, been there since before I was born. Probably conceived there.

[albundy]

Kumho do a good AT tyres as well as the KL71. My thoughts on the KL71 although a good tyre, were too soft a compound for a heavy truck.
Al

[KiwiBacon]

Just found a pic of the KL71, it's a no-go because it's directional.

[IcedJohnno]

Just found a pic of the KL71, it's a no-go because it's directional.

And the prob with that is?
Never had any problems with these.

[KiwiBacon]

Just found a pic of the KL71, it's a no-go because it's directional.

And the prob with that is?
Never had any problems with these.

Just me really.
I have to rotate my tyres all sorts of ways to keep them wearing even and I don't want smart-arses telling me my tyres are backwards.

[skid]

I haven't had personal experience with BFG's but my best mate has, he has a business that sees him visit logging gangs around the south Island, he has over many years and many different vehicles mainly twin cabs and 4wd vans, he has done thousands of km and tried many makes of AT type tyres, his current twin cab was spec with BFG's AT's,

BUGGER THE REST BUY THE BEST,

FITZY.

10 years in the tyre game, have not come across a tyre better than BFG

last shitloads longer than anything else on the market in my opinion

wot fitzy said.................................

BUGGER THE REST BUY THE BEST

[Fourbyfour]

On the terrano I had Firestone Firehawk AT's and got just on 100,000 km out of them but got talked into a more road orientated tyre with the new Firestone Destinations which needed replacing at 40,000 km. With the B F Goodrich AT's the only ones that seem to give problems are the Japanese manufactured ones which are built to lower specifications than their USA counterparts. My last on the terrano were Dunlop AT2 and they seemed to begiving acceptable mileage. The surf I bought six months ago has Yokohama Geolander on and they also seemed to give good performance.

[Fourbyfour]

I too am due for tyre replacement soon and have narrowed my my choice down to either the Dunlop AT3 or Yoko Geolandar A/Ts as an 80/20 type tyre, my only offroad driving is usually gravel roads and the occasional trip across a slushy grassy paddock. Please don't suggest firestone products as I don't have confidence in those anymore.
I also thought about Goodyear Wrangler A/TR but after reading some of the posts here would probably not consider those too.
Any other suggestions or comments good or bad would be appreciated.

[Nick555]

I run Silverstone AT 117s specials. I havnt used any other 4wd tire brands so dont really have anything to compare them to but they seem pretty good to me.

[Fourbyfour]

what was the price like on the Silverstone A/T's and where are they made

[Fourbyfour]

I have just ordered the Dunlop A/T-3 after having a good run out of the A/T-2, good price from Beaurepairs Howick. $259.00 per tyre for 265-70-16 size tyres. I will never again buy a tyre beginning with F.

[muddymatt]

Leftfield idea - I used Sime Alpina AT (made by Simex) on my old Discovery. They gripped well on all surfaces and cleared too. Never had any issues really. I only had them on for about 40000K before selling the Disco but had heaps of tread left.

Got them thro' Trade-me and they weren't expensive.

Matt