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Thornbirds or BFG Muds?

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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:11 AM
  #1  
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From: Langley BC, Canada
Thornbirds or BFG Muds?

This may seem like quite an obvious answer here... but let me explain myself...

There are some Thornbirds for sale. 3 of them have 80%-90%, and one is brand new... They are being sold for $550 Canadian

My other option is to go and buy new BFG Muds which will run about $1100 Canadian...

What would you guys do? Should I save around $500 and get the used Thornbirds.. or should I go out and buy some new BFG muds?

Some opinions would be good...

Thanks guys,
Dan
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:18 AM
  #2  
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From: Wandering around Phoenix
What size are the thornbirds? Keep in mind they run a little wide because of the huge lugs they have, so they have more potential to rub. Most people say thornbirds suck, but that is all hearsay because not too many people run them (mostly because everybody says they suck, a viscious cycle). I have no idea which are better, but that sounds like a great price.
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:19 AM
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I asked a very similar question a couple of weeks ago. I did a ton of research, read lots of reviews, and talked to a lot of people. Here's what I found out: It all depends on how much real wheeling you do, and how much of an issue the money is. The Thornbirds are basically a show tire. The voids are small and the lugs are huge. Their performance is more like that of a good AT (Dueler ATs or BFG ATs). The BFGs have a pretty solid reputation across the board.

From my research, the BFGs are flat out a better tire. It's up to you whether or not you spend the extra cash on them.
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:20 AM
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They are 33x12.5 ... They would work well for my set up. And yeah, it is a vicious cycle.... even my friends say they suck, and they havent looked up on them at all...

Thanks,
Dan
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:23 AM
  #5  
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jacksonpt I found out pretty much the same stuff. But $550 is a big difference in price...

It also depends on how much mud you actually go through too... apparently they are pretty good for street driving compared to swampers and boggers...
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 11:59 AM
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Thornbirds look great, but should only be used off-road. I rode in a lifted Tacoma with thornbirds, roughest riding tires ever!! I felt every lug hit the ground. If you use them on the street, don't expect them to last past 10k miles.
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 12:09 PM
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Look at the tires.

Which one has bigger grooves?

Which one has a long standing tradition of blowing out side walls but wearing like iron?

If cash is tight, the choice is a no brainer, but I say buy once, cry once.

How long will you be running the 33's? Is the swap coming sooner rather than later? Will you want 35's right when you swap?
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 12:31 PM
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I just kinda realized that this is a stupid question... BFG's, or any other mud terrain, are worth buying more than Thornbirds..

A tire with little, to no good reviews has got to be bad, and even if BFG's were $1000 more they would probably be the best bet..

I think im gonna say no to the thornbirds
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 12:34 PM
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2 cnts

Good Choice. Guess you don't need my 2 pennies.
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Old Oct 2, 2003 | 12:48 PM
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Re: Thornbirds or BFG Muds?

Originally posted by toyotadan
This may seem like quite an obvious answer here... but let me explain myself...

There are some Thornbirds for sale. 3 of them have 80%-90%, and one is brand new... They are being sold for $550 Canadian

My other option is to go and buy new BFG Muds which will run about $1100 Canadian...

What would you guys do? Should I save around $500 and get the used Thornbirds.. or should I go out and buy some new BFG muds?

Some opinions would be good...

Thanks guys,
Dan
I have never herd anything good about a thornbird! except how happy people are the day they get rid of them.

I use to work for Dickcepek offroad shop. The idea behind thornbirds were a awesome looking tire from the side and street tire on the tread. What they got was a tire that would never get traction off road and on road was as dangerous as a set of slicks on a black ice road..

Never owned a set, never would!

Good luck!
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 09:01 AM
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I started with 33x 12.5 R15 Thornbirds on my Runner they were ok off road but were just brutal on the highway and even worse in the rain. If I bought them again I would get the lugs cut. I now have 33 12.5 R15 BFG KMs and they are way better all around.
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 09:34 AM
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I have never heard anything good about Thornbirds either, BUT IMO, they do LOOK MEAN AS HELL! I think they look super gnarly, almost as gnarly as Boggers, but nothing can beat the look of a rig sitting on Boggers!
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 09:41 AM
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Obviously Interco would never admit to it, but I've heard rumors that the Thornbird was designed to be a show tire with average road/trail ability. Basically something for rigs with chrome diff covers to run on their way to and from the shows.
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 09:58 AM
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Originally posted by toyotadan
I just kinda realized that this is a stupid question... BFG's, or any other mud terrain, are worth buying more than Thornbirds..

A tire with little, to no good reviews has got to be bad, and even if BFG's were $1000 more they would probably be the best bet..

I think im gonna say no to the thornbirds
I think BFG's now come with free roadside and even trailside service with the purchase, provided by BFG or someone they call for you.
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 05:26 PM
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Are the interco trux tst all terrain any good. I wonder if they are like thornbirds. Slick in wet and poor ride and tread life.
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 05:53 PM
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Originally posted by 4runner4me
Are the interco trux tst all terrain any good. I wonder if they are like thornbirds. Slick in wet and poor ride and tread life.
More than likely since both are very soft and not designed for street use. if you want a good ride on streets in the rain and longer tread life then I suggest the BFG's.
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Old Oct 3, 2003 | 07:28 PM
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From: raleigh NC
http://intercotire.com/html/trxus_mt___sts.htm

I think that with the big treat once it wore down it would not have good tration at all.
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Old Jun 25, 2012 | 10:48 PM
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I ran them on my 93... Sucked everywhere except sand. On the beach they rocked, on rainy city streets? Say a prayer...
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Old Jun 26, 2012 | 04:15 AM
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i ran thornbirds on my yota. 33 14.5s they road down the road good and didnt wear to bad. it was really loud but what do u expect with a mud tire.. The side lugs digged okay, but i knew it was time to upgrade, i went to the orginal mud terrain. Im now running 33 12.5 Mud rovers.. GOOD TIRE. - Dunlop Mud rovers!!
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Old Jun 26, 2012 | 04:38 AM
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9yr old thread bump lol
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