Best Severe Weather Tire for Lifted 2door JK?

BessieII

New member
Hi all,

I can't really find a lot about this and I know its sort of a lift + tire question but I'm up against a rock and a hard place here! I work in a hospital and there is no such thing as "state of emergency" for me. That being said I live in NJ and have had to ride through several inches to feet of snow from time to time. I have a 2013 JKR 10a with 4.10 gears manual tran, the original BFG KM2s are ready to be replaced. I'm going to be installing a 2.5 inch Metalcloak lift (rocksport shocks), steering stabilizer and exhaust brackets. I'll likely be going with new wheels (mickey thompson classic IIIs). I've come across several tire options but only a few are severe weather rated. I've gone back and forth between 315/70r17 and 295/70r17 more times than I want to admit unfortunately. I know the 315s will look badass on the jeep but I really do not want it to be a dog on the highways.

If I go 315s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2 and Goodyear Duratracs (Both severe weather rated tires)

If I go 295s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2, Goodyear Duratracs and Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 (not severe weather rated)

A bit about me:

My jeep right now is my daily driver, when I do wheel I like to go to places like Rausch Creek in PA and Poe Valley in PA. I love going through the mud but mostly love going down jeep trails in PA which tend to be rocky narrow paths.

Thanks for helping out a healthcare person in need guys and gals! Feel free to flame me if you feel like this question has been answered before I just cant find it. ;)

John:thankyou:
 
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Hi all,

I can't really find a lot about this and I know its sort of a lift + tire question but I'm up against a rock and a hard place here! I work in a hospital and there is no such thing as "state of emergency" for me. That being said I live in NJ and have had to ride through several inches to feet of snow from time to time. I have a 2013 JKR 10a with 4.10 gears, the original BFG KM2s are ready to be replaced. I'm going to be installing a 2.5 inch Metalcloak lift (rocksport shocks), steering stabilizer and exhaust brackets. I'll likely be going with new wheels (mickey thompson classic IIIs). I've come across several tire options but only a few are severe weather rated. I've gone back and forth between 315/70r17 and 295/70r17 more times than I want to admit unfortunately. I know the 315s will look badass on the jeep but I really do not want it to be a dog on the highways.

If I go 315s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2 and Goodyear Duratracs (Both severe weather rated tires)

If I go 295s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2, Goodyear Duratracs and Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 (not severe weather rated)

A bit about me:

My jeep right now is my daily driver, when I do wheel I like to go to places like Rausch Creek in PA and Poe Valley in PA. I love going through the mud but mostly love going down jeep trails in PA which tend to be rocky narrow paths.

Thanks for helping out a healthcare person in need guys and gals! Feel free to flame me if you feel like this question has been answered before I just cant find it. ;)

John:thankyou:

I haven't had any experience with the Goodyear duratrac but what I've read and what others have said those are a good snow tire but hard to balance. Take my opinion lightly for the lack of experience with those tires.
 
I would do the BFG KO2s. Haven't heard many good things about Metalcloak.

I would look at a 2.5 inch budget boost for now if your set on something around the 2.5 inches. I would look into a kit like what Teraflex sells but would run the shock extensions or buy some different shocks like Ranchos or Bilsteins.
 
Hi all,

I can't really find a lot about this and I know its sort of a lift + tire question but I'm up against a rock and a hard place here! I work in a hospital and there is no such thing as "state of emergency" for me. That being said I live in NJ and have had to ride through several inches to feet of snow from time to time. I have a 2013 JKR 10a with 4.10 gears manual tran, the original BFG KM2s are ready to be replaced. I'm going to be installing a 2.5 inch Metalcloak lift (rocksport shocks), steering stabilizer and exhaust brackets. I'll likely be going with new wheels (mickey thompson classic IIIs). I've come across several tire options but only a few are severe weather rated. I've gone back and forth between 315/70r17 and 295/70r17 more times than I want to admit unfortunately. I know the 315s will look badass on the jeep but I really do not want it to be a dog on the highways.

If I go 315s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2 and Goodyear Duratracs (Both severe weather rated tires)

If I go 295s I'm stuck between:

BFG KO2, Goodyear Duratracs and Mickey Thompson ATZ P3 (not severe weather rated)

A bit about me:

My jeep right now is my daily driver, when I do wheel I like to go to places like Rausch Creek in PA and Poe Valley in PA. I love going through the mud but mostly love going down jeep trails in PA which tend to be rocky narrow paths.

Thanks for helping out a healthcare person in need guys and gals! Feel free to flame me if you feel like this question has been answered before I just cant find it. ;)

John:thankyou:

Living in PA and getting the same amount, if not more snow than you I have to say the duratracs are an amazing tire for the snow and they do VERY well up at Rausch creek! Frogmech runs them on his 2 door, my stepdad ran them on his xterra and I want to get them for him new f-150
 
Yikes, I've heard a lot of good things about metalcloak. Maybe I'm not seeing the bad reviews? I was considering the teraflex 2.5 inch lift with an adjustable front control arm and the rancho shocks but the price comes out to about the same as the metalcloak kit with some components missing. Rancho also has a 3" inch trail system which seems fairly complete and has good reviews. Thanks on the rec for the KO2 though I'll look at them closely.
 
Living in PA and getting the same amount, if not more snow than you I have to say the duratracs are an amazing tire for the snow and they do VERY well up at Rausch creek! Frogmech runs them on his 2 door, my stepdad ran them on his xterra and I want to get them for him new f-150

Thanks cozdude! Your 2 door is a monster, nice build! How do you think the performance will be with the 4.10 gears and 35s?
 
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I drive a 09 two door with a 2.5 lift and just installed tires today!! Maybe my experience can help I was also stuck between almost the exact same tires and sizes as you!! I was pretty much set on the atz p3 in 315/75/16 until a friend showed me the cooper st maxx and I loved the look. I ended up with that in a 285/75r16 I sort of regret not going 35 but I'm happy with the look id say if you can go bigger!! They are all great tires and I must say they look much beefier in person then in pictures. I was skeptical of the 2 ply sidewall of the duratracs but liked them a lot as well. Here's a pic of mine for reference hope it helps and sorry for rambling a bit hahaImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1471908793.298337.jpg
 
I ran BFG KO (315/75R16's) for 6 years here in PA with no issues at all, never swapped out my gears and was extremely happy with them, even on the highway.
 
I drive a 09 two door with a 2.5 lift and just installed tires today!! Maybe my experience can help I was also stuck between almost the exact same tires and sizes as you!! I was pretty much set on the atz p3 in 315/75/16 until a friend showed me the cooper st maxx and I loved the look. I ended up with that in a 285/75r16 I sort of regret not going 35 but I'm happy with the look id say if you can go bigger!! They are all great tires and I must say they look much beefier in person then in pictures. I was skeptical of the 2 ply sidewall of the duratracs but liked them a lot as well. Here's a pic of mine for reference hope it helps and sorry for rambling a bit hahaView attachment 218952

Your jeep looks great! I was eyeballing some 285/75r17s but most of them are MTR tires. I love mud terrains for their look but I need something that will reliably get me through snow in a state of emergency and will still perform offroad.
 
Your jeep looks great! I was eyeballing some 285/75r17s but most of them are MTR tires. I love mud terrains for their look but I need something that will reliably get me through snow in a state of emergency and will still perform offroad.

Thanks, being from ny I completely understand where your coming from with the snow! Also have you considered the jks 2.5 kit? I don't have experience with it but have herd great things.
 
I have 275/70-17 KO2s on a JKR and they work great. I have used the old KOs in the mountains (mud, snow and dry) and they were the reason I went to the KO2 when it came out. I just haven't had the new ones in the snow yet, I've heard good things but no first hand experience. I will say I feel way more comfortable in the rain on the KO2s than with my KM2s on the road.
 
Thanks, being from ny I completely understand where your coming from with the snow! Also have you considered the jks 2.5 kit? I don't have experience with it but have herd great things.

I did look at the JKS kit, it's pretty nice. Ultimately my lift decision came down to Rock Krawler vs Metalcloak vs JKS vs Frankenlift (terflex +rancho +adjustable control arms). I went with the metalcloak because I could upgrade with a few pieces to their game changer suspension in the future.
 
I wouldn't recommend the terra flex 2.5 lift, nothing wrong with it but the ride isn't very good. I believe cozdude and hinrichs ran them before as well.
 
I wouldn't recommend the terra flex 2.5 lift, nothing wrong with it but the ride isn't very good. I believe cozdude and hinrichs ran them before as well.

I run it now and that's why I suggested the jks lol I will probably be replacing my coils with jks within a year cause the teraflex rides like crap
 
I run it now and that's why I suggested the jks lol I will probably be replacing my coils with jks within a year cause the teraflex rides like crap

Are the jks a direct swap without doing anything else to the suspension like control arms? I'd definitely be interested in a better ride without dropping too much coin.
 
Not sure I haven't done a ton of research yet but I did see they sell a set of just 2.5 coils so hopefully the hight would be similar
 
Are the jks a direct swap without doing anything else to the suspension like control arms? I'd definitely be interested in a better ride without dropping too much coin.

I know metalcloak and rock krawler also make progressive and dual rate coils. They might be good replacements for the teraflexers.
 
I ran KO2's on a Dakota pickup I had - they were really nice all around tires. Did well in all conditions I ran into. Quiet on the road too.
I have a RK kit and the springs ride ok. If you get one of their their kits just get one with adjustable LCA's, no need to replace all 8 arms. That actually pertains to all
of the kits you may be looking at.
 
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