2020 Gladiator Rubicon Tires

T

Trailrunner

New member
Hi All.

I've been running Falkan Willdpeak A/T3W tires since I've had the truck. I'm on my 2nd set now; I've very satisfied with their performance. I'm in snow country, (deep, hard packed, ice, and / or a combination of all 3). I also run trails, with rocks, and mud, the muddy trails typically have a hard base, so not mud bogging slop.

Falkan has discontinued the A/T3W and has replaced it with the A/T4W. The reviews I've read indicate a tougher tire with 3 ply sidewalls and a longer warranty, but a loss of snow traction.

Had anyone put the A/T4W's on their Gladiator and if so, what are your results / opinions?

I'm about 10k miles from needing tires. What are your thoughts / recommendations for replacement tire brands and models?


Thanks in advance,
Trailrunner
 
Trailrunner said:
Hi All.

I've been running Falkan Willdpeak A/T3W tires since I've had the truck. I'm on my 2nd set now; I've very satisfied with their performance. I'm in snow country, (deep, hard packed, ice, and / or a combination of all 3). I also run trails, with rocks, and mud, the muddy trails typically have a hard base, so not mud bogging slop.

Falkan has discontinued the A/T3W and has replaced it with the A/T4W. The reviews I've read indicate a tougher tire with 3 ply sidewalls and a longer warranty, but a loss of snow traction.

Had anyone put the A/T4W's on their Gladiator and if so, what are your results / opinions?

I'm about 10k miles from needing tires. What are your thoughts / recommendations for replacement tire brands and models?


Thanks in advance,
Trailrunner
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The YouTube channel "Tyre Reviews" recently did extensive testing of three peak rated all-terrain tires on a truck (timed laps and braking tests on a snow-covered road) and the Falkan did not do as well in snow as the other tires tested. A Toyo did much better. BF Goodrich did better.
 
Mike Pierson said:
KO2’s, and assuming the 3’s, are great in the snow for sure.
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One time we unexpectedly drove on an inch of ice and snow for almost 90 miles in the high elevation areas of Arizona and New Mexico. The factory KO2s did fine. But the KO2s did not wear as well as expected and they seemed to spin easily on wet pavement.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
One time we unexpectedly drove on an inch of ice and snow for almost 90 miles in the high elevation areas of Arizona and New Mexico. The factory KO2s did fine. But the KO2s did not wear as well as expected and they seemed to spin easily on wet pavement.
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Did you replace the KO2's and if so, with what tires?
 
Trailrunner said:
Did you replace the KO2's and if so, with what tires?
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I replaced with 35" Nitto Ridge Grapplers. But these are only rated "M+S". This worries me although I did go up a perhaps 7% grade, and then a steeper long driveway, with 1-1/2" of accumulated snow without problems. 4WD and driving carefully makes all the difference. But I don't think these are good winter tires.
 
bobfriesenhahn said:
I replaced with 35" Nitto Ridge Grapplers. But these are only rated "M+S". This worries me although I did go up a perhaps 7% grade, and then a steeper long driveway, with 1-1/2" of accumulated snow without problems. 4WD and driving carefully makes all the difference. But I don't think these are good winter tires.
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Do they have the 3 Peak winter marker on the sidewall?
Which Jeep do you have; did you have 33" tires that you replaced with the 35" tires?
Did you have to change the final drive gear ratio?
Any mod's to accommodate the 35's?
 
No, there is no three peak. It has "M+S" (for mud and snow), so it is an all-season tire but not as good of a winter tire than three peak.

I upgraded from a 33" BFG KO2 to 35" Nitto.

I have a 2019 2-door Rubicon.
 
Trailrunner said:
Do they have the 3 Peak winter marker on the sidewall?
Which Jeep do you have; did you have 33" tires that you replaced with the 35" tires?
Did you have to change the final drive gear ratio?
Any mod's to accommodate the 35's?
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Ran Falken AT/3 and BFG KO2 in the same conditions, IMO the Falken beats the BFG KO2 on wet heavy rain surface, the KO2 beat the Falken in snow/slush

They both did well as an all-around tire but because I'm now in a heavier (hopefully soon) snow state, I went with the BFG KO3.

Based on my personal experience with running new tires of the same brands, I'd expect them to perform at least the same but hopefully better and last longer with new compounds.
 
jeeeep said:
Ran Falken AT/3 and BFG KO2 in the same conditions, IMO the Falken beats the BFG KO2 on wet heavy rain surface, the KO2 beat the Falken in snow/slush

They both did well as an all-around tire but because I'm now in a heavier (hopefully soon) snow state, I went with the BFG KO3.

Based on my personal experience with running new tires of the same brands, I'd expect them to perform at least the same but hopefully better and last longer with new compounds.
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Did you get the C-rated KO3s? I had tried the E but Discount Tire couldn’t get them perfectly balanced even after replacing one of them. But I’m interested in the C if reports are good. Also do they hold and fling gravel like the KO2s do? I didn’t have them long enough to find out.
 
JamesWyatt said:
Did you get the C-rated KO3s? I had tried the E but Discount Tire couldn’t get them perfectly balanced even after replacing one of them. But I’m interested in the C if reports are good. Also do they hold and fling gravel like the KO2s do? I didn’t have them long enough to find out.
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got the E, also have a set of 285/70/17 E1 on the 2015 JKU.

The 285's balanced fine but IMO too much weight, the 37's on my JLU took even more weight to balance and had to be rebalanced because some of the weights were on the edge of the wheel - when I say edge, they were sticking halfway off the wheel edge and fell off as soon as they made the 1st rotation.

The rebalance had a more experienced employee doing it and I noticed he remounted the tires, a couple of them twice and got good balance (they still required a lot of weights).

They roll fine, had no issue at 90-95 on the freeway nor going thru the potholed rougher sections and weights seem to be holding since no shimmy.

BFG needs to work on the balance/roundness of their tires, haven't had a set of tires that required so much weight
 
jeeeep said:
got the E, also have a set of 285/70/17 E1 on the 2015 JKU.

The 285's balanced fine but IMO too much weight, the 37's on my JLU took even more weight to balance and had to be rebalanced because some of the weights were on the edge of the wheel - when I say edge, they were sticking halfway off the wheel edge and fell off as soon as they made the 1st rotation.

The rebalance had a more experienced employee doing it and I noticed he remounted the tires, a couple of them twice and got good balance (they still required a lot of weights).

They roll fine, had no issue at 90-95 on the freeway nor going thru the potholed rougher sections and weights seem to be holding since no shimmy.

BFG needs to work on the balance/roundness of their tires, haven't had a set of tires that required so much weight
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Thanks for the feedback. On my last JLU after the KO3s didn't work, I swapped them for Baja Boss MTs, which were great in every way except they were wearing down pretty fast.
 
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