Opinions on best 33" tyres

[slowhilux]

OK, so i know they are only 33", and yes 35"s would be a better option (but i dont want to fiddle round with firewall mods), but it comes down to cost and what i use them for. Oh, and i also dont want to swap diff ratios.
They will be used only for 4Bing, as im down at Menai most weekends or frequently going up to the Watagans (and stinging to get back down to Yalwal!!!). I was thinking 33x12.5" BFG Muds (as i have measely 31" BFG AT's on at the moment, they are used for everything), but what other options do i have?? I was goin to buy 34x10.5" Centipedes, but after reading peoples experiences on here, i dont think i will bother!!

Your experiences and opinions would be appreciated.

PS, im not into the "extreme" side of 4wd (so to speak), but dont mind finding what i cant get up....

[Bitsamissin]

I've got 33x12.5x15" BFG muds on 15x8" steelies on my Bishi.
I had 31x10.5x15" BFG all terrains before them and the muds are so much superior it's not funny.
I have the earlier BFG before the KM model and some people seem to think the older ones are tougher in the sidewall.
I'm reasonably happy so far but in very sloppy conditions they can be found wanting. On rocks they are ok.
My next tyres will be JT-2's 33x11.5x15 which measure out to over 34" on the same rims when the BFG's wear out.
From what I've seen from the JT2's (some guys run them in my club) they are way superior to a BFG mud.

[ToNkA]

For a daily driver, I would use the MTR for $$$$ and handling.

I would class the simex as an offroad use only tyre, as to not want to wear em down on the road.

I read simex have a new muddy comming out, thats more of a road going muddy so to speak.

hope that helps.

[NICK]

i had 33 TSL swampers and found them to be good on the road and good offroad. I often had to drive over 100Km on the swampers to go 4wheeling and they wore about the same as the BFG's i had on my cruiser, althou i wouldnt like to drive on them all them time. The TSL's are about 310 each and measure 33x10.5 so they are alittle narrower but that is what you want if you dont want to mod the fire wall, steering etc.

Anyway......

I sold the swampers and am now awaiting a set of goodyear MTR's, the reason i have choosen these tyres is the good reports that i have read coming out of the US as a road and rock tyre. Apparntly they dont go aswell as the BFG or swamper in the mud but then it all depends what you like driving on. I have a 2.4 turbo diesel and i had 4.56 gears and the 33's totally killed it, i regeared at 5.29 and it bought about a whole new truck the thing was good to drive on the highway as i could use 5th gear again and it was alot better around the city. I choose to go with 5.29's as i planned to go to 35+ inch tyres in the future and the diesel have always been alittle under powered.

I would agree with bitsa that the JT2's are a good tyre, although for the money (off memory they are 380) you can get into a 37mtr or 36 swamper, althoug they are between 30-50 dollars per tyre dearer, pending who you know and where you get them.

NICK

[RUFF]

Dont buy the new BFGs i know guys in tyre shops that cant give them away people are comming in and trading them in a lot on different tyres because the new compound of the BFG is wearing real bad.

If i was to buy 33s again i would definatly consider the MTR as an allround tyre.
I ran the 33/11.5 JT2s and loved them if Simex made them in a 37-38 i would have bought them again for sure.But they are not road friendly.

[hypo]

i got a set of 33x12.5x15 BFG MUD KM's & they r ok as all allround tyre but if u run em on the road they wear out quick and i dont drive mine on road that much but also they r softer than the old style and seem 2 round the edges off the lugs really quick.

wen these wear out (not 2 far off considerin i only bought them 7 months ago) ill be going a set of 35" micky claws(carlton) or maybe a set of 37's

[.MYTLUX.]

im fairly sure the JT2's are about $345 in all sizes.

yeh for road/off road tyre go the MTR i too have heard bad things about the bfg KM. i will be gettin 33" mtr's within a few weeks as soon as i have the time to fit my body lift

also for the time being im not changing ratio's(cant afford it ) but have spoken to people about running 33"s with a 2.8d and 4.3 ratio's and it will be slow but not too bad hopefully

[hypo]

i have run 33's in a 2.8 wif 4.3's 4 ages and it aint 2 bad but wen u go lower gears as i did(5.29's) ya wonda y ya didnt do it at the same time

[.MYTLUX.]

$$$$$$ but cplux is selling 4.88 r&P's ill c if i can work somethin out only prob is im in vic.

[Wooders]

IMHO for general street and average trail usage it's hard to better the MT/R.
I run ProComp Muddies which aren't a bad tyre but for the $$$ I'd jump at the MT/R instead.......

Now if it's more offroad then TSL's are my preference (SX are too soft & too $$$).... As I said I've been pretty happy with my 35" PC M/T's....but I now run 36" TSL's on beadlocks for the fun stuff and they are just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better....

[OVERKILL ENG]

I have runn boggers and other brands and the MTR's were better than all on and off road. Cheaper to.

[slowhilux]

That helped heaps!! So now im thinking either 33x11.5" JT2's, or MTR's. Gladly, i dont need a set of rims (got 15x8"'s down the back), hopefully these will be wide enough for the JT2's, but dunno bout the MTR's. As i said in my 1st post, they will ONLY be used for 4WD, oh, and getting to the place i wil be 4bing at. Every other time i will use the 31's (as this is also my work truck )

Keep the opinions coming....its the only way i will be able to make up my mind!

[Bitsamissin]

Both tyre sizes will fit on a 15x8" rim.
If it's an offroad tyre mostly go the JT2's.

[slowhilux]

Nice....ive been talked into it....

Who distributes these in NSW??

[POS]

Dont go rushing into things, i have another option or idea that may help you out.

33's are cool and I know you dont want to change diff ratio's BUT in about six months you will be kicking youself and wondering why you didn't just bite the bullet and get 35's.

Ask how many guys have done this, brought 33's and a couple of months they sold them and got 35's.

You 4wheelen will only get more adventurous in time and 33's will simply not be enough.

In regards to diff ratios, going from 33's to 35's i could hardly notice the difference. (Hint, if your looking at lower ratio's and worried about the expence, you can pick up 5.29's out of the back diff on most 2WD hiluxs for next to nothing, a friend of mine just brought two for $70 each).

Also do you drive a ute, if so have you thought of just leaving you 31's on and throwing ya 35's in the back.

[v8grunt]

Nice....ive been talked into it....

Who distributes these in NSW??

the mtr and pro comp x terrian ae the only off rod tyes which have silica in the compounding and re far bette than any othe tyre in wet condintion (rods and rock) both tyes are good of road and both are ine on road the xterrain wiil out last the mtr by a county mile and are around $60 more to buy. the simex is an ofroad tye only. hope this helps.

[bj on roids]

Dont go rushing into things, i have another option or idea that may help you out.

33's are cool and I know you dont want to change diff ratio's BUT in about six months you will be kicking youself and wondering why you didn't just bite the bullet and get 35's.

Ask how many guys have done this, brought 33's and a couple of months they sold them and got 35's.

You 4wheelen will only get more adventurous in time and 33's will simply not be enough.

In regards to diff ratios, going from 33's to 35's i could hardly notice the difference. (Hint, if your looking at lower ratio's and worried about the expence, you can pick up 5.29's out of the back diff on most 2WD hiluxs for next to nothing, a friend of mine just brought two for $70 each).

Also do you drive a ute, if so have you thought of just leaving you 31's on and throwing ya 35's in the back.

AGREED


ALSO: there is no difference, put a turbo on who needs gears when you got horsepower!!

also, i recommended this to tonka, and now he is trying to sell his 32~ or 33~ tyres to buy 35s~??? ask him

trust us all, bite the bullet get 35s!!
plus the look factor anything else just doesnt cut it!!

[.MYTLUX.]

awww dude i was all set to get 33"s now youve gone and put doubt in my mind .

only prob is i wouldnt be able to fit the R&P's myself , anyone know how much it would cost to heave em fitted????

[bj on roids]

ok, the r&ps are NO PROBLEMO

you see buy the centres complete for $70, all you need is some RTV silicone a 12mm socket, and (some toher assorted stuff)

just remove the axles and put the complete new centres in

EASIER than swapping just r&ps...... and cheaper too, surely you can remove a diff centre?

[slowhilux]

Ok, Ok......i am now geting 35's. Cos what you guys are saying does make a HEAP of sense. I wont be changing the ratios (has 4.88s now), cos the Lexus v8 will be in very shortly, and im sure it has enough guts to turn them 8) . But in saying that, a set of crawler gears would help a great deal too, i spose...........

MMMMMM...........$$$$$$$$$$ to be spent

[hypo]

goto the for sale section dude and put ya name down 4 an AA adapter and run duals

[.MYTLUX.]

BJ how can i get centres for $70?????? if i could i would be gettin them.

POS said $70 for R&P's

[POS]

Nah $70 for complete centre(open).

R&P is to much work.

I dont think you would need to change the ratio any way.

Just run the 35's and then decide if you need a gearing reduction!

[.MYTLUX.]

so these a 2wd 5.29 centres??? might sus it out, but i will loose the LSD but it proly doesnt do shite by now anyway!! (it has 175,000 k's)

POS i reckon i will need to its a 2.8D with 4.3 ratio's!!!

[POS]

I went from ipswich to mannar (about 6 hours north) running on 35 simex's with 4.88's being pushed by a tired old 2.2L 3y and sat on 100 for most of the trip, yes it lugged a bit going up the hills but i also had four 35 Boggers in the back.

But hey for a couple hundred $'s i suppose its cheap enough to change the ratio's.

[antt]

my mate has just put a set of 35's on his 85 2.4d hilux and it sits on 100 quite happily, until it hits even a slight hill, then it's back to fourth and it'll only just pull it up, so he's gonna change his ratio's shortly

[OVERKILL ENG]

There is no substitute for cubes just ask Cheezy

[POS]

Too true

[bobtail]

, stinging to get back down to Yalwal!!!).

PS, im not into the "extreme" side of 4wd (so to speak), but dont mind finding what i cant get up....

Dont root round just buy 35,s and break heaps of gear ( did you find something hard at Yalwal probaly in the picnic area )

[NICK]

you say that you want to put in a lexus V8, so i would......


sell the 4.3 and get 4.1 as they are stronger and the v8 will have more than enough power to push them, but in a dual case and a gear reduction which will bring the lower to somewhere around 170.1, that will be sweet with the v8.

who is swapping in the engine?


NICK