All right, here goes nothing… at the risk of ripping the lid off of the can of worms yet again… Yes I have searched, I have spent the last two days (no lie, over 8 hours) searching and reading, quiz me if you like . But, I still can’t decide? So much info, so much contradiction and so many off topic replies to sift through to get to the meat of the thread my eyes are going buggy…

The simple version is: For those who have experience with these specific tires (not to sound like an ass but I’m NOT looking for fluff or generalizations by members who are trying to “help” but really just cloud the issue. After reading through so many posts that only having about 10% “useful information” I just want to try and keep this short, concise and “just the facts ma’am”. ) I’m looking for real world, experienced opinions on what you think the best tire for my purposes would be out of the tires that I have listed below. Considering my application, wear, price, traction, quality etc.

Truck stats: 1996 Tacoma, X-cab, 3.4L, 5 speed, 4x4. 1” RB body lift. (minor suspension lift (1.5”) and new custom rear leaf pack coming soon)
Usage: This truck is NOT a DD but will be driven on the street to the trails, some chores around town and on long drives through the western states on hunting trips. Some rain, some snow, lot’s of dirt roads and rocky, rutted up 4x4 trails, a fair amount of Mud too. I won’t be rock crawling and rarely airing down much.

Also, I don’t think that I will have as much balancing issues as some here have experienced as I am going with a smaller tire size. Maybe? Or maybe I am making a false assumption?

Since it’s NOT a DD, I figured Mud Terrains are my best bet and am considering the following tires: (if you have a good reason why you think that I should go with an A/T over an M/T though, I’m listening).

BFG M/T T/A KM - 32x11.5x15
PRO COMP M/T - 32x11.5x15
WRANGLER MT/R - 32x11.5x15
GEOLANDER M/T - 31x10.5x15
DESTINATION M/T - 31x10.5x15

Thanks for you input and I hope I didn’t come off like a complete ass, I’m really not, just hoping to get some straight, no B.S. dope.

P.S. any suggestion on “best place to buy” would be appreciated as well.

Thanks,
biGjOhn

 

John,
I have the Des. MTs and absolutly LOVE them, when these wear out, Ill be getting another set, they stick like super glue on the rocks, very nice in the rain and snow

 

I've been running BFG ATs forever and decided to switch to a set of ProComp Xterrains. I have about 3000 miles on them now and absolutely love them. I thought that they would sing like a set of Hawgs but surprisingly, they are more quiet than my old BFG's. We'll see what these do in the Michigan winter here but for what you're looking to do, I bet they's be about perfect.

Ted

 

After a bunch of reading I went with tried and true BFG M/Ts. My only beef is that with my allignment a little off, These tires magnify the vibration. We'll see what happens when I get my allignment done.

 

I have been running this set of BFG MTs in the 285/75 size for almost 50k. They are in need of replacement now so I can def. speak of this tire down to its last moments of usable tread. It is a staple in the offroad community, there is a reason you hear so much about them. Granted, there are many other choices out there that are cheaper, but look at them. They all try to look like the BFG. Really great offroad, decent onroad for about 25k, after that they start to hum really loud. With 50k on them they scream at anything above 45. They are very sticky on the rocks and clean themselves very well in this Florida muck that I am forced to drive in whenever I am in the woods. Only gotten stuck when I tried something I had little faith a tank could make it through. These tires are a great compromise between offroad/onroad performance.

 

I had the BFG MTs before the Dest. MTs, the firestones are lasting longer already, and IMO are better off road, but thats me.
I say go with what you want, try them, if they work for ya, great, if not, go with something else.

 

My choice is the Wrangler MT/R tires. I have the big ones, 37", and they have done a simply awesome job of sticking to the rocks when I needed them to. I would suggest the Wranglers.

P.S. Can you do us all a favor and attempt to curb the foul language, at least on this board? lets try and keep this family friendly.....This isn't Pirate

 

Thanks for the info, everyone. I wish I could afford to “buy & try” but since I can’t that’s why I figured I’d gather as much info. as I could to try and make the smartest purchase that I can.

 

MT/R's get a nod from me too. kinda biased though .its all ive ever ran, but as steveo says..they work just awesome in the rocks as well as rutty/muddy/rocky conditions which is whats up here mostly. theres a reason alot of rock crawlers swear by em. sidewalls are ultra tough and they provide some awesome grip as well. ive found them to be excellent in the mucky stuff as they clear fairly well.w ear has been excellent but road noise goes up as they wear down.

i didnt have any balancing issues when mine were mounted. that can all depend on the tech mounting em and equiment used though. hunter machines are the ones you want i think. id guess discount tire or 4WP and such are your best bet for tires (im from canada & got mine cheap through a buddy that works at goodyear). these days..you cant really beat online purchasing..esp for big ticket items where you can often get free shipping..and of course dont have to pay sales tax if ordering out of state...

cant really go wrong with any of your choices though...

 

I have experiance with BFG and Wranglers. Of all the tires you put I vote BFG, they work the best in everything you meantioned. I have them on my rig for summer tires, and am getting them soon for winter tires too. I do about what you do.. the main reason is I know its the best tire when I am 70 on a dirt road from town and the last thing I want to be doing is running to town for a new tire where there are elk to be chased. As for the Wranglers IMO after they get about 30% worn they are horrible on snow and ice, scary horrible.

Go with the BFG you will not regret the few extra bucks..

Also have you considered a 33x10.50? You will be able to get chains on easier, and this can be very usefull during hunting season...

 

I think you will be happy with anyone of the above -- All of these tires will last around the 50k mile mark and I have had good luck with all of them (except destination) <---never ran these before -- pick which one you think is the purtiest and stick 'em on there !!

 

I have to vouch for Rics tires because I've seen them and he's beat them to death I believe he's also had them siped and they wear well.I'm seriously thinking about a set.I'm running bfg/mt's they seem to work well on this Wyoming rocks and mud.I've yet to experience them during the winter up here.Ice and wind are the proving ground up here especially Elk mountain,I-80 and hwy 191.

 

On my old 3/4 ton work truck the best tires were the firestone destination mt's. They wore WAY WAY better than the same sized bfg mt's.

On my tacoma I run bfg mt's because they are the only mt I can find locally in a 33x10.5 wide tire. If I could find a 33 x9.5 I would run that but I can't.
On my taco I like bfg mt.
On fullsize trucks I like firestone destination mt <--- wear a lot better than bfg's.

 

BFG has one in MT

 

BFG muds get my vote, i bought a set from the junkyard that had about 50 miles on them they were 32x11.50x15, and they never gave me a problem nor left me stuck, with being offroad about 60% of the time, they are awesome in mud/rock/snow/dirt/whatever, but they really supprised me on the street, rain and snow/ice were no problem, i ran them about 10,000 miles b4 money got tight and i sold them and got a set of Regual Trailblazers off my dads truck and let me tell ya, i miss those BFG M/Ts

 

Hello all and thanks again for the good info. and straight skinny... I have considered going to a 33 but, since I will be loading this thing down quite a bit with gear, camper shell, gear rack, maybe a quad in the bed or towing 1 or 2 quads on a trailer etc. when I head out to hunt, I just didn't want to lose the power and do not want to re-gear it and lose freeway speeds (not to mention funds). I actually think that I am already "pushing it" a little going with the 32's and have vacillated back and forth between 31's & 32's... it is the 3.4L but still don't want to bog her down too bad, esp. since I will usually be climbing my way up mountains to said hunting spots.

As it stands right now, Miller time might have the best idea, between the BFG M/T & the Wrangler M/T R, just pick whichever one is purtiest....? It seems like a toss up between those two.

I thank all of you for your input and I think what I will do is Price out those two and the Destination and if the destination is significantly cheaper I may consider it, If not maybe go with which ever of the M/T R or BFG is much cheaper or if they are about the same, I think I like the look of the side walls on the M/T R better... i.e. "purtiest" to me... LOL

thanks again,
biGjOhn

 

I bet that the difference between a skinny 33 and a 32 is neglidgble.. in fact in the much the 33 will take less power becuase it doesnt drag as much, but it boils down to what you want...

I will thorw one more idea out there.. .32x10.50 TSL Radial. I owned this tire for about 35,000 miles (I think). They were fantasitc. I sold them when i got more lift as they were too small. When I sold them they still had 65% tread. They were as great on snow/ice, mud, rain, hwy as my BFG's. If you mount them on a stock rim, or any 15x7 they fit perfect didnt rub, I could fit chains... I have been as happy with that tire as any tire I have ever owned, and if I still only had 3" of lift that is the tire I would run. But they are the best of 32's and 31's, they have the diff clearance of a 32, but the drag of a 31. In my 4runner I was able to run them up to 50psi (max) and they would run flat.. which means less rolling resistance when on the hwy..

If you do a bunch of snow/ice i would avoid the MT/R, from experiance and what I have seen they are not that great on snow/ice the tread is too hard.

 

AH64ID, do you have a picture of your truck with the TSL's?

 

Pro comps are buy three get one free till the end of october.

So they would get my vote.

 

Thanks for the info. AH64ID & others, have a few follow Q’s fer ya…

Sounds good, thanks. I will be in some snow & Ice up in the Sierras as well as Utah, so I definitely do not want something that sux on snow & ice! You say that you “loved the Radial TSL’s and they were great in snow, ice, mud, ruts & rock right?

Do you think that holds up at low speeds tho? On the freeway, yes the less drag of a 10.5 would probably cancel out the taller 33 but what about when crawling… I just don’t know how well she would handle 33’s with stock gears? However, this may not be an issue as I originally wanted to get a 32x10.5x15 but can’t find that config. In the tires I posted, so was resigned to going either 31x10.5x15 or 32x11.5x15. But, after reading your post on the Radial TSL’s, I found them in a 32x10.5x15 and they are cheaper than the BFG’s or the M/TR’s, so that just may be my choice, THANKS! I’m not looking for the cheapest option but I’m certainly not made of money, so it is a factor…

The Radial TSL’s are available in both the 32x10.5 & the 33x10.5. For my purposes, on my rig which do you think would work best for me? 3.4L, 5 speed, 1” BL and “coming soon” 1.5” suspension lift and new rear leaf pack. I don’t want to loose freeway speed, don’t want to re-gear and don’t want to be under powered at low speeds or crawling either… that’s why I was thinking 32’s. What if any would the benefit be of going up to a 33’s and $15 more per tire? Also, I didn’t understand what you meant about being easier to get chains on a 33 than a 32? Can you elaborate please?

----> P.S. my rims are stock, 15x7 I believe? <----

Thanks again,
biGjOhn