Everything about tires for LR4/ LR3 with 18" wheels

[mbw]

I am still trying to figure out why KO2's have such a following around here. I just had a conversation with a tire guy that sells _both_ KO2 and Goodyear Adventures. My Silent Armours (which are the old version of the adventures) have only worn about 20% since I got them and have like 30k miles on them at least.

He said that the K02 are 20% heavier, don't have full wrap kevlar sidewalls (the faux mud tire sidewall blocks don't really do a huge amount to protect the true integrity of the tire, especially when you air down and the lower part of the sidewall bulges out). They are a softer compound and will wear much faster. They may end up being slightly better in the cold weather because of the soft compound, but he says folks (in Iowa) are getting a lot less milage out of KO2s than the goodyears. Both have the mountain snowflake rating, but don't differ a huge amount in terms of reviews on snow/ice.

So.. just putting that out there. I was seriously thinking of going with some KO2 on my other wheels, but 1. my goodyears are hardly wearing at all and 2. the tire shop guys at this place are really sharp, not like most I run into... I feel like I can trust what they are saying.

So if the goodyears are quite, tough, wear like iron and lighter... I'm trying to figure out why I would go with KO2. I will admit I have seen some great KO2 reviews and people do seem to like them. I assume they are both really great tires. I think maybe marketing is playing a part in this though since KO2 looked good to me but the tire guy is saying I should stick with the goodyears. He had both on the showroom floor and even said KO2 make themselves look really good in that setting, but the real use of the tires says otherwise.

 

[atlantaM3]

In the same boat, not seeing a lot of advantages over the Cooper A/T3's regarding cost vs weight and overall performance. Anyone here used the Coopers?

 

[bullmrkt]

In the same boat, not seeing a lot of advantages over the Cooper A/T3's regarding cost vs weight and overall performance. Anyone here used the Coopers?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=ORAT

I talked to them on the phone and they didn't recommend anything else. The Coop's aren't snow rated either. The BFG's weight does bother me though.

 

[umbertob]

Light Truck tires such as the BFG KO2s are customarily heavier and stiffer than passenger and SUV tires such as the GY and Coopers above. That's because they are built much stronger and designed to take far more load, PSIs and abuse than passenger tires. The Coopers - and I believe GY Adventure as well - are Standard Load passenger car tires. Land Rover recommends XL (Extra Load) tires for the LR4, because when loaded to capacity its truck-like weight can tax SL tires too much. For street driving and mild off-roading with relatively light loads that won't matter much, but if you travel in the boonies loaded to the gills with weight and/or trailer, an XL rated or, even better, a Light Truck, D or E-rated tire is a safer and more resilient bet. The price you pay is increased unsprung weight, worse gas mileage and a marginally stiffer, and usually noisier, ride.

 

[mbw]

n/m

 

[mbw]

Well, it does look like the ko2 have higher pressures and load, so that is true. But I would think that 51 PSI and 2,601 lbs. load would be well within a reasonable range for a fully loaded up LR4... no?

They are higher load than what the rover comes with for stock tires, not that those are good examples of 'tires'.. ha.

I've been happy with these adventures.. my 2 cents.

 

[umbertob]

It's not quite so cut-and-dry. The load index indicated by the tire manufacturer on the sidewall is the load that tire can take at its maximum inflation pressure (usually what, 50-51 PSI on a "P" passenger tire?), the max load is proportionately reduced if you don't inflate the tire as much as stated - and on our cars you normally don't drive around at 51 PSI, it is uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. So those 2600 lbs are not really what your tire can take when inflated at the recommended 38-42 PSI. Add to that the airing down that often occurs when of-roading and the fact you occasionally put a lot more stress on one or two tires in off-camber situations and.... well,, you see how Land Rover recommends a stiffer XL index as a minimum and most hard-core off-roaders would only use Light Truck tires, not P-rated. Like I said though, it doesn't really matter in the great majority of situations, SLs are perfectly fine.

 

[bullmrkt]

Ok so my Compo's should be shipping today and I also placed an order for BFG KO2's in 265/60R18. As minor as they may be, I didn't want to mess with any of the drawbacks of going +1" on the OD with the 265/65's. I don't wheel much and when I do its not very technical around here (Ohio). I also shouldn't get any grief from the dealership while under warranty. Check out the latest consumer reviews of the KO2's–encouraging. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...&tireModel=All-Terrain+T/A+KO2#RatingsReviews

Also, while pondering what tire pressures to run on the road I figured I needed to crunch some numbers based on the specs. To figure what load LR is implying based on their recommended tire pressures I took the specs of my OEM Pirelli 255/50R20's, 2,271lbs @ 50psi, and found that equates to 1,635lbs @ 36psi (front), and 1,908lbs @ 42psi (rear). The BFG 265/60's are rated for 3,000lbs @ 80psi which equates to 44psi for 1,635lbs (front) and 51psi for 1,908lbs (rear). Fairly high pressures, but we can't forget that the LR recommended pressures are based on your LR4 being loaded to the full gross rating.

As a side note, the BFG 285/60R18's are rated for 2,910lbs @ 65psi, so you should be able to run the recommended pressures in that size. (36F/42R) I'm not sure why they are rated differently. Perhaps the wider footprint allows for the lower pressure? If there's a tire engineer reading this and my math is way off base then please interject.

 

[jwest]

As a side note, the BFG 285/60R18's are rated for 2,910lbs @ 65psi, so you should be able to run the recommended pressures in that size. (36F/42R) I'm not sure why they are rated differently. Perhaps the wider footprint allows for the lower pressure?

No, the D load range is just not built the same as the E load range tires. It has nothing to do with the aspect really as there is a 305/60x18 rated to the higher load range E and 80 psi.

In some most popular sizes they make both E and lesser but in rarer sizes they just choose one rating/build. E has more plies than D and you can see will also weigh a little bit more but also be stiffer.

 

[danrhiggins]

Ok so my Compo's should be shipping today and I also placed an order for BFG KO2's in 265/60R18. As minor as they may be, I didn't want to mess with any of the drawbacks of going +1" on the OD with the 265/65's. I don't wheel much and when I do its not very technical around here (Ohio). I also shouldn't get any grief from the dealership while under warranty. Check out the latest consumer reviews of the KO2's–encouraging. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...&tireModel=All-Terrain+T/A+KO2#RatingsReviews

Also, while pondering what tire pressures to run on the road I figured I needed to crunch some numbers based on the specs. To figure what load LR is implying based on their recommended tire pressures I took the specs of my OEM Pirelli 255/50R20's, 2,271lbs @ 50psi, and found that equates to 1,635lbs @ 36psi (front), and 1,908lbs @ 42psi (rear). The BFG 265/60's are rated for 3,000lbs @ 80psi which equates to 44psi for 1,635lbs (front) and 51psi for 1,908lbs (rear). Fairly high pressures, but we can't forget that the LR recommended pressures are based on your LR4 being loaded to the full gross rating.

As a side note, the BFG 285/60R18's are rated for 2,910lbs @ 65psi, so you should be able to run the recommended pressures in that size. (36F/42R) I'm not sure why they are rated differently. Perhaps the wider footprint allows for the lower pressure? If there's a tire engineer reading this and my math is way off base then please interject.

Let us know what you think once you get them on and start using them. Having destroyed two of my Dynapros on the last trail of the season this year I plan to put the KO2s on my Compos in the Spring. I didn't do anything unusual with the PSI on the DynaPros but it looks like I need to learn more about this when I go to the KO2s and especially when I am pulling our travel trailer.