Need tires soon- looking for opinions

[kletzenklueffer]

My 97 4Runner is going to need tires soon. For years and several vehicles I've used Dunlop Mud Rovers, but it seems that Dunlop has dropped all but 15" wheel sizes. So now I'm in the market for another type.

The thing about the Mud Rovers is they lasted a long time for mud tires. On three different vehicles I got at least 40,000 miles out of them, so that's one of the criteria for new tires.

Here's what I'm looking for:

Mud terrain, lasts well, under $200 each.

Typically I'm running 265/75/16's, but would consider similar sizes like 235/85's. I may lift soon so if I need more room, it's possible.

TIA for any suggestions.

 

[Martinjmpr]

BFG AT KOs work well for me. Don't know how they do in the mud but they seem to work great for everything I encounter here in CO. I like them enough that when it's time for me to get new tires I'll most likely get another set of KOs. Discount tire seems to have them at a good price, definitely under $200.

 

[bomar]

I would buy in May since tire prices are going up June.

By 5% to 10% depends on manufacture.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I would buy in May since tire prices are going up June.

By 5% to 10% depends on manufacture.

I'm curious where you heard this info?
Some manufacturer's don't raise their prices after the beginning of the year - Bridgestone is quite good for this.
Others will raise the prices 2,3,4,5 times in a single calendar year, 2008 and '09 were REALLY bad for this happening.
The worst offenders of the price increases were the east Asian manufacturers, price jumps of 5-17% at the distributor buying level, that gets transferred to stores, then again to the consumer.
BIG jumps to the guy buying tires at the counter of the retail store... :Wow1:

 

[KG6BWS]

If youre open minded enough to run them, I cant say enough good about Treadwright tires. Ive been running a set of 245/75r16's for about 15 or 20,000 miles now and love them!!! Mine are the Guard Dog's (Goodyear MTR lookalikes). Theyre actually wearing better than my old BFG MT's did.

Alot of people have a thing against retreads, but these are on my daily driver. THeyve seen pavement aplenty (up to 80mph), mud, sand, rocks, gravel roads, etc. Ride good, a tad on the noisy side but nothing thats unbearable. My truck is loud enough that I dont notice it until Im slowing for a stop sign or something.

And the price absolutely CANNOT be beat!!! $535 shipped to my door for 5 tires, plus $125 mount/balance at BigO Tires...$660 rolling down the road.

 

[bomar]

I'm curious where you heard this info?
Some manufacturer's don't raise their prices after the beginning of the year - Bridgestone is quite good for this.
Others will raise the prices 2,3,4,5 times in a single calendar year, 2008 and '09 were REALLY bad for this happening.
The worst offenders of the price increases were the east Asian manufacturers, price jumps of 5-17% at the distributor buying level, that gets transferred to stores, then again to the consumer.
BIG jumps to the guy buying tires at the counter of the retail store... :Wow1:

I work in the tire supply business and everyone has been informed by the manufactures.

Even my retread shops are buying up rubber and our patch prices are going up.

 

[stonehenge]

I have the new Goodyear MTR"S with Kevlar and I love them. They do sing a bit at highway speeds (i run about 30 frt/28 rear), they work great in mud, rocks and sand. I have been very impressed with them in the wet and in the snow both on road and off.

I am running them on Hemi powered JK which sees a LOT of off road abuse.

My .02

Andy

 

[hillbillyjake]

maxxis bighorns

 

[red87]

+1 for the Treadwright Guard Dogs. I'm running them now and they've been treating me well. I did get one flat but it was not the tire's fault. I clipped a hidden rock with my sidewall at 30-40 mph and put a nice little hole in it.

 

[alexrex20]

the Goodyear MTR (and the Treadwright Guard Dog replica) are not mud tires. MTR stands for Maximum Traction Reinforced. in fact, the MTR sucks in the mud.

the OP wants a mud tire.

 

[red87]

the Goodyear MTR (and the Treadwright Guard Dog replica) are not mud tires. MTR stands for Maximum Traction Reinforced. in fact, the MTR sucks in the mud.

the OP wants a mud tire.

Good to know. Not much mud around these parts.

 

[stonehenge]

When we had all that rain in SoCal i spent a lot of time up in the mountains of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead and there was a lot of mud. I was very impressed with the traction abilities of the MTR (mud tire or not) and its self cleaning abilities (as long as you could spin/clean the tires). I prefer them to the BFG KM2's and the TOYO MT's which were all tested to the limits time and time again. I would say i had Maximum Traction on a Reinforced tire.

 

[alexrex20]

the MTRs don't spin-clean nearly as well as the KM2 or Toyo MT.

"mud" (from rainfall) in the mountains of SoCal is different from mud in other parts of the country. when there is no hard bottom, good luck with those MTRs. i just hope you have a buddy and/or winch. down here in texas, it's Mud Central and we have OHV parks dedicated to mudholes. the MTR is not a mud tire and never will be. it is however, an awesome off road tire that drives well on the street, and sticks like glue to the rocks.

 

[crawler#976]

FYI:

The new MT/R Kevlar is far better than the KM2 in mud and snow. I've had both on the Power Wagon in the last year.

The MT/R's cleaned out much better in our caliche clay. If I hadn't had problems with tread wear on a very heavy truck with a coil front end, I'd still be using the MT/R's. The extremely aggressive tread just didn't like my truck. I have friends using them on diesel powered Fords that have had no wear problems at all.

 

[Claimjumper]

My vote is for BFG Mud Terrain KM2's. They wear well and work well in the mud. I ran a set of them on my Samurai and they were awesome. I have a new set on my 4runner and they seem to be pretty quiet and certainly do alright in the mud we have here in Idaho. I don't know how they would be on a full size truck, but I wouldn't take one where I like to go anyway. Costco had a good price on the tire BTW.