What tires??

[flabrit]

I just bought a 2001 Disco and am planning a 2" OME lift (heavy duty springs and shocks) + thinking of 245/75SR16 Kumho Road Venture AT KL-78 tires. I plan on doing some off-road driving but also need the tires to be reasonably civilized on road, so as not to upset the wife too much, no mud tires. Any suggestions/advice? The Kumho's are $83 at the tire rack and the BFGoodrich all-terrain TA are $153, quite a difference for 5 tires but is it worth paying $300 more? (That's almost 1/2 a winch!)
Thanks!

[drum655]

BFG ATs are great tires!!! and will last forever. also, i would go with the 265/75 r 16 size if you are lifting your truck! my vote is spend the extra cash and get the BFGs....awesome tires!

[Thor]

If you have a good stereo... mud tires are not an issue!

[toyota_jon]

i vote for the bfg's as well great all around tire and worth the extra $$ if you can swing it.

[flabrit]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I really wanted the BFG's but my cheap side was winning the argument. I'm going to go with the BFG's. Am I right in assuming that the 265/75/16's will not cause any issues other than a slight drop in gas mileage with the OME 2" lift?
Thanks again.

[drum655]

yeah a slight drop in MPG and a little slower accelleration, but other than that you will LOVE them!! good luck! post pics!

[wimp]

I went with goodyear MT/R's 245 75 r16 when I put my ome 2" lift on
they look great and work great
they are not as loud as one would think (not like a mud crawler tire)
they appear to be indestructable (approx 1 million ply )
they are a bit cheaper than the BFG's

when looking for the tires, you want black walls load rating E
other models of MT/R are more expensive
if tire rack does not have them, you can go to e-bay
people still have them in stock or you can buy them used off someone who got a Jeep Rubicon (these tires were stock) and swapped out for big time mudders)

hope this helps!

[Disco Mike]

You don't really want to go to an "E" rated, 10 ply tire ifr you can help it. They ride rougher, overheat and wear out faster.
The ideal thing for a Disco is a "D" rated which is an 8 ply weight rated tire and something like the BFG with their 3 full pll ply side walls for more strength the a weight rated tire.
Mike

[wimp]

I haven't really noticed a rougher ride with these, but have little to compare them to. My last set of tires were the stock mich's. same smooth ride, but a tiny bit louder. Not nearly as much as you would think. Also, our group has been religious about the the E rated mt/r's. have had them on for years. They wear like iron and perform great. Although we don't have roads that get nearly as hot as out west! In the Northeast I have never even heard of overheating being an issue! Maybe others have; I'm no expert.
BFG's kick butt also, but were a bit pricey.

[flabrit]

Thanks for the advice - I sure do like the look of the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R's, I'm going to have to do a little more research and think about this one. I imagine the Goodyear would be better in the sand and mud but is it quiet enough on the highway? 265/75/16 Goodyears are $1000 shipped for a set of five at the tire rack...ooch!

[Disco Mike]

The GoodYear is a pretty good tire but they don't wear as well as the BFG for about the same money.
Mike

[Thor]

GY MT/R is a great tire I run 285.75

Stay away from the HD springs. Unless you are doing long distance safari trips where EVERYTHING must be packed in the vehicle (i.e. Heavy Duty) they are uncomfortable and TAKE AWAY from the flexibility of the LR designed suspension. These aren't Yeeps, keep the springs as soft as possible (MD are great). HD is not a macho thing.. it just sounds that way and can actually keep you from getting through or over an obstacle due to poor traction from lifting wheels off the ground. Summary.... determine your load and use appropriate springs. Bill at Great Basin Rovers is a great source of info.

Many people will tell you they love their HD's, but they may have never tried anything else. I've ridden in and driven many combos and I've formed my opinion. Your results may vary.

(Begin debate here.....)

[wimp]

Flabrit:

DiscoMike is a great source of information on this site, so I would not discount his info any. Me, or my friends have all had great luck with the MT/R's, but BFG's are great too. The only price advantage over the BFG's will come if you buy the E rated MT/R's they only come in black lettering and they are a bunch cheaper than the other MT/R's (probably because they came standard on a production vehicle in that size JEEP RUBICON). If you are concearned with overheating your tires on the highway, then I would look into it more, but I have never heard of that problem here in the Northeast. If you are at all concerned, get the BFG's. They're great tires.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by Disco Mike

You don't really want to go to an "E" rated, 10 ply tire ifr you can help it. They ride rougher, overheat and wear out faster.
The ideal thing for a Disco is a "D" rated which is an 8 ply weight rated tire and something like the BFG with their 3 full pll ply side walls for more strength the a weight rated tire.
Mike

Why is this Mike?

I'd think a stiffer sidewall would flex less and thus heat up less. I know the cooling of a thicker sidewall is diminished but probably pretty similar.

please 'splain.

[SCSL]

Originally Posted by flabrit

I imagine the Goodyear would be better in the sand and mud but is it quiet enough on the highway? \

The MT/R absolutely sucks in mud. Trust me on this. If there is mud in your future, the BFG M/T is absolutely the better tire. The MT/R is an oustanding tire on (dry) rocks. So your terrain should always dictate which way you go.

As for highway noise, this is all a matter of perspective and what you're used to. I think both the MT/R and the BFG M/T are both nice & quite & comfortable on the street.

If highway noise/comfort is a major consideration, and you see only off-roading in your future, you're probably better off with at A/Ts.