Tire Recommendations Period Correct A/T Tire?

[77Chief77]

I'm looking for an A/T tire (32 x 11.50 x 15) that will match the era of my 77 Cherokee Chief. Anyone have any recommendation? In regards to styling, I really like the BFG All terrain KO originals that were released in 76' but those are now discontinued. Perhaps you guys know of a similar A/T tire to the original KO's or something like them. Thank you.

[REDONE]

EDIT to add pics.

The BFG "KO" tires came out in the early 2000s after BFG Went bankrupt and their properties were acquired by Michelin. ALSO EDIT<<<<I was wrong, that was th KO2s. The Treadwright Warden II is identical to the original BFGs you like.



Period correct for 77 would be the Goodyear Tracker A/T for factory (long discontinued because the tread had no lateral grooves, extremely prone to hydroplaning, no radial version was made when bias tires lost prominence).


A popular replacement tire from BFG was the Trail T/A. Also long discontinued, it was basically a consumer version of the still-popular-for-racing Baja T/A (which is about $1000 a tire).



A close match for the original tread pattern of the Trail T/A is the Mastercraft Wildcat A/T which is reasonably priced but can be hard to track down from time to time.


Another olde'-timey period correct-looking tread is the Toyo M55, which is a still-viable commercial traction tire, and it's kinda pricey because they never wear out, they harden up and dry-rot before the wear bars reach the road.

[77Chief77]

Those look like good choices. Thanks for posting! I'll look into these. Thanks again.

And of course none of these come in 32x11.50r15

[REDONE]

No, 32x11.5R15 was never a common size, and with 15" rims vanishing into history fewer and fewer options will be available as time goes on. Eventually we'll only have 4 or 5 choices between 235/75R15 and 35x12.5R15.

If you can find some 16" wheels that you like (there are 6-slot and 8-hole alloys that look really similar to original in 16" as well as base steelies), then this site can show other 32" diameter tires in bias ply(100% aspect ratio), metric and p-metric sizes to include in your search.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech ... ?techid=53

[77Chief77]

No, 32x11.5R15 was never a common size, and with 15" rims vanishing into history fewer and fewer options will be available as time goes on. Eventually we'll only have 4 or 5 choices between 235/75R15 and 35x12.5R15.

If you can find some 16" wheels that you like (there are 6-slot and 8-hole alloys that look really similar to original in 16" as well as base steelies), then this site can show other 32" diameter tires in bias ply(100% aspect ratio), metric and p-metric sizes to include in your search.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech ... ?techid=53

What are your thoughts on these? . They look old timey, good price, not the best tire in the world but decent reviews...


https://simpletire.com/nankang-32-11.50 ... 2001-tires

[REDONE]

I go out of my way to not buy Chinese stuff but if the choice is between Nanking mudders or BFG anything I'd take the Chinese mud tires!

I have a friend that runs those on his Tacoma and he likes them. He knew they'd be loud and wouldn't balance with wheel weights when he got them, so he ran them for a couple weeks to make sure the tread world separate, then yanked the rim weights and put airsoft pellets in for balance. This voids the warranty but let's the tires wear evenly.

[BCRAWLER]

Those Nankang remind me of the old Buckshot Radial Mudders.

[dodgerammit]

I hated buckshots. The constant roaring got so old, and I only drove the truck occasionally. Was so happy to switch to A/Ts. Never going back to MTs.

[Stuka]

I would be hard pressed to put bias ply tires on anything I own again. I tolerated it when I was young, but no way I would now.

[REDONE]

Haha! I agree with both you guys. I have mudders on my J10 but nobody will ride in it with me, and the last bias ply tires I ran were some obnoxiously knobby 37" intercos. I dreaded those grooves they grind into the pavement on the interstate before they lay down fresh asphalt. It didn't (still doesn't) make any sense why, but those tires with lugs as big as fists would follow those grooves like a train on the tracks!

Fortunately, one would have to go pretty far out of their way to find bias ply tires anymore. STA, Coker, and maybe still Interco, and when any of them you'll be paying a premium for obsolete technology.

[dodgerammit]

Haha! I agree with both you guys. I have mudders on my J10 but nobody will ride in it with me, and the last bias ply tires I ran were some obnoxiously knobby 37" intercos. I dreaded those grooves they grind into the pavement on the interstate before they lay down fresh asphalt. It didn't (still doesn't) make any sense why, but those tires with lugs as big as fists would follow those grooves like a train on the tracks!

The same on those rumble strips should you need to avoid a semi's gator pelt. That strip would hold those M/Ts hard against it.

[dodgerammit]

I'll add my recommendation. No, not period correct, but one of the best tires I've had as far as A/T: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... mpare1=yes


I got mine in 235/75-15 flavor as I wanted close to stock and didn't want whitewalls. They are phenomenal for all weather use. I narrowed between these and Cooper Discoverer AT3s. These won due to the snow rating. I have no complaints, especially in the snow.

I had an appointment with a specialist out of town about 2 years ago. Brother called me and jokingly told me not to go to that town due to it nearly being impassable because everyone was caught off guard and crashing everywhere (Tennesseans). He drives through on his way to work. I told him I had an appointment and was going. I left in plenty of time, avoided the high traffic areas (read interstate), and made it absolutely fine.

The state route roads going in were unmaintained as the DOT's focus was the interstates. I was the only one to show up that morning for my appointment. Everyone else cancelled. I've driven in way worse, but for a stock rig, it behaved like my built Dodge with limited slips on both ends.

Never once did the Jeep feel uncomfortable or gave me any concern of traction issues even up long hills and curves.

[Stuka]

I used an older version of that tire on my wife's old XJ, and they did amazing in snow. I was super happy with them, and they were priced really well.

[77Chief77]

I'll add my recommendation. No, not period correct, but one of the best tires I've had as far as A/T: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js ... mpare1=yes

Oh nice, that looks like a good tire and the price looks good too.

[Hspencer]

I’ve been running these in a 32/12.5/15 stock rims on my 90 GW and just put a set of 305/70/17 on my sons truck. I’ve been very happy with them. Very quiet and do great in the rain. I haven’t had them in the snow or mud but I believe they will do fine in any situation.


https://www.amazon.com/Falken-Wildpeak- ... B01C53DC6I




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[77Chief77]

These look like a good choice in 32x11.50r15 They are the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 Not too aggresive, looks very streetable yet good for wheeling, looks like they would have little road noise, Yokohama is a popular tire brand...

[77Chief77]

I’ve been running these in a 32/12.5/15 stock rims on my 90 GW and just put a set of 305/70/17 on my sons truck. I’ve been very happy with them. Very quiet and do great in the rain. I haven’t had them in the snow or mud but I believe they will do fine in any situation.


https://www.amazon.com/Falken-Wildpeak- ... B01C53DC6I




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I considered those too. Thanks for chiming in.