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Home > Wheels & Tyres > Tyre choices. Again. Don't shout at me!...

I've read the stupidly long thread and I think....

Be cautious - Get the Continentals

10%

[5]

Be serious - Get the BFGs

66%

[33]

Be brave - Get the Coopers

16%

[8]

Be gone with you, I never want to see another tyre question as long as I live

[4]

Total Votes: 50

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bigfatsi

Member Since: 07 Sep 2018
Location: Teesside
Posts: 48

Tyre choices. Again. Don't shout at me!...

Howdy,

Anyone feel; like helping a guy out with their opinions/experience? You're not gonna like the question, but I've exhausted every forum, youtube channel and googled till it hurts.

I'm running bog standard fitment Continental Eco Contacts in 235 85 16 on my 2002 TD5 110 CSW on Boost alloys with a part used Grabber as spare.

I had some trouble getting someone to track it when I replaced the ball joints so it drove around for a couple of weeks untracked until I gave up on garages (tried three) and got out the tape measure. It was too late though and the front tyres scrubbed off on the edges and won't see me through the winter. The backs are half (but evenly) worn and a few years old.

So I'm trying to find a reasonably priced solution.

Before I explain them I should point out that the truck is bog standard. It's never been offroaded (even before I got it) and I've done pretty much everything to keep it stock. No bling or rough looking tonka truck bits are fitted. It's standard. Green, if that matters.

I use it as my daily and do 1000 miles per month. Almost entirely on dual carriages. I live in a (relatively) rural area so snow is an issue, but it's a housing estate. I don't live on a farm. And, whilst the local council is lax on the road upkeep, they're proper roads and not tracks.

I'm also a member of 4x4 response so do sometimes have need of serious ability, but not been called out in a few years.

I've been researching over the past week or so and have come to three final options but I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger. Here they are:

Boring option:

Buy 4 Continentals and be done. Keep the best of the rest as spare and have a rainy day Conti in the garage for emergency. Total cost: £502 (including swapping spare)
Advantage - Standard fit and standard look. Reasonable cost. All match - it's a looks thing.
Disadvantage - Crap grip. I don't like the continentals and certainly don't fancy them in the snow again. I'm not that confident in them in the dry tbh.

Seemingly standard option:

Buy 4 BF Goodrich KO2 ATs and keep spare as is. Or swap best Conti.
Total cost £608.00
Advantage - Everyone has them. Good-ish grip (at least they were on my D3) Last forever. Look almost stock.
Disadvantage - Everyone has them. Expensive. Kinda boring (as if tyres are exciting) but I can't help thinking that the science must've moved on since they came out.

it option

Buy 4 Cooper ST Maxxs and keep spare as is. Or swap best Conti.
Total Cost £486.00
Advantage - Great reviews. Great for snow and if I do relent and get some lanes in. Cheap. Different. Long lasting.
Disadvantage - Maybe look a bit aggressive on a standard boost alloyed truck? Noise? Unknown.

So please convince me one way or the other! Pretty please? I've had enough now and my brain hurts!

S

12th Nov 2019 3:29pm

grafty99

Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: North Devon
Posts: 4785

For your usage, I'd go with the BFG. It's popular for a reason

2002 90 Td5 Station Wagon
1990 Vogue SE
Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200
Td5 90 Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic50767.html
Tdi 110 Thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic69562.html
RRC Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic54492.html
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/george_grafton

12th Nov 2019 3:37pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

I've gone for General Grabber AT3's and am very pleased. They're mountain/snowflake rated, so are good in the cold stuff, and are proving to be quiet and well mannered on the road. If they're anything like my experience with the previous AT2 incarnation, I expect to see 50k miles out of them, too. And they're slightly cheaper than BFG's

Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

12th Nov 2019 3:57pm

Devon-Rover

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: South Devon
Posts: 914

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Aintree Green

Cooper as It's every bit a BFG AT without the price. Been more then happy with mine and would buy again in a heartbeat without any regrets.

Noise isn't noticeable at motorway speeds, there has been a slight increase with age but far far lower than the wrangler MTr that was before them.

and No one could give me a straight answer on the BFG AT's wet grip ability due to it's C shaped interlocking centre tread blocks and their ability to shed water.

You have probably found my previous post's on this and I couldn't fathom out why buy the BFG, and I got a lot of positives but nothing substantial when asked deeper. I have run the old BFG and found it good all round but IMHO the so does the cooper with the added wet grip and off road at reasonable pressure they work fine still. Also can be found on Fb, Ytube, Insta & Twitter @4WDSouthwest

12th Nov 2019 6:04pm

L110CDL

Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10733

I have had BFG AT's all the time i have had Millie and the BFG AT ko's were awesome in what they did, i had no issue's what so ever, i had 100% confidence in them and they never let me down, but, moving onto the BFG AT ko2's they are ok as a move on from the ko, but i have not got the 100% confidence in them, when the roads are a bit wet, they tend to be a bit sketchy

So when it's time to change them over i will be looking to see what to go to next time, as i'm reading all the info on here on what everyone changes to and at the moment i'm thinking that the Coopers are my best bet for what i need

1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.

12th Nov 2019 8:09pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8008

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

from the first part of your post my vote was the contis. then i read about the response bit and being out and about and that made it the BFGs.

stick with 235.85.

the chunkier they are the noisier they will be and the more fuel you will loose over your current contis on the your most likely usage scenario (dual carriageway) Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

12th Nov 2019 8:40pm

Mike c

Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Maldon, Essex
Posts: 928

How about Michelin latitude cross in 235/85/16? Great standard looking tyre, very good on road and capable off so I believe. And was a standard LR fitment at some point.

Mike

13th Nov 2019 8:24am

London 52

Member Since: 21 Oct 2014
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 312

235/85/16 Continental Cross contacts on Freestyles, all good so far!

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Don

13th Nov 2019 4:16pm

geostrategist

Member Since: 25 Apr 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 60

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Tonga Green

I was in a similar dilemma a few months ago, deciding between BFGs and Coopers. I had a chat with a 4x4 tyre outfit in Stratford (can’t remember the name exactly, but I think they advertise on here) as my main concern was the low-ish C rating in the wet with BFGs. Apparently tyres efficiency ratings are not standard, so a C rating from one manufacturer may equate to a B from someone else, and BFGs didn’t have any concerns in the wet.

I went with BFGs. They’re all season and 3PMS. I’ve never had any issue in the wet, although I don’t drive a landie like I’ve stolen it!

I eventually got them with an offer from Just Tyres, supplied and fitted for less than £500. They usually have a few offers.

The question you didn’t ask was - white lettering or not?

(I went with the white)

13th Nov 2019 6:47pm

90 Dreamer

Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2141

2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey

is there a big difference between the std Wrangler MTR tyres and the BFG all terrain??
and how well do either cope with wintery stuff??

16th Nov 2019 12:58pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

The MTR's are really mud tyres, so yes quite different to BGF AT's. I went through last winter on a set of MTR's and I was pleasantly surprised at how good they were in snow and ice. They have their limitations though and are also pretty noisy. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

16th Nov 2019 2:11pm

90 Dreamer

Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2141

so i would actually see a potential improvement switching from the factory fitted MTR......??

16th Nov 2019 3:51pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

Depends what you're looking to improve on but assuming it's on-road manners then yes. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

16th Nov 2019 5:58pm

Zed

Member Since: 07 Oct 2017
Location: In the woods
Posts: 3256

2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

L110CDL wrote:
I have had BFG AT's all the time i have had Millie and the BFG AT ko's were awesome in what they did, i had no issue's what so ever, i had 100% confidence in them and they never let me down, but, moving onto the BFG AT ko2's they are ok as a move on from the ko, but i have not got the 100% confidence in them, when the roads are a bit wet, they tend to be a bit sketchy
So when it's time to change them over i will be looking to see what to go to next time, as i'm reading all the info on here on what everyone changes to and at the moment i'm thinking that the Coopers are my best bet for what i need

Totally agree about ko2's being sketchy in the wet. I've had plenty twitchy moments with them. For road use only I'd choose pretty much anything else. However they are very decent on wet grass, snow etc and for fickle folks like myself, a *good looking tyre too.

*White lettering not showing. WARNING.
This post may contain sarcasm.

16th Nov 2019 6:17pm

JOW240725

Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7904

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey

I run KO2's, STMaxx and to throw in to the mix Toyo Open Country MT. All very impressive tyres, nonissues with any of them. The BFG's are by far the most expensive, but I understand should last the longest so cost per mile might be the best.

I've had KO2's for 20k miles and not had any issues in the wet, more than confident with them.

I believe KO2's are the only one with a snowflake rating?

However, for your use maybe a more road biased Cooper AT3's? James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html
MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641
MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557
Instagram @suffolk_rovers

16th Nov 2019 7:50pm

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