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Hi, saw your post.. Ive heard bad things about the Khumos ... although I like the look of the tread pattern personally.
Insa Turbos are generally one of the best tyre you can fit, and the special tracks seem to be regarded as the most extreme.
As no doubt you will have seen, We run Diamond backs. these are remoulds of dubvious quality but they certainly are awsome off road.
Generally speaking most people opt for the Insa's. and, if you shop around you can get them quite cheap.
if you are going to run standard suspension, then your choices will be limited and you will soon discover that the biggest problem will be grounding out.
We origionally (10 years ago) had standard suspension and when we changed to mud tyres, soon were on the phone to KAP Suzuki to order a 2" suspension lift.
Former owner of Little "Ooky", who has now started a new life in Shetland
you could look at 195/15 Mud terrains, or 215/75/15's which are a little bigger,both are slightly bigger than standard.
Lots of people rate the Khumo KL 71's, I prefer cheaper remould tyres such as kingpin highlander (diamond pattern) etc as not too dear to replace when damaged, not sure if theyre available in 195/15's
As far as I know there are no 205/70/15 mud tires.
However, when I went to moscow, I saw Russian made Cordiant Off Road 205/70/15. They are really good. Almost the same as BFG MT and they weight as BFG which makes them even better.
The price in Russia is about 350USD for 4 tires. BFG MT cost 850USD.
I run Khumho KL71's. They are Ok in mud until it gets really, really thick and gloopy and it is then that they start to not be as good as say an Insa Turbo Special Track or Amazon style patterns.
They are however a MT that is exceptionally quiet on the road and offers good grip on the road.
I would therefore recomment them to anyone who wants to go off road and do some serious off roading but has to use their vehicle a great deal on the road.
Being a new tyre rather than remould, they offer greater peace of mind when on the road too and balance up better than remoulds - ie: they can be balanced perfectly rather than roughly!
To say it is a bad tyre off road would be to do it an injustice, but it is not an extreme MT, just a normal MT.
I have to say that I started off roading about 3-4 years ago now and most people were happy with Colways and the like, which are nowhere near as good as the Kumho's.
Extreme patterns were for winch challengers only, now everyone wants them and nothing else. What do you actually need for your type of off roading and realistically, will the extreme tyres get you much further?
Kirkynut
The underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win - Edgar Watson Howe.
I agree. I always ran diamond backs because the tread and grip are superb.
However they are an extreme tyre and you feel as though driving on ice when on normal roads.
Offroad however the grip is superb. they dig deep in mud and as long as you can rotate the wheel to clear the treads, they never clog up.
On wet grass, they bite deep and it is quite easy to see the chunks of grass and mud thrown up when you accelerate away.
I wanted special tracks, but donot want to sacrifice grip. however a more robust tyre would be better as I keep tearing off treadblocks on the sharp flint
Former owner of Little "Ooky", who has now started a new life in Shetland
I'd love special tracks as my jimmny is a second car and only used for laning, but I was worried that in 30" diameter i might get too much grip and start breaking diffs and shafts. In the end i went for diamond pattern which were dirt cheap remoulds, doesnt matter if i tear them as theyre easy to replace, grip better than i expected, certainly better than BFG's ive had before - never last as long as a BFG though!
Pleased with my diamonds anyway, wouldnt swap them.
We are close to 29" with the Diamond backs, and have been lucky I think.
Going to get a set of BFG's for the winter though ... Not sure how the MT's would cope in Snow and ice (if we have any) plus to make the driving a little less precarious when were not playing in the mud.
Like you though FunkyJimny, we love our diamond treads to bits.
Former owner of Little "Ooky", who has now started a new life in Shetland
Saving shafts and CV's is another reason why I don't have extreme MT's, only MT's, as funkyjimny says.
I have been told that they are as strong as 410 bits but not as strong as 413 bits.
I have given ours quite a bit of shocking whilst at Slindon safari this year when we've gone up a climb and arrived at the top with the front wheels spinning and landed on them with no damage. If I had higher grip tyres I fear it might not have been the same story. A lighter right foot could always be the answer though I suppose.
I have followed a Jimny in 195/80/15 Recip Trials in the Challenger4x4 winch challenges this year and they have broken quite a few CV's. It might be cos they have been dragging it all over the show with the winch and the wheels at an angle but with those tyres on I wouldn't have expected the trouble they've had.
So in short, I don't want to risk it and will save money on more tyres and damage by sticking with my Khumho's!
Kirkynut
The underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win - Edgar Watson Howe.
