BFG KM3 vs Goodyear MT/R

[TurboMinivan]

My dilemma: due to my recent high steer conversion, 15" wheels no longer fit on the front of my TJ. I'm borrowing a pair of 2" spacers (adapters, actually) for the moment, but I'm not a fan of using them... which means I need to buy some 17" wheels... which means I also need to buy 17" tires to match.

Did you know? A 35x12.50-17 tire is at least $100 more than the equivalent 35x12.50-15 tire.

Anyway, I currently run BFG KM2s, which are load range C. I love these tires. They grip rocks well, and they have nice compliant sidewalls when I air down. Despite 9 years of moderate abuse, they are still holding up pretty well.

Now the KM2 has been replaced by the KM3. In my 17" size, the KM3 is a load range E. This implies a stiffer sidewall, which is kind of a bummer to me. But what I just discovered today, the 35x12.50-17 Kevlar MT/R is load range C. That catches my interest. To date, I've never ever run a Kevlar MT/R. In years past, I did run a few sets of the original Goodyear MT/Rs and I quite liked them... so I'm considering switching to the Kevlars.

Problem: a co-worker today told me the Kevlar MT/Rs perform poorly in/on rocks. This flies in the face of what I've heard in the past (at least if I am remembering correctly). I decided I should ask around in this group. Those of you who run (or have run in the past) Kevlar MT/Rs, how do you feel about their performance?

For that matter, I've (obviously) not run the new BFG KM3s, either. So I guess I'm torn because the two tires I'm considering are both newer versions of tires I have run in the past and liked, but I don't know which way to go now.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[RockChucker]

I’ve run both. MTRs are still my favorite DOT tire. Love the look and the performance. That said, the KM3s work pretty good too. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. My brother ran kanati mud hogs that look similar to the OG MTR and they work well too.

I was unable to hold this line on the set Maxxis razrs I had. And and have not attempted it on km3s...yet. But the mtrs held the line and walked up chewy.

 

[mbryson]

Kevlars for at least the last 10 years on my rig. Pretty happy with them. @ebryson has expressed interest in 35” tires if yours will need a new home

 

[Hickey]

What high steer did you go with that kills the 15" wheel?

 

[N-Smooth]

My buddy had 35" Kevlar's on his TJ and I was not impressed. He later went to 35" KM2's and they were way better. I'd heard before that the Kevlar's perform way better in bigger sizes- something about lug size.

 

[Bart]

I have not run the Kevlar's but ran sets of KM2s and now on my second set of KM3s. I LOVE them. Once broken in they hook up as well as some of the earlier stickies I used to run. They are also quiet on the road.

 

[Kiel]

I love how quiet my km3's are

 

[TurboMinivan]

What high steer did you go with that kills the 15" wheel?

This one:

It's hard to tell from that photo, but the Big Ass Tie Rod End <tm> hits the wheel unless I use the spacer/adapter.

On the plus side, @UPNO4 openly challenged me to try bending this setup. Oh, and the WJ front brakes are wonderful.

 

[Hickey]

This one:

It's hard to tell from that photo, but the Big Ass Tie Rod End <tm> hits the wheel unless I use the spacer/adapter.

On the plus side, @UPNO4 openly challenged me to try bending this setup. Oh, and the WJ front brakes are wonderful.

I think you just need different 15" wheels. This is @SoopaHick setup and all we had to to was tough the corner of those TRE's with a grinder. These are JK knuckles which are very similar to WJ knuckles.


I would love to be able to go back to 15" wheels.

 

[Hickey]

If you want to drive out to my house this weekend we can try mounting @SoopaHick spare tire/wheel on yours to check fitment.

 

[TurboMinivan]

I think you just need different 15" wheels.

That was my first strategy. My neighbor manages a Discount Tire, and I spent some time there one afternoon while he looked through specs on a variety of wheels. We found nothing that offered more offset than I already have, so I've struck out there.

If you want to drive out to my house this weekend we can try mounting @SoopaHick spare tire/wheel on yours to check fitment.

That's quite kind of you. I'll have to check and see if I can make that fit my schedule. 👍

 

[Pile of parts]

I used to have 15x8 or 10??? On my Jeep with 2.5" backspacing. However, they were a 5 on 5.5" rather than 5 on 4.5". I'm guessing that's the difference in why you're having trouble finding wheels.

 

[glockman]

what is your hesitation to run spacers/adapters? I've been running spidertrax 1.25" spacers on my LJ with 35's for 100K miles and never had an issue. I just torque them every time I remove a wheel, just like I do the lug nuts.

 

[SoopaHick]

I think you just need different 15" wheels. This is @SoopaHick setup and all we had to to was tough the corner of those TRE's with a grinder. These are JK knuckles which are very similar to WJ knuckles.
View attachment 135595

I would love to be able to go back to 15" wheels.

Not to mention I was running a WJ knuckle before, and had the same TRE's on there and never had issues with it.

 

[gijohn40]

I ran the Mt/r for a bit on my LJ and they did great in the rocks... they really sucked in the snow and ice!!! recently I found that the Falken mud and AT tires are excellent tires and really hook up nicely in all situations. I ran 37 inch falklen wildpeak at3w this last weekend out at snakes and was doing things the buggies with 45" where doing....