# Best TIRES for HIGHWAY & SAND ?



## ez2cdave

*Which brands, models, and tread patterns work the best for Highway and Sand driving ?

I have been taking a look at these, but welcome any help & suggestions . . .

http://www.ntwonline.com/33X12.50R15LT-C-BLK-Wild-Peak-A-T-Nitto-Tire.html#.UmVUGBClCrY

The vehicle is a K5 Blazer and I am looking at 33" diameter tires on 15" diameter rims.

Thanks !*


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## Bocefus

Michelin LTX


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## Jersey Hunter

Bocefus said:


> Michelin LTX


*1 The tread on the one your looking at look fine too.


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## fishin757

BFG all terrines for me. i run 33x12.50 and dont need to air down


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## Jersey Hunter

fishin757 said:


> BFG all terrines for me. i run 33x12.50 and don't need to air down


you don't NEED to air down with any tire it's just easier on your trans, cooling system, and the beach. And you don't need 300hp either the old four banger jeeps did fine. low range helps too mine is in 3rd gear before I go 30ft.


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## jmadre

Jersey Hunter said:


> you don't NEED to air down with any tire it's just easier on your trans, cooling system, and the beach.


I need to air down or I'm not moving more than a few feet with the 50 PSI/70 PSI I normally run, but I agree with your point.

I wish that people that refuse to air down would realize how bad the beach and ramps get cut up because they don't air down. Take a look at the ramps that are wide enough to have separate tracks for entrance and exit and you'll see how much smoother the 'exit' tracks are than the 'entrance' side. I think this is because many people finally air down when they get stuck on the beach.

I'm not sure if it's a macho thing, but dropping your air pressure will not cause impotence or increased estrogen levels.(1) Also, studies show that chicks dig guys with low tire pressure.(2)

(1) No proof, but it's unlikely.
(2) No studies exist that I'm aware of, but it could happen.


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## jmadre

By the way, any tread should be fine if you air down sufficiently. Also, a tire with a tall sidewall will deform more easily than a low-profile tire. This will help you float instead of digging. 33's on 15's should work just fine as long as you drop the pressure and take it easy.


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## fishin757

yeah before i got my bigger tires i took bald street tires and aired down to 20 or 24 and did fine. the only reason i dont air down now is because my track is already wider than most of the ruts out there already plus the rated psi is 35 and they bulge pretty well and dont dig in too much


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## fishin757

jmadre said:


> Also, studies show that chicks dig guys with low tire pressure.(2)


well ill guess ill get some beadlocks and run 5PSI from now on hahaha


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## NC KingFisher

You just need some 56" mud bloggers and a 18in lift


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## ez2cdave

I agree that 33" X 12.50" X 15" is the way to go . . . 

Now, I just need to settle on a brand.


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## fishin757

BFG all day. they get me in and out of the mud, sand and ive tried to do doughnuts in the snow but i couldnt even though i know i could


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## ez2cdave

*I found an interesting article . . .

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/wheels-tires/129-1204-4x4-tire-guide/*


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## Sahara54

jmadre said:


> I wish that people that refuse to air down would realize how bad the beach and ramps get cut up because they don't air down. Take a look at the ramps that are wide enough to have separate tracks for entrance and exit and you'll see how much smoother the 'exit' tracks are than the 'entrance' side. I think this is because many people finally air down when they get stuck on the beach.
> 
> I'm not sure if it's a macho thing, but dropping your air pressure will not cause impotence or increased estrogen levels.


Exactly... I always seem to find the bouncing ruts of someone who didn't air down and used the stupid pedal to get though.

Back on topic...I've ran a number of tires on the beach here's what I think.

BFG A/T's (33x12.50) - 01 Jeep TJ Sahara - Great beach tire x 4. I still air down to make the Jeep happy.
Kuhmo Mud Ventrue (32x11.50) - Sahara - Stay away, dug to china at 10# but great for rock climbing. 
Goodyear MT/R (32x11.50) - 95 YJ 4cyl - No bad complaints, nothing extraordinary either.
Firestone Destination A/T (235/75/15) - S15 Jimmy - Great tire, air'd down to 20# and did what ever I wanted without worry. 

I'd look for something with a nice tight tread pattern to help the float.


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## jmadre

Sahara54 said:


> Firestone Destination A/T (235/75/15) - S15 Jimmy - Great tire, air'd down to 20# and did what ever I wanted without worry.


That one's on my short list when I have to replace the factory tires.


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## wannabeangler

Michelin LTX M/S are the best without a doubt!


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## castingsfun

Check out there website.



For educational purposes.


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## Lynn P.

You try that between ramp 27 & 30 on Hatteras Is. you're going to have a tow bill-way too aggressive for sand-been using Michelin LRX-M/S for 25 yrs.--thought I was stuck big time a couple of yrs. ago until I dropped pressure to 14# and backed right out of some nasty %^&* sand. Hatteras ain't Baja......


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## Bocefus

Michelin LTX all the way. Great ride, last a long time and not aggressive in the sand. No road noise either.


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## GlenS

BFG on my truck..(285 70 17) Its like the ford vs gm debate.... they all work... Have to air down in my truck 60 psi on the road wont work on beach... Trucks too heavy and why put that much heat in your tranny, motor and transfercase trying to run too much air... I drop to 18-25 psi and go anywhere in 2wd if i use my head...4wheel when i feel it starting to change... just my .02 on what works for me.


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## dudeondacouch

just get road tires. you don't need tread for sand; you don't want tread for sand.


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## Alexy

For a suburban or chevy pick up look at the BFG Long Trail T/A or Commercial T/A(10 ply and agressive tread). Great milage on the roads, no noise and great in the sand. DO NOT get the Long Trail T/A touring ...they suck in the sand ( We got 2 on the front a few years back and they turned into doughnuts in the sand and did not do anything for getting around in sand and were not very good in snow.


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## ThePitbullofLove

jmadre said:


> That one's on my short list when I have to replace the factory tires.


I've been quite happy with the Firestones on my Passport. No issues in snow, mud, or sand, thus far, and they're pretty darn nice riding and quiet on the highway.

YMMV as always, but from me, the Destination A/T get the thumbs up.


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## Alexy

Firestones are hit or miss. I had one set of LTX truck tires go 58K with a little left, the next set on the same truck driven the same way lasted barely 37K and that was with them going to the dump because the tread on all 4 were down below the wear indicators.


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## mdsurffishing

Has anyone tried the Pro Comp all terrain?


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## jef400dread

BFG ATs are great. Silent on the road, and well suited for sand. The only drawback I know of for these tires is their price. When I was pricing BFG Mud Terrains for my latest truck, I could get Nittos (in 33") for $50-75 less per tire. I think MTs are a little more pricey that ATs but BFGs are more than Nittos.

I've switched from Nitto Mud grapplers to Trail grapplers after a winter with some snow. MGs are terrifying on a diesel in fresh snow. I also noticed the TGs are much quieter. IDK if they're as quiet as BFG ATs (or their MTs)but it's night and day comparing noise levels in the MGs and TGs.

The deepest softest sand I've ever had a truck in (Avon near ramp 38), was my 04 Taco (TRD O/R) with about 10psi in my Nitto TGs. It was up to the frame. I put it in 4 wheel low, locked the rear diff, and crawled out in reverse. I think my 1 ton diesel Ram with 37" MGs would've burried itself in it. 

If you money's no object, I'd get the BFG MTs in as big a size (and sidewall) as you can fit. They'll look badass, be quiet, and last forever. BFG ATs have a more tamed appearance, but will probably perform equal to the MTs in everything except deep mud. 

The Pro Comp's have a similar tread pattern to some tires I looked at, but I couldn't find anyone that had used them and vouched for them.


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## John Smith_inFL

what year is your *K-5* ??
I bought a 1977 K-5 new when I was in Norfolk and fished a LOT on the *OBX*.
Traded out the street tires for *Michelin 15" R70* steel belted wide radials and they worked great. Both street and beach.


> you don't need tread for sand; you don't *want* tread for sand


A/T tread acts like a thousand little shovels that will quickly bury a 4x4 up to the gills !!!! the more smoother, the more gooder @ 20/25psi

jus my dos centavos


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## Sandbar

jmadre said:


> Sahara54 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Firestone Destination A/T (235/75/15) - S15 Jimmy - Great tire, air'd down to 20# and did what ever I wanted without worry.
> 
> 
> 
> That one's on my short list when I have to replace the factory tires.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree. My wife's '14 Cherokee has those tires and they're on my Top 3 Replacements list as well for when I'm ready to replace the Goodyear Forteras on my Grand Cherokee.


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## wintersun

Best tires I know of for sand are the Nitto Dune Grappler tires. They have reinforced sidewalls to prevent punctures when the tires are run at low pressure off road. Easy to find dealers selling these tires.


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## scoutin4reds

I've driven in the sand of the Mojave, the Dunes at Glammis, the desert around AZ and the sand up and down the beaches of NC. I'd say that sand is sand no matter where you go, sure there might be a little more hardpack underneath in some areas of the desert, but then again we don't have dunes that are hundreds of feet tall in NC either. A paddle tire is gonna move a lot more material than a tire with a rounder surface which will float on top as mentioned in here before. I have used BFG KM2 M/Ts which are like paddle tires, and they go through sand great, like nothing I've ever tried before. I've currently got Goodyear Adventure A/Ts and they need to be aired way down to be able to do half what the BFG M/Ts were able to do, but the adventure A/Ts are great on the street. I like the 33x12.5-15, sounds like a solid set-up.


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## ez2cdave

BarefootJohnny said:


> what year is your *K-5* ?? I bought a 1977 K-5 new when I was in Norfolk and fished a LOT on the *OBX*.


It's a 1987 . . . Sorry for the late reply.


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## Phaedrus

I have 50k miles on my Duratrac's (35ish by 12.5ish). I have a 2012 Rubicon. They have been great aired down on the beach, great on the highway- except for scary hydroplaning a couple of times in deeper water on the street. I still have another 10k or more miles to go on them. Air pressure has routinely been checked and I have rotated them regularly.


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## Elgreco

Im looking at either hankook dynapro ATM's or cooper discoverer at/3's for my patriot as my next tire. Dont drive on the beaches but there is a lot of sand and clay where i go wheeling.


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