BFG A/T's kinda disappointing?

[MarkBC]

I can more than live with white lettering if it means I can get back the snow & ice handling characteristics back that I am used to the BFG AT having.

Mark, I will be interested to hear your review after the central NV trip if you get them on before then-- I am betting you will hit some snow on that trip!

I'll just have 'em mount the white-letter-sides in, as I always do.

I'm not sure how sophisticated/qualified a reviewer I'll be...but I'll try. Probably something like this: If I stay on the road without sliding off, "They're great!", but if I end up in the ditch, "They suck!".
I do tend to drive relatively fast on snow, so I should be giving them a good, rigorous, test, anyway. (My philosophy about hazardous driving conditions: The faster you go the sooner you'll be through it.

)

 

[Barko1]

I do tend to drive relatively fast on snow, so I should be giving them a good, rigorous, test, anyway. (My philosophy about hazardous driving conditions: The faster you go the sooner you'll be through it.

)



Yes the F250 with a camper is a heck of a sports car At the moment I'm getting a new set of Firestone Destination AT's 285/75/16 E installed. Tires seem to be ahead in the inflation game, dealer said they have had three increase this year

 

[MarkBC]

Yes the F250 with a camper is a heck of a sports car

Well...since I got the Ride-Rite airbags and with 65+ psi in the tires it is pretty stiff and corners well for its size....but no, I guess you couldn't say "corners like a slot-car".

 

[ktn00000]

This is all disappointing to read. I have been a very very loyal BFG customer for twenty years. In 1992 I knew I had nine nails in my four BFG AT' (235-85/16's at that time) so I went to the tire shop, said put it on the rack, pull the nine nails out and patch the leaks. They put it on the rack, pulled the nine nails... no leaks. Ever.

I have never had to repair a BFG All Terrain or Mud Terrain. I am guessing I have owned ten sets on different vehicles across the last twenty years or so. They have seen serious rocks and *maybe* been in the air a few times. I am convinced they just can't be popped.

Made me a very loyal BFG customer. I run 235-75/15's on my wifes Cherokee and I run BFG Mud Terrains in 255-80/17's on my F250. We get a decent amount of snow where I live (snowing as I type this for the third time this week) and the All Terrains and Mud Terrains seem to do just fine. Maybe I am just so used to driving on them I don't know the difference anymore?

On a side note; back in 1983 I made a trip out to the Pinnacles by Trona and then to Ballarat and up to Panamint City. One of the guys in our little caravan had an '82 Toyota 4x4 pick up. He blew three tires that weekend, all sidewalls. I learned a lot about the dangers and hassle of being in remote places with cheap tires that trip.

 

[Overland Hadley]

"corners like a slot-car".


I haven't missed a race in the last ten years. Good stuff.

 

[Barko1]

I run BFG Mud Terrains in 255-80/17's on my F250.

Kind of surprised you don't run something wider. I imagine you get less rolling resistance with a 255. I have 285/75/16's on my F250, thought about going narrower thinking that might be better on the highway where most of the time is spent but opted to stay with the 285's.

 

[ktn00000]

At the time, the 255-80/17's were the tallest BFG (33.3 inches) tire they made that was a Load Range E. Dick Cepek made a 35 inch Load Range E at the time, but 33.3 was the tallest E tire BFG made.

I believe BFG is now making a 35 inch Load Range E.

At the time I had to decide between 35 inch 'D' that was wider or a skinny 33 that was an 'E'.

40,000 miles from now I will reconsider if I want a taller and wider. However the 255-80/17's seem to work pretty well. I have been kind of partial to skinny tires.

Not to mention they are about half the price of the wider tires. I think I paid $155 a tire for these.

 

[Barko1]

At the time, the 255-80/17's were the tallest BFG (33.3 inches) tire they made that was a Load Range E. Dick Cepek made a 35 inch Load Range E at the time, but 33.3 was the tallest E tire BFG made.

I believe BFG is now making a 35 inch Load Range E.

At the time I had to decide between 35 inch 'D' that was wider or a skinny 33 that was an 'E'.

40,000 miles from now I will reconsider if I want a taller and wider. However the 255-80/17's seem to work pretty well. I have been kind of partial to skinny tires.

Not to mention they are about half the price of the wider tires. I think I paid $155 a tire for these.



I was hoping to find the ultimate high traction when needed low rolling resistance heavy load capable tires for about $100 apiece. I ended up paying twice that for good traction, load capable, but probably not as efficient tires. The cost of exploring!

 

[ktn00000]

Like I said, I am pretty loyal to BFG. I can deal with a lot of faults in a product but the one fault I can't tolerate in anything is failure in a critical situation.

BFG has never failed me, no matter what I asked them to do. I appreciate that.

 

[craig333]

No tire is impervious. When a sharp rock reaches out and touches you you're screwed.

I have bfg mt's on my jeep, i think they're a good compromise tire.

 

[ThinAir]

I had the opportunity to fondle some tires while I was waiting for my new governor sensor and pressure valve to be put in my 48RE trans. There they were all lined up next to one another in a Diesel only truck shop and resale store. BFG AT KO's, Terra Grapplers, Cooper Discovery ST's, and Firestone AT's. The Grapplers' sidewall flexed the easiest by far, then the Firestone's. The Coopers and the BFG were super stiff, seemed thicker, and heavier. That's just doing the eyeball and the by hand twist, bend, flex and wrestle method.

The Disco ST's looked like they would be loud, although they do have and AT version of the tire, the Grapplers rubber felt softer, and the KO's looked like kick butt tires.

I have read somewhere that folks say the KO's wander on the Dodge 17x8 wheel due to the thin 8" dimension. I'd love to try them out in a 285/70/17. My only concern about 285 vs. 275 is due to the taller sidewall and with a FWC on the back, would there be a noticeable side wall flex vs. the 75? Not to mention added pressure on the sidewall from the potential of a thinner 8" rim. Hmmm, what is the perfect tire for the stock Dodge rim.....

 

[highz]

Well, I dug my truck out of the snow today. With one inch of snow left on the ground on a 15 degree slope (estimated), I still had to use chains to get out the driveway . My BFG ATs aren't rated for severe snow (or I missed the snowflake symbol), so I guess it's no surprise.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I had the opportunity to fondle some tires while I was waiting....


I did the same thing when I switched from the stock Rugged Trails (Ragged Fails) to the ATs. The difference was considerable, even with a D rated BFG AT.

 

[pods8]

I had the opportunity to fondle some tires while I was waiting for my new governor sensor and pressure valve to be put in my 48RE trans. There they were all lined up next to one another in a Diesel only truck shop and resale store. BFG AT KO's, Terra Grapplers, Cooper Discovery ST's, and Firestone AT's. The Grapplers' sidewall flexed the easiest by far, then the Firestone's. The Coopers and the BFG were super stiff, seemed thicker, and heavier. That's just doing the eyeball and the by hand twist, bend, flex and wrestle method.


Were they all E-rated? Lots of the tires come in D and E which makes a big difference. Not saying your observations wouldn't be accurate with all E or not.

 

[mtn-high]

I went with Toyo AT Open country tires again after getting 43000 on the last set (with the camper on full-time). Definitely the best tires I've ran on this Toyota.

Went with E rated this go around and bought em online 'cus the dealer I usually go to wouldn't give me ANY cut on price even though I have been a customer for about 20 years.

No more. I saved $150 on the set and got 10 plys vs. 6 plys by ordering them online and having another shop put em on. (he didn't even get that business..LOL)

And folks wonder why they have to close their doors and can't make it???

 

[2wiresDave]

...

 

[MarkBC]

OK -- Today I confirmed/resolved the BFG, A/T-LoadRange-E-with-snow-flake-symbol question -- to my satisfaction, for my purposes, anyway: "I seen it wit my own eyes!"

I went to the local "America's Tires" (aka "Discount Tires") and told them:
"I'm looking for the BF Goodrich All Terrain KO tire in this size" and showed them my scrap of paper with LT265/75R16 written on it.
"Yep, we gottem", he said.
"Are these rated as a snow tire?", I asked.
"Some are, some aren't", he answered -- confirming the ambiguity reported here. "All the ones I carry are rated as snow tires, the white-letter ones. The 8-ply/Range D aren't rated for snow."
"So, the load-range E have the snowflake-mountain symbol?", I asked. "I need to see the tires myself before I say 'Go'."
"Yes", he said, "I think I have one of that size on display over here."
We walked over to the window where tires were lined up, and sure enough -- there it was:
265/75R16, Load Range E, with that beautiful symbol we all (who venture into snow) treasure

:

I'll get them installed tomorrow...as a step towards reducing my chances of getting stuck on my upcoming trip to unpaved middle-of-nowhere.

So glad this got resolved without having to figure out a Plan B.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Great!

 

[MarkBC]

Happiness is a new set of tires!

BFG All Terrain T/A KO LT265/75R16 Load Range E...

...with a snowflake-mountain symbol.

BTW -- To clarify, to avoid any confusion: These are the White Letters model, but I had them mounted "white in".

 

[2wiresDave]

275/65 18 E's with the white letters are NOT snow rated - I would check the exact tires you are buying and not rely on anything less.