P1000 Kenda Klever or BFG Mud Terrains?

[Ericseabaugh]

I'm putting on the TTC 6" long travel kit and gonna jump up to 30x10x14 tires. I am currently running 28x10x14 Tusk Terrabites but wanted to try something different. Wanted to get some input on the Kenda Klever tires and the BFG Mud Terrains. Kinda leaning towards the Kenda but though I would collect y'alls input first.

 

[Cobber4082]

I'm putting on the TTC 6" long travel kit and gonna jump up to 30x10x14 tires. I am currently running 28x10x14 Tusk Terrabites but wanted to try something different. Wanted to get some input on the Kenda Klever tires and the BFG Mud Terrains. Kinda leaning towards the Kenda but though I would collect y'alls input first.

I have kenda klever on my 1000-5 in the 28" flavor. No issues for 1500 miles thus far. Coming from stock bighorn I wasn't prepared for amount of rocks they would kick. Not sure if it is WORSE then others or a facet of LT type tire? It does seem to have subsided some tho. The ONLY concern I would have after the fact is availability of a matching replacement if traveling and ruined a tire?
Otherwise a great value tire.

 

[Ericseabaugh]

I have kenda klever on my 1000-5 in the 28" flavor. No issues for 1500 miles thus far. Coming from stock bighorn I wasn't prepared for amount of rocks they would kick. Not sure if it is WORSE then others or a facet of LT type tire? It does seem to have subsided some tho. The ONLY concern I would have after the fact is availability of a matching replacement if traveling and ruined a tire?
Otherwise a great value tire.

How is the wear at 1500 miles? I got almost 9000 miles outta my first Tusk terrabites and the set I am currently running have 7000 miles on them. They are just terrible in the mud, don't clean out at all.

 

[Robobrainiac]

I had the kenda klever on my 2000 ram. Good tires but wore out quickly on a truck. I would assume on a side by side you will most likely have a longer wear period. The BFG is a name brand tire. It is much more expensive than the kenda. I have installed lots of BFG AT and MT for trucks and customers like them. I would assume the BFG would last even longer than the kenda on a side by side.

 

[Scoop]

I strongly considered the Kenda Klever before I bought my current setup. I recall seeing at least a few reviews where people were NOT happy with how quickly they wore out. Just my anecdotal experience, though - you may find others who disagree.

 

[Ericseabaugh]

I strongly considered the Kenda Klever before I bought my current setup. I recall seeing at least a few reviews where people were NOT happy with how quickly they wore out. Just my anecdotal experience, though - you may find others who disagree.

What setup are you running? I don't do alot of mud bogging and will never use my buggy as a submarine, but when we ride the trails in the Kaskaskia River bottom 5 miles from my house sometimes there is no avoiding the mud and it's a sticky, silt/clay mud and the terrabites just turn into a completely useless mud ball and they don't clean out worth a crap! We ride alot of back roads (oiled and chipped) and oil field lease roads (gravel) as well.

 

[Cobber4082]

How is the wear at 1500 miles? I got almost 9000 miles outta my first Tusk terrabites and the set I am currently running have 7000 miles on them. They are just terrible in the mud, don't clean out at all.

I seriously doubt getting that kind of mileage from these tires. But for the money still provide good value. Tire wear is so subjective- highway, gravel, dirt only etc...absolutely no way to quantify mileage life, for my type of riding I would expect 5-6000 miles and be extremely happy.

 

[Scoop]

What setup are you running? I don't do alot of mud bogging and will never use my buggy as a submarine, but when we ride the trails in the Kaskaskia River bottom 5 miles from my house sometimes there is no avoiding the mud and it's a sticky, silt/clay mud and the terrabites just turn into a completely useless mud ball and they don't clean out worth a crap! We ride alot of back roads (oiled and chipped) and oil field lease roads (gravel) as well.

I would NOT recommend the tires I have right now for a variety of reasons, but not all apply to everyone.

I'm running the Tusk Aramid Terrabite 10-ply on Tusk Uinta bead locks.

The 10-ply Aramid combined with the beadlock wheels has produced 3 of 5 leakers. IMHO, it's not the wheel -- I could get plenty of tires that would mount up and not leak with it. I think it's the combination of bead locks in general with a 10-ply tire that just doesn't sit flat on the bead. I've R&R'd several of them. I've put bead sealer on one (test). I've gone a little more than the recommended toque on the bead lock rim bolts (and have tightened them multiple times). While all that has helped reduce the rate of air loss (1-2 psi per day), it has not been eliminated. As much as I hate to do it, I'm putting some Berryman Tire Seale-R in them as a last resort (better than Slime, as this is fiber and water based, not plastic based like Slime). Regardless of whether or not that will help, I'll run the tires until I wear them out. If I have to air up every week, so be it. But I won't buy them again for use with a beadlock wheel.

The Aramid is the same tread pattern as the standard 8-ply Terrabite. If you're having problems throwing mud from the Terrabites, the Aramids won't be any different. That said, I don't seek out mud, per se. I only deal with it when it presents itself on a trail ride, but I have had no real issues myself.

They are more expensive than better options for your application.

There are more reasons, but I don't want to bore you.

If you're going to be in mud or on muddy trails a lot, then I wouldn't recommend an LT tire. I would say the Klever might be worth trying out. It often takes me 3-4 different sets of tires on a machine (ATV, motorcycle, truck, and now SXS) to find that "perfect" tire that is best for the combination of my driving style, my machine, and the environment in/on which I ride.

I would have to know more definitively what your anticipated types of riding will be (flat, trail, forest, mud, snow, sand, etc.) to recommend something.

 

[P1K5Dave]

I'm running the BFG Mud Terrain KM3s in a 30" and I'm quite impressed with them. I just rotated them at 3,300 miles and they look great.

BTW, I'd recommend sucking it up and spending the extra bucks on the Keller ball joint upgrade on the TTC kit. His standard upper ball joints on my 3" kit are garbage (even using Moog.) They're tie rod ends from a 1980s Dodge, and they're not up to the task.

 

[Smitty335]

I would NOT recommend the tires I have right now for a variety of reasons, but not all apply to everyone.

I'm running the Tusk Aramid Terrabite 10-ply on Tusk Uinta bead locks.

The 10-ply Aramid combined with the beadlock wheels has produced 3 of 5 leakers. IMHO, it's not the wheel -- I could get plenty of tires that would mount up and not leak with it. I think it's the combination of bead locks in general with a 10-ply tire that just doesn't sit flat on the bead. I've R&R'd several of them. I've put bead sealer on one (test). I've gone a little more than the recommended toque on the bead lock rim bolts (and have tightened them multiple times). While all that has helped reduce the rate of air loss (1-2 psi per day), it has not been eliminated. As much as I hate to do it, I'm putting some Berryman Tire Seale-R in them as a last resort (better than Slime, as this is fiber and water based, not plastic based like Slime). Regardless of whether or not that will help, I'll run the tires until I wear them out. If I have to air up every week, so be it. But I won't buy them again for use with a beadlock wheel.

The Aramid is the same tread pattern as the standard 8-ply Terrabite. If you're having problems throwing mud from the Terrabites, the Aramids won't be any different. That said, I don't seek out mud, per se. I only deal with it when it presents itself on a trail ride, but I have had no real issues myself.

They are more expensive than better options for your application.

There are more reasons, but I don't want to bore you.

If you're going to be in mud or on muddy trails a lot, then I wouldn't recommend an LT tire. I would say the Klever might be worth trying out. It often takes me 3-4 different sets of tires on a machine (ATV, motorcycle, truck, and now SXS) to find that "perfect" tire that is best for the combination of my driving style, my machine, and the environment in/on which I ride.

I would have to know more definitively what your anticipated types of riding will be (flat, trail, forest, mud, snow, sand, etc.) to recommend something.

ITP Terra hooks work for me, a little noisy on the HI-WAY

 

[Ericseabaugh]

I'm running the BFG Mud Terrain KM3s in a 30" and I'm quite impressed with them. I just rotated them at 3,300 miles and they look great.

BTW, I'd recommend sucking it up and spending the extra bucks on the Keller ball joint upgrade on the TTC kit. His standard upper ball joints on my 3" kit are garbage (even using Moog.) They're tie rod ends from a 1980s Dodge, and they're not up to the task.

Well I already have it installed so if they crap out I will upgrade to the Keller's. I went ahead and tried the Kenda's. They look great so well see how they last.

 

[Scoop]

I went ahead and tried the Kenda's. They look great so well see how they last.

POIDH!!!

EDIT: Saw the other thread. Stand down. 😆

 

[P1K5Dave]

Well I already have it installed so if they crap out I will upgrade to the Keller's. I went ahead and tried the Kenda's. They look great so well see how they last.

You can't just "upgrade" to the Kellers.

What you're looking at is the difference between a threaded-in tie rod end vs a threaded-in "hoop" to hold a press-in ball joint (doesn't need to be Keller, could also be stock Honda joints.)

What I learned is that I can either buy new a-arms or I can go through a good bit of machining to switch over to the "hoops." I'd need to drill out the threads and re-tap with a larger size, and also shave about 1/4" off the end of the a-arm to get proper length.

I need to write this up in my TTC thread.