[Jazzente]

Just bought 1st Jeep, '07 JK Wrangler. Has 285/70 17 Nitto Terra Grapplers & after major hydroplaning going 45 mph through 1" highway puddle am going to change tires. Use is for highway travel occasionally going through some mud on our dirt toad in winter. NO off-roading. Suggestions needed as I now refuse to drive it in the rain.
TIA !

 

[TerryC6]

I'm sorry but any tire going thru 1 inch puddle at 45 mph is going to hydroplane.

 

[Old Dogger]

What you are currently running, is one of the better tires for your kind of use..IMO

 

[Jazzente]

I'm sorry but any tire going thru 1 inch puddle at 45 mph is going to hydroplane.

Jeeps or any Vehicle ? As my pickup doesn't nor our Dodge Challenger. Thanks for replying.

 

[Jazzente]

I

What you are currently running, is one of the better tires for your kind of use..IMO

I read in one of the older forums that Grapplers great for off road or longer wheelbase but not on wet pavement on short wheelbase. So am in learning curve. Thanks!

 

[gravitywell]

Jeeps or any Vehicle ? As my pickup doesn't nor our Dodge Challenger. Thanks for replying.

You described one of the most dangerous things you can do in standing water.

No tire is designed for that kind of recklessness.

Slow through standing water, period.

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[Jazzente]

You described one of the most dangerous things you can do in standing water.

No tire is designed for that kind of recklessness.

Slow through standing water, period.

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

So apparently me not tire. Guess I was used to heavy pickup, also. So if consensus is Grapplers are good on wet roads, within reason, will likely keep them & just get used to Jeep handling. Definitely saves $$$$$ ! Thx!

 

[Jazzente]

Th

What you are currently running, is one of the better tires for your kind of use..IMO

anks! Makes me feel better !

 

[GuzziMoto]

@Jazzente
A narrower tire would probably be better. A wider tire is more likely to float / hydroplane across water.
And my experience is the BFG KO2 is an excellent tire in the wet that also works well off-road. The only drawback to the BFG is they are in short supply.
My experience with Nitto is with the Ridge Grappler, it is an okay tire but not of the same quality as the BFG. The rubber and construction of the RG is stout, making it a durable tire but not very good in the wet. Not sure if the TG has the same mediocre performance in the wet.

 

[Jazzente]

@Jazzente
A narrower tire would probably be better. A wider tire is more likely to float / hydroplane across water.
And my experience is the BFG KO2 is an excellent tire in the wet that also works well off-road. The only drawback to the BFG is they are in short supply.
My experience with Nitto is with the Ridge Grappler, it is an okay tire but not of the same quality as the BFG. The rubber and construction of the RG is stout, making it a durable tire but not very good in the wet. Not sure if the TG has the same mediocre performance in the wet.

From other older forums I've recently read this seems like a good answer. I'll look at the BFG KO2s. What size would you recommend?

 

[dwtgolden]

Though not popular for Jeeps, your best handling tire on road will be a good all season road tire, not an all terrain or mud terrain tire.

So far, I have had good performance out of the Falken Wildpeak AT3W’s if you want to stay with an all terrain tire, though I will admit that they only have a couple thousand miles on them and wet handling tends to fall off as the tire wears.


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[WLH]

I currently have just over 30,000 on my 265 X 70/17 BFG K02's and I have never had any problem in my 2 door 2017 JK with hydroplaning. I don't drive over about 45 to 50 in the rain or super wet conditions.

 

[Jazzente]

I currently have just over 30,000 on my 265 X 70/17 BFG K02's and I have never had any problem in my 2 door 2017 JK with hydroplaning. I don't drive over about 45 to 50 in the rain or super wet conditions.

Wow! Sounds great! Thank you!

Though not popular for Jeeps, your best handling tire on road will be a good all season road tire, not an all terrain or mud terrain tire.

So far, I have had good performance out of the Falken Wildpeak AT3W’s if you want to stay with an all terrain tire, though I will admit that they only have a couple thousand miles on them and wet handling tends to fall off as the tire wears.


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Thank you !!!

 

[rgreen65]

What air pressure are you running in the tires? While my door decal states 37 PSI for 255/75R17 that was too high. I ran 33PSI in my 255/75R17s and now run 30 in my 285/70R17 KO2s and have not had any issue. Looking at the Terra Ts tread pattern on a tire store site, they should be a reasonable tire. But high TP will cause less traction on the sides of the tread as the tread will bear the weight of the vehicle on the center as the will tend to crown on you.

One difference between a PU and the Jeep is that the weight distribution in the front of a PU is a much higher percentage than the Jeep, so the front will be a bit lighter in the Jeep. I used to run higher TP in the front tires on my PU than on the rear because of the light loading of an empty bed. If I was hauling a load, I would raise the TP and then drop it back down when the bed was empty again.

 

[Northshore]

What air pressure are you running in the tires? While my door decal states 37 PSI for 255/75R17 that was too high. I ran 33PSI in my 255/75R17s and now run 30 in my 285/70R17 KO2s and have not had any issue. Looking at the Terra Ts tread pattern on a tire store site, they should be a reasonable tire. But high TP will cause less traction on the sides of the tread as the tread will bear the weight of the vehicle on the center as the will tend to crown on you.

One difference between a PU and the Jeep is that the weight distribution in the front of a PU is a much higher percentage than the Jeep, so the front will be a bit lighter in the Jeep. I used to run higher TP in the front tires on my PU than on the rear because of the light loading of an empty bed. If I was hauling a load, I would raise the TP and then drop it back down when the bed was empty again.

I had the Falken Wildpeak AT3 in 285/70/17 on my last Jeep and it was a great tire all around. That being said, in a couple instances I hit deeper standing water and it was a bit touch and go and downright scary for a few moments. I am of the belief that wider tires, even 285’s can lead to poor handling in deeper water.

 

[rgreen65]

True. A tall skinny tire will do better because of the loading per square inch of tread.

 

[ghstrydr]

Check out the Continental Terrain Contact, very high rating for both dry and wet surfaces. Also runs quiet.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?gclid=CjwKCAjwkvWKBhB4EiwA-GHjFvJ0FBxnH9jL_IJ3Zeg3-l7UjSA_d8bWZLfnw9OJVh2JdHI8dD-hkhoC9UcQAvD_BwE&tireMake=Continental&tireModel=TerrainContact+A%2FT&partnum=555VR9TCATXL&GCID=C13674x012-tire&KEYWORD=tires.jsp_Continental_TerrainContact+A%2FT_Tire&code=yes&ef_id=CjwKCAjwkvWKBhB4EiwA-GHjFvJ0FBxnH9jL_IJ3Zeg3-l7UjSA_d8bWZLfnw9OJVh2JdHI8dD-hkhoC9UcQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!537118804928!!!u!293946777986!&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[TerryC6]

One thing to remember wet tractions rating do not include standard water. Once water on the roadway exceeds 1/10 of an inch hydroplaning can occur.

 

[Jazzente]

Check out the Continental Terrain Contact, very high rating for both dry and wet surfaces. Also runs quiet.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?gclid=CjwKCAjwkvWKBhB4EiwA-GHjFvJ0FBxnH9jL_IJ3Zeg3-l7UjSA_d8bWZLfnw9OJVh2JdHI8dD-hkhoC9UcQAvD_BwE&tireMake=Continental&tireModel=TerrainContact+A%2FT&partnum=555VR9TCATXL&GCID=C13674x012-tire&KEYWORD=tires.jsp_Continental_TerrainContact+A%2FT_Tire&code=yes&ef_id=CjwKCAjwkvWKBhB4EiwA-GHjFvJ0FBxnH9jL_IJ3Zeg3-l7UjSA_d8bWZLfnw9OJVh2JdHI8dD-hkhoC9UcQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!537118804928!!!u!293946777986!&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks & am cking now.

 

[Jazzente]

One thing to remember wet tractions rating do not include standard water. Once water on the roadway exceeds 1/10 of an inch hydroplaning can occur.

Good to know. Thank you!