Feeling Unstable

Wait till you try them out offroad, people give the KO2s crap like they do anything that becomes popular, but they a very versatile offroad tire. Not really worth a damn in mud but it's hard to find an AT that performs well in mud. Rocks, dirt, and soft snow (not hard packed or ice) they do well. I never had any complaints about them other than mine always seemed to get chunked up after a few rocky trails. Air them down when you hit the trail and they do great.

 

As a fellow third gen owner, with the same tires and wheel combo, good luck.. I've never been able to get my KO2's balanced. I've had three different discount tire shops in two different states, one of which had a brand new road force balancing machine, do their best at balancing these tires. They still induce a wobble in the wheel at 60-75mph after 5 balancing attempts. The tires were rotated on the wheel's (heavy spot to light spot) to match balance as best as possible, but the issue is still there to a degree. With that said, I'm not too worried about it because these tires look like they're only on track for about a 35k mile lifespan anyhow. I run the tires at 36psi FWIW, and wear / contact seems to be optimized.

Would I buy another E rated BFG for the Tacoma? Absolutely not.

Of course, your mileage may vary. This is just a quick synopsis of my experience with these tires.

 

Yes check lugs make sure the lug heads torqued them correctly because I had a issue once they don't care it's all about $$$$

 

PSI on this tires (LT265/75R16/E 123/120R load range should be set to 38 pounds on all 4. This is the correct conversion according to the RMA guide.

 

37 is the adjusted PSI for LT265/75/16s.

Probably feeling a little tire squirm from the new taller tread lugs and mold release compound. It can take 500 to 5,000 miles to get the compund wore off.

Another factor could be the added possitive scrub radius, causing the tire to trammel when there's a side-to-side weight shift on the tire. Passenger side bump=passenger side pull.

 

On the 'check the torque' thing............

You need to loosen them, then torque properly in a criss cross pattern. You can't just slap a wrench on them and see if it clicks.

And don't tighten them all the way on the first pass. Get the wheel seated, take them all down firmly, then go back and torque in the same pattern.

But don't bother until they are rebalanced.

 

I'd vote on balancing.

 

38 or 37...What’s a few PSI between friends?

 

Just had the exact same tires installed last Monday and they were inflated to 50 psi and felt like driving on bricks, lowered the pressure to 40 and made world of difference driving around town and on the highway. I will try the 38 psi recommended above.

 

I’m running 285/70/17 KO2’s and the right psi for me seems to be no higher than 30, and I generally run about 28-29, any higher and the truck wanders a lot, gets a ton of wheel slip, and is as described above, borderline unsafe. They’ve been on my truck with near identical pressures for around 20k miles and seem to be wearing very evenly across the entire contact patch. I expect to get MAYBE another 20k out of them and then think I’m going with some geolander MT’s.

 

Your tire has more volume than a LT265/75/16, requiring less pressure.

37 psi in a LT265/75/16 is equal to 29 psi in a LT285/70/17 as far as inflated load capacity.

 

Nailed it! The best place to start. I had tires put on my gf's car and the front driver slung the weight off 1 mile from the garage, It began shaking immediately so I u- turned and made them rebalace that tire. I did have to argue a little but they pulled the tire and made good on it

 

I have the bfg a/t 275 70 17 and i had a tire out of balance by 1 ounce and when i rotated the tires i could feel it instantly... got the front tires rebalanced and it went away

 

I have BFG k02, 285 75/r16 and it's my second set with no vibration issues for last 8yrs. Their max pressure is 80psi under load, so around the city I run 38 psi which gives a smoother ride if I'm hauling a full bed of gravel I run them at 65 psi, and in the backcountry I run at 18 psi for traction. If you feel it in the steering wheel, I'd take it back and have the balance checked, they may have fully hammered a weight on or it was thrown. Also if the tires are new, look for a blue/yellow dot on the sidewall (it may wash off), a good installer knows the tire is easier to balance and requires less weight if that mark is lined up on the stem. Lastly watch them remount the tire on the truck; did they seat the rim evenly before zipping on the lugs and do they torque it in a cross pattern. I worked in a shop in a college and saw all sorts of mistakes mounting tires over the years including 3 wheels coming off at a light because the lugs were torked when the rim wasn't evenly seated.

 

chunked up just builds character and requires another balancing or time to rotate

 

Having worked at discount tire, I was the guy they gave all the truck tires to. Have them rebalance the tires and then check and see what amount of weight was installed to balance. Make notes of those weights and remove. Spin the tire 180 on the wheel and see if those #s go down. Note those #s and mark the tire. Repeat this procedure rotating the tire in 45* amounts until you can get the lowest weights possible mounted on the tire. Also since they are not putting weights on the outside of the wheel the inner weights which are for the outside need to be mounted as close to the front edge as possible on the inside of the wheel. It takes time but can be done, that’s why my boss always gave me the trucks tires. Goal is no more than 2oz on any spot on the wheel. Good luck!!

 

I have the exact same tires and have had them on my 17' for awhile now.....love em!!! The installer didnt balance them correctly. Take it back and have it checked. And horse crap they say, mine ride great!

 

Also...love those wheels on the BBP. Solid choice!!

 

I'm new to the forum as well.Love sharing something we all have in common.I do all my own maintenance and work on the truck.I have an 08.5 tundra,ordered from the Texas plant,I ordered it with the v6.I have friends who are tundra owners,everything is identical for the package,except the engine.When I finally got the truck,it came standard with Michelen tires.Im on my 3rd set of K0's and I get approximately 46-48k miles@41 and 44 psi,I do highway alot,always smooth,I keep up on my suspension,maintenance wise,I realized at 80k both struts up front were shot,I could see the fluid leaking in both.Thats when my front end would move/shift when hitting patchy spots on the highway at 65-80