Time for New Tires

JKJenn

Adventurer
I am going to be buying tires over the next 6 months. I am currently running BFG M/T 255/75/17. Overall, I have been pleased with their performance, but I can't help but wonder if the Cooper A/T3 or S/T Maxx tires might not be a better match. I am leaning towards the A/T3's and would love other people's feedback. Here is a rough profile of my use:
  • JK is my daily driver, but I work from home, so not a lot of day to day driving.
  • Live in Pittsburgh - a ton of stop and go driving when I do drive in town.
  • Frequent short range highway trips (2-4 hours one way)
  • Occasional mid-range trips (6-8 hours, 1-3x a year)
  • 1 large trip per year - Pittsburgh to CO/UT/WY - approximately 5500 miles per trip
  • Off road driving is mostly done on one trip per year to the SW and some occasional in PA (Bald Eagle State Forest or FS roads in WV)
  • I never desire to be a huge rock crawler or murder, I just want to see the great scenery. My last trip is probably as difficult as I will ever go, I took the Alpine Loop from Ouray (which seemed to be a little worse than any previous descriptions I have read.) Also took a number of fairly easy trips (Alta Lakes, Last Dollar Rd. (very muddy when I drove it), East and West Dallas Creek Rds, Yankee Boy Basin, Washington Gulch Rd in Crested Butte, plus a number of FSA roads out of Crested Butte. In other words, I am not about to drive the HITR trail or Black Bear Pass.
  • I haul a lightweight trailer (T@b - made by Little Guy)

I drive about 15,000 highway miles a year. The fact that I do so much highway driving is why I am leaning towards the Cooper AT3s. I did hit some pretty good water/mud holes in Colorado and Bald Eagle on the trails this year and the BFGs did very well. The holes were not terrible rutted, however. The two concerns I have about going to the AT vs. S/T's or BFG's is that I will lose an inch of height and the sidewall construction is not quite as strong. I do occasionally hit some remote roads (Cathedral Valley/Baker Ranch Rd in UT) and plan to hit places on the AZ strip (like Torroweap) at some point, so I do want a tire with a pretty tough sidewall. Both the S/T Max and the BFGs have a stronger sidewall than the AT3's.

Also, can I use the BFG's as spares if I do go with one of the Cooper tires or do I need to pick up a 5th Cooper? They have enough tread that I could use them all as spares. I must admit, the low cost of the AT3s makes them rather appealing.
 

sseaman

Adventurer
The reviews on the Coopers seem pretty strong, I am leaning toward Firestone AT's for my next set, had good luck with them on previous vehicles especially on ice.
 

SSF556

SE Expedition Society
Here is my 2 cents...

255/75/17:

Cooper ST Maxx C is the best option....great all around tires and more durable than the AT3. Will look better on the Jeep as well.

http://www.treaddepot.com/tirelist.html?quickfind=2657017

The other option is to look at the 265/70/17 C. It is in essence the same size as the 255/75/17. You will not tell a difference. But it does provide you more options.

http://www.treaddepot.com/tirelist.html?quickfind=2657017

I currently run the Duratrac 265/70/17 C on my WK and I have had no issues....great on road tire that handles water snow.

Right now the ST Maxx is on the top of my replacement list.
 

Pixie

New member
Check the latest review of A/T on Expedition Portal. Seems AT3 is the WAY to go!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JKJenn

Adventurer
Check the latest review of A/T on Expedition Portal. Seems AT3 is the WAY to go!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, that Rubber Meets the Road is what got me looking at the AT3s, initially. Was it written before the introduction of the ST Maxx? The reviews make the AT3 sound more than capable. I am thinking an AT3 tire might wear better with all of the highway miles I put on the JK.
 

mrchips

Adventurer
Have you looked at Nitto Trail Grappler, cross between AT and MT, very quite, and really a great tire. MY 37's are 36.5/8 in diameter so they are closer to the # size that you will be looking for.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
Can't go wrong with the AT3, I run them on my Chevy diesel and are hands down one of the best all season tires I have ever used in the snow, even better than the 6 or 7 sets of BFG A/T's I have had over the years. But, you should also give the new BFG A/T KO2 a look as well, I may buy them in the 34x10.50r17 size for the Montero next year.
 
falkens and a few other choices

I have a set of 285 70 falkens AT on my rubicon I have almost 73,000 miles on them and they are stilton down to the wear marks. In the recent tire test in Overland journal they did very well but got dinged for a short tread life? Not mine I have mine on so long I want new tires jut to for a change. I am also looking at the new BFG all terrains and the new terra grappler g2 with full depth siping and perhaps my first choice might be the kelly springfield safaris but seriously if you almost never want to have buy a new tire again try the falkens I put hem on at 36,000 I have 109,000 on then now they outlasted my transmission and my seats. I can't even convince my wife I need new tires because they are still not down to the wear bar.

I drive off road freeways sand and 1 time snow. Its my daily driver and my trips run from 1 hour 1 way to 4 hours 1 way
 

eviioiive

Observer
I have two sets of wheels/tires. One for street and one for adventures. Both are the same size so i can also bring a 2nd spare depending on the destination.
 

swift7777

°.lllllll.°
I have 45K on my ATP's which are very similar to the AT3 with a decent amount of tread left.

They have handled everything I have thrown at them, snow, mud, rocks, sand. I've run them at Rausch Creek numerous times with zero issues as-well as in Vermont & down on the beaches of the Outer Banks.

Great all round tires.

545787_4683344849535_1296325891_n.jpg
 

JKJenn

Adventurer
Hey, thanks for the feedback, everyone, especially the link to the other thread. I knew couldn't have been the only one who has mulled through a similar decision. I found the snow discussion especially interesting. I definitely have felt the rear end sliding in the snow with my BFGs before, but similar to one of the posters over there, I generally just take it easy in the snow. I found it interesting that someone on the other thread used braking to test the tires in the snow. I was always taught to avoid fast braking in the snow and to leave yourself plenty of space. I have driven in snow my entire life and believe if my dad's 1977 Oldsmobile could make it through the Christmas blizzard of '78 through the hills of upstate NY, I should be OK in my Jeep in most settings as long as I use my brain and air down if necessary.
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
make it through the Christmas blizzard of '78 through the hills of upstate NY, I should be OK in my Jeep in most settings as long as I use my brain and air down if necessary.

I remember that blizzard! Man that was a lot of snow. Those wimps in Buffalo need to stop their complaining!
 

RubiconGeoff

Adventurer
I have a set of 285 70 falkens AT on my rubicon I have almost 73,000 miles on them and they are stilton down to the wear marks. In the recent tire test in Overland journal they did very well but got dinged for a short tread life? Not mine I have mine on so long I want new tires jut to for a change.
. . .
I can't even convince my wife I need new tires because they are still not down to the wear bar.

The issue with the Falkens is not that the tread wears down to the wear bars rapidly. The issue is that the lateral grooves and the sipes are so shallow that by the time the tread is worn down halfway, all that's left is a street slick with 4 radial grooves. If Falken grooved & siped their tires to the full depth of the tread blocks like what BFG, Cooper, and others do, then these would be a great investment. But a tire that's almost completely worn out once it's only halfway worn out is not a good buy.
 

highlandercj-7

Explorer
Jenn check out the deals on craigslist. There are a few places around offering great deals atm. Also note this IDK what size you want to go with but if you want the 255 75 17's again go a little bigger to the 265 75 17. The 255's are more expensive as they are mostly only used on the JK. Everything under the sun uses the 265's, thus making them cheaper. They are only about 1/4" bigger in width and height. Generally you can save enough to nearly pay for the 5th tire.


This guy from Beaver county can get anything you want. I deal with him.
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ptd/4768923858.html
 

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