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Best Sierra Nevada tires: MT/R w/ Kevlar or KM2?

3K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  XJohnnyC 
#1 ·
If this has been done before, sorry.

Just wondering what you Nor Cal guys think is the best tire for us, the new MT/R or the new KM2, or something else all together?

Planning on either the 32x11.5 MT/R (unless they come out with a skinny 33") or a 33x10.5 KM2 this summer.

Thanks guys!
 
#2 ·
hahahah we were just talking about that.... kinda...
 
#3 ·
MT/R's are great tires for rocks. They have a REALLY thick sidewall that is very puncture resistant. The old BFG mud terrains had thinner sidewalls and I know I heard of a lot of people having the sidewalls slashed on rocks. But I think they resolved that problem now with the new KM2's. I have the MT/R re treads and have been pretty happy with them. And I know everyone is happy with the KM2's that I have seen so far. You will be happy with either.
 
#5 ·
Me too but, I think either tire is great for this area and terrain we have around here. On my last Rubicon run, I paid close attention to what tires people were running, if they drove to the trail, and how they performed off road. (I'm trying to decide what my next tire will be).
It looked like both those tires performed about the same. Being partial to MTR's, that's likely what I will run.
A word of caution. The new MTR's run BIG. The 35" is about as big as my 37" old style MTR.:eek:
 
#6 ·
When my old MTR's needed to be replaced, I wasn't ready for 35's yet (still not) and I found a screamin deal on a set of CHEAPY 33's on CL, so I'm running those right now, but within a year (hopefully the wife says yes) I'm getting another set of MTR's and will be going 35 then.
 
#8 ·
from what I have read and searched the BFG's have a longer highway life and have more bite over the M/T R's in slick conditions. The 's M/T R's are quiter on the highway and good in mud and loose rocks but a lot of guys say they lack bight when you on slick granite or rocks.


I will probably end up going with the BFG's since there sidewall is now upgraded also. But the big horn maxis M/T is super similar tire to the BFG and way cheaper. The only difference is its a little louder and a weaker side wall from what one of my friends that runs them has said and what I have seen.

but yea theres my opinion.
 
#9 ·
from what I have read and searched the BFG's have a longer highway life and have more bite over the M/T R's in slick conditions. The 's M/T R's are quiter on the highway and good in mud and loose rocks but a lot of guys say they lack bight when you on slick granite or rocks.
I'll agree with the longer life on the BFG's but I think the rest of that is backward.
 
#11 ·
You also have to realize though that the MT/R's are not a mud terrain tire, they are an aggressive all terrain. The MT/R stands for Maximum Traction/Reinforced. They are not going to be as good in mud as the BFG because the MT/R tread has smaller voids.

I think you will find the opposite of what Goober said too about the two tires. The MT/R is going to be better on rocks than the BFG but the BFG will be better in mud than the MT/R. For me, in the Sierras, the choice would be the Goodyears because I will always see more rocks than mud and if I do see mud (I don't go looking for it) the MT/R will get me though it.
 
#12 ·
I just did a full day through trip on th Rubicon with KM-2's they hook up great! I aired down to 10psi (running bead-locks) and tour up the Super bowl. I was crawling things I never tried before with my older coopers. Thumbs way up for these! I didn't even tear up the lugs like I used to.
Plus on the freeway they are quiet!
 
#17 ·
When I lived in Tahoe last fall/winter, I was running some used 35" MT/R's and only ran in 2WD in the couple of light snowstorms we had while I was there. Granted there was only like 3" snow max on the roads, I still did fine. I just took off slow and braked early and never had a problem. Before that I had 33" BFG's, I liked both really.

Again I got my MT/R's used with 2 of them having odd wear due to poor alignment on the XJ I got them off of. they still wore OK, and I've put at least 8K on them and they're just now getting to the end of their life.

Sounds about right. America's Tire quoted me the same, within a dollar or two of that price. If I wasn't dropping all my spare change into my 9" I'd be rockin' a brandy new set of KM2's right now :cheers:
 
#23 ·
I didn't immediately realize that the tire was blown since it was on the rear. I thought something was wrong with the drivetrain since the Jeep seemed to lose power.

My friends driving behind me were trying to get my attention to get me to stop. So after the tire blew, I drove maybe a mile with the tire deflated. That caused the tire to get very hot, melting the rubber and exposing the strands.

So the sidewall DID blow first with no previous damage that would cause the blowout.
 
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