Gravel Handling Tires (yet another tire recommendation thread)

Hey guys,

I'm looking to change the stock tires on my 3rd gen to go offroad. I'm not looking for the ultimate Mud Monster though. I offroad to go fishing and hunting on logging roads which are mostly gravel where you can go pretty fast (50mph), but I travel long ways. The worst conditions are crossing streams, some rocky river bed, wet or dry. My main concern is puncture resistance and gravel road handling. Where I go I can get pretty deep in the woods where I don't have phone coverage and won't see another human beeing for quite some time, so a flat tire is an issue. Two is a nightmare (trust me, it happened before). I also travel pretty far to get to those places so higway confort and gas mileage are also considered. Tire weight is often what will kill those things, so light is better (that is why I tend to steer away from E load rating). I did some research on tire specs, but puncture resistance is not often specified. So, my priorities are:

1-Puncture resistance
2-Gravel road handling
3-Fuel economy (lightweight?)
4-Highway comfort

I did take a look at Coopers ST Maxx but they are really heavy. Duratracs and K02s are too agressive for my needs. Any ideas?

 

Michelin Defender MS in a 10 ply. It's mode durable than the MS2 which I can't even fathom. The MS2's are about the best tire ever built and the 10 ply ones are bullet proof. They are used for heavy trucks hauling heavy loads for a reason. Have a look at this screw I pulled out of my MS2's. It went down as far as the belts then stopped and bent sideways because it couldn't puncture.

I go on quite a few muddy roads as well and in those cases i bring a set of chains (yes - even in summer) because a set of chains will get me out of things the even a mud tire wouldn't. I have never had to chain up in mud with my MS2's - just some piece of mind.

If you don't like the MS2's consider the Michelin AT2 but make sure its a 10 ply to make them damn near puncture-proof. AT2 hold up better on gravel roads but won't be as good on wet pavement or compact snow/ice. MS2's are also quiet and comfortable on the hwy, and great for fuel economy because of the low rolling resistance tread design.

I have run BFG KO's, Pro Comp mud tires, Good Year Wrangler (both Silent Armor and Duratracs), Cooper A/Tw, Firestone Destination A/T. I don't think I'll ever buy anything but a Michelin again. They absolutely amaze me. Your truck will corner like its on rails even on wet greasy pavement.

 

I also upgraded my spare to a (used) 10 ply tire in a matching size when I upgraded and upsized my tires. No sense having a thin-skinned shitty spare tire if you're concerned about flats in remote areas.

 

Look into the new BFG KO2S. They've been re-engineered specifically for what you're looking for. They hold up awesome, just be ready, cause they throw rocks pretty good haha. Otherwise, maybe consider the michelin ltx a/t2 in 10 ply. I heard from a family friend that works in the mines that they use that tire exclusively with their company for flat protection and longevity. Those wouldn't throw rocks nearly as badly.

 

Cooper S/T MAXX tires have earned a reputation for being a viable all-terrain tire (and actually in all kinds of terrain). They're also basically bulletproof and there isn't much road noise for such an aggressive tread. I did a lot of research before buying tires, and I'll never use anything other than those.

 

You could look at anyone of the various commercial on/off road spec tires that are out there. BFG has the Commercial T/A Traction which seem highly rated on TireRack.

For a consumer spec tire, you could look at tires like the Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO 2, Yokohama Geolandar A/T-S, or the Rugged Trail and Terrain T/A's from BFG. With that said though, everyone I've talk to as of recently who's into overlanding in Australia and Africa, uses the KO2's since they are supposed to be super durable. I know Andrew St.Pierre White of 4XOverland also recommends them for his treks through some pretty remote places in Africa. I'd do some research over at Expedition Portal and see what some of the overland guys are using on their rigs since they are often going for longevity and durability.

 

Can you drive a 8 hour day on highways and still find the noise OK? And did you see a big impact on fuel economy?

 

I just checked out the Michelin LTX AT2 which a couple of you guys recommended. I'm surprised to see that they weigh 2 pounds MORE than the K02s. I though that looking away from the big mudders would shed some weight. Seems it's not the case. More stuff to think about...

 

i know you said you looked into the S/T Maxx's but they seem like they would be a great choice. yes they are heavy but people have reported no loss in MPG's and very little road noise. i personally don't have them but will be my next tire from the research and reviews i've seen on them.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-off-your-cooper-st-maxx.346956/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kz8mmLkeks

 

you got bad info. if you compare each of those tires in LT265/75r16E the BFG's are 53, AT2 are 49 and Defender MS are 47. Also the tread pattern with the Michelins will do way more to help with fuel economy than the difference in weight. Weight mostly only impacts start-up. Once you're rolling and maintaining speed you want to be able to coast more efficiently.

 

The tread depth is different in each as well. In the same order they are 15/32, 17/32, 13.5/32 so the AT2's have deeper tread than the KO2's.

 

Toyo Open Country AT 2 in load range C.

• Under 50lbs
• 50K tread warranty
• Pretty Quiet on highway
• Great wet traction
• Great snow traction
• Great traction on dirt/gravel roads.

I've had mine for a year and a half and I'm guessing I'll get 4 yrs out of the set.

 

From Tread Depot, for 265/70/17 (they are a bit bigger than the originals):
Cooper ST Maxx: 51lbs
Mich LTX AT2: 48,6lbs
K02: 46,5lbs
Duratrac: 44,3lbs

Do I need to change my reference website?

 

I used tirerack.com Are all of your tires the same load range E (10 ply) or are some of them C rated (6 ply)? The size I ran was the same overall diameter as the tire you ran, but on a 16" rim. I would rule out the Duratracs immediately. Their wet traction is nowhere near as good as the Michelins, and not even as good as the BFG's in my opinion.

Of all the things to consider in purchasing a tire, wet traction and emergency handling could actually save your life. Not to be dramatic, but I did an emergency stop on wet roads last year that kept me from t-boning a car that pulled out in front of me. My old BFG's would have put me into the girl's door probably still doing 50 km/h. My Michelins stopped me on a dime like the road was bone dry. I'll carry chains for emergencies on remote excursions off road and be more careful in the mud for that trade off.

 

You are right, I compared 6 ply to 10 ply. I did not know that the same tire would come in different ply constructions. This brings me to the big question that I was not able to get a straight answer to: Are 10 plys tire automatically more puncture resistant than 6 plys? I would beleive so but maybe I'm mistaken and it just means that you can put more air pressure in them.

 

Have you used them quite a bit on logging roads? Northern Maine and Quebec are pretty similar.

 

comparing the same tire, yes.

10 ply or 6 ply (which is actually not really accurate anymore since tires are made differently and it refers to 10 ply equivalent tor 6 ply equivalent) refers to the construction of the contact portion of the tire; the part where the tread is. Sidewalls in a 6 ply BFG have the same sidewalls as a 10 ply BFG but the difference is in the tread areas. Sidewall puncture resistance is shit for P rated tires. LT tires have much thicker and stronger sidewalls. Once its an LT tire though, if you choose a specific tire that's available in 6 8 or 10 ply, the sidewalls will be the same, while the tread area will be stronger and more puncture resistant the higher the load range (C,D,E). Make sense?

All that said, I bet a 6 ply BFG is more puncture resistant than a 10 ply Kumho because of quality and materials but I could be wrong.

 

I've used them a lot on logging roads and they perform great. I did get a flat this year, but a sharp, skinny, pyramid shaped rock found its way between the treads....would have most likely punctured any tire. I was able to plug, re inflate & continue on. I don't fault the tire...just a freak thing. My first puncture in 30+ yrs of driving on northern Maine logging roads (knock on wood).

 

That ''freak thing'' happenned to me 4-5 times before, but with touring tires on stock SUVs. That is exactly what I want to avoid. I guess I could live with one in 30 years...
Thanks!

 

It sure does, Thanks!