katuah
Adventurer
HI folks. I'm new on here but I've been active on NAXJA for a while. I'm slowly building my '98 XJ into an expedition rig, and I've reached a point where I need some advice from seasoned XJ exped folks. I need to get tires, and after reading 9,000,000 posts it's all running together, so I'm starting fresh here.
I've no real interest in rock crawling for the sake of it, but I am very interested in exploring the backcountry of the US desert Southwest. I'm hoping to do my first run next year, if I can get a group together. In the meantime, I need to finish the rig and get a lot more seat time offroad, so I'll be prepared, too.
So, I need a tire that can:
-- handle mild to moderate situations in the desert / Colorado Plateau, for an extended period;
-- Get me across the country (and back) in safety;
-- Function decently enough on southeastern US trails to allow me to get experience without having to fight my tires to do so.
My XJ has a 4.5" lift. I'm currently running 32x11.5 Cooper STTs . The STTs I bought used and have never been happy with - once the siping wore off they are heck on pavement, forget rain, plus they won't stay balanced.
I see a lot of recommendations for 33x10.5's, but I don't think I can fit those unless I cut my fenders, which I don't really want to do. I was considering staying with 32x11.5s but I am worried they are not as common, and if I needed replacements on a trip they might be harder to get. I've almost talked myself into 31x10.5s. But would they just look dumb? What about CoG on smaller tires? An additional consideration is that I'm short and small, and I can't yank around 200lbs of tire & wheel.
On top of that is the "what KIND of tire" question. I was almost 100% sold on the BFG T/A KOs when somebody mentioned General AT2's. Discount tire has them for a lot cheaper than the BFGs, but would they be as good? And those of you with a lot of high desert experience, am I going to be sorry I didn't get MTR kevlars, for the sidewalls? Pretty sure I want an AT not an MT...
I know the XJ is a lot smaller than many of the vehicles discussed over in the general tire section, which is why I'm posting this here and not there. I would imagine we XJers have some unique issues, possibly including tire selection.
Thanks for looking at yet another tire thread.
I've no real interest in rock crawling for the sake of it, but I am very interested in exploring the backcountry of the US desert Southwest. I'm hoping to do my first run next year, if I can get a group together. In the meantime, I need to finish the rig and get a lot more seat time offroad, so I'll be prepared, too.
So, I need a tire that can:
-- handle mild to moderate situations in the desert / Colorado Plateau, for an extended period;
-- Get me across the country (and back) in safety;
-- Function decently enough on southeastern US trails to allow me to get experience without having to fight my tires to do so.
My XJ has a 4.5" lift. I'm currently running 32x11.5 Cooper STTs . The STTs I bought used and have never been happy with - once the siping wore off they are heck on pavement, forget rain, plus they won't stay balanced.
I see a lot of recommendations for 33x10.5's, but I don't think I can fit those unless I cut my fenders, which I don't really want to do. I was considering staying with 32x11.5s but I am worried they are not as common, and if I needed replacements on a trip they might be harder to get. I've almost talked myself into 31x10.5s. But would they just look dumb? What about CoG on smaller tires? An additional consideration is that I'm short and small, and I can't yank around 200lbs of tire & wheel.
On top of that is the "what KIND of tire" question. I was almost 100% sold on the BFG T/A KOs when somebody mentioned General AT2's. Discount tire has them for a lot cheaper than the BFGs, but would they be as good? And those of you with a lot of high desert experience, am I going to be sorry I didn't get MTR kevlars, for the sidewalls? Pretty sure I want an AT not an MT...
I know the XJ is a lot smaller than many of the vehicles discussed over in the general tire section, which is why I'm posting this here and not there. I would imagine we XJers have some unique issues, possibly including tire selection.
Thanks for looking at yet another tire thread.