Truck tires

[56FordGuy]

Looking at some new tires for my F-350. Load range E, 235/85/16s.

Considering the BFGoodrich AT, the Firestone Transforce AT, and the Mastercraft Courser AT.

I want a tire that will be decent in muddy fields, but better highway characteristics than a mud terrain tire. We don't get much snow here, but do get a fair amount of rain. Heard good things about the BFG and the Firestone, saw the Courser in a tire shop and it looked interesting.

Any opinions? Any other tires I should consider?

 

[whistlepig]

The BF Goodrich tires are the best I have ever used on in the history of owning 7 pick up trucks over the past thirty years. These are the best for mud and snow, wear very well, and aren't noisy. There are some high dollar well known brand name tires that are a waste of money.

 

[Fordman1981]

Before the firestone went to transforce they were steeltecs they say there the same tire i'm not sure of that but we averaged 80,000 miles on a set and have got as high as 96,000 miles on a set of steeltecs. I now run the bfg at on first set on work truck so we shall see. I also have the bfg at on my personal truck but hard to tell how good they wear only home enough to put 8,000 miles on it in 3 yrs but love the traction they provide.

 

[LeadPoison]

I am getting ready for a new set myself on my Ram 2500. I am looking at the BFG ATs and the Nitto Terra Grapplers.

 

[56FordGuy]

Tire life is a concern, but the truck in question is driven 4-5,000 miles a year so it's not my biggest factor.

I've heard people say the BFGs don't perform well in the mud. Any experience? What about the Mastercrafts? So far, they look like the least expensive and the tread pattern looks like it should be effective. Don't want to spend that much money just hoping they work well, though.

 

[whistlepig]

My '07 Chevy Z71 came with Bridgestone tires. They have 86,000 miles on them and could probably go another 2,000-3,000 miles more. But these Bridgestones are the worst tire I have ever driven in snow. I going back to the Goodrich KO's this time. For the money, ride, and wear, I think the Michelin M/S is the best of all tires. We just put Michelin M/S tires on the wife's '30 Z71 truck. But for mud and snow the Michelin's ain't a patch to the Goodrich KO.

 

[Fordman1981]

The bfg a/t is the best traction for all terrains I have ever had.

 

[whistlepig]

The bfg a/t is the best traction for all terrains I have ever had.

In snow they are the best.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I've run all three of those, the BFG AT's are by far the best in most every off-road condition vs the other two. Tread pattern can be deceiving, it doesn't look that aggressive on the BFG's but it cleans really well in the mud (for an AT anyways.) Also they are very good on ice and snow. How they wear depends on the truck and size. I've gotten as much as 80,000mi on a set on my tacoma, but as little as 30,000 on a '99 F-250 PSD.


The Firestone Transforce AT's are really more of a highway tire. They are absolutely worthless in any kind of mud, snow, or slick conditions. There is too much rubber on the tread face without enough tread voids, i.e. not many biting edges. However, they do seem to wear really well, which is about the only good thing I can say about them. My father has a set on his F-250 and despite having about 90% tread he is wanting to get rid of them ASAP, they are worthless on a farm truck.

The Mastercraft courser A/T's are decent. Traction is much better than the Transforce AT's, but not as good as the BFG's. They don't wear very well, I only got about 30k on my last set on my old '88 F-250 and it wears 285/75-16's which are big enough they should give decent mileage. The tires that I did like from Mastercraft were the Courser C/T's. They are kind of an all-terrain pattern, but with much bigger tread blocks and voids. They did quite well in the mud and most off-road conditions. Only got about 30K on them as well, but they did run pretty quiet on the road for such a chunky tread pattern.

 

[CowboyRon]

My last 2 set of tires have been bridgestone at duellers revo. I won't use anything else.

 

[whistlepig]

I put over 80,000 miles on BFG A/T's on a 1996 Dodge Cummins diesel 3/4 ton 4x4. I sold this truck with these tires and they still had a lot of tread on them.

 

[timswi]

My vote goes for the Goodrich AT/TA's...Great all around tire.

 

[dusty3030]

I've run all three of those, the BFG AT's are by far the best in most every off-road condition vs the other two. Tread pattern can be deceiving, it doesn't look that aggressive on the BFG's but it cleans really well in the mud (for an AT anyways.) Also they are very good on ice and snow. How they wear depends on the truck and size. I've gotten as much as 80,000mi on a set on my tacoma, but as little as 30,000 on a '99 F-250 PSD.

The Firestone Transforce AT's are really more of a highway tire. They are absolutely worthless in any kind of mud, snow, or slick conditions. There is too much rubber on the tread face without enough tread voids, i.e. not many biting edges. However, they do seem to wear really well, which is about the only good thing I can say about them. My father has a set on his F-250 and despite having about 90% tread he is wanting to get rid of them ASAP, they are worthless on a farm truck.

The Mastercraft courser A/T's are decent. Traction is much better than the Transforce AT's, but not as good as the BFG's. They don't wear very well, I only got about 30k on my last set on my old '88 F-250 and it wears 285/75-16's which are big enough they should give decent mileage. The tires that I did like from Mastercraft were the Courser C/T's. They are kind of an all-terrain pattern, but with much bigger tread blocks and voids. They did quite well in the mud and most off-road conditions. Only got about 30K on them as well, but they did run pretty quiet on the road for such a chunky tread pattern.

Agree on the mastercrafts. Great traction, short life. Last set had a tread start to separate at 30,000 miles. Set before that only lasted about the same. Never got me stuck but didn't last very long.

 

[me0418840987]

I had used Firestone Steeltex on the front my 05 Ram, and when they wore out, I went to a pair of transforce A/T. Worst tire I have had on the front of any truck I have ever owned . Stopping in the rain with a slightly tongue heavy trailer is scary, meaning the single 3500lb axle 12' trailer that doesn't have brakes. May not wait for the fronts to wear out, might buy a pair of different fronts before the snow flies. Have a pair of Cooper S/T 245/75/16 E on the rear now that I do like-bit pricey at $208.00 each, but havent gotten stuck yet, and I drive a 2wd, and have been in hub deep mud at new construction sites.

 

[whistlepig]

My last 2 set of tires have been bridgestone at duellers revo. I won't use anything else.

My '07 Z71 came with Bridgestone Duellers. As far as mileage from a tire I'll have to rate these as the champs in my experience. They are the worst in snow and the worst tire for hydroplaning that I have ever owned. These tires are also one of noisiest tires I have owned.

 

[CowboyRon]

My '07 Z71 came with Bridgestone Duellers. As far as mileage from a tire I'll have to rate these as the champs in my experience. They are the worst in snow and the worst tire for hydroplaning that I have ever owned. These tires are also one of noisiest tires I have owned.

I agree with u, but the revo is a different tire all together, even though it still says dueller on the sidewall.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have 3 trucks and have owned well over a dozen. Tires are a tricky thing. Work well for one guy on one truck and bad on another. I have a trailer weighing in around 10,000# to 25,000# behind each of my trucks 2/3rds of the time so tire ware is a issue. I am lucky to get 45,000 miles out of a set on a 1/2 ton and 35,000 miles on my 3/4 and 1 tons. All in all BFG have been the best "all around tire".

I have had these also:

BFG TA=Best
BFG MT=Best
Cooper AT=Good
Hankook MT=Best
Michelin AT=Worst
Goodyear Wrangler AT=Good
Brigstone Dueller=OK to poor
Firestone AT=Good
Toyo MT=Best
Continental=Awful

I really think my next tire will be the Falken MT's. I have had 2 sets of Falken tires on my Saturns, 2 different cars and a set on a Volvo and they were very good. The price point is also very attractive.

Chris

 

[KYDan]

Tire life is a concern, but the truck in question is driven 4-5,000 miles a year so it's not my biggest factor.

I've heard people say the BFGs don't perform well in the mud. Any experience? What about the Mastercrafts? So far, they look like the least expensive and the tread pattern looks like it should be effective. Don't want to spend that much money just hoping they work well, though.

I have had the best luck with Pirellis, they are pricey, and will wear more quickly than harder tires, but they provide great off road traction and a quiet and comfortable ride on the highway. I have a Chevy 2500HD with 4WD, and I tow an EZ dumper on and off the road with it and this is one of few tires that is not noisy and rough on the road that will provide the traction needed on my hillsides with a load behind. I have pulled some grassy, fairly steep grades with 5 tons behind me.

 

[Egon]

Good traction, mud/snow/ice and high milage don't go together.

One can compromize but can't get the traction - milage thing together.

I have Goodyear tires on that give good snow/ice traction as these conditions are very prevalent in the area I live.

 

[bdeboer]

I ran a set of MasterCraft Courser AT load range E around 50K on an '02 3/4 Ton Suburban at end of life when I traded it in. Thought they were a decent compromise tire between price, traction, noise, and wear. Currently have a set of Courser AT2 load range C on my 1/2 ton with around 30K on them. They are OK for traction but seem to be louder. Think they will go around another 15-20K.


I have had good luck with BFG tires in the past just didn't think they were worth the extra dollars, plus I have to deal with the chain stores around here to purchase.