Page 1 of 1

BFG AT T/A KO Snow Performance

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:35 pm
by MonkeyMike
I've have BFG AT T/A KO's for the last 18 months. so they've seen two winters now. so far, i'm not too impressed with them in the snow. they slip all the time, both accelerating and braking. this definitely isn't a case of me pushing them too hard. they slip even under light to moderate speed changes.

i currently run a little over 35 psi. is there a better pressure to run them at for good performance in the snow.

~mike

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:39 pm
by volvite
Can't tell you how to make them better, but my brother had them on his Suburban and they didn't perform very well for him either.

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:29 pm
by IcedTeasley
A lot of my friends run these tires and say the same thing. I don't know if it's related to the tread compound or the tread design or what. I've heard that running slightly higher pressure in the winter can help your tires maintain better contact because they don't heat up and expand the same way they do in warmer conditions. Just don't go crazy with your PSI.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:13 am
by gond34
My DuraTrac's do the same in a light "dusting" (less than an inch) of snow, but they're like friggin' superglue when you get into anything deeper. If you're slipping just during a dusting, my opinion is that it's just due to the fact you have less rubber making contact with the road on a larger lug tire than you do with an all season radial. Just my 2 cents...

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:15 am
by RacerZX
I've actually found them to be excellent...are you running one of the not-rated-for-snow versions of the tire?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... n+T%2FA+KO

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:37 am
by MonkeyMike
RacerZx wrote:I've actually found them to be excellent...are you running one of the not-rated-for-snow versions of the tire?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... n+T%2FA+KO
god, i hope not. if that's the case, i'm going to the place i bought them and raising hell. if they gave me those, then im driving on Q speed rated tires (99 mph or less). ill have to check that out.

regarding snow performance, i'm really doubting the tire rack 8.6 rating for light snow and 8.3 rating for deep snow. right now, i'd give the stock tires better snow rating than these.

im going to have to play with the pressures and see if i can come up with something that works.

~mike

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:43 pm
by RacerZX
The tires DO need more pressure, they are real truck tires. I used to run 55 PSI, though cut back to 45 PSI when I put Biltstein shocks on to keep my teeth from rattling out :-P

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 2:57 pm
by MonkeyMike
RacerZx wrote:The tires DO need more pressure, they are real truck tires. I used to run 55 PSI, though cut back to 45 PSI when I put Biltstein shocks on to keep my teeth from rattling out :-P
thanks, ill add some air and see how they do.

also, i called BFG customer support, and they claim that the tires are the same compound, and that the only difference between the two is the siping. well, that and the speed ratings.

~mike