AZ BS Thread 4²0

You talking tires or transmissions?

edit: I see you’re talking tires, I think if the other replies thought you were talking transmissions.

 

Eeek, good call, I’m talking tires.

Once again too many cocktails to be articulate…

 

I can’t relate to that at alllllll (as I crack open another beer).

 

Well… What kind of tires are you runnin’??

 

Some cooper ATs, which I love, but I don’t do any wheeling out here. When I was heavy into wheeling it was all east coast and MTs, and it wasn’t my DD, apples to oranges. My rec would be to go with ATs

 

That truck is now sold (RIP) and I’m rocking a 4Runner and a dirt bike, though the 4Runner will be for sale soon.

 

Already? Seems like you just got it!

What's next?

 

I really like my Kenda RTs. They've been fantastic in whatever so far. Worked well in the WI snow also. They also have skinny. 33x10.5, 35x10.5.

One of the guys in the WI group ran the Yokohama Geo MT and was really happy with them also.

 

Been absolutely loving my Milestar Patagonia mt’s. Ran Goodyear duratracs for years before switching. And the new Milestar AT Pro’s look amazing. Will probably put those on the wife’s 4runner and the diesel next

 

Ive been driving all over Arizona for 50 years. I've run some M/T tires here and there in that time. I've found the M/T have a shorter life span, cost more, and after the initial soft layer of rubber wears off in 10k to 20k miles, they lose a lot of their street manners. You know, the typical things like noise and ride quality.

The M/Ts do look way better and do preform better about 10% of the time off road. Coincidentally Arizona has wet caliche about 10% of the year when it rains.

So my opinion is an E or C rated A/T is better for arid conditions in all but the most extreme rock beds. If you're running primarily competition lines off of Table Mesa Road, then maybe an M/T would be better choice. If your truck is a daily driver, and function over form matters to you get an A/T tire.

Examples of M/Ts I've run over the years.

 

Ran ATs on all my vehicles for years then switched to MTs 6 years and 2 sets ago. I never get the same set of tires twice, but I will be getting another set of these Mickey Baja Boss MTs.. Favorite tire I've ran. MTs are great for all the terrain changes here in AZ imo.

 

Are you running C or E load range?

 

I know, I've only had it a year! Probably a highlander, if I make the move. I don't do nearly as much camping as I was planning on, and the 4runner rides like a tank on the street, so I want something a little more comfortable.

It's not a bad ride, it has TRD Fox suspension and P rated tires, but compared to our minivan it's pretty shit. Comparing the two really accentuates the body-on-frame street manners. A highlander will be able to do the level of camping that I've been doing, aka maintained dirt road.

 

neither. D rated

 

Thanks for the rec. I could use a trip to the Pork Shop, could drop them off and find something to do around there.

 

That must be the sweet spot. I'm running C-rated, and they seem soft for the road and how tall they are. Es always felt too stiff. I don't think the D was offered in my size. Maybe the next set

 

My thoughts with them as well. Always ran E tires.. these D rated, even being an MT.. are nicer on and offroad.

 

Toyo MT’s are great but heavy and loud.

Loved my Kenda RT 35x10.50R17, super sticky but they get loud and tread life is less due to the soft compound.

Now running Mickey Thompson AT 255/85R17 (35x10.0R17) and they are my favorite so far. Quiet and good tractions in every condition. Excellent grip in the rain last night.

I’ll never run Coopers again because every set I or someone else I know has had always have issues balancing out.

New Falken AT are good also, from what I’ve heard from guys around here using them.

My current opinion is AT’s for daily drivers and RT/MT for trail rigs. AT’s are just so good these days, it’s hard to find a need for the extra traction of a RT/MT unless you’re getting really fun and dumb.

 

I've had 2 sets of Falken AT3Ws (now discontinued) and I could never seem to get them truly balanced, but it's so freakin weird... it's like a dynamic balance issue. Some days, smooth as glass, other days, washing machine wiggle. Same speeds, same roads. Happened with both my Taco and my 4R...

I tried Continental TerrainContact AT's and they were WONDERFUL on the street, extremely well mannered, but they're more like a hybrid HT/AT so unlikely to cope with even a little bit of mud very well.

Think my next set is gonna be Toyo Open Country III's.