Tyres

[Landrovernuts]

I have Goodyear Duratracs (265) on my 110 all round and they have served me very well. I need some new ones for the front, but there apparently seems to be a supply issue at the minute. While this is probably down to Covid, it is not known when they will become available again. Another option is to change to Goodrich AT but have heard some negative comments recently with the relatively KO2 tyres. These are also more expensive!

I know that what one person thinks is not what everyone else thinks but what are the general opinions of the KO2 and should I persevere trying to get the Duratracs - which I like?

Toby

[Snagger]

BFG ATKO and KO2 are very good.  They’re tough and not very noisy, have good manners on road and are very good on all surfaces except clayish mud, where MTs are better.

[Landrovernuts]

Thanks Snagger - that’s one for the Goodrich then. 

[Maverik]

Goodyear MTRs, had umpteen sets and got to say they're a really good hard wearing all around tyre- can be a tad bit of road noise if you're not used to it.

Also BFG's too mud or AT you cant go wrong with them.

[Tanuki]

I'm currently running a pair of 265/85 BFG KO2 on the rear of my Defender, and a pair of Avon Ranger ATT on the front. They work well, after 30000 miles of 'fast road' Motorway- and A/B-road-use they're about 60% worn, which I consider to be OK.

Biggest issue I found was getting the pressures right: running the 'official' LR pressures from the book-of-lies gave a rather squidgy, wandery ride and started to wear the edges of the tyres: adding an extra 5PSI improved stability and made the wear-pattern a lot more even.

[Retroanaconda]

I’ve run through a couple of sets of BFG ATs on mine, current set of KO2s went on at the end of 2017 and are only just coming up to needing changed now after 73,000 miles. Previous set also did 72k in two years with no issues. All in 235/85/R16 flavour.

They're a tough and hard-wearing tyre, so you can find the limits of traction on wet roads if you’re pressing on but I’ve never found it an issue as I drive it like a Land Rover not a Porsche. Good performance in the kind of off roading I get involved in, no impact to MPG and no noisier than a road tyre. Expensive to buy but very good value per mile for me.

[Blanco]

I have always found BFG AT's a bit lacking in the wet on tarmac, especially if one runs slightly higher pressures as mentioned above. I reckon BFG MT's are a better bet on a 110, I got through 8 of them ...... eventually. Currently have Cooper AT3 on the Classic and very pleased especially at the price.

[elbekko]

9 hours ago, Blanco said:

BFG AT's a bit lacking in the wet on tarmac

It's like ice skating a canoe. Didn't like my BFG ATs one bit. Liked the General AT² much better.

I've got Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T-S in 265/70R16 now, they work well. Very good road manners, and do OK off-road.

[reb78]

BFG AT's for me. I have run two sets now over about 220,000 miles on the 110. I don't even look for anything else these days, just look around for the best prices on the BFG's. The last pair I changed had done 110,000 miles and were still legal - one had a puncture and since I was considering changing them, I did it at that stage, but otherwise they would have been done at the end of this summer. Excellent performance on road and off, great in the snow and ice, I have no trouble at all on the wet and consider them a very capable tyre. Perhaps the wet performance for me is better than some say because I run at what sounds like low pressures on the front (28psi), the rear is a more normal pressure at 36psi unladen and 48 psi if I am towing or laden (and higher if the trailer is heavy). 

[Snagger]

2 hours ago, elbekko said:

It's like ice skating a canoe. Didn't like my BFG ATs one bit. Liked the General AT² much better.

I've got Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T-S in 265/70R16 now, they work well. Very good road manners, and do OK off-road.

Odd, the different experiences.  I found them the best tyres I’ve had on any of my LRs - 109, Lightewight, 90 and RRC.  I couldn’t make the 109 skid on heavily frosted block paving (slippery stuff) with the original or the disc brakes and the BFG ATKOs, but both the 90 and the RRC would skid with ABS on (original stock) Michelin road biased tyres And Hankook ATs respectively.  The same RR was like a mountain goat on the ATKOs.  Maybe it is due to pressure, like Tanuki said.

[Chicken Drumstick]

The older BFG AT's, especially when old very dreadful on wet tarmac. I believe the newer KO2 is meant to be vastly better. However ultimately I think I'd prefer the Duratrac, even though I've not run them yet.

BFG AT's also get out of their depth in a muddy field pretty quickly, at least when you compare them to a good MT.

I do really like the look of the new KM3 MT's and suspect they would make a pretty good all round tyre. The KM2 was certainly very good.

MTR's I'm not really a fan of. Very noisy on the road compared to some. And hopeless off road in British mud. They just weren't designed for UK terrain. However in markets outside the UK there is a new MTR pattern which looks far more aggressive. Not sure why we don't get it here though.

The Yokohama Geolander MT might be labelled as an MT, but it performs much more like an AT and might be a closer matchup to the Duratrac if they are unavailable.

[Snagger]

Any AT is going to struggle in mud, especially anything sticky like lots of the UK has, but should be better on most other surfaces than an MT.  I’ve seen MTs slipping about where ATs found great grip in the mountains, on dusty or loose shale tracks, wooden beams and the wet roads.

Those MTRs look like stylised bar grips!  They’d be awful on just about anything other than firm rocks!

From the pictures, the Yokohama’s look like a halfway house between BFG ATs and MTs.  I can’t see how they’d be better on wet tarmac than ATKOs.

[Chicken Drumstick]

44 minutes ago, Snagger said:

Any AT is going to struggle in mud, especially anything sticky like lots of the UK has, but should be better on most other surfaces than an MT.  I’ve seen MTs slipping about where ATs found great grip in the mountains, on dusty or loose shale tracks, wooden beams and the wet roads.

Those MTRs look like stylised bar grips!  They’d be awful on just about anything other than firm rocks!

From the pictures, the Yokohama’s look like a halfway house between BFG ATs and MTs.  I can’t see how they’d be better on wet tarmac than ATKOs.

From what I've seen. The Duratrac is very capable in mud. Such a shame we have a very limited size range imported in the UK. They are an OEM fit tyre on many vehicles in the USA.

As for MT's slipping, depends. Their tread is designed to dig in, so on a loose surface or even sand. That is what they'll do. An AT is in most cases more likely to float on the top a lot more and disturb the ground a lot less.

This is the MTR that I suspect was being referred too. This is an old pattern (Max Traction Radial, not a Mud Terrain). And has been standard fitment on Defenders

from Land Rover.

It looks ok, but they do make a particular noise/hum on tarmac. And in mud are flippin useless IMO. But I think would work well on baked dry mud, rocks and likely sand.

The new MTR sold in other markets is this one:

Quite an odd design of tread. Which being directional and handed. Will mean your tyres will not match on both sides of the vehicle..... 😉

 

As for the KO2's. Not really run them much. The older AT I have. And as said, they were truly awful on wet roads. But again if you look at the market they were designed for, i.e. the USA and specifically the Mid West region. Rocks, baked mud, sand and dusty terrain are the norm. 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Chicken Drumstick

[elbekko]

3 hours ago, Snagger said:

Odd, the different experiences.  I found them the best tyres I’ve had on any of my LRs - 109, Lightewight, 90 and RRC.  I couldn’t make the 109 skid on heavily frosted block paving (slippery stuff) with the original or the disc brakes and the BFG ATKOs, but both the 90 and the RRC would skid with ABS on (original stock) Michelin road biased tyres And Hankook ATs respectively.  The same RR was like a mountain goat on the ATKOs.  Maybe it is due to pressure, like Tanuki said.

They were getting on with age. And, more importantly, the 265/75R16 that I had was only available in a stupidly high load rating (LT tyre), which I'm sure didn't help either. Pressure didn't seem to matter much.

[steve b]

I fitted a set of Cooper Discoverer ST Maxx tyres to a 300 Tdi 90 a couple of months ago and I was very impressed with the ride , handling and quietness of them , 235/85-16 and reports from the client are equally positive .

They replaced a set of BFG KM1 MT's  which still had tread but were perishing between the blocks . They would appear to be available in the size you are looking for .

cheers

Steve b

[Landrovernuts]

Well, thanks all. I got some prices for two BFG AT KO2’s yesterday and they ranged from £185 to £204 fitted Each 😮 Looks like COVID will be another reason to jack prices up then!!

I may have found two Duratracs for £148 fitted each - fingers crossed!! 

Toby

[Ed Poore]

They're a small local outfit but I've yet to find anyone (even online) to better the price offered by Narberth Tyres here in Pembrokeshire when I've had tyres fitted. Might be worth a call just as a reference point?

On the brand subject I've only had BFGs fitted to the Defender. Can't remember what it came with but when my sister sold her 90 I swapped wheels and tyres over. They were the original KOs, I then replaced them with two sets of KM2s which have covered about 100k between them, the last set went on about 30k ago. I've not yet managed to wear out the tread yet on a set. The KOs started sagging due to age, the first KM2s still have about 6-8mm of tread but due to a hard life offroading the sidewalls had got slashed to kingdom come. They're a painful lump to swallow but when I balance the mileage they achieve vs cost they work out the cheapest by a long way.

I've driven a friends P38 with the same size (265/75R16) Cooper STT Pros on both on and off road. Off they were OK but really didn't get on with them on damp roads, felt loose as hell. There were a couple of brown seat moments and I wasn't pushing it hard at all.

On the L322 I had everyone had ranted and raved over General Grabbers and at the time they were basically the only all terrain option I had. I don't think I covered 30k over two sets . Either they exploded offroad or the sidewalls cracked and collapsed. It's put me off General Tires completely. Goodyear then came out with the Duratrac Wranglers which were night and day, did about 40k on those before I sold the vehicle were much better off road too.

[mickeyw]

18 hours ago, steve b said:

... a set of BFG KM1 MT's  which still had tread but were perishing between the blocks . 

 

This is the situation I am coming up to, only mine are 255/85R16 flavour.

I've been looking at the Toyo Open Country MT as it is one of few brands available in my size, and they're lots cheaper than another set of BFGs.

[Nonimouse]

I run Hankook RT03's on the Disco. Brilliant.  Same tyre, different size on my 100 was truly awful

[bishbosh]

The "old" Goodyear MTR's were rubbish as a mud tyre but might be OK as an AT?

[Landrovernuts]

Seems to be a tyre shortage in the West Country! Most independents and chains only seem to be able to supply what the suppliers have in stock. Duratecs probably not back in the U.K. for at least a month! 
 

Toby

[mpb]

I’m a big fan of the Cooper ST maxx, they did well on a very soggy comp field I was marshalling on.

[smallfry]

My experience of Goodrich tyres is that the ATs (235/85/16) were OK on road and off, but not good in deep mud or clay. However, were prone to skidding quite easily on the road in the rain if you had to brake hard. Mileage was very good, but they would perish long before the tread was worn out.

MTs (265/85/16) were fine off road, but very noisy on, and positively scary in the wet, and for that reason I would never have them again unless for a wholly off road vehicle.

Also had some Trac Edge (235/85/16) which as far as I can recall, were a good all rounder, but I dont think they make them any more, and seem very similar to my current Goodyear MTRs, which seem to another tyre which is actually somewhre between an AT and MT type. I would have them again.

General Grabbers are well known to be hard and skiddy, even  way back in my "Custom car" days they were awful. Lasted well but perished quite quickly, and from  what I hear, still do ! 

[Blanco]

13 hours ago, smallfry said:

Also had some Trac Edge (235/85/16) which as far as I can recall, were a good all rounder

I had a set of those on an S2A brilliant in the Highland winter, sadly I think you're right, nla

[Anderzander]

There was a copy of them I think - pretty sure I had some ..  🤔