Mud terrains...

[Jrama]

I just have a quick question regarding mud terrain tires. I recently bought some 33 inch km2's they are great tires and all. But the lugs are getting cut into. For basically brand new tires with 1k on them they already have atleast 4 places where chunks are being taken out of the lugs...also the front passenger tire has cut marks right down the middle of the tire as if it were made by someone holding a razor to the tire while spinning. Now these aren't huge chunks but none the less its very concerning givin the mileage. If this keeps up my tires will be swiss cheese by 10 k. I have only been on the trails twice with these tires and i have a long  gravel driveway, rocks always get caught between the lugs . Is this just what mud terrains do? or should i push for some kind of warrenty or repair? I haven't heard of this being a problem for the km2's could it be related to alignment or tread wear in some way? btw i just had an alignment done but still...

Also I never aired down my tires when i hit the trails and went up and over some rocks..could that cause undo cuts and chunks?

[WhiteOut]

Can you post a picture of them?  I have 20k on my KM's and there are only a few chunks off since I sipped mine.

[JackstandJohnny]

sounds like your fenders are getting in the way and you're rubbing...... what are you running for lift?  wheels? 

[Jrama]

http://s977.photobucket.com/albums/ae257/Jamalrama/
There are the main chunks,

Right now i have a 3 inch lift and with the sway bars disconnected i really don't rub often at all. Although true i have rubbed, so that most likely explains the line.
 If i had some more kms on these tires i wouldn't really care as  chunks overall are a fact of life but the tires are brand new! not even a month old yet and have seen little action. Should I expect that everytime i hit the trails i should be missing another chunk from my tires?
Is there any sort of rubber glue i could put on as a bandage?

[Jrama]

Yup, it just sucks because they got 1000 kms on them and they are gettin their arse kicked by a gravel driveway........and some light trails. But yeah nothin much i can do then,  brightside is that its all minor.... I can only hope that this isn't a sign of how well they are going to hold up for the next few years.

[frenchy]

Have someone else drive your Jeep down a trail.
Lay on the hood with your hand hanging over and in between your inner fender and your tire. See how often it's rubbing   

Or

Install a 1" body lift. Will be cheaper then new tires every few months.

[Jrama]

I was thinking more along the lines of adding a spacer ontop the coil...

[muffintop]

I have about 2000km on my set of KM2's and they are still like day1. Been wheeling with them 3 times (1 time was all mud, 1 time was flat/rocky and the latest excursion was steep rock crawling) and was concerned I might have gouged them here last weekend out at Mclean... but they are still perfect. I'm actually surprised

Of the 3 times I wheeled them... 2 times were into Waiprous... so long stretches of gravel road pulling a 2000lb trailer with about 200lbs of tongue weight... just to get to the trails.

I'm not sold on the rubbing theory unless you are rubbing into the steel lip inboard of your factory plastic fenders. If that's the case... I would expect the cuts/chunks to be more inboard or toward the centre of the tire... not the outside.  I rub mine now and again (bushwacker 6" flares) and neither the flares or the tires are any worse for wear.

Have you taken them back to where you bought them... what is their take? If it's a make and model problem... they should be able to comment. At the worst... you got the problem on record.

IMHO... no tire designed for double duty (i.e. harder compound) should perform as described.

[Jrama]

Yeah the compound on these tires seems super soft to the touch...I can bring them in for a look but i am not sure what they can do..unless BFG is willing replace the two problem tires for me.....

[muffintop]

Soft to the touch? Mind are pretty darn hard when cold in the AM... and not all that soft... even when hot.

Whats strange is a guy I was wheelin with on the weekend asked me which compound my KM2's were. I looked at him strange and he began to explain how there is a hard compound and a soft compound KM2. I shrugged it off at the time... but maybe he was right. Wouldn't hurt to chase it down?

[JackstandJohnny]

I have about 2000km on my set of KM2's and they are still like day1. Been wheeling with them 3 times (1 time was all mud, 1 time was flat/rocky and the latest excursion was steep rock crawling) and was concerned I might have gouged them here last weekend out at Mclean... but they are still perfect.

where did you find 'steep' rockcrawling at Mclean?

[muffintop]

It was the west trail I think? Does that make sense? It was my first time in there.

I am sure it would be considered steep by almost anyones standards and full of loose sharp rocks. Put it this way... we all waited at the bottom till the guy in front got to the top and I'm glad I had my lockers cause I don't want to have to drive my Jeep as hard as some people had to to get to the top.

[JackstandJohnny]

It was the west trail I think? Does that make sense? It was my first time in there.

I am sure it would be considered steep by almost anyones standards and full of loose sharp rocks. Put it this way... we all waited at the bottom till the guy in front got to the top and I'm glad I had my lockers cause I don't want to have to drive my Jeep as hard as some people had to to get to the top.

i know the trail you speak of well. i believe it was the 101 trail run backwards. the shale rock climbs are probalby what you're referring to. ya lockers would be nice there for sure.  thats why you get them right? love being locked front and rear.


Jrama, i think yopur tires look fine.  those gauges look like fender rubbing. i think the body lifts a good idea!

[muffintop]

I got my lockers cause I thought the chicks would dig em... had no idea they would help climb stuff 

[Jrama]

Fender rub maybe true for the front tire but not the back. I beleive it may be due to not airing down enough, i ran that 101 trail backwards without airing down (37 psi) , the tires gripped no problem but thats probably why i have atleast 1 of my chunks. Also the tires are a 10.50. It really sucks having a gravel driveway with these MT's all they do is pick up rocks and fling them at cyclists and other vehicles...no law suites yet though. The tires also NEVER stop clicking due to the rocks in the lugs....

Yeah the fender rubing theory gives me a great excuse to ad a coil spacer or body lift.