Need Tire Advice...PLEASE!!

So...this is my first post in the world of Taco. Exciting! and urgent!

I have a (just got it) 95 taco sr5, lifted 5" with Nitto Terra Grapplers 305/70/16. I have one bad tire that needs to be replaced which would cost me $210 on the one tire alone. Instead, I think I'm looking to downsize on tire size all around due to the fact I'm in VT (the truck came from MO) and winter's coming up (can't afford a set of winter tires) + my mpg is killing me!

I'm torn between four 285/75/16 a/t tires and looking for you guys to chime in with opinions. The main factors I'm dealing with are:
1.getting rid of the vibrations in my rear end (hopefully caused by the bad tire);
2. Want the best tread wear, durability and longevity....obviously!
3. Need something that wont send me all over the road this winter...Snowey, Icey, Slushy conditions flourish in Northern VT for our 5 month winters! (i had BF's before on my old truck and they weren't winter friendly at all!)

SO without further adieu,
1. Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO
2. Nitto Terra Grapplers A/T
3. TOYO Open Country A/T
4. Mastercraft Courser A/T
I'm so indecisive it hurts sometimes...the Revo's were one website recommedation for an a/t.....I love the terra's on my truck now....the toyos are damn fine....the mastercrafts good and cheap!

Any input and recommendations are welcome and appreciated! Thanks guys and this website is the shit!

 

I just put on firestone destination A/T i like them whent threw some mud today did real good i'm happy

 

Welcome to TW!!! If I had to decide id go with the Duelers. I have not had any experance with any of them but I like the duelers.

 

Welcome to TW from Vermont
From your choices I would pick the Revos especially where we live. If I didn't run dedicated snow set, that would be my all around tire.

 

I've had a set of Hankook ATM RF10's on my F-250 for about 30k mis. and they are wearing great.Iwould buy them again.

 

Thanks everyone. Still unsure of what set I'll be going for. Leaning towards the Revo's. Since the truck is lifted 5", I'm not sure if the truck will look silly without the aggressive look of the terra grapplers I have on it now, especially going from 305's to 285's...any comments or thoughts???

Now I need to start pinning the tire dealerships against each other for the lowest bid!

 

Look into the Wrangler Duratrac's! they get great ratings in snow and ice. and they have a nice agressive tread pattern for being a A/T.

 

I looked at the Duratracs and liked them but unfortunately they're on backorder at goodyear! Any one how I could get rid of the OWL on the tire??? I like the look of the all black tire with my black rims...

 

have 265/70/17 nittos,
did my first weekend of mountain, snow driving -
Mammoth with a good foot on the ground -
it was work to break them free !
very pleased

 

My first post also!

First, I live in NC, so we have no idea how to drive in snow...we get an an occasional dusting, but normally just a sheet of ice that no tires are good on.
Regarding the downsize, the only thing your downsizing is tire width. Both the 305 and the 285 are 32.8" overall diameter, and the 285 is 11.2" versus 12.0" on the section width....doubt you'll notice much difference.

Most 305/70r16 tires come in 10ply whereas the 285/75r16s come in 8ply....that means a little "softer" ride due to less steel belting in the tread area.

From my experience, Bridgestone tires are overpriced and guaranteed to be "lumpy" after the tires sit overnite and get cold. It takes a few miles to "warm" them up and then they smooth out.

I love Nitto tires because the price is great, they look awesome, and the ride great. I don't think it's exceptional in traction, but overall, it's hard to beat.

Toyo's are ridiculously overrated in quality and price!

The Mastercraft is actually a pretty good tire...price is good...They are made by Cooper tire, right here in the good ol USA and the traction is decent.

You might check out the Sport King AT if it's available in your area....it is a private label Michelin product....patterned after the original BFG KO All Terrain....solid white letter, but reversible so you can sport your black wheels. They have a much wider tread void area to get rid of the slush and snow. I've run these on my old Tacoma and loved them. They are right is line pricewise as the Mastercraft.

When you get down to haggling price, let me know. I can tell you within a couple of bucks what your dealer is paying for most any tire in the market.

 

thank treadant! Very insightful! the guy at town fair tire (abundant in the NE) did his best to sell me the Toyos but for whatever reason, they didn't appeal to me. I just recieved another quote from him on the mastercraft's, $159 per tire. It kills that he boasts free mounting but then turns around and wants to charge me $13 per for balancing and another $3 for stems. Also, how do ya'll feel about the $13 road hazard replacement warranty??? They say they'll replace the tire if it's not repairable for the life of the tire as long as it still has legal tread.

I looked into and liked the Kuhmo Road Venture SAT's and Hankook A/T's but both were quite pricey. one was somewhere around $200 and the other $213 or something.

M2M : are those the terra grapplers? my seem to spin out a lot, even with 80% tread left!

 

I'm assuming you're still leaning toward 285/75r16? If so, the Mastercraft AT's cost around $130.00 each to your dealer. Most dealers get $12 to $15 each to mount & balance tires. Road hazard can be a good deal if you make sure you get it in writing...most road hazard policies work like this. Free tire replacement in first 2/32" tread wear, pro-rata after that..meaning you might pay a small portion for the amount of tire you have "used" before damage. Also, make sure the policy is good nationwide...not just at your local shop. The other thing to remember is you'll be on the hook for installation + tax + a new road hazard fee for a replacement tire. All in all, $13 is cheep compared to a $159 tire if you drive down the road and hit a pot hole and blow it out.

Back to the other tires. Sounds like the guy is hosing you on the Kumho KL78 AT Venture...they only cost about $120 each and the Hankook RF10 AT is only around $145 each. Remember the dealer needs to make a few bucks, but they'll generally be happy making $10 - $15 each plus mount and balance

 

Great to know. Thanks for all the info treadant! Glad you joined TW when you did!

Would you go with the Mastercraft's or the Hankook's??? I'm on the phone with the tire shop now getting a quote on the rf10's (found them online for $668 w free shipping). What's your opinion on having 10 ply's on my 95 tacoma? My Nitto's aren't that forgiving and with one bad rear tire and an alignment that f'd, the truck definitely has a rough ride.

Their road hazard policy goes like this: it's covers the tire from when they put it on to when it no longer has a legal tread. they say if there isn't a tft store in the region and the tire isn't repairable, they will reimburse me the cost of whatever I bought the tire for. And I'll have to eventually bring the "bad" tire back to them to prove it wasn't in fact repairable.

 

For sure you'll still have a rough ride....10ply tires are designed to haul a lot of weight and actually "feel" better when you're carrying a load....but, you're pretty much stuck with it as long as you're running that size. I get a lot of good feedback from my customers who run Hankook.....at least they tell me they last a long long time...never run them myself. They'll be easier to replace one in the future if you have a problem with one, because Mastercraft is not readily available in all markets. Not saying I don't like Mastercraft, just not as easy to find if you have a prob later on. Good luck! Let me know what you decide and how they work out.