Good price BFG M/T

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Originally Posted by ugu80

Sometimes tyres are cheap because they are old stock. If that matters to you then check the date stamp. A lot of people don't know but tyres are date stamped at manufacture. Look for a four digit number about 1cm high on the sidewall, usually indented, not raised and close the rim. It will be something like 2311. The first number is the week of the month made, the second the month and the last two the year. In the example given, the second week of March, 2011. I would be wary if the tyre is too old (around 5 years).

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True, however it is only relevant for steel belted tyres because the belt can rust inside the porus rubber and then de-laminate, causing a risk of blowout. The army replace their tyres for exactly this reason, irrespective of mileage.

Cross-ply rag tyres dont have the same problem, so while they will harden with age the risk of blow out if far less. So for older landies that don't do a lot of KM it is a good idea to fit rag tyres, particularly if they are parked up on dirt floors or grass.

New Old Stock tyres stored in a dry warehouse but close to their us by date, are probably O.K to buy if doing a lot of KM each year, but if not replacing a set of tyres every year or two, best to avoid old stock.

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Originally Posted by mike_beecham

[snip]

Anyone had the MAAXIS? Think l'll go with BF.

Mike

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On my second set of 255/85 762's now after two sets of 255/85 BFG's (old style)

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Originally Posted by mike_beecham

Hi All
Got a price of the following for: (All MTs)

Tyres Plus Berwick
BFG 255/85 16 $338 each fitted
BFG 235/85 16 $308 each fitted

Priced these too.....
MAAXIS 255/85 16 $310 each fited

There were massive differences in price around town.
These were the cheapest prices l got this morning in Melbourne (South East).

Anyone had the MAAXIS? Think l'll go with BF.

Mike

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Mike, If the $338 is for BFG KM2's then that is a pretty good price.I paid a similar price nearly a year ago for my 255/85/16 KM2's, that was in Geelong and I had phoned around every tyre joint to try and get the best price.

I had the Maxxis Bighorns before these but I much prefer the KM2's.

The bighorns were great off road and I had no complaints, but I was never that confident with them on the tarmac, especially in the wet.(That was in my D2, then briefly they were on my Defender before I sold them on).

The KM2's however I have found to be great off road and on the Tarmac I have no Issue's in the dry or the wet it they handle beautifully, I love them!
I have a lot more confidence in them plus they appear to me to be fairly quiet.The KM2's have only been out for a couple of years and are supposedly even better than the old KM's.

So in my opinion for $28 more per tyre I would go the KM2's, I do not think you will regret it. The 255 is a good tyre size for the Defender as well, giving you a bit more clearance than a 235, your speedo is more accurate and they do not appear to affect your gearing. This is my opinions only, the choice is down to you ;)

All the best,

Col.

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Originally Posted by Hoges

I'd be interested to find out what the mark up is on tyres generally. I'm not in retail of any description, indeed I'm out to pasture:mad:, however I was discussing the overheads of running an independent workshop recently at a proverbial backyard barbque with a bloke who's been in the industry for many years... he was telling me that with workcover/superannuation/10 public holidays/2 weeks sick leave/4 weeks annual leave and 1.3 weeks a year provision for long service leave, each 'factory trained" experienced mechanic now costs $100,000+ a year to the business... he has one bloke almost full time as a tyre fitter. He's not crying poor but it appeared to me that the overheads are making their presence felt at the cash register...

My bro. who lives in upper NY state (for years) recently swapped the winter tread tyres on his Honda Civic for new ones at the local tyre place for a couple of hundred US$... he's on the local Chamber of Commerce and he tells me that the annual wage in the area, all up, for the local mechanic is around US$35-40k. ..no LSL, no work cover/no sick leave/2 weeks annual leave...

With high average weekly earnings and the current strength of the A$ it's not surprising that the prices are high as the o/s exporters are looking for the foreign exchange so they charge what the market will bear!

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Amen, someone tells it like it is, I am an employer but I feel like there Dads, have to baby them through everything, Australia has gone soft!

Anyways I could Rant for hrs on this topic, lets just say you definitely don't live in a free country anymore.
So now that I have given you my pep talk and all your spirits are high :o I would advise stick with BFG's. Maxxis from memory only have one or two tyres in their range with added sidewall protection (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

And something else to think about. I just put the KM2's on about 6k klm on them, and I want to go back to an AT you can really feel the nobs on the tyres when you get over 80klm p/hr it gives the feel like it needs a wheel balance, oh and they are Fricken noisy. Most guys put up with this, but I think with good trac aids, trac control, LSD, Lockers etc. AT's will be more than capable and a nicer drive getting there.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

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Originally Posted by 3 Lions

[snip]
I had the Maxxis Bighorns before these but I much prefer the KM2's.

The bighorns were great off road and I had no complaints, but I was never that confident with them on the tarmac, especially in the wet.(That was in my D2, then briefly they were on my Defender before I sold them on).


[snip]
Col.

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Interesting.

I went from the old style KM to 762's and found very little to no difference on bitumen, wet or dry.

The BFG's had stiffer sidewalls, so the 762's require more pressure for bitumen use, but otherwise I found the 762's very, very good for an MT.

Grip in the wet is very good and breakaway is predictable and consistent and at speeds a normal driver should never be driving at.

Grip and predictability on gravel/dirt are also very good with the 762's.

I gained an extra 5,000km in life with the 762's over the BFG MT's, but that's not a fair comparison as I'd moved before the 762's went on and wasn't driving as much dirt/gravel, nor is the bitumen road into town anywhere near as bad as what the poor BFG's had to endure.

When new the 762's wander and tramline a touch, but that's to be expected with such tall, unsupported tread blocks.
I suspect the new BFG MT's would have the edge there, but not having driven them I'm only guessing.

762's are also bloody loud.

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Originally Posted by jboot51

I went with Nexen MT's in 235/85/16
$170 fitted (Nexen is made in korea)


You can do your head in trying to pick a tyre

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Too right I'm on my second set and theywear like old boot leather and have strong sidewalls too.I have never staked one not like other well known brands which I have staked due to,IMHO, flimsy sidewalls.

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Originally Posted by Babs

Duplicate post.

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Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

I picked up 6 255 BFG MT's out of the US for $300 each landed to my door, all very simple through Tire Rack. $338 is a good price for here in Aus I feel, enough to spend my bucks here in Aus, but also in Melb when I'm in Bris. At the time the best I could get locally was $390 without looking at driving for a long way.

I have a good mate with Maxxis bighorns, they have done every thing the BFG's have done. Will be my next choice if I cant source BFG for the right price when up for replacing.

PS to the boys with staff, exactly what you have said is why I no longer have any. The Government is happy for me and my staff to defend for themselves out of work hours, but come to work and suddenly you are complete fool with no idea. Furthermore the boss is supposedly making so much money from a free and open market they have bottomless pockets to pay for such fools.

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Originally Posted by newhue

I picked up 6 255 BFG MT's out of the US for $300 each landed to my door, all very simple through Tire Rack. $338 is a good price for here in Aus I feel, enough to spend my bucks here in Aus, but also in Melb when I'm in Bris. At the time the best I could get locally was $390 without looking at driving for a long way.

I have a good mate with Maxxis bighorns, they have done every thing the BFG's have done. Will be my next choice if I cant source BFG for the right price when up for replacing.

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Very good local pricing, particularly when you take the GST into account for those of us that can claim it.

And as for the staff discussion, there's a reason why I don't employ anyone except for a very casual and occasional labourer. :D