32 or 31" BFG AT KO's?

[Schludwiller]

I'm getting a 3" suspension lift for my truck and need a set of summer tires so I don't grind down my SSR's. Does anyone have opinions on whether the 32" BFG AT tires would fit?

BFG AT:
32's are: 11.4 x 31.7
31's are: 10.5 x 30.7

BFG MT 32":
11.8 x 31.9

31" Super Swamper SSR's: (I'm currently running these)
10.5 x 31.5

I know some people are running 32" MT's, but they have to trim their ARB's when disconnected.

The 32" AT's are almost the same diameter as my SSR's, but they are an inch wider.

Any comments to help decide would be appreciated.

[rrdstarr]

Ian, I just run my Grabbers that came with the Xterra and swap to the TSL swampers for the PNWX outings or making it to Montana in the winter. I commute 60 miles a day/ days a week! I don't know if you still have your Long Trails or Grabbers your truck came with, but that is a cheap alternative to buying a hole new set of "Summer Tires"! When my Grabbers crap out I plan to replace them with the BFG AT's in 31".

Just my .02!

[Schludwiller]

Well I'm looking for a new set of AT's to run all the time. My Scorpions were fine, but with the lift are getting a bit small (29").

I want a set of AT's that I'll be using for offroading when the mud is gone, and also for long trips like Moab and GoX.

[OffroadX]

I run the 32x11.50 BFG ATs, stock bumper though. No problems after the usual trimming and t-bar adjustment other than the fuel line cover in the RR.

If you want to save a few bucks, consider the Dunlop Radial Rover RT instead. I'm seriously considering them whenever my BFGs give out. Hopefully I'll be able to run 2 sets of tires then too. I'd really like to hear from someone that has 'em, but from what I've seen online they get good reviews. Sounds like they're something beyond the average AT and a bit less than your average MT.

Brent

[ChuckH]

I don't know if it would help at all, but if you want, we could swap my 31's onto atleast one side of your truck when you get the lift in so you can see how they look. I think the Pirellis are .2 inch smaller than the BFG, but that shouldn't be a noticeable amount in the looks department. Personally, I'm still not excited about the gearing and steering effects the 32's would have on the Xterra, which are the main reasons I didn't go that way on mine. Well that and rubbing.

[ScottG]

Originally posted by ChuckH
Personally, I'm still not excited about the gearing and steering effects the 32's would have on the Xterra, which are the main reasons I didn't go that way on mine. Well that and rubbing.

I agree with Chuck. It also bothers me that the 32X11's are not recommended for a 7 inch wheel. Most people say that doesn't make any difference, but I think it might effect the way the tires wear.

[wqbang]

Originally posted by OffroadX
If you want to save a few bucks, consider the Dunlop Radial Rover RT instead. I'm seriously considering them whenever my BFGs give outBrent

These might be your tire schlud. I dig them alot. Right now I am planning on getting a set of TrXus, but these are my second choice at the moment.

[Synchro]

Originally posted by ScottG
I agree with Chuck. It also bothers me that the 32X11's are not recommended for a 7 inch wheel. Most people say that doesn't make any difference, but I think it might effect the way the tires wear.

I have almost 30,000 miles on my 32x11.5 BFG MTs and they still have 70% or more of the tread life on them easily. Philosopher and FSRBIKER have even more miles than i do on theirs. all of us are running them on the stock nissan 15x7s. and you all have seen pics of us with them offroad, so you make the call.

[gothamist]

Damn Synchro, that's more miles than I've heard of anyone getting on those tires. At that rate you'll get over 80,000 out of them...?!?!?!

(Me and my nearly half-worn Swampers are now quite envious.)

[Chris_McCracken]

Originally posted by ScottG


I agree with Chuck. It also bothers me that the 32X11's are not recommended for a 7 inch wheel. Most people say that doesn't make any difference, but I think it might effect the way the tires wear.

As long as you keep them at the correct pressure (determined by testing on your vehicle, not by "what the tire place told you"), you should not have any problems with excess wear. The narrower rims will change the shape of the tire as opposed to other rim sizes, but the footprint (and thus wear) can be controlled by the tire pressure.

[Philosopher]

Originally posted by gothamist
Damn Synchro, that's more miles than I've heard of anyone getting on those tires. At that rate you'll get over 80,000 out of them...?!?!?!

(Me and my nearly half-worn Swampers are now quite envious.)

I don't know what Synchro is smoking but my M/T's have about 1/2 tread after 40K miles or so ...

[KillerX]

I don't know what either of you is smoking. You basically just reinforced what Synchro said. If you have gone 40k with 1/2 tread left, you will be getting 80+k out of your tires as well.

I just replaced one of my M/T's under the "tire protection" (side wall damage) and I had about 20% wear with a little over 10,000 miles on them. That should give me over 50k tread life which I think is great for such an aggressive tire.

[gothamist]

When I say my Swampers are nearly half worn, that's because the raised center chevrons are about half gone compared to my spare. I can run the tires for probably 20K miles after the raised siped area is entirely gone, they just won't have anywhere near as much traction, so I'll probably replace them well before that. I think that's what MT meant as well--i.e. "w/ 40K miles, I'm at half tread height, so I have xxx miles left on them" where xxx might be in the 10-15K range, not another 40K...

Or maybe I'm just confused and everyone else makes sense.

[KillerX]

I've decided to just replace them when I lose the traction that I feel M/Ts should have -- which means I'll be replacing them the first time I wheel in the snow.

[Philosopher]

Originally posted by KillerX
I don't know what either of you is smoking. You basically just reinforced what Synchro said. If you have gone 40k with 1/2 tread left, you will be getting 80+k out of your tires as well.

I just replaced one of my M/T's under the "tire protection" (side wall damage) and I had about 20% wear with a little over 10,000 miles on them. That should give me over 50k tread life which I think is great for such an aggressive tire.

Yep, except that I won't drive on tires with zero tread. I hope you wouldn't either. My point was how many miles I have gotten out of my tires, not how many more I may get out of them. As you know, 2 of my tires have 3/4 tread on them and 2 of them have a bit less than 1/2 tread. Now I have to decide whether I'm going to buy 5 new 33" KM's or just buy 2 new 32" KM's in September / October ... hhhmmm.