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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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What tire is on your DNF list?
This should shorten the list for people thinking to buy a certain tire.
I shredded 2 BFG sidewalls over the years. I have run Interco Super Swampers for the past 6 yrs. as a result.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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OK Ken, I will bite--------what's a "DNF list"???
What are the sidewalls of the Interco's made of? how many plys and what are the plys made of? Special rubber used?? (BFG AT's have 3 ply polyester
sidewalls, a rarity (?) in the tire business---most are 2 ply)
I have never known of any tire that the sidewalls will standup to certain types of abuse (sticks, staubs, very sharp rocks, etc.), but me & my 2
son's luck with BFG AT's has been supurb over the many years, and we all do a LOT of driving on bad roads (but none of us are "rock crawlers").
Barry
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bonanza bucko
Senior Nomad
Posts: 587
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Airport Bum
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Couldn't agree more with Barry A:....have used TAs on four trucks and lots and lots of trips down "That Road" to Gonzaga Bay with sharp rocks,
boulders, washboard and worse....never a problema.
The Intercos mentioned above come in both 2 ply and 3 ply side walls....need to know which one Ken Cooke is talking about. Here's the Interco page
with the details.
http://www.intercotire.com/tires.php
BB
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I've been with Ken on two Pole Line Road runs and while I didn't see him doing it his Jeep buddies crawl over under and around every big rock with in
20 feet of the trail. I think they add glue to the tire treads.
Me, I'm with you Barry BFG ATs have been good to me for years. I'm not saying other tires are bad and I do carry a Remington Big Brute for a second
spare. Mainly because it was cheap and so far I've never used it.
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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DNF......in off road racing it means... DID NOT FINISH.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17624
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
This should shorten the list for people thinking to buy a certain tire.
I shredded 2 BFG sidewalls over the years. I have run Interco Super Swampers for the past 6 yrs. as a result. |
i have had good luck with many AT tires. if you stick to driving for transportation purposes, most AT tires do pretty well. if you drive to do rock
crawling, well,... i suppose you will shred tire occasionally, what do you expect? 
current tires are bridgestone dueler AT REVO "p" types. they do well in my limited offroading for transporation purposes and they run great on
highway, nice and quiet and good handling (i don't tow or carry heavy loads, no lard *sses allowed in 4runner!!). of course, i don't rock crawl, i
usually get out and hike or bike rather than tearing up vehicle 
[Edited on 5-11-2010 by mtgoat666]
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Curt63
Super Nomad
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Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
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Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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BFG AT's have been bulletproof for me. I run some rough tracks periodically, but I'm not a rock crawler.
But the coolest thing is the writing on the sidewall "Baja Champion" How can you pass on that?
No worries
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Thanks, Surfer Jim.
I have one big F-250 4x4 with Callen Camper, one X-terra, and one Isuzu Trooper-------all on BFG AT's. Never have had a sidewall problem. Lots of
holes thru the tread, but always repairable with "plugs" (nails, spikes, staubs, and odd pieces of steel that fell off somebodies Toyota, I guess.
(kidding, kidding).
I professionally drove a 4x4 pickup in all types of really bad road conditions as a Ranger for some 30 years using all brands of tires, but the
BFG-AT's we used were always the best. We had to use whatever the Govt. contract was when we bought, and there were some stinkers (Firestone were the
worst------Best were Bridgestone Desert Duelers, Michilin, Goodyear Wrangler, and BFG-AT's, in our experience). We had 13 4x4 pickups/jeeps in the
El Centro area that we had to keep running thru the desert (1973 to 1986). But of course that was a longgggg time ago.
Of course we all respond to, and use, what works for us----thus all kinds of opinions.
Viva BFG AT's!!! (I run load range C, D, and E)
Barry
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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I've only blown 2 BFG ATs in my decade of Baja trips, but I've also witnessed blown BFG sidewalls and BFGs throwing hissing fits that I've shied away
from the brand.
I do like their new KM2 tire, and I'm considering it if I don't continue running the Interco TrXus MT tire. My complaint with the TrXus MT is that it
does not balance well, leading to expensive steering componentry problems.
Blown BFG being replaced with a TrXus MT spare:
5 TrXus MTs & 1 smiling driver!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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When you're on the Pole Line Road - 2 days from any main hwy, tire durability is paramount
| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
I've been with Ken on two Pole Line Road runs and while I didn't see him doing it his Jeep buddies crawl over under and around every big rock with in
20 feet of the trail. I think they add glue to the tire treads.
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 4981
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
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Mood: INTP-A
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I've indicated a number of times over the years that I had multiple BFG AT sidewall blowouts in Baja. I also was aware that BFG AT's had issues along
a highway section of the Baja 1K out of Mexicali a number of years back - affecting quite a # of teams.
I've been very impressed by the Bridgestone Dueler AT's for many years now.
-
Doug
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
Affordable Domain Name Registration/Management & cPanel Web Hosting:
https://www.regionalinternet.com |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64606
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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BFGs just seem to be hit or miss... Either you have great luck with them (All Terrain TAs) or you get a sidewall failure brand new, no rocks in sight!
This happened to Amo Pescar's BFG on its first Baja trip in 2001... I have seen many other sidewall blowouts on All Terrain TAs.
Since I do a lot of driving, highway and off road... I go through tires pretty fast... they last from 25,000 to 35,000 miles before the tread is too
thin for my liking.
The Tacoma Off Road TRDs come with BFG Rugged Trail TAs, and they are good for 25,000 miles. They actually work very well in all terrains including
sand, they just don't give a lot of miles.
The meaty mud/snow tires have more rubber and last the longest (35-40 K miles), also they look GREAT on a 4X4... and do great in mud and snow.
However, they are VERY noisy on the highway and the hum is almost too loud to drown with the stereo cranked up on AC/DC or Led Zepplin. They are also
TERRIBLE in sand where I do most of my four wheeling. I had the COOPER DISCOVERER STT. Gas mileage drops with them, also.
I had very good luck when I switched to the TOYO OPEN COUNTRY AT and equally was happy with the COOPER DISCOVERER ATR, both provided about 35,000
miles of wear.
On my first Tacoma, I used the Pep Boys Futura (now Destiny) Dakotas... They are verr cheap and work well in the sand and most off road conditions...
Although they did wear out at 25,000 miles... but with pro-rating of 50,000... the next set were half price!
I am looking at all tires for when the new BFGs on my new Tacoma wear out... There are many choices. The General Grabber, Pirelli Scorpion and others
are on my watch list.... Doug is happy with Desert Duellers, I know... Yokahama and others are interesting, too!!!???
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Yep, it's that "old personal experience" that counts. My X-terra came with BFG Rugged Trails (load range C), and I had destroyed three witnin 2
months-----two pierced by sharp rocks on the tread face, and a third sidewall-failure a little later (pierced by a staub)------ I scrapped all 4, and
replaced them with BFG TA's (load range E) and have had no problems for the last year and a half, over many of the same trails where the Rugged Trails
failed me. One thing about the load range E's (10-ply rating) that surprised me, they are very flexible and will take lower air pressures without
overheading, it appears-------I had expected them to be stiff and heat up badly at low air pressure (like 25 lbs.), but they didn't, at least in the
dirt. I run them at 45 lbs + on the highway, depending on the load carried----they are rated up to 85 lbs. One tough tire!!!
So "brand" is not necessarily what you should go by. But, I agree with David and Doug, etc. --------there are some good alternatives, and they named
some of them.
Some times it is just the luck of the draw, and you takes your chances, like life in general.  
Barry
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classicbajabronco
Nomad
Posts: 226
Registered: 1-2-2010
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when over 80% of people run BFG's in Baja, you are going to see alot more BFG's broken than say an Interco. How many trucks with a set of interco's on
them can you remember...Now how many trucks with BFG's on them can you.
In BCS, nearly every gringo truck is running BFG's. AT, MT km, or MT km2.
I currently have all 3 styles on my vehicles. Each serves its purpose well
I too have shredded sidewalls on BFG at's, but then again that is the only tire I have run on my 5 trucks in the last 7 years( 80-90%
offroad....fulltime bcs resident). When rubber meets a very sharp rock, agave, stick or whatever other sharp jagged edge is found on our "roads" the
sharp object is usually going to win.. regardless of what brand is stamped on the sidewall.
I buy BFG's because they are sold in nearly every tire store in baja.....and they have treated me and many, many countless others well. however even
with all my confidence in these tires I still carry a spare at all times
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by classicbajabronco]
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by classicbajabronco]
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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My TA's have done well on the 8000 lb. Dodge, but cutting firewood a while back I put a "little finger sized" stick right through the side of one.
Even with the Costco warranty it still cost me a c-note for a half a cord of Juniper!
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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As an over two decade member of the DesertExplorers.org one hundred plus vehicle group, I see that 80 - 90% use BFG T/A KO tires as do I.
When I had brown hair and an FJ-40 Land Cruiser, I drove, uh, rather spiritedly aka like a bat out of hell, and had a fair amount of blowouts due to
rock cuts. Now, with 80 years on this earth and a Pop-Top camper on my Tacoma, my BFG's and others in the Desert Explorers (on the same roads) seem to
last forever.
YMMV
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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classicbajabronco
Nomad
Posts: 226
Registered: 1-2-2010
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i did destroy one set of BFG at's now that I think about it with about 50% tread left. This was due to me driving the vehicle on the road with 18psi.
i usually left 18psi in the vehicle and operated it both on/offroad. The steel plys started delaminating and started poking out through the tread. My
fault...I now run 24psi and it seems to work well so far.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Neal Johns
As an over two decade member of the DesertExplorers.org one hundred plus vehicle group, I see that 80 - 90% use BFG T/A KO tires as do I.
When I had brown hair and an FJ-40 Land Cruiser, I drove, uh, rather spiritedly aka like a bat out of hell, and had a fair amount of blowouts due to
rock cuts. Now, with 80 years on this earth and a Pop-Top camper on my Tacoma, my BFG's and others in the Desert Explorers (on the same roads) seem to
last forever.
YMMV |
Well, I don't know, Neal. When I saw you driving down Vallecitos Wash in March I swear you were going like the perverbial "bat out of hell"--------I
gave up trying to catch you, and your even faster friends, before I even started.
Vision and wiseness (is that a word?) comes with age, and you obviously prove that with your choice of tires.
Viva Neal Johns!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64606
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I wish they would bring back Armstrong TRU-TRACS !!
I got them on my Jeep back in 1976, from Dick Cepek!
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I wish they would bring back Armstrong TRU-TRACS !!
I got them on my Jeep back in 1976, from Dick Cepek! |
------even the Armstrong Norseman worked pretty well on small vehicles, and was tough as nails----worked really well on my Isuzu Trooper. Armstrong
was a great innovator in the off-road tire scene back then-----now gobbled up by some other (can't remember who) tire company.
BA
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