BF Goodrich KO2 / KO3 Tires Upgrade - Review & Range Efficiency Results

[Jim Waller]

Here’s a quick look at another setup I’m really I’m really digging!

Cool setup! Yeah, when you need total vault access the tire has to go above. I also needed vertical clearance to load a wheelchair into the bed, so I couldn't have anything mounted in position four or I would have to remove it each time the wheelchair went in and out. I custom modified prototype pieces from Mars adventure gear, they are good guys look them up, to get it between bars two and three since I'm not aware of anyone who sells this ready-made. To me it makes more sense here than between three and four or one and two since loading tire is manageable and the tire is not in the way of the bed loading and unloading other things.

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[M0unt41nm4n]

Any particular reason that you got KO2s over KO3s? I know some people have a affirmative preference. I run KO2s on my FJ but am planning to eventually get KO3s for the CB when the DuraTracs need to be replaced.

I can tell ya… they are discontinuing the KO2s hence they are cheaper. That’s why I got them for my F150. The main difference between the KO2s and KO3s is they changed the trade lightly as the KO2s has issues in heavy rain and traction.

 

[ABILISK]

I am also a racecar driver so I might offer that more off-road tailored tires are not the best for canyon carving or launching a tri-motor. Your pavement contact patch is smaller and stiffer sidewalls who will make this not good. A more open tread block will lead to feathering and other problems such as heating and rapid wear with spirited on road driving. And this is probably more important than any speed rating. I don't drive my cyber truck at or near the limits of adhesion turning on the street, but I do feel these stiffer side walls and less grip on the pavement, but again not the focus of this tire type. But if occasional off-roading in unchallenging or high grip slick rock conditions is all you do, the stock tires or ones like them should be up to the task.

Sad day, but I’ve had some good fun with my Beast. It’s been to drag strips and performed very well (plus countless launches on public roads, when safe). The Scorpion ATRs are on their last legs and I want to get into off-roading (no experience whatsoever, but looks like a lot of fun and is definitely more trucky). I’ll probably go with KO3s here shortly.

Plus what are we really talking? Bringing the 0-60 down to 2.9s?

 

[btcrealm]

Sad day, but I’ve had some good fun with my Beast. It’s been to drag strips and performed very well (plus countless launches on public roads, when safe). The Scorpion ATRs are on their last legs and I want to get into off-roading (no experience whatsoever, but looks like a lot of fun and is definitely more trucky). I’ll probably go with KO3s here shortly.

Plus what are we really talking? Bringing the 0-60 down to 2.9s?

It doesn't just slow it down but also destroys the tires with the wrong compound. Sidewalls are designed for a different purpose and won't hold the same way in sharp corners.

Its a different dynamic. That said the BFG KOs are great for light to moderate wheeling. As long as you act like a normal truck and not something built you should be fine.

 

[bigmoose70]

Do we think tire on back of tailgate via unplugged performance bumper would have less of an impact on aero than roof?

 

[hemiarch]

Do we think tire on back of tailgate via unplugged performance bumper would have less of an impact on aero than roof?

So I don’t know the answer to that, but I have often wondered why we don’t see more hitch mount spare tire holders on cybertrucks.
They make ones that swing out for other brands and it seems like a logical place to put a spare.

 

[dalton108]

Do we think tire on back of tailgate via unplugged performance bumper would have less of an impact on aero than roof?

Yeah. I really want to know as well.

 

[Jim Waller]

an

Hitch mounts really hurt departure angle, for me not the answer but I would think certainly less aero impact.

 

[bigmoose70]

Also can Hutchinson Industries make some rock monsters in 18 inch for the Cybertruck. That would be amazing.

 

[hemiarch]

Hitch mounts really hurt departure angle, for me not the answer but I would think certainly less aero impact.

That’s a fair point but since obstacles requiring that kind of clearance are few and far between, doesn’t it make sense to just take the wheel and hitch mount out off for that specific circumstance rather than tolerate it in an aerodynamically undesirable location for the majority of driving ?

 

[Roger@CYBERTRUCKco]

Executive summary: Do it if you off-road at all for better grip and confidence/ruggedness.
Upgraded my tires to the more off-road capable BF Goodrich k02 (k03 nearly identical). I imagine people might be interested in cybertruck specific results. Although I haven't done apples to apples comparison to the original goodyears, I can tell you the impressions I have of making this change as well as carrying a spare tire on a roof rack between positions two and three. Road noise at lower speed is more significant as you might guess but not obtrusive and basically no difference at highway speed. Carrying the spare on the roof has a huge impact at high speed, again not surprising. At lower speed and mixed driving the combination of tire and spare is maybe 5% range loss. I think most of this is aero and not the tire. The Goodrich tire is about 9 lb heavier but makes a worthwhile difference in traction and ruggedness if you are off-roading.

420 Whr/mi mixed driving w spare.
405 Whr/mi w/o spare
620-650 Whr/mi at 80 mph.
Rough numbers, uncontrolled conditions

By the way the foam treatment in the Goodyear is unimpressive, just a thin strip glued to the back of the tread, hard to believe it makes any real difference.

I drove extensively at Logandale trails near Las Vegas which included deep very fine sand loose gravel sand mix and rocks. I think the good years would have struggled and the sand and loose mix. I aired down to 25 psi for off-road and back up to 50 for the highway.

Congrats on a great set up! We had another customer came by yesterday who had 295 series on his and they were about a half inch taller and half inch wider than the stock ones. They also looked awesome.

This week we’re getting 5 of the Tesla Duratract RT with the $2500 voucher. I would’ve preferred the K02’s, but this needed to buy something, so new shoes it is. Will report back with milage comparison starting from bone stock.

 

[GregimusPrime]

Any particular reason that you got KO2s over KO3s? I know some people have a affirmative preference. I run KO2s on my FJ but am planning to eventually get KO3s for the CB when the DuraTracs need to be replaced.

Have k03s on my FJ. Slightly larger size. Slightly quieter than ko2s otherwise pretty much same so far.

 

[BrockN]

This week we’re getting 5 of the Tesla Duratract RT with the $2500 voucher. I would’ve preferred the K02’s, but this needed to buy something, so new shoes it is. Will report back with milage comparison starting from bone stock.

I just went from Duratrac for winter driving to the OEM AT Goodyear. The energy efficiency is significantly better with the OEM tires. It's only been a thousand km, but it's looking like I've gone from 275-280 Wh/km (and higher in the cold) down to 230-235 Wh/km in similar temperatures and driving conditions. In real world use, that's big IMHO.

Not to mention, the Duratracs started to feel sloppy on asphalt as the temperature rose above freezing. And were significantly noisier. For me, winter use only.

I don't know what I'll buy when the OEM tires wear out, but the wheeler guys I know around here are unimpressed with the KO2s. Maybe the 3s will prove to be better. Hopefully. And maybe my friends are tire snobs. But energy efficiency is also a big consideration for me, so it will be a careful decision...

 

[btcrealm]

. . .
I don't know what I'll buy when the OEM tires wear out, but the wheeler guys I know around here are unimpressed with the KO2s. Maybe the 3s will prove to be better. Hopefully. And maybe my friends are tire snobs. But energy efficiency is also a big consideration for me, so it will be a careful decision...

When you say wheeler guys are you talking about built rigs or fairly stock that just do trails and intermediate obstacles? I think the KOs are fine for the latter. But for real wheeling any AT will not be good enough. KMs (style) are what should be on rigs that are doing "real" wheeling.

 

[HaulingAss]

By the way the foam treatment in the Goodyear is unimpressive, just a thin strip glued to the back of the tread, hard to believe it makes any real difference.

Manufacturers don't spend the money on acoustical foam unless they have done instrumented tests and determined the extra cost provides enough benefit to justify. I'm not saying everyone should only buy tires with foam, I'm saying the acoustical difference is enough to contribute to a more pleasant experience, on more pavement types.

I drove extensively at Logandale trails near Las Vegas which included deep very fine sand loose gravel sand mix and rocks. I think the good years would have struggled and the sand and loose mix. I aired down to 25 psi for off-road and back up to 50 for the highway.

Assuming the tires were the same physical size, there likely would have been very litttle performance difference in fine sand. If anything, the more aggressive tread of the KO2's would have made them struggle more in the sand.

That might sound controversial and counter-intuitive, but Matt on Matt's Offroad Recovery has confirmed this fact numerous times. Mattt needs all the sand traction he can get to recover stuck vehicles in Utah's sand dunes. An aggressive tread, particularly when the tread is new and at it's deepest, performs worse in fine, difficult sand than a tire that is nearly bald or has a less aggresive tread pattern. The theory is deeper treads displace more sand and assists the sinking process, while more of a slick packs the sand grains underneath for more support and less sinking.

The quickest and most sure way to struggle less in fine sand is to go wider and or taller in a tire without deep lugs, and lower the air pressure as much as you dare, to further increase the surface area of the tires footprints. Eliminating unnecessary payload helps too.

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