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Thinking of BFGoodrich KM2's

Tommo&Claire

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Mar 4, 2010
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Just a little snippet of info for those who may have been considering these boots for their LC.

I have been up on salisbury plain on exercise this week and as part of this i have spent a bit of time bombing around in a hilux shod with brand new KM2's. On wednesday or thursday i was out picking up a sentry and driving over the rough tracks that we all love i.e. not too severe at all but with a fair amount of flint! On returning back to the camp i discovered my nearside front tyre was nearly flat and on inspection there was a 3 inch long scar in the sidewall and at the deeper end it was punctured all the way through.

Rather sheepishly i returned the vehicle to the range mong who had kindly lent it to me and he tutted and told me that his opposite number down on chilcomb range had also done a sidewall this month on the same tyres and same vehicle.

Coincidence, probably, but just thought i'd share.
 
Although not directly referring to KM2s, weak sidewalls are the most common cited criticism of BFG Muds and ATs in general.....
 
Hmmmm :think:

We weren't heavy either just 3 guys in armour and weapons so maybe 800lbs max.
 
Hmmm..... :o This has got me :think: ing :? :? As I'm sure you are aware the only reason that I've not yet bought a set of KM2's is because I'm waiting for my Ironman SL to arrive :!: Else I'dve bought a set set by now :) The longer I wait the more twitchy I get about the KM2's :p I've always been a Cooper STT man :thumbup: Had 'em on both of my last two trucks with no complaints in any respect & to be fair I'd 'ave 'em again if they came in the 255/85/16 size but they don't :( So I find myself on this white water raft journey without a paddle all spinning around heading straight towards BFG madness :shock: :? :p I often find myself close enough to the bank to jump off onto Cooper happiness but for some reason I don't find the nerve to jump :sick: What am I doing 255/85/16 KM2's or 285/75/16 STT's :?: :!: :? :sick: :| OMG still time to jump but I just don't know :| I need more information :geek:
 
I have been using BFG's for 12 years and never even had a puncture, I would fit another set without giving it a second thought, also hundred's of Overlanders cannot be wrong ;)

The only other brand I would even consider is Coppers and then only STT's.

But hay each to their own :mrgreen:
 
I run General grabber AT2s (Iknow, I know, their not muds) and I can't fault them and work out to be around £20 per corner cheaper than their BFG equivalent and they share the same tread pattern.
 
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General grabber AT2s are fine on lighter trucks but wear out very quickly on rough roads if used on say an 80 or 100 ao therefore are not really an option for a lot of us.

When I have some spare cash I will be looking into KM2s or STTs, I have heard good things about both of them (although slightly better things about the KM2s). My only concern is snow, but for that I may just keep the BFG ATs.
 
Google "KM2" and "sidewall" and you'll find plenty of evidence suggesting KM2 sidewalls may have an issue - especially on heavier trucks such as the 80.

Maxxis mud tyres are well reviewed in terms of puncture resistance and especially sidewall strength. Furthermore, the absence of bad reviews suggests their reputation is well deserved...
 
Lorin said:
Google "KM2" and "sidewall" and you'll find plenty of evidence suggesting KM2 sidewalls may have an issue - especially on heavier trucks such as the 80.

Maxxis mud tyres are well reviewed in terms of puncture resistance and especially sidewall strength. Furthermore, the absence of bad reviews suggests their reputation is well deserved...

Buy Maxxis muds then and in a few years / 50k km time you can give us a review :mrgreen:
 
Paul H had some of the 'extreme' Maxxis tyres a while back - Creepy Crawlers IIRC - they are a strong option for me as they come in the right size... But other sources say they are a cow on the road...

I like the look of the Coops but my are they pricey in a 35 :shock:

Hopefully my Procomps will hold out for a while yet (thanks JW :cool: )
 
I've punctured the side wall on quite a few Simex ET's and they don't suffer from a weak side wall, just depends what they're subjected to ;)
 
I've slashed one of my Cooper STT's side wall once over a six year period :| I guess given the right conditions any tyre will fail :( Dosn't stop me riding the white water raft with no paddle though :p Today KM2's for sure :thumbup: Tommorow maybe STT's & who knows what Monday brings :? :p
 
I think any make would be prone to slashed sidewalls if a jagged rock hits it right. I was a cooper fan, but decided to try the km2s, and on the spec,are a stronger side wall. My brother has STTs on his navara, and are noisy as heck compared to the KM2,and dont compare off road. Done basic "follow each other around wood" trials. The Km2 wins hands down.
They also handle better in the wet.
Not got a mark on them from the Pyrenees, and we met lots of rock, mud and the black stuff.
Hope this helps rather than confuse more.
Cheers,
Tony.
 
Would love to try some KM2s but they only make a 245/70x17 (well, import, anyway) which is just useless .....

So I 'may' have to consider grinding the calipers to fit 16" rims, which really bothers me :shock:

Or maybe just stick to the Coopers or Maxxis .... :cool:
 
So are the KM2s poor in snow then ? if so please help me understand why, I'd probably use them more in the snow than mud, so from what I've read going for the ATs is a better option for me, but then again do they come in 255/85/16 ?

:think: :think: :think:
Nick.
 
I dunno why the AT s better in the snow than the MT - but my experience has been that they are. However, that was not in DEEP snow like this, just the usual crappy covering that brings the country to it knees. It might be that where you really need bite, an MT is better. The KM2 just seems to get rave reviews everywhere and of course is available in 255. And I think that this would make a difference as I posted the other day. A 255 KM over 285 KM would be better. Look, when they do the rally of Finland and all that mental stuff, look at the tyres. They are so skinny they look ridiculous. Width is the key here I think.

The MT has less tread on the tarmac than an AT it would appear, but then it maybe that this is an illusion and that the total surface area in contact with the road is actually LESS on an AT (as a %age). Therefore, greater down force and grip. Hey, it's a theory. The MT might work less on footprint and more on cutting surface.

Chris
 
Anything BFG is hard, this will give issues with regards to grip, my experinace of them is they are dreadful, boardering on dangerous in the wet, I wouldnt touch the things
 
Really? I couldn't disagree more. Best all round tyre you can get for my money. They were awesome on my LWB 95. Snow, mud, motorway, standing water, roundabouts.....

Still it's all down to personal experience. Not sure why you'd call them hard.

Chris
 
Also with your theory, would you think the MTs give better MPG due to less drag ? Before I eventually buy a set of what ever, I'd like to try them out for a day to see what they're like on a run !

Nick.
 
Those tyres you got with your 80 Chris are the same I had before my GGs, were probably the worst tyre I've ever ran, especially in the wet, and only ever lasted 15k miles max, can't recall the name though ! (cheap nasty rubber.com )

Nick.
 
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