BFGoodrich KM3 thread with pics

Started to do my research for new tires. ST Maxx on the truck are still good, but looking for something different. Seems like BFGOODRICH has stopped producing the KM3 in 235/85-16. Most distributors list it as close out or out of stock. BFGOODRICH doesn’t have it on their website anymore. Looks like I might have to go with ST PRO.

 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t MTs some of the worst tires to run in anything but.. mud? Like laughably dangerous in rain and snow? I know the KM2s are.

I’ll keep watching for anything other than ‘my brand new tires are so great because I just spent $1,000+ on them’ posts.. or how great they are in the first month because it’s brand new rubber. If all else fails, at least they look fantastic.

 

How about LT245/75R16/E, seems like very equivalent size?

 

I previously ran Cooper STT Pro’s and just had BFG KM3’s on my new truck for the last month. They have a super high pitched hum on the highway and not as good of traction in the rain as the Cooper’s did.

I was not happy with the KM3’s and was given a chance to swap them out free of charge for the Cooper STT Pro’s. Just swapped them today.

 

Is this after the revtek TRD Pro lift??? have ya noticed much of a difference in ride quality? im wanting to add the revtek lift to my 2018 Pro if it doesn't kill the ride quality

 

265/70R17 on Trail Editions

 

Doesn’t do anything to ride quality. Can’t even notice it.

 

Awesome!!! And to clarify some more did you put the revtek lift with AAL for your Pro or did you did the revtek lift with block in the rear???

 

The AAL

 

Yup sounds about right.

I've only ever ran ATs on dual-purpose rigs and muds on dedicated offroad rigs. I wouldn't be comfortable in Michigan having such bad snow tires on a vehicle year-round.

 

Had these installed Saturday morning, 265/75/16's, went from 255/75/17 Duratracs to the KM3's mounted on new to me 2nd Gen OR wheels. Jury is still out on both.

 

Great feedback and just wanted to add my :02 from what I've experienced as well:

Nitto Trail Grapplers are an incredibly soft compound which won't last 25-30k miles, are quite a bit louder and heavier than most of their MT competitors. The KM3s are heavier than the KM2 and majority of the sizes are E load now as well. I've never run the Cooper STT Pros as they're hard to find here in Hawaii but have run the Mickey Thompson MTZP3 (which Cooper owns) which I like a lot and are the lightest MT tire I've seen. As for driving a MT in the rain, I've had them handle deep water way better than any AT tire as the wide tread pattern helps channel the water out faster.

 

Last set of BFG's I had were KM2's on a 2500 Dodge. Squirmy under a load. Mediocre on wet roads. Leave it parked when it snows.

I went with Cooper STT PRO's. Put 50K+ on 'em, 110% pleased...sold 'em to a friend and bought another set of STT PRO's...

Have not had KM3's, and with the impressions I've had of STT PRO's over 75k now, no plans on swapping. MUCH better street tire, as good or slightly better off road, so PRO's from now on.

 

Do you have 4.88 gears? Just wondering how bad this size would be with stock gearing.

 

Historically, you are correct. I have been doing alot of research on these KM3s and by all accounts, they're more of a bastard hybrid than a true MT. I was leaning towards 285/75/16s in the Cooper ST pro variant until I did further reading. I ordered my 285 KM3s today and hope to have them on by Friday.

The only issue I have with this size is the r16s seemingly only come in E load. I would have much preferred the C or D load, but that would have required replacing my wheels... and I like my wheels. I hope to have some more valuable input on this discussion once I'm using them on and offroad for you guys.

 

How are you liking them so far?

 

So far so good. Now that I've had them for a while, I can tell you they are a little noisier than the KO2s, but it doesn't bother ME. I have a friend who whines about them, but with the radio on I don't notice it. Their behavior on road is excellent and I've driven them in rain, too. No issues so far and I've put maybe 2000k miles on them.

 

I would say wrong. I DD on my km2s for 5yrs and they were fine in the wet and dry. Now they did suck in snow less than 2", over that they were great. Laughably dangerous in anything but mud, definately not! I just got rid of some toyo MTs and they were great in the dry and rain. Now the swamper ssrs I had for a short time were down right scary unless you were stopped in well any condition. I got stuck in a light snow with them and I seriously thought I was going to die, now those are dangerous!

 

I'm not calling you a liar, but i definitely had a different experience.

Let's all agree they're fine on dry pavement, because really any tire is... Also great offroad (duh)

Where you call them "fine" for wet driving, I couldn't disagree more. There's 2 characteristics anyone looks for in wet performance, hydroplane resistance and wet surface traction.

Hydroplane resistance is driven by the lug design and depth. Most relatively deep tread tires, ATs, MTs, even performance car tires that are new, they do fine with avoiding hydroplaning, km2s are no exception.

The real problem is just general wet surface traction. They tend to be a relatively hard tire compound to survive that offroad abuse, and there's never any natural siping on really any MT. That makes stopping distance and the ability to get up to speed and accelerate quickly without spinning a tire a real problem with an MT compared to something with even minimal siping like a Goodyear Duratrac or BFG KO2 ATs, which also have softer rubber compounds.

"fine" might mean you haven't died, or they haven't caused an accident, but that doesn't make them good. Compared to any other design an MT in the rain will be the worst out of any other option out there.

I ran BFG KOs for a while, they were hard, high mileage compound tires with little siping and a design from the 80s. They are just as bad as MTs, because they have those same qualities. I ran them on my 2013 DCSB for part of last winter and honestly it was just as bad, if not worse due to the truck's weight balance than my 2012 Jeep JKU with 40" Goodyear MTRs. That's not me trying to say one was better than the other, they were both terrible and truly hazardous, like, horn on, sliding through an intersection flashing my lights at less than 5mph because I flat out couldn't stop on a small hill leading to an intersection hazardous. This is the same winter I had Blizzaks on a Subaru that I drove for work, so while I might be a bit biased, I can definitely say "fine" isn't the same as good, because I've had the opportunity to drive vehicles with tires across the full spectrum of options all through the course of one winter.

 

Obviously they wont be as good as a car tire in all conditions, but what I mean by fine is they worked safe enough for me on my highway commute and in the conditions I operated trucks, not auto crossing it. And of course a Subaru with blazzaks would be better than a truck with MTs, I will also say I felt safer in those than my mother in laws Camry that had the $45 buy 3 get 1 specials when I drove that.

I must be used to it since I've had a vehicle with an MT style tire on it since I learned how to drive (1999). I will say if I didn't wheel my truck I would not be rocking them on a DD.