Topic: Need some suggestions

[masterwacker]

All right I have a conundrum that needs addressing.  I have 31x10.5 Goodyear A/T tires on my truck and they are getting to the end of their life.  I was hoping they would last until the end of spring or even summer, but they won't come anywhere close now.  Here's the conundrum:

1) I obviously need new tires, but I do not want to buy 31x10.5 since I am going to do the SAS this upcoming year so buying those tires is a waste of money.  I also don't want to buy an IFS lift which again is a waste of money because of the SAS.  So what I am thinking is that a 2" body lift would let the truck run 33s, is that right?  This way I have a relatively size tire that would fit the SAS.
 
2) The next issue is tire width size, do I go with 10.5 or 12.5.  I would think that the 33x10.5 would get better gas mileage than the 12.5s would.  Does that make sense?  My truck right now is a daily driver, but in the late winter I am getting a company truck so my truck will not be a daily driver.

3) I was planning on getting BFGs but I have heard a lot of people saying that Kumhos are actually better, last longer, and they are definitly cheaper.  By the way I am getting MT just so you know.  What do you guys think?

So with the above rambling and info here is what I need some help with:

1) Go with the 2" body lift and the 33s or is there something else I haven't thought about?  Other than an IFS lift since I am going to be doing a SAS

2) Do I go with the 33x10.5 or 33x12.5 tires?  Is there that much perfomance difference between the tires based just on tread width?

3) Do I go with a know tire, BFG, or go with a tire that I have never heard of until recently, but everyone else I have talked to around here says is better than BFG.  Oh, on a side note BFG is the only tire I have found that actually makes a 33x10.5 and the others only have 33x12.5. 

Basically any suggestions, tips, personal experience, or any other info would be a huge help.  My truck info is in the signature.

[Mike D]

tread width will make a world of difference go with the 12.5's and don't get the BFG's they suck a lot atleast go with a swamper or the MT'R's

[GrimReaper]

If your doing a lot of street driving the BFG's are a good choice.

 I am on my 3rd set (two different trucks) and they wear like iron. The first set I has were 32's. I got over 50K (30k I did and the guy I sold them too got another20+) out of them on a full size Blazer. I ran a set of A/Ts on another truck and was very happy with them. I hae a seto of 35's now (they replaced the 32's) that I just pulled off a K5 I sold and they will go on the 4Runner once I get the SAS done.

 The only real down side on the BFG's is the sidewalls. The two I have destroyed were both side wall damage. That said, both were covered by road hazard. The Swampoers are a lot stornger side wall for sure. If this is a truck that will see as much trail as road then the swampers are proably a better choice. The swampers will wear faster on the street. 

[FIREBALL]

Save your money, go find a set of used 31's that will get you by until you can do your SAS, then buy some 35's or 37's, or 49's (just kiding). Why spend a bunch of money now on a tire that you're are probably going to want to replace with something bigger in 6 months.
If you decide to buy now, the BFG's have always been pretty good for what you want to do right now. I haven't seen anyone around here with Kumhos in a very long time. I remember checking around at all the tire shops trying to find them and couldn't. A buddy of mine had them, and they worked awesome. I was very impressed with them, and like you said the price is very good too. I used to run Uniroyals that worked awesome on and off road, and were very reasonably priced, but years ago the last let I bought started self destructing fromt he inside out, so I stopped buying those.
My turn;
1 Cheap used set to get you by til you SAS and go BIG

2 Kumhos or BFG's and a body lift you're gonna want to take off when you SAS

[83yota]

yep

[79coyotefrg]

what he said,  get some good used 31's or 32's and run till SAS

[MidgetMike]

Dude go to the wrecking yard and get some tires, I found a set or 33 baja claws and  they only cost like 60 bucks with like 70% tread. Baja's suck but I'm just sayin that you can get decient tires for cheap to hold you over I get all my 35 inch BFG's for like 15 bucks a pop with 70-80% tread!!!  I'm kinda poor so I do what I gotta do   

[Fireimp141]

Thats an awesome deal though, i never though of that

[leorn]

yeah get some tires to hold you over

i have 3 325/60r15 all terrains that i'm givin away.  to you if you want them.  they have 1/2 tread.

a couple of other thoughts...you can cut your fenders and fit 33s,  35s with body lift

oh and i went from 31x10.50s to 35x12.50s and lost 1 mpg  so don't worry about the gas mileage.  (i'll probably lose some more when i get my 5.29s in!

[SWAMPER]

It might sound like a broken record but yeah get used tires and run em down till SAS

[blyota91]

I'm all for the used tires as well, but since I have a set of the kumhos I thought I would chime in on that.  Mine are 31X10.50s and I love them.  My truck is daily driven and I wheel it a fair amount.  From what I have done to them the side walls seem pretty rugged.  As for wear I have put about 12K on them I think and I am just starting to notice that they are wearing.  I do mostly pavement driving too, not a lot of dirt roads.  I wheel in the dirt, mud, snow and some rocks and they are holding up well there too.  I drove on them most of last winter here in Vermont and the snow traction is pretty awsome until you try to stop and then they are a little sketchy.  I would definately buy another set of them.