Your experience with factory taco tires

I agree with the dunlops. Just bought the truck 2 weeks ago with 38k with the stock dunlops with at most 50% tread. Was skeptical about the snow performance at first, but we just had a good snowstorm last week and the 30 mile drive home from work was surprisingly hassle free. I was impressed by the traction they provided in 2wheel drive (only had to use 4H to get in the driveway), sure they would break loose with a heavy throttle, but they held their ground just as good as my firestone destination at's on my s10! However, I am still going to get a new set. Probably cooper at3's or hankooks atms.

 

My truck although purchased used had brand new Dunlop AT20s on it.

Off-road traction, eh forget it. Fortunately the extent of my off-road driving only requires a truck's ground clearance and doesn't involve much loose dirt.

I've been through some quite heavy lake effect snow with these and in 4WD they don't give an issue, but this area's pretty flat. I wouldn't want to take them up through a mountain pass. In 2WD the light back end doesn't play well with them.

Braking on glare ice is pretty crappy - they're not winter tires.

In rain they're ....interesting. Braking is typically not problem. I've never had a hydroplaning issue either. However they do have a disconcerting tendency to spin on wet grooved pavement during acceleration and it doesn't take a lot of power to do it.

They stick just fine on dry pavement.

Wear pattern isn't great. No matter what pressure is in the tire, the shoulders still wear, but I suppose that could be the alignment (done immediately after I bought the truck). Treadlife seems ok thus far. I'm still well over half tread left and have 22k miles on them.

They seem to have decent rolling resistance and don't make a lot of noise on dry pavement.

Definitely will try a different tire when it's due.

 

I purchased my truck with BFG Rugged Trails. They were terrible from day one, especially after a light rain. I had a "free tires for life" deal on my truck (a special that the dealer had going at the time), so my second set of tires were the rugged fails again. (The dealer would not let me get anything else, even though I offered to pay the difference). After hydroplaning accross an intersection after a light rain and soon after almost rear-ending someone at a red light, I decided to give up my "free tires for life" eligibility and went somewhere else to get my Nittos. Day and night difference, even though I have to pay for them.

 

garbage for the most part...I drove home and swapped them out the day i bought the truck...

 

I have run nothing but rugged tails Here in So Cal but it hardly ever rains. When it does, the rear does get loose but I always chalked it up to the rear end being light weight and my lead foot, after all it is a truck. Other than that I have never had any issues. They have always done me well in the Baja. For My next tires, I am going with the BFG ATs just because I want a more aggressive tread, and they look cool. After reading this thread I can't wait to see what I have been missing.

 

Good to hear. They are top of the list at consumer reports and several tests rate them fairly well. Of course they are so-so in fair weather, but I'll just switch the tires come late spring anyways. Maybe this will be my excuse to buy new rims come summer

 

I've had the stock Dunlops on my 2011 Tacoma since day 1 and really haven't had any complaints. Nearing 20,000 miles and it made it through two Colorado winters with minimal problems (moved back to SoCal last month). Handled fine in rain, too.

I don't have any complaints, really, so far, other than how they look. I'll try to get as much mileage out of them before I swap 'em out for something a little beefier.

 

Dunlops at20 are crap

 

My 09 sport came with the bridgestones and I just replaced them. I got 50,000 trouble free miles. The first winter with the truck we got hit with like 1-2 feet of snow in the Philadelphia area and the tires performed flawlessly when they were new. I haven't really off-roaded them, but as a basic tire for my family truck, they did the job and they did it well.

 

I had the dunlops (17") stock. They are on par with cheap ass tires from the tire shop. After 7K the rear had less than 1/2 tread left.

And if you live in a place that it snows or even rains these tires suck. They should not put these on trucks that are sold in areas that is snow.

I went with the Duratracs. One of the best snow tires I have ever had. I have been very happy with them so far. But they seem a little soft? we will see.

Been thinking of getting a second set of tires (LTX MS/2's) for most summer road miles. And save the duratracs for winter and summer off roading.

 

FWIW, Dunlop AT20 ranked 54 out of 58 highway all-season tires on tirerack.com survey. Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin LTX/MS 2 ranked 1 and 2.

My stock AT20 squeal on slow corners in dry, break loose in wet and wear unevenly. Only good thing I think of is that they are quiet on highway and maybe mpg is decent.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=HAS

 

I really think it has a lot more to do with peoples driving style, not better or worse, than the tires themselves.

Like my dad driving a '78 celica up snowy hills back home passing trucks that were stuck. I was amazed, lol.

I drove back and forth from Oregon to Utah a lot over the course of slightly under 2 years I put over 40,000 miles on my 2007 truck, 800 miles each way. This was through Oregon rain, Idaho and Utah solid ice and snow highways. Never had any issues that wasn't expected.

Sure nailing a rut full of water at 75 mph results in some hydroplaning, it's expected on any vehicle. 70+ on icy freeways (not good I know but after the 5th time in a month you get complacent), only a few quick emergency stops and I felt the truck handled just fine.

I checked my truck, with the supercharger I am almost to the wear bars on the rear with a little more in the front at 43,560 miles (on my 2009), so I will most likely rotate them once more and then have to get new tires.

I now drive 30 miles to and from work, in the Oregon rain and I still don't have hydroplaning issues, and if anyone here knows I-84 knows there are some pretty bad ruts in places.

 

I would agree that driving style plays a huge part in bad conditions, but it's only part of the puzzle. You can be an excellent driver in the snow - but if the tires have no traction you're screwed. This is an extreme example, but I believe it's totally relevant. I spent most of my life driving Miatas prior to the truck. I've had everything from semi-slicks for racing to full on snow tires. Here's what I've noticed:

Semi-Slicks: totally useless on anything other than dry blacktop (though they destroyed in that scenario, I could out corner anyone on the road)

Summer Z rated tires: I couldn't go forward on ice/snow (we're talking 1/2 inch at most) on a level surface. Even with a LSD (after some feathering of the clutch I was able to get going, but I was so scared of how badly the tires did I parked the car and stayed home. Going forward is one thing, stopping is the scary one).

All seasons: did okay in all situations, but didn't excel in any of them. Good for most driving. I got rid of the all seasons my car came with and stuck with winter/summer tires.

Winter tires: ever seen a Miata pass an SUV in 1/2 foot of snow without issue? I've almost never had issues with snow tires on the car. Never been stuck. Had a few white knuckle incidents, but nothing that made me scared to drive.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

 

He drove it and said it should ride better than this and would I be happy with Michelins-I said yes, anything will be better than this. Why can't the techs just do there job along with the manager!?

 

i recently started a thread with a question about backing up.

it basically said...I noticed right away that if I back the truck up with a similar amount of gas / pressure as my old honda accord sedan, it's almost like the truck skids briefly, especially when making the turn in reverse. It's as if I have to go very slowly and apply very little gas without a sharp angle. I noticed it a few times when making regular turns as well.

i'm a first time truck owner and i have the factory tires on, but don't know which ones (i'll check after reading this thread). needless to say, i'm not as surprised now after reading the thread.

 

They're not called dunflops for no reason.

 

... suck.

Sorry... didn't read any posts. Saw thread. Clicked. Posted my thoughts.

 

or dunslops....

although the dunlop q2's on my street bike are great!

 

My stock Bridgestone Duellers have been great. My only complaint is they've lasted too long. I have a lift waiting to be installed and I refuse to do it until I also need new tires. Damn Duellers are still going strong. I can't speak for how they do off road, but in typical city/highway conditions they've been great.

 

You've got a long wait ahead of you. I got 50000 miles out of them. Like you I had wheels waiting in the wings. I installed my eibachs years before wheels and tires because bridgestones did so well.