BajaNomad

Looking for good tires for northern Baja

Mexicorn - 12-22-2010 at 06:27 PM

Fellow Nomads looking for input for tires for my SUV. Northern Baja in winter is hard on tires as we all know. Can you please tell me what is the best set for the money? Two wheel drive full size SUV with little or no off roading if I can avoid it. Should I buy in Mexico or the US?
Costco or Discount tires?
Please tell me what you think and Merry Christmas.

DavidE - 12-22-2010 at 06:42 PM

Depends on if you think you may have to rely on a warranty. I have never found tires that were warranteed against road hazard or tread wearout anywhere in Mexico. Solely manufacturer's defects workmanship and materials.

Mexico imports lots and lots of cheap made in China tires. They may have famous brand names stamped on them. I have historically purchased BF Goodrich.

woody with a view - 12-22-2010 at 06:46 PM

best advice anyone can spout:

get 4 !!!! other than that there are too many types/vehic's/places and you will end up stuck.

larryC - 12-23-2010 at 11:20 AM

Corn
I have a 2000 ford f350 that I bought tires for a couple of years ago. I bought Michelin 285/75R16, and I am very happy with them. A little larger than stock, but spread out nicely when I let the air out to drive on soft stuff. Work well for me but for sure your milage will vary.
Larry

Hook - 12-23-2010 at 12:13 PM

I have a 2000 F350 and have been getting about 45k on my Michelin 265x75x16 LTX MS II tires. That's with a cabover camper on the truck about 50-70 % of the time. Three steel belts in the tread. Full siping ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE TREAD. Good traction in snow, dirt or water. VERY highly rated by users on tirerack.com. Not cheap.

I bought my latest set in Oregon w/o sales tax. I went to a Discount tire store and there was a Costco less than a 1/4 mile away. Discount tire said they would match the price of Costco. "Problem" was, when we both looked the Costco price up on their website, Discount was already cheaper by 5.00/tire.

Not a fan of BFG, but we've been all over that, haven't we?

Other than Michelins, the other tire manufacturers that I have had good luck with in the past are Bridgestone Duelers or Yokohamas.

bajatravelergeorge - 12-23-2010 at 12:41 PM

The new Goodyear all terrain with the kevlar belts is the hot ticket right now. I hate the BFG all terrains I have on my truck now.

Barry A. - 12-23-2010 at 01:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajatravelergeorge
I hate the BFG all terrains I have on my truck now.


Why???

David K - 12-23-2010 at 03:59 PM

Stay away from BFGs... way over-hyped and over priced... the tires that beat the Baja from BFG are not sold to the public.

Best price with quality all terrain types include:

Discount Tires or Express Tires: Hankook DynaPro, Toyo Open Country AT or Cooper Discoverer ATR. I have not yet tried the Hankooks but they are getting superior reviews from owners. The other two I did have on my last Tacoma... very good, quiet, no flats.

[Edited on 12-23-2010 by David K]

Barry A. - 12-23-2010 at 05:35 PM

I run 3 4x4 vehicles, all in Mexico in the past, now in the states-----all 3 are on their second sets of BFG All Terraign AT KO's with nary a problem other than a few repairable flats.

Isuzu Trooper, Nissan X-terra, & Ford F-250 with 1000 lb camper, all 3 run extensively on bad roads for years.

The cheaper BFG Rough Countries that came with my X-terra were terrible, and I ruined 2 in short order with sidewall tears, and too many flats with staubs thru the face of them. Put on BFG All Terraign AT KO's and no further problems.

Just my experience, of course.

Barry

bigboy - 12-23-2010 at 06:06 PM

I'm in step with Barry A. with the BFG AT KO's. I too had the less expensive BFG Rough Countries had had nothing but trouble with them.

I have the BFG KO's on three 4X4's and have never had a problem with any of them. I had a set of them on my Bronco with over 40,000 miles on the tires. They had about 60% tread left and I put them on my Scout II and bought new ones for my Bronco. I also have a set on my Excursion 4X4 and tow a 8000# trailer with them.

All three of these trucks see a lot of dirt roads and are not babied at all.

David K - 12-23-2010 at 06:29 PM

Yah, you either love them or hate them... I was riding with Amo Pescar woth brand new All Terrain TAs on a sandy road (Yubay road) and the sidewall ripped... Ken Cooke can tell you how many he has seen ripped... I see them all over Baja on the side of the road.

My Tacoma trucks (3) all came with BFG Rugged Trails ... the posters on Tacoma World forums call then 'Rugged Fails'... I have had two flats with them under 16,000 miles... rocks not nails. I lost count on how many flats I had on my first Tacoma with BFGs.

Baja Angel had All Terrain TAs on her CJ-5 and loved them... They are either real good or real bad. Too risky for me to spend $185 per tire on a 50/50 odds bet.

mcfez - 12-23-2010 at 06:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Stay away from BFGs... way over-hyped and over priced... the tires that beat the Baja from BFG are not sold to the public.

Best price with quality all terrain types include:

Discount Tires or Express Tires: Hankook DynaPro, Toyo Open Country AT or Cooper Discoverer ATR. I have not yet tried the Hankooks but they are getting superior reviews from owners. The other two I did have on my last Tacoma... very good, quiet, no flats.

[Edited on 12-23-2010 by David K]


DavidK.....u have 4w ?

This is a question that I need answered too. My Dodge Ram 2w....what is best for sand and that smooth road up by Coco's :o

Txs in advance

David K - 12-23-2010 at 06:31 PM

Ummm, yah... it wouldn't be possible to go to all the great Baja places or easily on Shell Island without 4WD... and a locking rear differential and now Active Traction Control (A-TRAC)... which is like front and rear automatic lockers.

wakemall - 12-23-2010 at 10:42 PM

I just stuck a set of Kumo tires on my Ford 4X4 long bed crew cab diesel truck. Replaced the BFG's. I was in CO deer hunting a month ago and my brother has BFG's on the exact truck. He could not go through the mud and snow without spinning a lot. We took my truck and had little issues. They are not noisey tires and are $60 less a piece than BFG's. I am sold.

bajamigo - 12-24-2010 at 08:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bigboy
I'm in step with Barry A. with the BFG AT KO's. I too had the less expensive BFG Rough Countries had had nothing but trouble with them.

I have the BFG KO's on three 4X4's and have never had a problem with any of them. I had a set of them on my Bronco with over 40,000 miles on the tires. They had about 60% tread left and I put them on my Scout II and bought new ones for my Bronco. I also have a set on my Excursion 4X4 and tow a 8000# trailer with them.

All three of these trucks see a lot of dirt roads and are not babied at all.


Can you tow boats with them?
:lol:

David K - 12-24-2010 at 08:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wakemall
I just stuck a set of Kumo tires on my Ford 4X4 long bed crew cab diesel truck. Replaced the BFG's. I was in CO deer hunting a month ago and my brother has BFG's on the exact truck. He could not go through the mud and snow without spinning a lot. We took my truck and had little issues. They are not noisey tires and are $60 less a piece than BFG's. I am sold.


What model Kumo ?

gunit - 12-24-2010 at 12:58 PM

All this talk about brands is not as important as buying heavy duty. Only buy "LT" tires with load range E rating and you will not have any problems.

All of the current car mfg. deliver their 1/2 ton trucks and suv;s with "P" rated passenger car tires. This is a crime, they are all wothless when it comes to Baja. The OEM tires are just good enough to drive the car to the tire shop at thats all.

Hook - 12-24-2010 at 01:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by gunit
All this talk about brands is not as important as buying heavy duty. Only buy "LT" tires with load range E rating and you will not have any problems.

All of the current car mfg. deliver their 1/2 ton trucks and suv;s with "P" rated passenger car tires. This is a crime, they are all wothless when it comes to Baja. The OEM tires are just good enough to drive the car to the tire shop at thats all.


Well, there is some truth in what you say but load range E tires are expensive and rather hard riding on pavement. Which, last time I checked, you have to drive on a bit of pavement in Baja.

I use load range E tires because I HAVE to, not because I want to. But I havent had any flats on the LTX MS tires in about 120k miles. Maybe luck, maybe not...................

gunit - 12-24-2010 at 05:49 PM

The cost difference is insignificant and certainly less than the cost of one ruined light duty tire. If you run them at 35-40 psi they are not rough riding. My wife has them on her Expedition.

Diver - 12-24-2010 at 06:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I have a 2000 F350 and have been getting about 45k on my Michelin 265x75x16 LTX MS II tires.


Next time you go to Oregon for tires, check out the Toyos at Les Schwab. I get 45K on my F350 for a lot less $ than the Michelins.

bajatravelergeorge - 12-24-2010 at 06:22 PM

With all of this rain in Baja Norte the past few years, I think I'm going to switch to Mudders.

Where's global warming when you need it, Al?

Another fan of LTX Michelin tires

tripledigitken - 12-24-2010 at 08:35 PM

I have gotten over 60,000 miles on an F250HD 4 by 4, mostly with a 3000 # camper. Excellent tires and really when you figure the miles you get out of them they are competitively priced. Regardless of manufacturer I would stick to these style of tires based on your statement that the majority of you time is spent on road. These work fine off road as well, are quiet on the freeway and are excellent in the wet.

Ken

BooJumMan - 12-25-2010 at 10:23 AM

My favorite tires are Nitto Terra Grappler's. They are a lot cheaper than BFG KO's and just as aggressive and have thicker sidewalls.

woody with a view - 12-25-2010 at 11:18 AM

i've put just over 10k on my toyo open country at's and they still look new.

Hook - 12-25-2010 at 12:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody with a view
i've put just over 10k on my toyo open country at's and they still look new.


Apologies for not knowing, Woody, but what are you driving and what is it's unladen weight?

woody with a view - 12-25-2010 at 12:33 PM

03 tundra access cab 4x4 with airbags and a snugtop. the rest is stock. curb weight is around 4g's

chippy - 12-25-2010 at 01:12 PM

Michelin=BFGoodrich=uniroyal all the same company. All good tires in my opinion.

BooJumMan - 12-25-2010 at 03:16 PM

My buddy just got the Toyo's cause Discount didn't have the Nitto's. Both are great tires. I have always been a BFG guy, and then Goodyear MTR guy, but now I am all about the Nitto's! Toyo's and Nitto's are made by the same company though in Japan I believe.

skippermike - 12-26-2010 at 12:25 PM

Happy Holidays!!
I had BFG ATs on our Ranger - good tires, no flats, no sidewall cuts. Great millage. Little noisy, not great in rain.
Now have a 2008 Tacoma 4wd crewcab, prepped by off road race shop w/ 17" Toyo ATs, E-rated - because of Toyo sponsorship. Toyo says full-load, full speed (up to 116) @42psi. More reasonable load and speed = 36psi. 29,000 miles, lots in Baja, no flats, no sidewalll cuts, never gotten stuck - including in some dicey spots. Quiter, better in rain than BFGs.
Both good - getting replacement BFGs for the Ranger.
Flip a coin.