Kelly Safari TSR - Looking For Feedback

[NCtrail4R]

Looking for an aggressive AT and the Kelly's look to offer the most bang for the buck. They are similar to the Duratracs, but are a much better buy.

Duratracs on the left and TSRs on the right.

Found some pics on the F150 forum...

I know they are made by Goodyear and have searched here and on the web for feedback. Haven't found anything negative, but not much long term feedback out there either.

How are they holding up and how is the overall performance?

Ran a set of Dunlop Rover MT Maxx Tractions on my last truck and they were a great combo of road and trail for me, but they aren't available any more. Looking for something similar so throw a suggestion in if you have one.

 

[Redline]

Goodyear owns the brands Dunlop and Kelly-Springfield, with Goodyear being the premium/top brand name and the others falling below in succession. This partially affects the price you will pay for a similar tire with a different name on the sidewall.

It has always appeared that the Dunlop Maxx Traction and Goodyear DuraTrac are the same tire with slightly different tread, with the DuraTrac siping looking better to me. I have a couple buddies that are running the DuraTracs and both like them, one commented that it's the best winter tire he has ever run (siping). If you liked the Dunlop Maxx Traction I see no reason not to try a set of DuraTracs, but I've tested neither.

The Kelly TSR is a very interesting and appealing tire, I would love to try a set myself and have even priced them. I like the 4-rib AT tread design. I have noticed that what is now considered an aggressive AT, was simply a typical all-terrain 4-rib traction tire back in the 80s & 90s. All-terrain tread designs went more conservative for a while, mud tires became more street friendly, and now the so-called aggressive AT or commercial traction treads have gained popularity again. This is a good thing.

Looking at the siping and void ratio on the Kelly TSR tells me that the wet/icy traction probably won't be as good as that of the DuraTrac, but should be similar to the Mickey Thompson ATZ, a 4-rib all-terrain traction tire.

Another interesting tire in this versatile traction tire category is the ******** Cepek Fn Country II. Read here for more info on the F-C II: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32054

 

[chasespeed]

I had a set of Kelly tires on my ford back in the 90s... AWRs.... pretty good tire... wore well too from what I remember....

Currently, running the Dunlop... and I am pretty irratated that they arent making them anymore... I dont think I have ever been so pleased with a tire.... it is absolutely the most versatile tire I have ever put on a truck....

Anyway, these look like a viable alternative for replacement, though, I would have to see someone use them long term, and see if they'll hold up under a big heavy pig....

Chase

 

[docb14]

Got them in a set of 315 70 r17. Had them for about a year. Very good tire on road and off. Great reduction in road noise since I had Maxis buckshots on prior to the tsr's. Good ride as well. Anyone that gets these will not be disappointed provided they do not expect the performance off road of a super swamper.

 

[mike r]

had mine for awhile but my trips out have been sadly lacking.

 

[Bigger Al]

I've been in the tire biz for 22+ years. My biggest customer is Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the local utility. 4 years ago they switched national accounts from Michelin to Goodyear, and I had Hell's own time finding something in the product line that would give good traction, long(ish) service life, be tough enough to handle some very rugged terrain, and do so while being smooth on the road. The Duratracs certainly were not the tire. At the outset we had nothing but problems with PG&E guys getting rock cuts in the tread, even over light to moderate terrain, and the complaints about ride quality were numerous. We were running 10-ply (load range E) on everything, and it didn't make any difference at all.
The Kelly Safari TSR's solved all of the issues. They spin great, wear like iron (I've seen 30K-40K on a consistant basis, which is fantastic for this type of tire) and they are universally liked. I have a set on both my '86 Toyota 4x4 and my '99 Ford F-150. Love 'em!
One of the best parts about the comparison between the Goodyears and the Kellys is the price. So far the TSR's have proven to be a very good value.

 

[telemike]

I have these and like them. Quite, smooth riding and good off-road so far.

 

[tommudd]

Buddy of mine just got a set of these in a 33-12.50-15
he liked my Duratracs so well but thought he'd try these
so far so good is what he said
I still like the Duratracs better myself from looking closely at both of them
I'm running the 265-75-16s , installed with 129,650 on and currently have 180,750 on it
so wearing great, best snow tire I've ran since back in the Firestone Town and Country Days

 

[Hilldweller]

I see them often around here, both on the trail and around town on streetier trucks.
I've never seen them on something I had to snatch out of the mud ----- guess they work. :ylsmoke:

I've been suggesting them for people to use over the Duratracs since the line came out. I also liked the Dunnies and was sad to see them go.

 

[GilesExpo]

I have these on my '93 Wrangler and they are fantastic wet terrain tires. Snow, mud, wet rock. They dominate in these conditions. The dig holes pretty quick in sand, however. On dry rock, they are amazing especially if you take down the psi to around 16. Mine are 3 years old and have about 50% tread left. All in all, best tire I've ever had. On road they lean a little, but I drive a Jeep so I'm never taking tight turns anywhere.

 

[greengreer]

I looked at tsr and went with the duratrac purely for the severe snow rating. We need it around here andand the price difference wasn't enough to matter to me. I do have one tsr for a spare but have never had to use it. I have a hard time understanding why te tsr is stronger than the duratrac when they are built on the same casing as far as I know.
When buying tires, I prefer to find what I want and then find te best price, over the course of a tires lifetime te price difference if negligible IMO.

 

[telemike]

I was choosing between Kelly and Copper ST Maxx. I liked the more open voids on Kelly and siping.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Redline]

snip...
I'm running the 265-75-16s , installed with 129,650 on and currently have 180,750 on it
so wearing great, best snow tire I've ran since back in the Firestone Town and Country Days

Wow, that is some fantastic wear, sounds like a ******** Cepek Fun Country II.

Nice.

 

[Redline]

snip...
When buying tires, I prefer to find what I want and then find te best price, over the course of a tires lifetime te price difference if negligible IMO.

I could not agree more. Obviously if one's budget dictates they save all they can now, and buy the least expensive tire that fits their needs, I understand.

However, saving relatively few bucks and sacrificing on what you want/need for your truck is not a good value in my mind. Tires can last a long time, and every drive on a tire I like and that fits the platform and need is a pleasure. It's kind of like having the engine, trans, and gearing you want...it can make all the difference when underway.

And...the Kelly TSR is a good looking tire, I'd love to try a set, but it doesn't appear to be on the horizon.

 

[lilgription]

Ive had the TSR's for a year and a half. I can honestly say one of the best tires ive ever had. They wear great and in the 1 1/2 year that ive had them I really haven't noticed but very little wear. They frequently see mud, long winding washboard gravel roads and river rock trails. I will 100% buy these tires agai n when this set wears out which I don't see happening within the next 4 years.lol