Tyre chatter

[Rechardt]

Let me begin by saying that I am not a brand ambassador for Maxxis.
But I wanted to share my experience on the Maxis RAZR A/T
I have always been a BF Goodrich man and have had many sets on previous vehicles. Very hard tyre, but gives you lots of kilos. On a previous set of A/T's, I once got close to 100k KMS on a set and that was at just about every possible pressure and terrain driving from sand to mud to dunes to rocks..
For those that know, I think we can agree, BF's A/T are the ^s%^ est tyres in wet and rain and as for Mud, they will leave you bogged.
On a V6 with lots of power on tap, in wet or slippery conditions. you will go nowhere on BF's.
I ran a set of Maxxis Big horns on a previous vehicle and I was very happy. But is just happened that everytime I bought a new car, they came with BF's.
A few months ago, I took the 24k Plunge and fitted a set of Maxxis RAZR A/T 265/70/17.
Now I am again reiterating, I am not a MAXXIS brand ambassador and I am also not saying it is the best tyre as I have not tried Patriots or Renegades or Coopers or Appolos, so I cannot speak about the performance of those tyres.

I am super impressed with the MAXXIS RAZR A/T.. ( Cannot speak for the MUDS as I have not used them)
The compound is softer than BF's and this molds better especially over rocks. Due to the fact that it is softer, it does not slip as easy as the BF's. if the rocky terrain is wet.
The MAXXIS also do not "chip" on the edges or the threads as the BF's does. I have lost chunks out of the BF's.

Wet weather driving, This where IMO the Maxxis beat the BF's hands down.
Returning from Botswana last week, I exited the pans running at 2bar and due to sheer lazziness I did not deflate back up.
I drove back to Martins drift the next day and hIt a storm of epidemic proportions as I got to Palapye, so much so that one could not see the Bullbar or Ariel.
Due to the opening of the new Kazangula bridge, the entire A1 and A3 is ridiculous with trucks and these that know, the spray from these trucks in the rain is very dangerous. Hit a convoy of ZALAWI copper transport trucks and you know what I am talking about.
The Maxxis stuck like glue to the tar road that was probably a few cms covered with water. My ave speed was 90/100 in the wet due to visibility.( Yeah I know.. very irresponsible) But the point is the confidence I had in the tyres and knowing what it can and cannot do. Okay sometimes you can argue, Its not the car or the tyres, Its the driver.(VIN DIESEL)

As I have experienced driving BF's in wet, I can say, the Maxxis beat the BF's by far in terms of traction and road holding. The Maxxis did not skip a beat.

[jakeslouw]

I agree. BFGs are overpriced rubbish. Don't get me starter on Cooper.

[Mad Manny]

Nice write up Rechard.
Grips will here now to tell you that you are wrong....

I'll definately try Maxxis when next I need 4x4 tyre's.

[iandvl]

I am also not a MAXXIS brand ambassador. But the set of MAXXIS RAZR A/T's I've got are fantastic. I currently rate them as the best tyres I've had on the truck.

[PsyPhin]

Got about 30 000km on mine.
Lekker things. About 9mm thread left. No punctures, bubbles etc and sometimes I am in a hurry offroad and just need to drive without worrying about what the tyre is up to.
1.8 bar

I checked all 4 now and if I had to nitpick, there are about 3 cracks / chunk issues I can see. Not close to what some of my previous brands were.

Looks like its time to rotate actually...

[Trolly Fan]

I am also not a brand ambassador, but I only use Maxxis nowadays.
Softer compound compared to BFGs means it does not last as long, but I rather stay alive and being survived by my tires!

Another factor not mentioned in the OP is sidewall. Stronger sidewalls may be better for side cuts, but strong (meaning stiffer) sidewalls means that it can potentially de-bead easier too.
I find that although Maxxis bulge more than BFs, they do not cut easily on rocks or dry sticks, provided pressure is right.

[BushWacker]

... never used Maxis mainly only BFGs & Wranglers.
Continentals probly the worst/ most dangerous.
If it rains I dont scream outside around on tar roads or
gravel let alone in mud like a wild lunatic etc.
Just completed a circa 1600km return trip to Bhanga Nek
... Jbg- wakestroom, gravel to Vryheid tar and gravel to Kosi area .. cruised at typical 80-90kph on tar and averaged 40-50kph on gravel.
Arrived at a remote flooded 150m river crossing with a stranded transporter van stationary in the middle... a local car got through and I followed his line without hassle or hindrance ... at maybe 30-40" deep on fully inflated.
Pair of BFGs at back and pair of Wranglers on front axle.
Ive never had a blow out and only 2 side-cuts in 20 yrs
both on curbstones. Generally Im inflated at 2.5bar though reluctantly, on Kosi sand/dust, dropped to 1.5 ...
Dont qualify to be a Maxxi Ambassador, to be honest ...

[Bugjuic]

Nice thread!

My sets of tires thus far have given me interesting data so far:

1. Continentals World contact A/T -Worst tires I have ever owned by far! No grip wet, dry and tears off when off-roading, threw them away after 20k km

2. Bridgestone dueler A/T - Great mileage, over 110k km of mixed road, tear on the sharp threads and not the best sidewalls

3. Falken Wildpeak (AT01) - Absolutely brilliant tires! Best grip wet and dry, almost 9 years old when I changed them, got them with my Fortuner and did not think much of them, decided I would just drive and trash them, but they would just not let up, drove them personally for more than 60k km, still the best tire I have ever used (AT3W in picture)

4. Cooper AT3-LT - Current tires on my vehicle, about 30k km done on them, not impressed, does well on dry tarmac and not too bad on wet, but showing its age very quickly with sidewall cracks and chuncks torn after some rock driving, also very heavy and has decreased my fuel consumption about 0.8km/l (which is quite bad if you only get 7km/l max). Not the easiest tires to deflate, but fairly strong sidewalls.

Cooper AT3 LT.jpg (11.5 KiB) Viewed 690 times

Had the opportunity to do some testing on the Maxxis AT 811's, very impressed with them! If you have a look at the build of them and pattern in which they increase when deflating, combined with the profile (Like BF) they do not raise any sharp corners, which makes it less susceptible to tear over rocks.

Should I have the choice of my next tires it would be a difficult choice between Maxxis AT811 and Falken Wildpeak AT03.

[grips]

You say Maxxis

Not saying it is a bad product but we have lost three 35`s and two 33`s due to side wall cuts. Pricy experience

[Trolly Fan]

You say Maxxis

Not saying it is a bad product but we have lost three 35`s and two 33`s due to side wall cuts. Pricy experience

Which tyres do you use, and why?
We can all learn

[Mad Manny]

Christo is BFG befok...

[jakeslouw]

Certain areas will need a tyre with extreme sidewall hardness, 3 plies or more and a harder tread. In Grips' case, maybe BFG works for him.

For the rest of you mall crawlers, where 99% of the tread wear is on tar, I suggest a spare set of rims. Put the cheaper Highway Terrain tyre on your bling rims. Put your MT/AT/low profile slicks on another set of rims. It takes 30 minutes max to swop some rims. None of you mall crawlers go off-roading on a whim, so don't tell me you need to be running hellishly expensive tyres to the shop and back. Swop your wheels around before you go wheeling or on an "off tar" trip. (The low profile slicks would work well with chrome rims and fit in pretty well in the JHB northern suburbs, next to the dropped AMG Gelandewagens at Broadacres).

[PsyPhin]

Would any tyre have survived whatever did this?

[Trolly Fan]

Certain areas will need a tyre with extreme sidewall hardness, 3 plies or more and a harder tread. In Grips' case, maybe BFG works for him.

For the rest of you mall crawlers, where 99% of the tread wear is on tar, I suggest a spare set of rims. Put the cheaper Highway Terrain tyre on your bling rims. Put your MT/AT/low profile slicks on another set of rims. It takes 30 minutes max to swop some rims. None of you mall crawlers go off-roading on a whim, so don't tell me you need to be running hellishly expensive tyres to the shop and back. Swop your wheels around before you go wheeling or on an "off tar" trip. (The low profile slicks would work well with chrome rims and fit in pretty well in the JHB northern suburbs, next to the dropped AMG Gelandewagens at Broadacres).

Just because I live in a suburb does not make me a "mall crawler". I speak for others too.
Yes, granted if you live in a suburb you do not expose your car to sharp stones daily, but,

An extra pair of rims and rubber is not viable either.

- It is a bulky load to carry to and from the tyre swop shop
- Swopping wheels is not free either.
- 'SupaQuick' is also not always super quick.

[jakeslouw]

Just because I live in a suburb does not make me a "mall crawler". I speak for others too.
Yes, granted if you live in a suburb you do not expose your car to sharp stones daily, but,

Hmmmm.......how many kilos do you do a year on the tyres and what is your OFF ROAD percentage? (Graded dirt roads do not count)

An extra pair of rims and rubber is not viable either.

- It is a bulky load to carry to and from the tyre swop shop
- Swopping wheels is not free either.
- 'SupaQuick' is also not always super quick.

4 wheels stacked in a corner. A trolley jack, a wheel spanner, 30 minutes, and you've swopped a set? Why the HELL use a tyre shop to swop a wheel?