Yet another AT tire ?

[Houm_WA]

Ryan, I'm not sure you'll need to sipe the Coopers. If I remember right they seem to have some siping or quasi-siping built into them already. I also think they do pretty good on snow & ice without it. ...but I don't have much to compare to as I've never run a true snow-tire on any vehicle I've owned.

 

[drzjoint]

Well I did it. I ordered the zeons they are putting them on this Fri I cant wait. 755 OTD
got them from a local tire shop discount tire was quite a bit more.

 

[Houm_WA]

Sweet! That's not a bad price, really. I paid over $700 for them at Discount when I bought mine last year. You will like those tires. I'm almost wishing I kept mine along with the MT/Rs. They are different enough to justify owning both I think. For instance I would be fine with slapping the Coops on during the months that it snows up here and just leaving them on for a few months. I wouldn't want to do that with the MT/Rs.

...if I had the storage space I would've done that!

Anyhow, congrats.

 

[drzjoint]

discount tire quoted me 900 for the zeons a few weeks ago

 

[yrbender]

did you decide to sipe on not?

 

[drzjoint]

I am not siping the tires yet my local shop wont do it so I will wait and see how they are I may run to Discount tire and have it done later but that is about 60miles away. I probably will get it done.

 

[nwpianist]

The 285/60 General AT2 is E-Load/10-ply rated just like the BFG, although the BFGs have a 3ply sidewall vs the 2 ply AT2. They both have the Severe Snow Service.

The General's can be studded, have a 60,000 mile warranty, and are nearly $100 cheaper per tire.
The BFG has a much higher speed rating and is a more reputable company, but offers no tread warranty on it's product.

Many people make a comparison between the tread design because the lugs have a similar shape. A close look at the two designs will show considerable differences in how the lugs are packed. The General has more siping and a larger void, vs the BFG's tightly packed lug design. BFG uses a dual compound tread, which is why it has a much higher speed rating.

I've had both tires before, but the BFG's were not on my LR3. They seem to be comparable on road as far as noise/road feel. I can't make a accurate comparison off-road, but they both get good reviews.

 

[nwoods]

Not true...

I did not make a casual blanket statement. I researched my info before posting. It's a fact that the rubber compounds are different, and that the BFG has more plies in the tread area and sidewall.

BFG All-Terrain T/A® KO
- Dual-compound tread
- Tread area: Twin steel belts on top of a three-ply polyester carcass
- Sidewall: Three-ply polyester carcass with steel strands around the bead and molded in Rim Protector shoulder

General Grabber AT2
- Cut & Chip Resistant Tread Compound
- Tread: 2-ply polyester, 2-ply steel, 2-ply nylon
- Sidewall: 2-ply polyester with rim protector flange

Personally, I cannot abide a company that takes one of the deservedly best selling tires in the world, copies it, "value engineers" it to have reduced durability, and markets it as comparable.

Yes, its cheaper. BFG supports off roading, giving millions to clubs, events, TreadLightly, and Trail Maintainence programs.

Who do you want to support, a company that makes copies, or a company that pioneers the technology and invests in our passion, and helps keep our trails open?

 

[nwpianist]

the BFG has more plies in the tread area and sidewall

While the BFG does have one more ply in the sidewall, the AT2 has 'more' plys in the tread area. The BFG has 3ply poly and twin steel belts(5 total), while the AT2 has 2ply nylon, 2ply poly and twin steel belts(6 total)-some sizes do not have the additional 2ply nylon, but the 285/60-18 does.

Personally, I cannot abide a company that takes one of the deservedly best selling tires in the world, copies it, "value engineers" it to have reduced durability, and markets it as comparable.

like Land Rover did to Jeep in it's beginning... and microsoft to apple, and apple to xerox parc etc...... 9/10 road tires look identical at a glance, and while General did intentionally shape the edges of its lugs to be squared off like the BFG, they are WAY different tires, and General has put alot of time into engineering the tire. "value engineered" to have 'reduced durability', is that why they offer the best warranty for an AT tire, and BFG doesn't offer one?

Yes, its cheaper. BFG supports off roading, giving millions to clubs, events, TreadLightly, and Trail Maintainence programs.

While I highly condone Tread Lightly! and BFG's support of the program, they do not contribute 'millions', they give a few thousand to local clubs near their sponsored trails when they do an event, of which there have been 11 now. However they do spend '$millions$' on lobbying costs for the airline industry.

Continental (General's parent company) has given $hundred's of thousands to hurricane and tsunami victims, and has started a new program to offset carbon output with "eco-friendly" line of tires. (and have also done their fair share of lobbying in washington)

Considering the BFG is $100 more per tire, I don't see any reason why we should be comparing them anyway, we should be comparing the AT2 to it's price competitors, and BFG should be in it's own world of $250 AT tires. With the $400 dollars I'll save with the Generals, I think I will donate half to a local charity...

 

[drzjoint]

hope you enjoy yur AT2 I came close to getting a pair but after talking to alot of guys on the other side of the pond The side wall is a known weak spot on the AT2. The weak spot was enuf to steer me away from it, let us know how they do I would be more inclined to try the Hankook dynapro or stick with the zeon. Just got the zeon yeasterday. I got home an hour ago in crapy snow covered roads and they did better than I thought they would but I think I may get them siped