Switching to Military Tires

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raevenzero

4Runner Addict
Apr 5, 2013
14
Quad Cities
I've looked all over the net for reviews and they haven't been too great. The best part is always the price. However, I haven't found much info on the new BFG Baja's or the new Goodyear MT/R's.

I drive an '85 4Runner with a turbo'd and intercooled 3L diesel with 35's. I was running 4.88's, but I busted the pinion in the rear, so I went up to 5.29's. Unfortunately, I don't like the 5.29's with the diesel as much as I probably would have with the 22R. I still like to drive it to trails that are within a few hours. Although, I was well under redline, it seemed like the engine was running a little too hard on the highway. I also noticed a big decrease in fuel economy and a lot more blowby. My boost was also way too high, but that's another story. I decided I wanted some 37's.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've looked at some pretty expensive 37's. I've also looked at some pretty expensive beadlocks. Finally, I found some surplus 37" MT/R's for a good price. From the few threads that I have read about these new ones, a D range MT/R should do great on my rig and last quite a while. If I puncture one, which I have bad luck with, I'm not out that much money. I decided that I will purchase these and do my best to review them for a light rock/trail rig.

As for rims, I will be running military double-beadlocks that the tires are made for. I am going to recenter them myself using my plasma cutter and a mig. I'll purchase centers from rogue-fab and inserts and rock rings will come from TWF. I've had good luck with using airsof pellets as balancing media in the past. These are heavy tires, so I think I will go with 11-12oz in each. After all is said in done, I am hoping to have 5 double beadlocked 37" wheels for under 1.5k.

I'm hoping to pick these up this weekend up in Marshfield, WI if I can work out a pickup time and the weather is good. I'll try to sell what's left of my 35's to recoup some of the money.

If these turn out to be worthless, I'll sell them and put the money towards some 16.5's in another brand.
 
The only downside to the Military stuff is weight...the beadlocks are heavy, and the tires are too. I'd be surprised if there was any gain with regards to your road manners.

I've got two-ish year old Goodyear MTR Kevlar's on my FZJ80 and have few complaints. They wear like iron, haven't chunked too terribly, have a TON of road miles on them (plus plenty of trail miles from around the country). One puncture due to a construction nail. They are W O R N now tho, badly, and they have never impressed me in light snow. On my list to replace, VERY soon, just not sure what I want to go with.
 
The biggest complaints I have heard are weight and compound. I'll be stuck with the weight and can't really avoid it much except for using the lightest rock rings I can find or not using any at all. I'll be running the 24-bolts.

As for the compound and grip, I may end up grooving them so that they are a bit more flexible and better in snow, etc. My current tires are getting pretty old and although they are holding up well, I don't trust them anymore. This is the most affordable route I can take with a lot of work being a trade-off. Like I said, the bonus is being able to replace tires cheaply if I do every have problems.

I could also get the BFG Baja T/A's which have the same tread pattern of the BFG MT's that I am currently running. Unfortunately, these don't have the side lugs which I think are great for rocks and washes.
 
The old MTR's had a fairly weak sidewall. I've seen many of them blown out. The BFG Baja ta's are a heavy tire, but very durable. Just don't use them in any wet/muddy/icy conditions. They were built to be a bullet proof tire while racing in the desert. And at that, they excel.
 
For inexpensive tires try Treadwright. They retread 37" hummer tires with the old MTR pattern. They call the Guard Dog, I think. I'm running the old tread pattern on my Scout. When I got them I had them mounted on some aluminum wheels and balanced out very easily. The tire guys were very impressed.
 
I've looked at Treadwright in the past. I usually don't see tires in stock. Looks like they do have the 16.5's though. I really like the Kedge grip idea and have told other people about it in the past.

However, the tires I am getting are $125 ea vs. the $205-215 for the Guard Dogs.

EDIT: I also noticed that the Guard Dogs don't have the side lugs.
 
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I'm about to order a 3rd set of TreadWrights...huge fan for winter driving. They are "okay" for highway use, but the noise/howl does get a bit much on long trips. I'm planning a set of 315's for this winter on my current wheels then get "something else" once the wheeling season starts.
 
Mace: Are you refering to the RT's or the OZ's?

Woody: Are you running the Kedge Grip versions? If not, these should be pretty much the same tire.
 
Kedge, definitely...winter traction is simply amazing...we've got Blizzak's on the GX470 and I'd FAR prefer the TW w/ Kedge
 
Principally the OZ's.

All of the RT's I have seen have been hard as rocks. Not much flex or traction so the people I have known that used them had more fun with them as a burnout tire than anything else.
 
Wow, and I've heard so much about the Blizzak's. My BFG's don't feel very good in the snow. I had to drive in 4wd today and with the lockers, all of the little unpredictable manerism scare the crap out of me.

I'm definitely going to sipe the hell out of these when I get them. My next tires will probably be the Kedge TW's, especially if they start getting the sidewalls from these new Goodyears. I really wish the BFG's had the side lugs. The only reason I want them is that I have seen quite a few times where I have had mud build up and chunking on the side lugs, leading me to believe that they were doing something.
 
Yes. But it does get me from A-B before the roads are clear and if I do slide off, I'm sure I can get back up somehow. I just have to remember to drive slow and make all changes to throttle and clutch SLOWLY.
 

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