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Tires & noise

1059 Views 14 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  mariodesmo
Looking for new set of tires for '05 Rubicon Unlimited.. currently running BFG T/A KO
LT265/75R-16 on stock wheels w/1" spacers . Just installed RE 3.5" superflex lift w/CV. Want more grip but want to keep the noise down.. Would like to go to LT285/75R-16
using one of the following : BFG T/A KO, BFG T/A KM2, or FS Destination MT . Pricing is almost the same on any of the 3.. In So. Cal so mostly dry conditions with occassional mud / snow - Suggestions ?
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Between T/A KO and T/A KM2, you definitely want the T/A KO on snow and dry road. I didn't have the KM2 but the older BFG mud terrains would get louder and louder as time went on where as the KOs stay fairly quiet (you have them so I'm sure you know). On snow and ice, KOs are not the best but much better than the KMs in my experience.

I don't know about FS Destination but you just can't go wrong with BFG. Now my personal tire choice for southern california is the Goodyear MTRs of course :) That is if you plan to do any rock crawling. The MTRs beat the KOs hands down in most offroad situations and are roughly the same on snow and ice (with BFG KOs being a bit better).
Thanks. I agree, just really can't go to bad wrong with the BFG KO's. Appreicate the tip
on the Goodyear MTR I will look at those also.. Was getting the best deal on the Firestones
but understand why - can't find anyone who has ever tried them recently and their history
is not too hot.
Are the new Kevlar MTR's quieter than the originals?

The original MTR's that came on my 03 got really loud around 45k. I'm on my second set and have about 15k on them and they are still reasonably quiet.
fujimo said:
Are the new Kevlar MTR's quieter than the originals?

The original MTR's that came on my 03 got really loud around 45k. I'm on my second set and have about 15k on them and they are still reasonably quiet.
They are quieter, but....the new Kevlar MTR's are a lot stiffer than the old. You really have to drop the air pressure to get them to start working for you. Or have a lot of weight. IMO they were definitely built for 3/4 ton pickups.

I'm running the Duratrac's on my wife's JKU and they don't run too loud. (I don't know if you can use the word "quiet" when talking about A/T's or M/T's) :D
Look into the Duratracs. They look like another good option.
Choice of tires can be a very personal decision. If your rig is a DD then noise can be a large factor in your decision with off-road performance secondary. If you only drive on the road now and then or don't care about the noise then a louder tire that can provide better traction off-road may be what you want. Of course there are no absolutes and there's a lot of "gray area" in the above.
maxxis bighorns and good offtroad tires and not too noisy. i run them on my TJ. i run the BFG ATs on my DD LJ. the ATs do well for light wheeling and are better than most offroad tires in rain.
KM2's are supposed to be quieter than the KO's by far. I have friends with both and I have to agree...
animal chin said:
KM2's are supposed to be quieter than the KO's by far. I have friends with both and I have to agree...
Did you mean just the opposite? I own and drive both KM2's and KO's, in the same size. While the KM2's are very quiet for what they are, they definitely aren't in the same league as the KO's for quietness.

From riding in other vehicles with the new Kevlar MTR's, I'd say they are a bit louder than the KM2's, but not nearly as loud as the old MTR's.

My Toyo MT's were louder than my KM2's also, hard to say which was louder of the the Toyo's or the Kevlar MTR's, they are pretty close I'd say.

KO's by far the quietest of any I've listed here though.

- DAA
I'm on my 3rd year with the KM2's and for an all terrain I think they are very quiet.
huntinbob06 said:
I'm on my 3rd year with the KM2's and for an all terrain I think they are very quiet.
"All Terrain"?? :|
I was thinking M&S and wrote all terrain. I'd love to blame it on the egg nog but not.
My daughter has KM2's and they are quieter than any other mud tires I have driven and they work great in the snow, for wheeling, I don't know about ice.
In my experience of 30+ years, new tires have always tended to be quieter,
and smoother, and get louder as they wear.

:dhorse:

:D
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