AT Tyres

[caorach]

I'm looking to replace my BFGs, I really, really don't want to see BFGs ever again - they might be wonderful in the dry areas of the good old USA but they are sod all use on the forestry tracks, croft tracks, and slushy wet snow of the UK.

I wanted to try Pirelli All Terrain Plus tyres as they are getting a really good reputation for having addressed the failures of the BFGs, however they are basically unavailable. On doing some looking around it appears that almost every AT tyre is unavailable and with my "first choice" pretty much off the options I'm looking for suggestions. It is an L200 pickup and came with 245/65/R17 on as standard but 265/70/R17 will fit if necessary.

So, any suggestions for something that might be available and might perform at least reasonably across a wide range of conditions? Usually I would do maybe 20+ miles per week off the road and maybe 10,000 miles per year in total. In the past I ran Yoko Geolander ATS and they were miles better than the BFGs, though perhaps not as robust, so I might go back to them but thought to get opinions before making any decisions.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

I really rate my Goodyear Duratrac.
I was also disappointed with BFG KO2s and the improvement in handling, fuel economy and off road performance is noticeably better with the Duratrac.

 

[Mungo]

I'm looking to replace my BFGs, I really, really don't want to see BFGs ever again - they might be wonderful in the dry areas of the good old USA but they are sod all use on the forestry tracks, croft tracks, and slushy wet snow of the UK.

I wanted to try Pirelli All Terrain Plus tyres as they are getting a really good reputation for having addressed the failures of the BFGs, however they are basically unavailable. On doing some looking around it appears that almost every AT tyre is unavailable and with my "first choice" pretty much off the options I'm looking for suggestions. It is an L200 pickup and came with 245/65/R17 on as standard but 265/70/R17 will fit if necessary.

So, any suggestions for something that might be available and might perform at least reasonably across a wide range of conditions? Usually I would do maybe 20+ miles per week off the road and maybe 10,000 miles per year in total. In the past I ran Yoko Geolander ATS and they were miles better than the BFGs, though perhaps not as robust, so I might go back to them but thought to get opinions before making any decisions.

So I’m about to put ATs on a Hilux, in almost identical stalking circumstances to you, and had been thinking about BFGs.

Could you spell out what you don’t like about them?

 

[75]

Another one to rule out - Kumho MT51. They are are a "soft" mud tyre and I went for them as they were cheap and available in the size I needed (Isuzu pickup). Great for the first 50% of their life, really like them and then pretty much overnight the road noise has become horrible. I thought I had a wheel bearing on the way out it is that bad.

So in the same place - don't want BFGs and not sure what to replace them with! Duratrac looks like a good option.

 

[homer]

I put cooper discovery at3 on my l200, good on road, good off road (im never on really wet fields, once you start leaving ruts, farmers complain! ).
Have done 37000 so far, will definitely get 40000 out of them. Havnt had any punctures or rips on them, im on alot of forestry tracks too.

 

[Scandially]

All all terrains and mud terrains now have a softer tread to appease US nouse regulations. I was running 17" General Grabber AT3 and now run on18" BFG A/T which had so far been disapointing.

 

[caorach]

So I’m about to put ATs on a Hilux, in almost identical stalking circumstances to you, and had been thinking about BFGs.

Could you spell out what you don’t like about them?

They don't cope well with anything that is wet, basically.

I'd guess like most stalkers my time is on forestry tracks etc. and I rarely face "deep mud" but get an inch of wet mud on the track and there is zero grip with the BFGs, in fact even if the track is wet it is necessary to be very careful. There is a track that I would drive very often and when I changed from the Yokos to the BFGs I nearly put myself into the ditch on a very modest corner. Also the BFGs are not good on the road when it is wet and although they are snow rated they certainly don't work well on UK snow where it is wet and often slushy or hard packed. I can see they might work OK on freshly fallen dry snow but that is a rarity in the UK. Now I know everyone will say "oh well they are ATs you shouldn't expect them to be good on the road" and that is a fair point but when the are much worse than the previous set of ATs and also appear to add no advantage, perhaps a lot of disadvantage, off the road as well then it seems fair criticism to me. It may also be that I can't drive but, again, I was able to drive on previous tyres but have noticed a tragic decline in my driving ability on the BFGs.

If you look at the advertising and marketing for the BFGs most of it seems aimed at the US market and almost all of it is based on dry or desert type conditions. Also back in the day the BFGs were just about the only AT tyre available and so they gained the reputation as "the best" but I really think that they are punting old technology these days that is, basically, not well suited for UK conditions when new tech can do the job much better. I bought them on reputation and have run them without disaster but it did take great care compared to my previous Yokos for example.

Most of the positive comments I see for the BFGs centres around "they last for ever" and this might be true, but it isn't necessarily an advantage when they perform so badly. Mine did something around 30k effective miles and then performance really fell off a cliff and I would have changed them sooner only with covid I'd been waiting "until things settle down a bit..." They are still well road legal but I really think they have to go now.

On a positive note they've been robust for me and have basically suffered no damage from quite a bit of off road running on sharp stones etc. so that is a big plus.

 

[Mungo]

They don't cope well with anything that is wet, basically.

I'd guess like most stalkers my time is on forestry tracks etc. and I rarely face "deep mud" but get an inch of wet mud on the track and there is zero grip with the BFGs, in fact even if the track is wet it is necessary to be very careful. There is a track that I would drive very often and when I changed from the Yokos to the BFGs I nearly put myself into the ditch on a very modest corner. Also the BFGs are not good on the road when it is wet and although they are snow rated they certainly don't work well on UK snow where it is wet and often slushy or hard packed. I can see they might work OK on freshly fallen dry snow but that is a rarity in the UK. Now I know everyone will say "oh well they are ATs you shouldn't expect them to be good on the road" and that is a fair point but when the are much worse than the previous set of ATs and also appear to add no advantage, perhaps a lot of disadvantage, off the road as well then it seems fair criticism to me. It may also be that I can't drive but, again, I was able to drive on previous tyres but have noticed a tragic decline in my driving ability on the BFGs.

If you look at the advertising and marketing for the BFGs most of it seems aimed at the US market and almost all of it is based on dry or desert type conditions. Also back in the day the BFGs were just about the only AT tyre available and so they gained the reputation as "the best" but I really think that they are punting old technology these days that is, basically, not well suited for UK conditions when new tech can do the job much better. I bought them on reputation and have run them without disaster but it did take great care compared to my previous Yokos for example.

Most of the positive comments I see for the BFGs centres around "they last for ever" and this might be true, but it isn't necessarily an advantage when they perform so badly. Mine did something around 30k effective miles and then performance really fell off a cliff and I would have changed them sooner only with covid I'd been waiting "until things settle down a bit..." They are still well road legal but I really think they have to go now.

On a positive note they've been robust for me and have basically suffered no damage from quite a bit of off road running on sharp stones etc. so that is a big plus.

Great - thanks.

Slippery forestry tracks are my nemesis...

 

[caorach]

Great - thanks.

Slippery forestry tracks are my nemesis...

The BFGs always felt like if there was a camber on the track they would slide sideways into the ditch, perhaps even if the car was parked I know there are somethings that no tyre will cope with and so you need to use your brain so I completely get that bit but the BFGs required great care where other tyres didn't.

 

[Tim.243]

I'm looking to replace my BFGs, I really, really don't want to see BFGs ever again - they might be wonderful in the dry areas of the good old USA but they are sod all use on the forestry tracks, croft tracks, and slushy wet snow of the UK.

I wanted to try Pirelli All Terrain Plus tyres as they are getting a really good reputation for having addressed the failures of the BFGs, however they are basically unavailable. On doing some looking around it appears that almost every AT tyre is unavailable and with my "first choice" pretty much off the options I'm looking for suggestions. It is an L200 pickup and came with 245/65/R17 on as standard but 265/70/R17 will fit if necessary.

So, any suggestions for something that might be available and might perform at least reasonably across a wide range of conditions? Usually I would do maybe 20+ miles per week off the road and maybe 10,000 miles per year in total. In the past I ran Yoko Geolander ATS and they were miles better than the BFGs, though perhaps not as robust, so I might go back to them but thought to get opinions before making any decisions.

I am thinking abt these as I don't have the tracks you run on also the Essex clay tracks become a skid pan so in the winter I run on the main track and walk.

All AT tires need weight on the back end of any truck....

https://www.falkentyre.com/__image/a/138401/alias/xl/v/4/c/29/ar/1-1/fn/Falken_WILDPEAK-MT_30Grad.jpg

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Another one to rule out - Kumho MT51. They are are a "soft" mud tyre and I went for them as they were cheap and available in the size I needed (Isuzu pickup). Great for the first 50% of their life, really like them and then pretty much overnight the road noise has become horrible. I thought I had a wheel bearing on the way out it is that bad.

So in the same place - don't want BFGs and not sure what to replace them with! Duratrac looks like a good option.

Interesting. Did you rotate them?

 

[75]

Interesting. Did you rotate them?

I did and the noise has moved around - so definitely tyres not anything mechanical. The wear is pretty even front to back but fronts are definitely the ones causing the problem. They've done about 20k miles but still loads of tread left on them. They'd be good for 40k I reckon but I don't think my sanity will last that long!

 

[75]

Just had a look for Duratracs in the UK - appear to be rarer than hen's teeth, certainly in 265/60r18

 

[David N]

I wonder if it truck dependent. I run bfg at on my series land rover and they are great. Had them on my defender 110 again no issues.

 

[takbok]

I wonder if it truck dependent. I run bfg at on my series land rover and they are great. Had them on my defender 110 again no issues.

I also like them and think they're pretty good for an all rounder.

 

[Coddy]

I am running BFGs and have done 40k with them.
They are nearing the end of their life.

Started to get plugged up on some of the muddier pieces im on and become slick and losing grip now.
Never had an issue with damage due to sharp stones which is a plus point.

But end of the day not a Mud tyre, and wouldn’t buy a MT as would be noiser and worse on the road.

Looking at new tyres for the winter, so keeping an eye on this thread.

 

[Rory]

Another vote for Cooper tyres, they are very good in my experience so far.

 

[cjs66]

General Grabber AT3. If you can find any. Good for the off roading you describe and good on wet and dry roads, they’re quiet and don’t hit the mpg. But, as you have seen, most ATs are hard to get hold of at the moment.

cjs

 

[OJL1991]

I use Toyo Open Country AT+ on my L200. No increase in road noise or decrease in MPG.

 

[Free range rob]

I use the bfg and have done for some time.
They certainly have some limitations as outlined above, but for me they work very well, I am in mud with flint and shale mixed in, they are the only tyres I have not managed to spin and shed at least one tyre, and I go into some pretty serious mud at times.
However, for wet tarmac, there awful, even with some weight in the back they don’t give me full confidence, so I just back off the pedal instead, small price to pay in my book.
Not sure how they are so terrible in an inch of mud, I’ve had my truck pretty much bellied and still managed to get it out under its own steam.
previously I had a set of the at2’s, I couldn’t wait to get shot of them and it took no time at all as they wore out so quick, I hope the 3’s are a big improvement on those.