TFL defender?

[ThePartyWagon]

The sidewalls are paper thin, they all cup, and are just terrible overall.

I'm not a Goodyear loyalist but I've had good experiences with multiple sets.

My Goodyear Trailrunners were some of the best tires I've ever had on my Jeep. Wheeled them hard, 3 peak snow rating, great in the snow, great on the rocks, no flats, even wear. Currently around 30K on them with another 10k easy.

Wouldn't buy them again because I don't want aggressive tires, but my Duratracs were also great. I just don't need tires that aggressive for 90% of my time spent on road. No flats, rocks, snow, etc. They did get loud as I wore them out though, most aggressive tires do that, though.

 

[Tex68w]

Duratracs are known as DuraCraps for a reason.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Its probably gone/traded.

Simply put, they make their money showing the latest/greatest cars. The defender had its moment but now its on to the next new flashy thing. Not the Defender's fault or TFL's fault. Just how that game goes. No one wants to see you driving the same car for a year, they want the newest whatever.

I think they got a truck with a brodozer package because it looks cool (guess it does).

As for rover, I wish they would stop installing junk Goodyear tires on their vehicles. The sidewalls are paper thin, they all cup, and are just terrible overall.

The Goodyears are the least of the defenders problems. That’s the equivalent of complaining about the music on the titanic…lol

 

[TexasTJ]

Personally I like Michelin LTX at2's. yes they are not the most aggressive AT out there, but think about it. Where do you do most of your driving? on the paved road. Ill take Michelins quality over BFG or Goodyear's aggressiveness any day. To the Point of the TFL Defender... They just had to many problems right out of the gate and never got the Truck they really wanted. (Base with only offroad goodies) in the end by the time they got a working Defender they could test the Bronco was the new hot SUV on the market and the Defender had lost it shine.

 

[DieselRanger]

I'm not a Goodyear loyalist but I've had good experiences with multiple sets.

My Goodyear Trailrunners were some of the best tires I've ever had on my Jeep. Wheeled them hard, 3 peak snow rating, great in the snow, great on the rocks, no flats, even wear. Currently around 30K on them with another 10k easy.

Wouldn't buy them again because I don't want aggressive tires, but my Duratracs were also great. I just don't need tires that aggressive for 90% of my time spent on road. No flats, rocks, snow, etc. They did get loud as I wore them out though, most aggressive tires do that, though.

I agree regarding good Goodyear experiences. I've run the All Terrain Adventure with Kevlar on my offroad vehicles since ~2010 (when they were called the SilentArmor) and they've never let me down in terrain ranging from caliche rock gardens to slickrock to sand to crumbly Pikes Peak granite (breaks down to little ball bearings under pretty much any pressure), Imogene/Ophir/Yankee Boy Basin wheeling, and more. They used to be 3PMSF rated but now only the commercial traction variant is rated - I need a true winter tire for snow season anyway. The LR-spec version is currently my summer AT for my D5 and it's a great all-around tire.

Next summer I plan to switch to 18's, and at that point I'll re-assess, but balancing on-road comfort and quiet with off-road performance is key for me. I'm not doing the Rubicon or anything in my D5, but Moab is no sweat, and I won't hesitate to drive 90% of trails in the Rockies on them.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

my Duratracs were also great. I just don't need tires that aggressive for 90% of my time spent on road. No flats, rocks, snow, etc. They did get loud as I wore them out though, most aggressive tires do that, though.

Agreed. I have found the same.

Duratracs are known as DuraCraps for a reason.

I got 70,000 miles out of my first set of Duratracs and I'm terrible at rotating.

I think I have about 25,000 miles or so on my 2nd set.... I'd have to double check but they still look new. Who knows. ?‍♂️

 

[TexasTJ]

oh look's like TFL has another new Defender... ?

 

[plainjaneFJC]

oh look's like TFL has another new Defender... ?

I didn’t see anything on it- is it back to the dealer already?

 

[TexasTJ]

I didn’t see anything on it- is it back to the dealer already?

turns out is a Press car.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

turns out is a Press car.

Saw the snow video- still surprised they bought that grand Cherokee but its supposedly a placeholder.

 

[LR Max]

The Goodyears are the least of the defenders problems. That’s the equivalent of complaining about the music on the titanic…lol

LOL not really. Its actually the main problem on these cars off road. Other than everyone buying crap-spec cars and not reading the owners manual. Not my fault people aren't buying cars with the rear differential locker, tow hitch, and vented seats.

Those goodyears have crap tread, crap tread life, paper thin sidewalls, and are just waiting for your alignment to go out my .00005mm so they can start cupping. Side note, is it just me or is suddenly everyone getting sidewall damage? I'm starting to see it across all makes, models, and tires.

18" "off road" wheels (alloy or steel) are available. I give that a pass since swapping to aftermarket tires and wheels is common on 4x4s. The 18s clear the "big caliper" trucks and open up the platform to whatever tire size you want. Also lifts are now available and while expensive, go ask for a lift kit (real lift kit, not the extension rods) + Install for a Jeep JL from 4WP. Suddenly the numbers are in the ballpark of each other.

Sure the 1st years had all kinda issues. The new JLs couldn't get the chassis welded together correctly and the new Bronco has had top fit and finish issues. But they all get a pass, right?

The new defender is pretty nice and well capable. So far the new engine series (the gasoline versions we get) have been reliable. MPG and power have been great. Comfort blows away all other vehicles. Recently I rented a Ford Expedition Max for work (airport rental) and it rode like crap compared to my new discovery. The new defender rides similarly and is rather comfortable bombing on dirt/gravel roads.

 

[greynolds]

Yeah, I sort of get TFL's stance of testing with the tires the vehicle comes with, but nobody in their right mind is going to do anything beyond super easy trails with the stock tires on pretty much any off road vehicle these days unless they happen to purchase something with an offroad package that comes with tires that are actually appropriate for the task. TFL recently posted a video of a test of an old Grand Cherokee (with BFG M/T tires IIRC) vs a new Grand Cherokee with stock tires and seemed shocked that the old Grand Cherokee did so well. Oh course it did, because it had better tires.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

I am a big fan of theirs, but voting the maverick as the 2022 truck of the year over the tundra and the frontier was a total car and driver type move..