BFG MT KM2 vs. Toyo Open Country MT

[CA-RJ]

I have started looking for my next tire and have settled on trying a set of 255/85R16's. I currently have a set of BFG MT KM2's on my 4Runner now but am very interested in the Toyo MT's. The real question I have is if the Toyo's are worth the extra $80-$100 per tire? Have any of you run both and do you like one over the other?

[frgtwn]

I have not used both myself, but have ridden shotgun on both. Too soon to tell on the KM2s.

Price: Km2 $181

http://www.onlinetires.com/products/...++n%252Fa.html


Toyo MTs $209 (presently out of stock)

http://www.tiresdirect.net/TOYO_Open..._P5024C176.cfm

[1911]

I have started looking for my next tire and have settled on trying a set of 255/85R16's. I currently have a set of BFG MT KM2's on my 4Runner now but am very interested in the Toyo MT's. The real question I have is if the Toyo's are worth the extra $80-$100 per tire? Have any of you run both and do you like one over the other?

I'm running both right now, one set each on two different 4WD trucks. I've got more than 50,000 miles on the Toyo Open Country MT's and only about 5,000 miles on the KM2's.

Toyo Open Country MT's: Very strong sidewall, very rock/cut resistant. Long tread life but (like most mud tires) they have become very noisy with age. The sidewalls are so stiff that they must be aired way down to soften for traction, like 10-11 psi (I have never rolled a bead even at those pressures). They grip well in dirt and on rocks when aired down, they have surprised me with how well they did in snow, but contrary to the "MT" appellation they do not do very well in mud, at least in thick clay mud the lugs fill quickly and lose traction. I'm pleased with the strength and tread life of these tires. If strength and puncture resistance are your primary need, these are the tires for you.

BFG KM2's: Better highway ride than the Toyos, softens better at reasonable psi than the Toyos. Excellent traction off-road when softened, good traction in snow, better traction in mud than the Toyos. Have yet to have a puncture or flat in these tires, but I don't have that many miles on them. Difficult to balance (took a lot of wheel weights). I hope these tires will last a long time because I like them. I hope they are puncture-resistant but the sidewalls are definitely softer than the Toyos. If you want a mud tire with pretty decent road manners that still performs well off-road, these tires are a good choice.

Hope this is helpful -

[BigAl]

I have a few thousand miles on a set of KM2s. They are nice on the street, but in the mud they are not that great. You can't have it all

[pulltilbroke]

I am kinda in the same predicament as the OP but my decision is down to the Maxxis Bighorn and the BFG KM2 in the 255/85 size.

Has any one ran both of these tires? If so what are your thoughts and opinions of each. Is one better than the other? I like BFG tires and never have had any issues with em but have never ran any Maxxis stuff yet. I also like the fact that the BFG is a ten ply E range tire rated at 3400 whereas the Maxxis is only a D range rated at 3000.

These will be going on my 90 Dodge CTD, It weighs right at 6500-7000 Just riding around home with my usuall tools and other things. Loaded weight would be around 8000-8500.

[T.C.]

The way I've always understood it is that they are both great tires, the Toyos are better for the 3/4 and up guys and the BFGs are better for the 1/2 ton and jeep types. I've tried tires on my 2500 that were great on my ramcharger but sucked ding dongs on the heavier rig...

[sovereign]

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[4Rescue]

I'd say keep the BFG's... Toyo's for SOME unknown reason command a premium price. I'd rather have the extra change and Tires I KNOW will last a long time... The KM2's have proven them selves here in the NW to me, the Toyo's just haven't cut it. FWIW both sets of tires are on identicaly built XJ cherokee's and the traction in the NW soup has been NOTICABLE. Granted NEITHER of them have the dig of the OLD BFG KM's but then the new KM2's are ALOT quieter and last longer so...PLus they do well in snow. Neither one is as good as the Venerable BFG AT-KO's in SNow. The KM2's SIPED are the better of the two choices.

Toyo's run quiet, but if you're running a true Mud Tire is this really a concern??? Neather of the are Boggers, but the BFG's just perform better in my conditions... You may find the Toyo's work better where you are, but again, IMO they don't perform well enough to cost that much. PLus I KNOW the carcas of the BFG's to be alot more solid while still air-ing down well. The Toyo's were stiff as could be (both the same 33X21.50 size too, again both mounted on Jeep XJ's of near identical build) and air-ing down didn't seem to make that much difference. The BFG's were MUCH different. Air-d down they were even grippier and worked on all sorts of terrain from Rocks to Wet, nasty roots.

What really suprised me was that my 33x10.50 AT's out perfomrmed the Toyo's in nearly every category BUT the deep mud (I still got through just had to gas it more... The Toyo's cleaned out better, but ONLY marginaly) Then wehn it came time to crawl I got through ALOT easier then the Jeep on teh Toyo's... Granted my 4Runner weigh's more and has a better W/b for climbing, but the Jeep on the KM2's was really shining.

That's my experience and opinon... The NW is a very uh..."different" place compared to most other wheeling grounds. Espescialy this time of year. I will say though we've got it all, from Rocks to Roots to Mud to Snow. THe BFG KM2's are what I'm going to after my AT's wear out.

Cheers

Dave

[lwg]

Figure I would chime in on the Toyo Open Country in size 265/75/16 on a roughly 6300 lb Land Rover Discovery II.

I actually love the tires. I'm about to purchase my second set in the coming months as mine are starting to get pretty bald for off-road. I have used them all over the PNW and recently in Moab during torrential downpours that turned everything to red clay. I thought the traction was great on the mud and felt I had more confidence than the others did in that situation. I have also found them to be amazing in snow, both powder and packed.

I suspect getting opinions on tires is very subjective as ones ideas as to what works really depends on the setup of the vehicle, including tire size and weight of vehicle, as well as air pressure, wear on tires, temperature of use etc. Additionally the same tire on two identical vehicles can appear to perform very differently when in fact it's the various driving styles of the driver that are the variable.

In the end it's whatever tire gives you that perceived confidence in those hairy situations that matter. Sometimes that extra confidence is just enough to get you through without incident.

[1911]

Which would you say is better for hardpack snow and ice?

Hmmm... I've driven both trucks in snow and ice, and they both did surprisingly well. I'd probably give a slight nod the Toyo's, but mostly because I've driven them in the snow and ice fairly frequently but the BFG KM2's only once.