This week I swapped my KO2s for Patagonias. It was a tough decision, and an expected one for anyone that has heard me praise the KO2s as many times as I have. Here's the background on the change:
Why I Swapped
Really simple: size. The BFG KO2 maxes out at 37", as do most all-terrain tires. However, the tire itself measures just 35.5". That's great in terms of meshing with the 4.10 stock gearing and adding minimal(ish) weight from the stock 33" tires, but they just looked kind of tiny.
Sometimes I'd be walking up to the truck in a parking lot and think "it looks like this guy ordered 35s and didn't know what they were going to look like." And that's really (practically) what they were; 35s.
Why The KO2 Is Awesome
I have never once encountered a scenario where the KO2 wasn't perfect.
Daily Driver: totally silent, tracks well, and doesn't want to dive into every rut on the highway.
Rain: I'm not one to complain here, but they always held up great in wet conditions.
Snow: perhaps my favorite condition in these tires; they handle just as well as a snow tire.
Off-Road/Rocks: second set of KO2s I've owned and I've never been disappointed off-road.
Moab: hooks up on slick rock great.
I've rarely encountered heavy mud, but I hear they aren't great in that one scenario. The tread pattern and depth would support that estimation. Living in Colorado, snow performance is extremely important to me, and that, paired with the quiet and all-around high performance nature of the KO2, made them very difficult to part with.
Why Milestar Patagonias
Also very simple: they are the only tire larger than 37" that are pseudo-all-terrain, KM3 aside. Though I don't expect them to perform anywhere near as well as the KO2 in snow, I expect decent handling this winter. Essentially, it's a tire that gives me the size/look I want and ~80% of the performance I want. They are also light (relatively speaking), not just in weight, but in price.
Here are some initial observations:
Noise: Yes, they are quiet, but they aren't as quiet as the KO2. In the realm of mud terrains, or even "all terrains" like the Duratrac, you could describe this tire as near-silent.
Ride Quality: With only on-road miles thus far, I can say that I don't feel like I've lost much by leaving the KO2. The shop that mounted/balanced set the pressure to 38psi, ignoring my request for 35psi. At 38psi, it was a pretty harsh ride. At 35psi, these Patagonias (C-Rated) are now very much in-line with the KO2s (D-Rated).
Appearance: I used to think 40s on a 4.5" lift was the best-looking build out there. Now, with my 38s on a 3", I have zero desire for 40s. It's a great look and the tires themselves look pretty mean. Happiest I've been with the truck.
Fit: Had some rub on both sides, front only, as expected. The point of contact is largely a result of my spacers, I'm sure. I cut about an inch off of the factory rock rails and also removed some plastic at the bottom of the fender liner. No rub at full lock, reverse, etc. However, I am expecting to encounter more trimming needs when I take it back out on the dirt. Hoping to avoid removal of the entire fender liner, necessitating the purchase of aftermarket liners and fender braces.
Mechanical: TBD on how the steering components and axle shafts will fare. These tires added 12lbs per corner, which isn't bad for about a 2" size increase, but that's 30lbs over the stock tires. The general rule is that the Dana 44 can handle up to the 37" tire. These exceed that, but they don't exceed 37" tire weight. 37" Nitto Trail and Ridge Grapplers, for example, are 85lbs and 87lbs, respectively. With that in mind, and considering my off-road driving style, I feel as if I've got some time before swapping to RCV shafts. A regear will be happening much sooner than originally intended, though.
Purchase Location: Per usual, I went with the best price I could find. That price, at the time, was with Amazon. Link for the product is here.
Going forward, I'm expecting them to become a bit louder, but not unbearably loud. We'll see how they shake out over time.