• RME Gear & Apparel

Iroks vs TSL

drtsqrl

drtsqrl

I luv Pritchett
Location
Moab
I'm thinking about buying some 38x12.00x15 bias TSL's for my next set of tires on the samurai. I currently am running 36x13.5x15 bias Irocks, and like how they perform, but they are wearing very fast. I'd like to hear some opinions from people who are familiar with both.

My rig only sees pavement to and from the trails in Moab. I'm using 15x10 Allied beadlocks on Waggy D44's.
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Are the tires you're looking at the SX's Jeff? I ran a set of 38x14.5 SX's and really liked them, but they're very heavy. Obviously the 12.5's won't be as heavy, but they still weigh a lot.

I think the SX's a much better tire than the Iroks. I was still running stock u-joints & shafts with my 38" SX"s so I had to be careful about using the throttle or getting bound up. I also ran them at a slightly higher pressure so I could spin them easier.

Herzog is running 38x12.5x15 SX's and they work really well for him. I know his first set of tires lasted a couple years and he replaced them with the same tire. Has to say something good about them.
 
Kiel

Kiel

Formerly WJ ZUK
I ran 36x 12.50x 15 regular tsl's on allied 15x10 beadlocks w dana 44's on my sami buggy for over 3 years. I custom grooved them on all the lugs and I was really happy with how they help up to my abuse. They were about 50 percent when I sold the rig and were beat up looking but no leaks etc. I had completed trails like upper helldorado, upper chainsaw, devils backbone and new helldorado, crazy eight and they worked well. I did break a front u joint and inner shaft, and one rear shaft in the time I had it with junkyard shafts and new spicer joints
 
BroncoMama

BroncoMama

Rock Diva
Location
Just south of craziness
TSL's are the best things EVER!! I still get weak in the knees thinking about our last set. We bought them with 90% tread and ran them until they gave all new meaning to the term "bald as a cue ball". Along with zero tread, by the time we retired them, they had cracks in them the size of the grand canyon and never lost air. :bow: May I also point out that they still hooked up like none other when hitting an obstacle straight on?

Iroks are what satan runs on his rig......wait, did I say that out loud? :ugh:
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
What was that? Is the same Tara who LOVED her Iroks when she got them???????

I want some TSL SX's. I had some TSL radials, they were ok but kind of... lumpy... 36/12.5's. :D The SX's look pretty beefy, I like the sidewall tread, and no one who's had them has complained.
 
Herzog

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wydaho
Get SX's, groove them and never look back.

I love sx's and stand by them. Grooving them loosens them up a bit especially for lighter rigs and gives them a ton more traction.

The only other tires I would run are Maxxis Creepys or Treps. But they are usually always out of my price range when I'm looking for new tires.
 
drtsqrl

drtsqrl

I luv Pritchett
Location
Moab
Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking regular TSL's (not SX's) because of the price and the weight. Does anyone have any pics they can post showing how they grooved their tires?

Also, does grooving effect how long they last? Like I said before, my Iroks are really wearing fast. In a little over 6 months, I have only 50 percent or less tread leaft, and the outer lugs are worn down to almost nothing. Granted, I've run over 30 trail days in that time, but my per-trip tire cost is getting a bit pricey.
 
Herzog

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wydaho
Jeff - here's a pretty clear picture of how I grooved mine. This is my 2nd set with the same groove pattern, it works very well.

I don't think I've noticed worse wear at all. I would think that they would wear better but I'm not really sure. I do know they will keep cooler when driven on the roads.

I recommend not grooving the outer lugs all the way out. Only groove them about 80% from the inside (see photo). I've seen a lot of outer lugs tear and chunk off after people groove a line all the way through them.
 

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Herzog

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wydaho
drtsqrl said:
Thanks, guys. So grooving seems to be the way to go... where can I get it done?
Click to expand...

There's a ~$60 grooving tool that you can buy to do this. Or you can just borrow one from somebody. If I were closer I'd lend you mine.

This is where I bought mine a while back. I'm not sure if any of our RME supporting vendors have these or not. Might be worth asking.
http://www.daymotorsports.com/product/403/TIRE-GROOVER/
 
tv_larsen

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
I bought a set of used 38.5x14.50 SX's few years ago and loved them. They were grooved like Herzog's and siped. They stuck to the rocks like glue. But when I visited Moab I'd air them down to about 8-10 psi all weekend, even on the highway and they wore out very fast.

I replaced them with brand new 39.5x13.50 Irok's. At first I wasn't thrilled with them. I thought I had a wheel issue and couldn't air them down properly so they had poor traction. Since then I've put them on a set of beadlocks and replaced a tire with a kinked bead, now I air them down to about 6-8 psi, and air them back up before hitting the streets. These tires kick ass. They grip the rock every bit as well as my SX's did, actually a little better. So far the tire wear has been very good with about a 12-14 trails on them and a spool in the rear axle.

I can highly recommend SX's and Irok's.
 
M

Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
I LOVE my SX's, I've seen good things with regular TSLs as well.... those would be my choice #1 & #2 unless I was rich and could get some Creepys or Trepadors. I've done 70mph on the 313 from the Gemini Bridges road to the parking lot on 191 with 8lbs of air and no beadlocks.... it drove/rode/handled like a stock K5

I will NEVER willingly own Iroks.
 
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Crinco

Crinco

Well-Known Member
Location
Heber
Meat_ said:
I will NEVER willingly own Iroks.
Click to expand...

:rofl::rofl::rofl:


I have three years on mine, the first year was hard trails and I have over 75% tread left! BUT, the 42" has deeped tread to begin with ;)
I ran the SX's on my jeep and they worked great. They are a harder rubber than the Irok, but they stick well to slickrock. Takes a while to soften the sidewall up though. The TSL is a great tire too, but doesn't have the sidewall protection that the SX and Irok do. I think you would be happy with either of them.
 
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