WK2 Off Road Tyres

[Ed..]

With the AT811's, I am not expecting to get great milage out of them either towing a van but probably by the time I finish up doing the "great lap" I will want to replace them anyway and go back to a more standard A/T design or just get another set of them. The more open tread and softer compound will contribute to a shorter life. So if I can get a couple of years out of them they will have done their job. I will most likely get another spare before we hit the road and put the two spares into rotation.

I got these more for the corrugated northern Australian roads than the bitumen, so beach, corrugations and dirt roads, and if it rains up there they may get me out of trouble if the dirt roads get a bit wet, time will tell how good/long they will last. It's a pity that there aren't more choices in the 18" LT tyres that fit the WK2 Jeeps spare wheel well. They are available but none of the others appealed to me due to one reason or another, either too expensive or way too many bad reviews on them or simply just don't like the tread pattern.

I was swayed to get these by a Youtuber by the name of Ronald Dahl, he has a 4WD channel and based in W.A. he says it like it is with no bullshit and no particular brand loyalties (ie; persuasions). I respect his opinion more than a lot of other "experts" out there. He was doing a video review on another M/T tyre by Maxxis, and mentioned that one of his support vehicles had AT811's on it and whilst they weren't 100% as good as the M/T tyres he was reviewing in the muddy conditions, that vehicle for the most part kept up fairly easily with the others which were wearing the M/T tyres. So for me they seemed a happy compromise as I didn't want or need M/T's and their inherent issues.

[drover]

I know exactly what you mean @Ed , I don't take much notice of tyre reviews as conditions and driver plays more of a role than the tyre often plus you really need to compromise to cover everything...................... I have seen a HT do a better job climbing a rocky track than the rock chucker tread or AT tyres, his skill showed us all up and in mud well a good bar tread will leave everything for dead but will kill you anywhere else.........
Driving style, pressure plays such a big part in it all........ but for corrugations you can't beat a hovercraft, I haven't found tyre yet that makes them bearable......... once upon a time I carried tyre levers, patches, saw and bolt cutters, all the gear, now just a plug kit, pump and matches................

I want a tyre that will give me 60K or more, do about 15 - 18K a year towing and usually rack up 30K or so a year, so like to get 2 years at least out of them...... need to be good LT all rounders as I do tar, dirt and sand , getting a decent alignment is the big thing to make them live longer and that can be hard.

[Troutman]

Originally Posted by drover

I want a tyre that will give me 60K or more, do about 15 - 18K a year towing and usually rack up 30K or so a year, so like to get 2 years at least out of them...... need to be good LT all rounders as I do tar, dirt and sand , getting a decent alignment is the big thing to make them live longer and that can be hard.

You mentioned your interest in the Bridgestone D697 earlier, I have these on my WK2 and like them a lot though I'm not sure you'd get over 60K out of them. Mine have done just short of 40K and are 5 years old. I reckon probably 15K wear left on them. I tow a 4m boat a fair bit and a mix of sealed road and gravel tracks to mountain paddocks. They wear even, handle really well in wet or dry and have never staked driving in lots of stick infested situation. They are noticeably louder now though.

[drover]

Originally Posted by Troutman

You mentioned your interest in the Bridgestone D697 earlier, I have these on my WK2 and like them a lot though I'm not sure you'd get over 60K out of them. Mine have done just short of 40K and are 5 years old. I reckon probably 15K wear left on them. I tow a 4m boat a fair bit and a mix of sealed road and gravel tracks to mountain paddocks. They wear even, handle really well in wet or dry and have never staked driving in lots of stick infested situation. They are noticeably louder now though.

That's the sort of info I need, looks like they will fit the bill, don't think I'll manage the 69K plus out of anything.

[Troutman]

Originally Posted by drover

That's the sort of info I need, looks like they will fit the bill, don't think I'll manage the 69K plus out of anything.

Yeah mate, as you've said....everything is a compromise and a hard long wearing compound isn't going to be a great handling one either.

[drover]

Originally Posted by Troutman

Yeah mate, as you've said....everything is a compromise and a hard long wearing compound isn't going to be a great handling one either.

I'm not going to loose the dream of a tyre that will do 70 or 80K with lots of towing, of course there may be a set but probably cost as much as three of the normal tyres ...

I did know a bloke who had 2 sets of rims/tyres so he would save money on tyres, work and weekend, I couldn't see it but he could.....

[timsarg]

Originally Posted by drover

I'm not going to loose the dream of a tyre that will do 70 or 80K with lots of towing, of course there may be a set but probably cost as much as three of the normal tyres ...

hankook dynapro rf10's and they are one of the cheapest at's on the market as well