bobinsofla

I'm looking at finally getting a second set of tires on my OEM rims for some light/medium off-roading.

I have narrowed my search down to General Grabber A/T, Kumho Road Ventures, and the Bridgestone A/T Revo.

Anyone out there have any of these and care to share their experience or suggestions I would be most appreciative.

Thanks,
Bob

'07 GX470

zig@tr

The customers I have spoken with have been really impressed with the Kumho Road Venture KL61. This tire comes in at one of the lowest prices in the group, so part of the overwhelming reviews have been "wow, for the price I paid this is a great tire". The General Grabber AT 2, is also a good choice. But the Kumho is a few bucks less and can do everything the General can do with the exception of being a studdable winter tire. If you do the occasional off-road excursion but still remain 95% of the time on paved roads I would recommend the Bridgestone AT Revo 2, this tire has great off-road capabilities but still remains relatively quiet and comfortable for an all-terrain tire. Also, we have a $100 mail-in rebate on the Bridgestone currently.

On/Off Road - All-Terrain Tire Surveys Link

bobinsofla

Thanks Zig!!
Good advice. Being that these will be used for primarily off-road (my on-road tires are Bridgestone Alenzas - best tire I've ever owned courtesy of Tire rack!!) I'll probably not consider the Bridgestones.
I plan to mount these on a second set of wheels and throw them on when I plan to head off-road so on-road comfort is a secondary consideration for me. That said, any other recommendations? I'm going to buy 265/70/R17 size tires...

Cheers,
Bob

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

I am a Bridgestone retailer in a company owned store, and if I was buying offroad tires (hey, look at that, I am in the market too!) I would not buy A/T Revo's... if I was looking for tires that I was going to drive everyday on a truck, I fully believe they are probably the best tire out there, but for off the road, and a dedicated set of tires, IMO, you have to get a set of M/T's not mud tire, but maximum traction...

I am seriously considering a set of Firestone Destination M/T's, but would also consider the BFG KM2's or the Goodyear MTR's... To be completely honest, these tires all ride pretty well on the road, but they can be a bit loud and not that great in the wet...

As far as puncture resistance from both rocks and thorns, these tires are as good as you will find... If you do get in to some mud, these will be the best at shedding it...

IMO, All Terrain tires on dedicated off road wheels is a waste of money...

bobinsofla

Not a waste of money, for sure. For a person such as myself who uses their GX quite extensively for long trips and around town, dedicated off-road wheels and tires are the only way to go. As I stated earlier, these off-road will be occasional use off road. So it makes the most sense (for someone in my position) to have the best on-road tire - which I do in my Dueler Alenzas - and have the off-roads as second set setup.

Plus I didn't state in my original post, but I have 18" 4runner wheels on my GX almost since day 2, so the the original wheels are only for secondary use.

Thanks for your input.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

Actually, you said these would be primarily used off road, not occasionally - I quoted you below and highlighted this. I agree the Alenza's are your best bet for a street tire, I sell them on a daily basis... However, I do stand by my original recommendation and think you should maybe rethink your situation. Perhaps you didn't read what I wrote well and that was that if you are going to have a second set of wheels/tires, don't water them down by getting all-terrains, get full on max traction tires... So, given your situation, get max traction tires not all-terrains, and then it is worth it...

Highway/All Season tires are for people who will never take their truck off the road and want the quietest smoothest ride with the best wet and dry weather performance. Minimal built in puncture resistance and terrible off the road.

All Terrain tires are for people who will primarily drive their trucks on the road, but don't want to get stuck at the first sight of mud, and also want some resistance to punctures. Important factors here are as quiet and smooth ride as possible, but will never get as quiet and smooth riding as a comparable highway tire - the trade off is that you are now capable of taking the truck off the road without as much fear of a rock or thorn puncture and with much added ability to make it through tough situations.

Max Traction tires are for people who don't care how they ride and what they sound like on the road. Current advances have brought many of these to new heights when it comes to smoother riding and less noise, but, they are still nowhere near an All terrain or highway tire on the street. The trade off here is that you get the absolute best off the road - the best at evacuating mud, the best as far as puncture resistance, the best traction even on slick rocks...

Now, do tell me which two make the most sense if you have two sets of wheels, which two tire selections will get you the best coverage. For me, a second set of wheels would mean a dedicated track set of wheels. I would put a set of all seasons on one set of wheels and a set of R compound tires on the others. I wouldn't just put a good street tire on the second set - there wouldn't be enough improvement to justify having a second set of tires/wheels...

If you aren't depending on a set of tires to get you around on the streets all the time (you have Alenza's, you have that part covered) then you might as well get a set of M/T's... They will do nothing but help in any situation off the road... Now, if you intend on driving them on the road a good portion of the time, get rid of the Alenza's completely and get the A/T Revo 2's - they are pretty darned good in all situations - they will work well off the road and great on the road, thus negating the need for two sets of wheels and tires altogether...