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Tire Question, LT or 6 ply roughness? BFG KO2

14K views 25 replies 18 participants last post by  Governor 
#1 ·
I am down to two different tires I would like to put on when the new WK2 shows up, but have a question.
Have any of you ran 6 ply or "LT" rated tires on your rig? Did you find the ride to rough or harsh?

The reason I am asking is that I either want the BFG A/T KO2 or the GoodYear DuraTrac's, and the BFG is only available in the heavier duty "LT" designation which means the tire is a little heavier, and has stiffer sidewalls. While this means it should be able to withstand more abuse and weight load, but generally means they ride rougher.

Basically do any of you run the KO2 tires and what has your experience been like? If it is too harsh I might do the DuraTracs instead.
 
#2 ·
I'm running the BFG All Terrains T/A's on my WK2 and they are fine. A tad noisy but that is to be expected. I take my rig off road and these were the only tyre that would fit both in the wheel wells (without scrubbing) and in the spare wheel well on the steel spare rim with the cover sitting flat (had to take those storage buckets out to make it fit).

My mileage has suffered a tad (not too bad) but goes well off road.
 
#4 ·
What size BFG ATs are you running? Just wondering if you kept OEM size or went up.
JT, I'm running the BFG 265/65/18's. It was the only tyre at the time that fitted inside the spare wheel well with the lid sitting flat. All the rest were wider which meant the cover sat up.

I've run the BFG's on my other cars for years, so knew what to expect. Get good wear out of them and hope not to have to upgrade the tyre before I sell the car in 3 years time.
 
#6 ·
I just got BFG's on my 2013 JGC - 275/55/r20 BFG AT TA K02's. They fit no rubbing in any mode. pretty close fit but awesome tire. The ride is not rough, they actually make it better as the suspension is a bit mooshy with stock fortera tires and suspension. Stiffer tires are making turning, and windy roads more comfortable, especially for passenger.
 

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#8 ·
Did you notice mileage drop?

Changing from Fortera 265/50/20 to Nitta Terra Grappler G2 in 275/55/20 I lost about 1.6 miles per gal.

Chuck
 
#9 ·
Bit of a late reply but I too run the KO2 in the 18"s and yes they are noisier than the stock tires but the feed back and handling are fantastic. Also, they are 10 ply not 6 ply.
 
#17 ·
I'm seriously considering swapping out my Fortera stock tires for these KO2's, but am curious about the added weight. The KO2 are 15+ lbs heavier per tire. That's a lot. I've got a Hemi, and am not too worried about gas mileage or having enough power....I just don't want it to full too sluggish and wallowy with all that added unsprung weight. Any more feedback out there on ride quality? Thanks.
 
#18 ·
I've got the BFG's on a 3.0l turbo diesel and it pulls fine. If you've got the Hemi, you shouldn't notice too much difference. Obviously a low profile performance tyre will outperform the KO2's, but then again, why are you fitting them?? I take my rig off road, hence the new set of boots.
 
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#20 ·
Thanks for the thoughts on the KO2 upgrade. I live in Durango, Colorado. Drive 50 miles on Highway every day for work. Driving on snow at least 15+ days a winter on weekend ski outings. Summer weekends, I'm driving over moderate 4x4 passes in the mountains (Ophir Pass for example), Moab trips, and pulling a 16 ft camper. I've always lusted over the BFG AT. The KO2 seems to get good remarks with regards to its highway performance and is obviously very capable off road. Is it too much of a tire considering all the highway time I do? Is there a better choice I'm missing? Thanks!
 
#22 ·
Greetings,

I would search this forum on the KO2 and PM members that have them for real view opinion. Ask them about winter performance such as stopping performance, deep snow and etc. As for the other conditions you mentioned it made for that. The real answer to noise is find somebody that has over 15k on them.

As for other choices, a careful search here will be for the on/off road AT tires. Plenty here to search: Nokian, Cooper, Nitto, are just a few. Once you find those, the post will mostly have other brands as well with other opinions.

Best for now.:)
 
#21 ·
I owned the first version 32" BFG KO's on my earlier GC's-2008, they handled well but after 15,000-20,000 miles started getting very loud. This time I opted for opted 32" Duratracs, I have about 10,000 on them they seem more quiet. I drove them from Chicago to LA to Big Bend back to Chicago. The first thing I noticed was my braking took a lot more effort to stop. I do not remember that being a problem BFG's on my 2008 GC. I think its the vehicle difference 2008 CRD-2015V8.
The Duratrac were good on moderate trails. Among others I did the Ophir pass a few months ago.
I did have to have them rebalanced but I think that is on Discount Tire not balancing them correctly from the get go.
My primary reason to get these over BFG's was for less road noise. So far I think they are better but I need more miles to tell for sure. I would also say they seems a little less secure on the highway compared to the older BFG's KO's.
 
#23 ·
I just posted a quick review on my personal thread - but I can post it here also.

I have 275/55-20 KO2's. Just spent about 2 hours driving through the smoky mountains yesterday in freezing rain - about half of that time was on back roads as the main road was closed, and the other half was on I-40 East. I never felt one slip. There were some very steep roads that got no attention from any plows or road maintenance and I never had any issues or felt uncomfortable. Definitely glad I had them.

I have a 2012 V8 and haven't noticed any major changes in acceleration or braking. There is a slight hum with the windows up and the radio shut off, but I honestly didn't notice it until someone mentioned it on here and I tried it that afternoon. Doesn't bother me at all.
 
#24 ·
Greetings,

Please keep us updated on the long time results of the BFG KO2 including gas milage and dry conditions. I have never been a fan of BFG for 4x4 in the winter performance area. It seems that BFG has made a significant step forward to address this area.

Best for now.:)
 
#26 · (Edited)
Based upon the BF Goodrich recommended, you should go by the sticker on the door of the vehicle, not by the sidewall.

How To Check Tire Pressure | BFGoodrich Tires

My 18" sticker on the door recommend 33 psi, however I am running 36 psi on Duratracs. If you are running excessive pressure your tires will wear out in the center of the tread instead of running evenly across the tread. I personally think you are running high.
 
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