Arizona A/T or M/T tires in AZ

DaveC

TJ Addict
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Jan 3, 2019
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Gilbert, Arizona
I'll need to buy tires soon and figured who better to get feedback from than those right here in AZ that run the same trails and terrain for comparison. So..

I'm currently running Kelly Edge ATs. They're not horrible, but they're getting pretty chewed up in the rocky terrain that's pretty unavoidable here in AZ (and only have a 2 ply sidewall), so I'll be buying something else when the time comes.

  • TJ is a weekend fun and hunting vehicle, not a DD
  • Driven 5,000 - 7,000 mi/year, ~70% on-road / ~30% off-road
  • I typically commute 1-2 hours to/from trails, mostly on the freeway
  • I do occasionally flat tow it behind my truck
  • Easy to difficult trails; no hard core rock crawling....but rocks, and even some crawling, are unavoidable here, as you all know
  • My TJ has a soft top
  • Running 15x8 wheels, I've narrowed it down to BFG, Cooper, General and possibly Toyo for my next set of tires.

My questions for those of you who have run both MTs and ATs:
1. Are MTs really that much louder on the road than ATs (assume regular/proper rotation, etc.)? Given soft tops aren't that quiet on the highway to begin with, will the difference be negligible or noticeably worse?

2. I realize MTs will perform better in mud; are they really any better in dry conditions than a top quality AT?

The ATs have served me well and the only practical reason to go to MTs over a better AT thus far would be for the occasional mud encounter. I do like the more aggressive look of the MTs, but with ~70% of time spent on the road getting to the trails, if it's going to suck driving with them (loud and/or not a great ride) and not provide a significant upside on performance, I don't want to buy MTs only to potentially regret and have to resell and redirect.


Tagging all the AZ folks who have joined up for a number of rides as those trails are a good representation...

@Blackiosh @RINC @Farmergreg @Boinked @Chris @starkey480 @pc1p @nk24 @Jamison C @ac_ @Gblabla @1945GPW @kmas0n @Rooscooter @JnJ_Adventures @PurpleTJAZ @5632 @Pressurized @Wakeangel @Dale W @ToddL @DaveC @Smitty61416 @R3ID05TJ @minimull @Nguzzo @il buono
 
Since it hardly ever rains in Arizona I see no point in an A/T. In addition, with the off-roading I do in the desert and some of the sharp rocks, cacti, etc., the more durable M/T makes the most sense to me.

A good tire like a Goodyear MT/R comes in C rated and is considerably lighter than some of the other M/T options with a really tough sidewall.
 
Since it hardly ever rains in Arizona I see no point in an M/T. In addition, with the off-roading I do in the desert and some of the sharp rocks, cacti, etc., the more durable M/T makes the most sense to me.

A good tire like a Goodyear MT/R comes in C rated and is considerably lighter than some of the other M/T options with a really tough sidewall.
Goodyear's a good brand. Not a lot of mud use, but think high country in the fall and winter. When it rains or snows, it makes some slimy, sticky stuff. Any comparison between those and an AT from a road noise perspective?
 
Goodyear's a good brand. Not a lot of mud use, but think high country in the fall and winter. When it rains or snows, it makes some slimy, sticky stuff. Any comparison between those and an AT from a road noise perspective?
I wish I could comment but I don’t have the Goodyear’s yet until my Nitto TrailGrapplers are done for. I will say that my Nittos are not anywhere near as loud as you would think. My Goodyear Duratracs were much louder.
 
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Any comparison between those and an AT from a road noise perspective?
There will be more noise (increasing disparity with wear) and less life. If you value a quiet ride over traction and durability look at some all terrains.

Also, Goodyear bills the tire as Maximum Traction/Reinforced not a "mud tire".

MT/Rs are all I've run for the last half a dozen sets.
 
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Any comparison between those and an AT from a road noise perspective?

I just switched from an AT to an MT (the MT/R Kevlar) - there is a noticeable volume difference, but it's not as bad as I expected (most the noise is the top). However my old ones did get significantly louder with age, so as @L J said - I think that disparity increases with tire wear.
 
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I'll need to buy tires soon and figured who better to get feedback from than those right here in AZ that run the same trails and terrain for comparison. So..

I'm currently running Kelly Edge ATs. They're not horrible, but they're getting pretty chewed up in the rocky terrain that's pretty unavoidable here in AZ (and only have a 2 ply sidewall), so I'll be buying something else when the time comes.

  • TJ is a weekend fun and hunting vehicle, not a DD
  • Driven 5,000 - 7,000 mi/year, ~70% on-road / ~30% off-road
  • I typically commute 1-2 hours to/from trails, mostly on the freeway
  • I do occasionally flat tow it behind my truck
  • Easy to difficult trails; no hard core rock crawling....but rocks, and even some crawling, are unavoidable here, as you all know
  • My TJ has a soft top
  • Running 15x8 wheels, I've narrowed it down to BFG, Cooper, General and possibly Toyo for my next set of tires.

My questions for those of you who have run both MTs and ATs:
1. Are MTs really that much louder on the road than ATs (assume regular/proper rotation, etc.)? Given soft tops aren't that quiet on the highway to begin with, will the difference be negligible or noticeably worse?

2. I realize MTs will perform better in mud; are they really any better in dry conditions than a top quality AT?

The ATs have served me well and the only practical reason to go to MTs over a better AT thus far would be for the occasional mud encounter. I do like the more aggressive look of the MTs, but with ~70% of time spent on the road getting to the trails, if it's going to suck driving with them (loud and/or not a great ride) and not provide a significant upside on performance, I don't want to buy MTs only to potentially regret and have to resell and redirect.


Tagging all the AZ folks who have joined up for a number of rides as those trails are a good representation...

@Blackiosh @RINC @Farmergreg @Boinked @Chris @starkey480 @pc1p @nk24 @Jamison C @ac_ @Gblabla @1945GPW @kmas0n @Rooscooter @JnJ_Adventures @PurpleTJAZ @5632 @Pressurized @Wakeangel @Dale W @ToddL @DaveC @Smitty61416 @R3ID05TJ @minimull @Nguzzo @il buono
I run the BFG KM3 on mine only because they came with the Jeep when I bought it. They had 1k miles on them when I got the Jeep and I've put about 3k miles on them. They still look good and don't seem to be loud on the road, but I've read that noise becomes more of a factor the more the tire wears. The KM3s are suppose to have 8% better rock traction and 27% stronger sidewalls compared to the KM2s, and as you know, I wish I would of had that stronger sidewall this past weekend on the TRD. I'm sure there are AT options with good strong sidewalls that also don't wear as fast as MTs.

I doubt I need a mud terrain but I don't put a lot of miles on the Jeep so wear isn't an issue for me and honestly I think they look pretty cool on the TJ.
 
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I run the BFG KM3 on mine only because they came with the Jeep when I bought it. They had 1k miles on them when I got the Jeep and I've put about 3k miles on them. They still look good and don't seem to be loud on the road, but I've read that noise becomes more of a factor the more the tire wears. The KM3s are suppose to have 8% better rock traction and 27% stronger sidewalls compared to the KM2s, and as you know, I wish I would of had that stronger sidewall this past weekend on the TRD. I'm sure there are AT options with good strong sidewalls that also don't wear as fast as MTs.

I doubt I need a mud terrain but I don't put a lot of miles on the Jeep so wear isn't an issue for me and honestly I think they look pretty cool on the TJ.
While running an errand the other day I stopped at Discount tire just to ask a couple of questions and there was a truck out front with a flat Cooper - pretty sure it was the same model you had on the 4Runner. Thought about snapping a pic and sending it to you but didn't want to rub salt in the wound 😉
 
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While running an errand the other day I stopped at Discount tire just to ask a couple of questions and there was a truck out front with a flat Cooper - pretty sure it was the same model you had on the 4Runner. Thought about snapping a pic and sending it to you but didn't want to rub salt in the wound 😉
Ha. I chalked it up as a learning experience. Know what your gear can and can't do. As Dirty Harry once said, "a man's gotta know his limitations" or at least his tire's limitations.
 
I smuggled my Jeep into AZ with my MTs and bootleg windshield washer fluid!

@Starrs had a slightly used set of BFG MT for sale when I was building, that’s how those tires choose me!

We run into too much mud in the Midwest to run ATs. They load up and spin on top and won’t clean. I can imagine you would encounter similar conditions like you say in the high country or during snowmelt.

Mud tires will have more road noise, but I can’t say these BFGs are objectionable.
Rotating the tires frequently helps with wear. My son got 50K out of his Firestone MTs. My last set on the dmax only went about 40K. I just put a set of Falken MTs on the dmax but haven’t driven much on them.
I saw a new JL rubicon on the lot with Falken MTs.
 
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My thoughts....
A/T,s for daily driver
M/T's for everything else.

My cooper STT's are a bit loud if i have my top on...... but since that it rare i don't notice with the doors off and radio blasting. But on the trails they grip well enough i don't even notice that I have open difs...... yeah I know its been a long time but i haven't been bothered enough to put in lockers.

Edit.... at first i thought we were going to have a fun thread about automatic vs manual
 
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