Another Tyre Thread.....

[eksjay]

As tyre manufacturing quality can be hit or miss, is there a tyre that you have had a poor experience with recently that you would warn others away from?

I am talking about your general run of the mill AT style tyre.

I have looked into the D697 for example and saw some woeful product reviews online... They have a great video of their puncture resistance side by side to some other well known tyres (Coopers has a similar vid). However, the reality is that their sidewall construction is pi$$ poor. Some have posted pictures of sidewall damage.

I recently took my 40,000 km Goodyear Silent Armors out to the Flinders Ranges where I was surprised how well they held up. A couple of trails had not seen a grader for ages. Although these tyres tend to wear quickly (even with regular rotations) their grip level in wet or dry is very good. There is not much tread remaining in them now.

[lujabe]

I’ve been running the D697’s for the last 3 years (just replaced them with the same again). I’ve found them an excellent A/T tyre, including over some of those Flinders ranges dirt roads and further up into the NT - never had a puncture and no visible chipping or damage at all, and no sidewall issues despite running at lower pressure on outback dirt and in soft sand.

[jaffazoom]

I guess claiming the D697 tyre and others like it as all terrain tyres probably also reflects the 4wdrive industry as a whole.

The rubbish that gets served up as go anywhere today is woeful

I just sold my kumho MT51. Good tyre marketed as an aggressive All terrain. Probably the quietest mud style I had but wanted to go something more tradition all terrain and quieter still so just fitted BF Goodridge KO2 AT's

So far I'm liking them.

Another AT that I liked was the maxxis 751 bravo Worked well enough in mud very quiet on road and got 80,000 km's out of them only down side was they were a bit weak in the side wall.

[eksjay]

I am now thinking of remaining with the Goodyear Silent Armor AT/SA even though I do not like the available 5 channel tread pattern. GY claims it is now better onroad in the wet with the 5 channels, but I prefer the more aggressive looking one with the 4 channel tread. I would have to upscale my tyre size to go back to 4 channel. Decisions decisions.... If I was able to get to the trails more often, I would consider a different tyre...

There is not much out there in the Australian tyre internet threads about Firestone Destination A/Ts. It looks like a beautiful tyre. I am thinking that the stock kept in Australia is old. This is the main deterrent.

If the Firestone MT2 was available here, I would definitely buy it. Bridgestone does not give much choice when it comes to Firestones unless consumers purchase direct from USA retailers.

[eksjay]

Just coming back with info on my purchase...

I am running the pre-update Sport OEM size 225/75/15. Reason for sticking to this size is that I have a couple of very good spares that I tend to throw on the platform rack in case I need them (in addition to internal spare). The size is also ideal for getting in and out of tight spaces in terms of steering wheel lock.

I went back and forth with the tyre dealer prior to purchase who claimed that all Goodyear Wrangler AT/SA tyres are now strictly the 5 channel variety [per the GY Australia website].

Not so ... the tyres that were delivered have a manufacturing date of 01/17 and I can confirm that they are 4 channel/ribbed. Originally, Goodyear sold this tyre tread and sidewall as a 50/50 on/off road (much like the original silent armor that comes in larger sizes). Literature from GY suggests that the new 5 ribbed pattern is 70/30 onroad/offroad and is highly improved in the water evacuation department.

My 4 channel AT/SA tyre is super quiet and the car rides great, now that there is a tread underneath it. You would need to look really hard to find unfavourable posts anywhere on the web about this tyre for what it was designed to do.

Having said that, the original GY radial tyres that were sold with this car off the dealer lot were $hit house in the wet and dry pavement, useless in anything but soft sand, and tore like paper wherever the road ended.

[Mace1]

I recently got a good deal on some BFG AT 235/75/15's.

$220 each.

Still have the original equipment Goodyear spare (unused) in the back...

[HamishW96]

I'm running the same tyres, goodyear AT/SA in 225/75 r15. I find they go outta round every day when I leave it lol and then straighten themselves out...