gotwings

Hi,

I need to replace the stock tires on my 2000 SR5 4Runner. I put
in a lot of highway miles to get where I'm going. Once there, I'm
mostly on dirt/gravel/rocky roads, with an occasional 4-ray
offroad, plus a little mud thrown in.

So I'm thinkin' A/Ts are probably the best compromise for me.

Consumer Reports puts Dayton Timberline A/Ts at the top
of their list. Any forum users out there using this tire, with
driving habits similar to mine?

I've seen lots of posts with good things to say about the
Bridgestone Dueler A/T and the BFG T/A KO.

But CR gives the Dueler only 'Fair' for snow traction. And the
BFGs didn't even make their list (what's up with that??)

Appreciate any thoughts/comments/advice. And my thanks to
all those who've posted on tire-related topics! This is an
incredibly useful resource to newcomers like myself...

rowan

hey, and welcome!

i have the daytons, but have not gotten a lot of miles on them yet. they came with the truck, but i've only put about 1000 miles on it so far. they not are not too bad. they are very quite on road, and i havn't gotten stuck with them offroad, or wished i had some different tires because i was losing traction. im switching up to some bigger tires and when i do i will probaly get BFG's, or maybe some pirelli scorpions... gonna shop around and see what i can get for the right price. my dad just got some BFG A/T KOs on his truck, and they look sweet. really agressive looking tread. i will probably get some too, and that is what i would suggest to you, but i don't think it REALLY matters what kind of tire you do get.. well.. good luck. and one more question.. where are you from. im from maine so snow traction is also a concern to me. once we get some, i'll let you know how the daytons do in the snow..

later,
rowan

2krunner

I am running the Dueler A/T on my Tacoma.
They are a good tire, just wearing a little faster than I think they should. Go to tirerack for reviews of the tires they sell.

Michael

gotwings

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rowan
[B]hey, and welcome!

Thanks, and thanks for your comments about the Daytons
Rowan!

*snip*

I'm in DC. Snowed exactly twice last year (and I was outta
town both times! :-). But I do road trips to Michigan and PA
every winter, plus at least a couple outings on snowy forest
roads. So I was a little put off by the 'Fair' in the snow for
the Duelers...



Great, thanks for the tip Michael, I'll check out that site.

Maybe Consumer Reports didn't include the BFGs because
they're less of a 'road' tire, fewer readers have 'em, or
whatever...

--gw

HBoss

Surprisingly, I happen to have almost identical driving habits to you. Not necessarily by choice, but similar nonetheless.

I've had both the Dueler AT's & the BFG AT's and to be honest, I'm not sure which ones I'll go with the next time I need tires. I'd say overall they are both excellent tires. Here are some differences I have found, which are just my opinion of course:

-Dueler's have better wet & slush traction than the KO's.
-KO's are mountain snowflake rated & I feel they are a little better than the Dueler's in winter traction.
-Dueler's are more quiet, but not by much. Primarily when driving in a residential paved area while turning is when you hear the big shoulders on the KO's.
-KO's have a higher treadwear rating, but Dueler's cost less (in this city anyway).
-KO's get a lot of little rocks stuck in the treads after a gravel road trip & therefore kick up a lot of rocks at your underside when you're back on pavement.
-I think my fuel economy was better with the Dueler's but can't prove it right now hehe.

Again, I'm not completely sure which tires I actually like better right now although I have a lot of confidence in the KO's. I feel safe with them on & think they can go through a heck of a lot (I feel like they are more durable than the Dueler's and won't go flat or blow as easily).

Hope this helps.

rpeAMP

I just put a set of BFG A/T KOs on my 92 and I have to say they're incredible. I just finished last night going off-road through some pretty deep muddy ruts and never came close to getting stuck. They are also excellent on the road in the rain as well (so far). I have the 31x10.50x15s with stock wheels.

Churnd

i've had the older BFG's before they came out with the KO. didn't think too much of them. i'm running Dueler AT's right now and i like em for mainly street driving and occasional off-roading. i'd probably give the BFG KO's a shot next time around, though. it's all about the sidewall tread to me. alot of people don't realize how much of a difference the sidewall tread can make off-road. the older BFG's didnt have any, and that's why i didnt like them.

the timberlines on the other hand... we have a few sets on the vans at work. just so happens that one day i pulled off to the side of the road to check something, and the next thing i know... i'm stuck! the van was empty so nothing to weigh it down. i rocked it between drive and reverse trying to get some momentum built up, but the tire was so caked up it was a lost cause. some guy in a chevy finally pulled over and got me out. so that's my only experience with that tire.

jacksonpt

I've got the Duelers on my rig, and I live in upstate NY, so we get our fair share of snow. I also wheel with them, and they have seen extensive highway use. All in all, an OUTSTANDING tire. Terrific dry performance as most tires are, but also great in the rain. Snow traction is good, but that depends on a lot more than just the tire. They are great in the slush too. Off-road, I've never had a problem with them... they've gotten me where ever I wanted to go.

rowan

you need some thornbirds!!!!


look at those knobs!

2krunner

Now THAT'S a TIRE.
Anybody have any idea on the tread wear mileage expected?
I want them for pure looks.

Churnd

no no no... hell no. thornbirds for daily driving? not in this lifetime. they wear down too fast to make them worth it, and they aren't good for anything off-road. IMO, they're a poser tire. i'll stick with my duelers for the daily driving and for my off-roading trips, i'll turn to my OTHER swampers:

2krunner

Why do they wear so fast? Is the compound that soft? The tread pattern does not look that bad for daily use. I am a poser by the way, pure looks for my Tacoma.

95_4X4Runner

I have the Dayton A/T's, and have been happy with them so far. The wheeling I've done has been dry, so I haven't tried them in mud yet.

They are quiet on the road, and handle surprisingly well.

I had 235/75R15's, and went to 31X10.5X15, and my gas mileage went from 17 to 15 MPG. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

carpemanana

I got the BFG AT/KO's and they are awesome! Very little noise and handle very well in the rain and off-road. I'm going up to Colorado this week so I'll get to try them in the snow as well- sipes are the key to traction in snow and the AT's have lots of 'em... Don't forget BFG offers free roadside assistance "If you get stuck, we'll send a truck" for AT KO's and KM's. Read the fine print on the web site though, it isn't complete coverage but will help offset the cost of a tow IF you get stuck. See if other tire mfg's can match that. Don't forget that Michelin is the parent company of BFG so quality is top-notch.
The Bridgestone HT's that came on my truck were aweful- slipped in the rain and squealed like a pig in turns :pig: . I had Dayton's on my '85 Supra and it slid up and over an embankment in the rain one night even though I wasn't going too fast and the tires had lots of tread- just a bad design for the wet stuff on corners I guess.

gotwings

Just to close out the thread... Decided to go with the
Bridgestone Dueler ATs. The BFGs would have been
nice, but I couldn't justify 'em given the limited mud
that my truck sees.

There's a new Dueler called the Revo; tried to order
a set, but they're all apparently stuck in a container ship
on the coast. No-one would commit to delivery before
April! :-(

So it's back to the D693. Either that, or step up to
a 32" tire... will have to give that some thought.

--gw