The Random Thoughts Thread

Random question that isnt worth creating a thread over:
I have to get new tires for the Tacoma, and Im bouncing between 255/85/16 BFG KM2's or 295/75/16 General AT2's.

Prices are hugely different, fuel mileage is semi-important, snow/ice is a factor and Im around 80% highway usage. And go!
 
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AT2's due to tread design, efficiency, comfortability, and wear when comparing to the KM2's. You may as well look into the KO2 rather than KM2's. Not sure why you'd consider a MT type over an AT tire when fuel, price and highway miles are important. Also, do you REALLY need 295's??? Talk about high rolling resistance! Stick with the 255/85 size but in AT format.

And how much is snow/ice really a factor when you'd probably be putting on chains anyways? Most AT's can handle certain conditions, but you'll most likely be popping the chains when it calls for it.
 
richard310 said:
And how much is snow/ice really a factor when you'd probably be putting on chains anyways? Most AT's can handle certain conditions, but you'll most likely be popping the chains when it calls for it.
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Not sure where you are, or how much snow you get, or how often. I live in upstate NY, where the winters can get serious. Putting chains on and taking them off is a total pain in the ass.

I mean, you go to work in the morning and the roads are clear, and you come out of work and there's twelve inches of snow to deal with.

My answer, for the last 20 years, was to have four studded snow tires, mounted and balanced on junkyard rims. They go on the rig in November and come off in March or April. I usually get three or four years out of them, and getting stuck in storms stopped happening after I went to this system.
 
MT's generally suck in snow/ice. The large tread blocks cause them to slip...a lot. If you go the MT route, get them siped...which makes them more of an AT...so you might as get AT's to begin with!
 
Optimistic Paranoid said:
Not sure where you are, or how much snow you get, or how often. I live in upstate NY, where the winters can get serious. Putting chains on and taking them off is a total pain in the ass.

I mean, you go to work in the morning and the roads are clear, and you come out of work and there's twelve inches of snow to deal with.

My answer, for the last 20 years, was to have four studded snow tires, mounted and balanced on junkyard rims. They go on the rig in November and come off in March or April. I usually get three or four years out of them, and getting stuck in storms stopped happening after I went to this system.
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Not sure if the OP would want to have two sets of tires. The cost is expensive but like you mentioned worth it in a snowy state. Personally if I lived in such a place, a dedicated set if studded/snow/ice tires would be ideal, but for someone on a budget, the hassle of chains wouldn't be so bad. I've tried those newer self adjusting chains and they weren't all that bad. Plus depending on the area's regulations, I know studded tires are limited-use on the roads, and only when the conditions call for studs.
 
richard310 said:
AT2's due to tread design, efficiency, comfortability, and wear when comparing to the KM2's. You may as well look into the KO2 rather than KM2's. Not sure why you'd consider a MT type over an AT tire when fuel, price and highway miles are important. Also, do you REALLY need 295's??? Talk about high rolling resistance! Stick with the 255/85 size but in AT format.

And how much is snow/ice really a factor when you'd probably be putting on chains anyways? Most AT's can handle certain conditions, but you'll most likely be popping the chains when it calls for it.
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MTs for the tall/skinny factor. 295's because they are more of a 33in tire compared to 285/75/16's. There arent too many 255's available.

richard310 said:
Not sure if the OP would want to have two sets of tires. The cost is expensive but like you mentioned worth it in a snowy state. Personally if I lived in such a place, a dedicated set if studded/snow/ice tires would be ideal, but for someone on a budget, the hassle of chains wouldn't be so bad. I've tried those newer self adjusting chains and they weren't all that bad. Plus depending on the area's regulations, I know studded tires are limited-use on the roads, and only when the conditions call for studs.
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The 295 (or 285) General Grabber AT's are stud ready if needed. Ill more than likely stick with an AT tire (Ive had a set of BFG AT KO's on for around 60k. Theyve been places....)

As far as rolling resistance, the 255 BFG MT's are only .28in smaller compared to the 295's and there is only a 3lb weight difference. I can say that I have heard a lot of negative comments on the MT's on ice, but ice driving is what it is. Nothing will make it like driving on asphalt.

Ive done the calculations on speedo issues and oddly enough, my speedo might be correct... I just got back from San Antonio and checked my speed with gps. At 65, I was doing closer to 63, and the math is showing that I should be doing ~67 at 65 (after tire change). So it might just even out.

I am concerned with rubbing/clearance. Up front I have OME 885's (switching to 886's soon) and Dakars in the rear. Then there is fuel...
 
Everything is a compromise, and KO2s are reasonably good at everything.

You will have at least 80% of the top performing tire in all categories outside of deep mud and rock crawling.


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Mr. Leary said:
Everything is a compromise, and KO2s are reasonably good at everything.

You will have at least 80% of the top performing tire in all categories outside of deep mud and rock crawling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I just learned something else they are good at! Called and talked to discount tire to find out what mileage I was at when I had this set of KO's installed. I've put 80k miles on this set of tires. 80k... With everything these have been through, I would be dumb to use a different tire.

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Aaron said:
I just learned something else they are good at! Called and talked to discount tire to find out what mileage I was at when I had this set of KO's installed. I've put 80k miles on this set of tires. 80k... With everything these have been through, I would be dumb to use a different tire.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
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80k is incredible!

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