BF Goodrich pretty bad after 30 000km

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:39 pm

So have just got back from TWT, where I went to have my wheels rotated and 2 slow leaks checked... My rear tyres are in a really bad condition after only 30 000 km, cracked with chunks of tread broken off.. The very helpful manager, is pretty shocked at how bad they look, and his first words to me were, "where the hell, have you been driving?" Well he has arranged for me to meet the BFG rep on Tuesday for him to have a look at my tyres, and hopefully he is good, kind and helpful... Oh and the slow leaks, another black mark against driving in mud and wheel spinning to get traction with deflated tyres, little stones and mud collect between the rim and tyre... He reckons I should get 80 000 to 100 000km on bfg but not with the condition mine are in..

Post by **george** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:45 pm

Hope you get sorted.Does not seem right. I am super stoked with mine.On my first set I got close to 70k.This set has been on really bad roads and plain offroading with a heavy load and no problems.I hope I am not jinking it now.

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:49 pm

george wrote:Hope you get sorted.Does not seem right. I am super stoked with mine.On my first set I got close to 70k.This set has been on really bad roads and plain offroading with a heavy load and no problems.I hope I am not jinking it now.

I did have some really heavy roads in Namibia and Botswana last year, but these tyres are meant to be able to handle bad roads.. So hope he agrees with me..

Post by **george** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 2:52 pm

I did have some really heavy roads in Namibia and Botswana last year, but these tyres are meant to be able to handle bad roads.. So hope he agrees with me..

They should.But if I was you I would not go in to much detail.Just tell them it was standard dirt roads

Post by **CasKru** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:45 pm

Personally I don't understand why people still go for BFG. What's more inportant in an emergency... grip or longevity?

Hoppy · Post by **Hoppy** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:49 pm

Grip is not that important, she's got an ARB Bullbar

Post by **CasKru** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:52 pm

Hoppy wrote:Grip is not that important, she's got an ARB Bullbar

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:55 pm

same on this side.

after 10k the rear tires had chunks torn out ....

doubt I will get 40k out of this set.

the new BFG are NOT up the same standard of those of a few years back.

krazy_kameleon · Post by **krazy_kameleon** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:59 pm

sharp as always Hoppy...

My BFG AT's on my Ssang Yong Musso are not too good after 30 000km either. All I have done is a few 4x4 trails and my wife uses it as a daily school run. (maybe she is sneaking out to Beraka)

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:07 pm

there have actually been many such threads on 4x4Community forum.

those that have the older BFG's SWEAR by them !

Yet the last 18 to 24 months more and more of the new BFG's are "not aging well" .....

Post by **george** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:11 pm

Must say I really dont understand why people say they are dangerous.I tested both of my sets in the wet and no problem.Even with cornering in the wet they are 100%. To me this is a excellent tire.If I can afford I will get another set.
But 30k and there is signs of wear is a serious concern.

I just saw Chris's post.Maybe than I am lucky with the older sets.

Die$eL · Post by **Die$eL** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:14 pm

I have these as well.

has anyone experienced increased road noise after rotating them?

Post by **Mud Dog** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:56 pm

BFG's are excellent tyres, but a bit over-rated (and over priced) IMO. I have BFG muds at the moment ... look like they're doing OK but seriously doubt that I'll get 80k on them. They're sort of OK in the wet .... not that wonderful, but then it is an off-road tyre and not designed for optimal road performance. Overall I would say that I am satisfied with mine so far, but the next set might just be Hankook's.

Die$eL wrote:I have these as well.
has anyone experienced increased road noise after rotating them?

This would be normal if you cross-rotate .... something I always advise against with aggressive tread / off-road tyres. The blocks 'wear in' with a leading edge and a trailing edge, so if you rotate back to front on each side only and don't change the direction of rotation, the 'wear in' remains the same. It's when you cross-rotate that the rotational direction is reversed and the blocks have to wear in again. That's what causes the increased road noise, but it will quiet down again after a while.

If it's not too long ago that you did it and still remember what you changed where, I would re-configure so that the back and front are rotated on the sides that they were originally, otherwise just leave it now.

Post by **george** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:06 pm

I see you guys are talking about MT.All my comments are based an the AT. I know debates about tires can become really nasty and some people have different opinion/experiences with their tires.
Where is Heinrich.His got some interesting comments on BF's

jacques kotze · Post by **jacques kotze** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:18 pm

I have around 66 000 km's on my BFG Muds and they still look good for another 15 000km's. The wear is even and I'm very happy with them. I will definitely get myself another set of BFG Muds.

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:46 pm

george wrote:I see you guys are talking about MT.All my comments are based an the AT. I know debates about tires can become really nasty and some people have different opinion/experiences with their tires.
Where is Heinrich.His got some interesting comments on BF's

@ BFG.

Stopped in Griekwastad this past holiday and saw a man throw a tantrum like a little girl cannot when you take her my little pony.

His BFG's seperated their tread completely on the road between Groblershoop and Griekwastad. And those 17" his Fortuner are on, there is off course no stock in Griekwastad of. It happens to be two cases that I know of where BFG's threw tread this December.

I fitted BFG's to Dreadnought, and they looked like they had done 90k km's by the time we reached 25k km's. I saw 3 reps from Michelin (BFG agents), and they all blamed my driving style and I am driving the tyres where they are not meant to go.

I tried to give a BFG away (new one) that was the spare on my Patrol and nobody wanted it (that must say something). Just go and see how many sets of BFG's had been offered on the Cruiser Forum. So anyway, I used the tyre as a target for my .416

Braking with a loaded vehicle on a wet tar road is like trying to stop the continent of Africa.

Anyhoo, Val, good luck with that rep.

AM Racing · Post by **AM Racing** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:35 pm

I went from muds to AT's in the hope of better mileage but am now also experiencing"chunking" of the tyres at 10k km and i can honestly say these have not worked yet. I was getting +-40k km on my muds (BF and Kuhmo). At the current rate I will see about the same on the AT's

warthog · Post by **warthog** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:04 pm

'Shees, you got me worried. I put BFG A/T's on Forrest, got 95 000 km's out of them, including Namibia 2009 and Serengeti 2012 on some really bad-ass roads- only two punctures on 4 tyres - out of total of 380 000 km's!!!

Fitted new ones 8 000 km's ago- will watch them closely...

jacques kotze · Post by **jacques kotze** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:34 am

If I remember correctly, someone told me a time ago that BFG had a contract with the US Forces to supply them with BFG's for their military vehicles. That is the time when BFG here in SA and over the world got the good reputation. But since they lost the contract for what reason I don't know, they made the tyres with a different rubber compound to safe on production costs and this is the tyres everyone is complaining about.
Not sure if this story hold any truth.
Myself, don't think I will ever buy BFG A/T again, but BFG Mud's, definitely!!

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:27 am

The largest supplier of military tyres in the world is Michelin.
- not sole supplier, but just the largest supplier.
Also a huge supplier of tyres into the mining industry.

PS. How many mining and construction companies have anybody seen that fit BFG (anything) to their site bakkies?

ROOFER · Post by **ROOFER** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:54 pm

GI Jane wrote:
george wrote:Hope you get sorted.Does not seem right. I am super stoked with mine.On my first set I got close to 70k.This set has been on really bad roads and plain offroading with a heavy load and no problems.I hope I am not jinking it now.
I did have some really heavy roads in Namibia and Botswana last year, but these tyres are meant to be able to handle bad roads.. So hope he agrees with me..

all of the best with the rep Val :!: keep us in the loop with out come

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:10 am

Sjoe. When I bought the bfg thought I would get some decent mileage and performance out of the, and was prepared to pay the bit more for them. Now after reading these posts I am worried that maybe they are not as great as I had thought. Oh well, will keep you posted on what happens.. Thanks for the feedback..

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:18 pm

Val when I bought mine, about a year back, I WAS warned.

But a couple of friends have been using BFG for YEARS with no issues, so I ignored the warnings .... THIS is why I am convinced the current batch is "not the same" as what was sold here a few years back.

worst is I bought SIX tires !! at least I did get a very good price.

Rianc · Post by **Rianc** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:41 pm

I dont know what happened to my post of last night, but I bought BF's AT 31 tens in 2009. After 70 000km I have now replaced them with Hankook Dynapro Atm's. The Bf's I sold to one of our forum members and were still in good condition ( must admid, did only normal gravel roads and the minimal ruf stuff) The wheels did however suffered some serious ware after 25k, but after rotation and the proper wheel balancing, it came wright. But no loss of chuncks etc. I must say, the ride of the Hankooks are much softer and lesser road noise.
Chrs\R

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 3:30 pm

Chris, what is quite sad is as you say, you were warned. I even warned myself but still did not listen to my own advice.

And even when we warn more people, and they will still be buying BFG.

Rian, if someone tells my today that they are getting +75k km's on a set of BFG's I know they are driving on velvet.

Post by **george** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:19 pm

Traveler wrote:Chris, what is quite sad is as you say, you were warned. I even warned myself but still did not listen to my own advice.

And even when we warn more people, and they will still be buying BFG.

Rian, if someone tells my today that they are getting +75k km's on a set of BFG's I know they are driving on velvet.

My set I got second hand from Agteros and am really happy with them,but if I have to buy another set new it will be something else.You just can not pay so much for a tire and then they are not up to the task.

Just on another point. Is it possible that we in RSA got maybe a bad batch. I have met a lot of overlanders and most of them have BF's and swear by them. All of them are Europeans and they have been through the desert and really bad roads and all of them swear by BF's.

Klong se Pa · Post by **Klong se Pa** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:36 pm

Not to happy with the current BFG's at all. For the price difference between say GY Wranglers, I expected better mileage. Will not buy them again unless some good feedback starts spreading in future.

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:49 am

So of to TWT to meet the Michelen (BFG) rep in an hour.... What are the bets that he is even going to pitch, firstly and secondly, the chances of him replacing at least two of my damaged BFG's...

jacques kotze · Post by **jacques kotze** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:08 am

Good luck!!

Donkey · Post by **Donkey** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:13 am

CasKru wrote:
Hoppy wrote:Grip is not that important, she's got an ARB Bullbar

Saw a Vigo rammed into the back of a Avanza on Sun, Vigo had a offroad bullbar on it and not even the spots tilted, Avanza was in a really sad state

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:39 am

So the Michelen rep was very sweet and friendly, BUT, he decided that the wear on my tyres and the chunks of rubber off the tread on the rear tyres was quite normal and to be expected. He says I am easily going to do 80 000km on the tyres, but that I must ensure that I rotate them regularly...Sorry not sure if I have the right measurements and I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong, think he said something along the lines of I have 9mm of tread left, and that I have done 1mm per 10 000km so far. Apparently it is quite normal in the first 30 000km for chunks off rubber to come off initially when driving rocky offroads, ... so what can I say?

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:43 am

Val, at least we know the breaking, beading and chunking of the tyres is normal.

Then I am very worried about my Coopers that are not damaged after 37,000km. :wth: :wth:

Pote · Post by **Pote** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:47 am

Has anyone used TOYO tyres???

I have a set of 31 x 10.5 x 15" AT's on my "VAN" and are very pleased with them.
I put them on about 60,000km back and still have about 45% thread left on them.

Stubs · Post by **Stubs** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:56 am

I had a set of 33" Bridgestone duellers on and a guy wanted to buy them from me so I sold them, my truck gest is fair share of hammering offroad so decided not to go to the big names (BFG, GY, Coops,) but try something else, I put on a set of 35" Yokohama geolanders M/T's. on a 15 x 10 rim I have done over 30,000 km on them since new, plenty of rocky trails, dune riding, mud...with this in mind and knowing that the tyres would get damaged etc thats why I went for these, I paid R2800 for each and I brought five. They are still looking great and if I compare with the spare on the rear wheel carrier which has never seen the road then there is not much difference, I am hoping to get 70,000 km plus if i can.

I have rotated them front to back and vice versa...and run them at 1.6 bar on the road because if I put them at 2.0 bar then the bubble slightly and wanted get a even wear (thanks Hoppy for that piece of advice). Off road I am regularly dropping them to 0.6 and 0.5 bar and I usually have one or 2 rim leaks so this is par for the course and I dont worry too much about it.

I seriously believe in the earlier comments about different compounds maybe being used, not as good quality, to have tyres that can get 90,000 km and then all of a sudden start to look pap after 30,000 just doesnt ring true, irrespective of how you drive or where you have been driving - the difference in the milage gap is to vast.

Just my comments, hope you come right Val. good luck and stand your ground.....they want to charge you top dollar but never want to come to the party when the shoe is on the other foot. !!!!!!

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:03 am

Traveler wrote:Val, at least we know the breaking, beading and chunking of the tyres is normal.

Then I am very worried about my Coopers that are not damaged after 37,000km. :wth: :wth:

good point... it is not whole nobblies that are off but on the nobbly section there is chunks off the edges, and he says that is from sharp rocks, and badly corrugated rocky roads... Well I have a few trips planned this year, and I told him that I was going to contact him if it was starting to look like they were'nt going to make the mileage.. At least there is a record of me meeting up with him at 30 000km to express my concern and if they don't look they are going to go the distance, I will get hold of them again. Anyway will continue to rotate my tyres diligently so, we will see... Maybe next time around BFG won't be the choice...

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:13 pm

bwhahahah

Traveller now you are a comedian as well. :) :)

Val as you say - BFG wont be on the list next time .....

That rep better realise that at some point the word WILL get out there that this new series is "not up to it".

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:07 pm

Chris, this conversation sounds earily similar to the one I had with the rep. I believe they are probably getting a script to explain the problem.

Up to the point where I got burnt with BFG's I was lead to believe that you cannot shoot a dent in a BF with a 20mm Bofors. Let alone a small piece of rock lying on a dirt road cutting it. I thought not even Rambo could stab his bowie through the sidewalls of a BF.

Post by **CasKru** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:09 pm

Traveler wrote:Chris, this conversation sounds earily similar to the one I had with the rep. I believe they are probably getting a script to explain the problem.

Up to the point where I got burnt with BFG's I was lead to believe that you cannot shoot a dent in a BF with a 20mm Bofors. Let alone a small piece of rock lying on a dirt road cutting it. I thought not even Rambo could stab his bowie through the sidewalls of a BF.

Ons het Chuck Norris klippe hier in Afrika

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:13 pm

CasKru wrote:
Traveler wrote:Chris, this conversation sounds earily similar to the one I had with the rep. I believe they are probably getting a script to explain the problem.

Up to the point where I got burnt with BFG's I was lead to believe that you cannot shoot a dent in a BF with a 20mm Bofors. Let alone a small piece of rock lying on a dirt road cutting it. I thought not even Rambo could stab his bowie through the sidewalls of a BF.
Ons het Chuck Norris klippe hier in Afrika

Moet wees Cassie.
Jy weet moes toe Riaan Cruywagen se goeienag, toe gaan klim Chuck Norris in die bed.

Post by **CasKru** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:19 pm

Traveler wrote:Jy weet moes toe Riaan Cruywagen se goeienag, toe gaan klim Chuck Norris in die bed.

Ek dog dit was met hom wat Zandberg Jansen altyd gepraat het toe hy gesê het "Nag ou grote"

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:38 pm

CasKru wrote:
Traveler wrote:Jy weet moes toe Riaan Cruywagen se goeienag, toe gaan klim Chuck Norris in die bed.
Ek dog dit was met hom wat Zandberg Jansen altyd gepraat het toe hy gesê het "Nag ou grote"

Riaan Cruywagen was ou grote.

ChrisF · Post by **ChrisF** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:48 pm

Heinrich ek het nou maar vrede gemaak met die "chipping" - nie dat ek weer BFG AT sal koop nie (miskien die MT)

MAAR ek is so ongemaklik oor die "delamination" - waar die "tread" van die karkas afklim ....

sal seker maar eendag die BFG weg gooi - kan tog nie sulke gemors weggee nie, wil darem met n skoon gewete gaan slaap.

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:01 pm

ChrisF wrote:Heinrich ek het nou maar vrede gemaak met die "chipping" - nie dat ek weer BFG AT sal koop nie (miskien die MT)

MAAR ek is so ongemaklik oor die "delamination" - waar die "tread" van die karkas afklim ....

sal seker maar eendag die BFG weg gooi - kan tog nie sulke gemors weggee nie, wil darem met n skoon gewete gaan slaap.

Ek sal ook eerder my eie gewete beskerm het. Doen almal om jou 'n guns, en ry hulle self op.

Agteros · Post by **Agteros** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:11 pm

Julle maak my nou bekommerd - ek het my BF AT's met 2000kms op aan George verkoop omdat ek MT's wou gehad het - hoop nie ek het robbiesh aan George verkoop nie want hy ry nou in Donker Afrika rond met die goed.

George hou die BF's nog?? George George kom in George!!!

Post by **CasKru** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:22 pm

Agteros wrote:Julle maak my nou bekommerd - ek het my BF AT's met 2000kms op aan George verkoop omdat ek MT's wou gehad het - hoop nie ek het robbiesh aan George verkoop nie want hy ry nou in Donker Afrika rond met die goed.

George hou die BF's nog?? George George kom in George!!!

Jy kan ontspan... George het hier iewers genoem dat hy nog heppy is met syne

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:36 pm

Arme George.

nou moet hy daardie goed opry.

GI Jane · Post by **GI Jane** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:54 pm

Agteros wrote:Julle maak my nou bekommerd - ek het my BF AT's met 2000kms op aan George verkoop omdat ek MT's wou gehad het - hoop nie ek het robbiesh aan George verkoop nie want hy ry nou in Donker Afrika rond met die goed.

George hou die BF's nog?? George George kom in George!!!

Lyk my George is baie gelukkig met syne... Miskien het ek van die nuwe stock gekoop wat slegter gemaak is. Volgens die Michelin man is myne nog reg, so ek sal sien... Pietpetoors het myne by Scheppies gesien en vir my gewys hoe die stukkies afgekom het.. en dis net die agterste twee wat sleg afgekom. Ek het hulle omgeruil so ons sal sien wat met hulle verder gebeur.

Kyk ek met se ek het rerig slegte paaie in Namibia en Botswana gery, van die slegste wat ek ooit gery het en ten tye was ons bietjie haastig om by plekke uit te kom..

Agteros · Post by **Agteros** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:01 am

Hi Val

Ek het so paar jaar terug Namibie gedoen en toe ek terugkom moes ek my agterste 2 Firestone ATX'e weggooi soos hulle gechip het. Ek dink die voorwiele tel die klippe op en "gooi" die agterwiele daarmee

Ek moet darem se die bande het toe al hoe kilos op gehad

Post by **george** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:00 pm

Agteros wrote:Julle maak my nou bekommerd - ek het my BF AT's met 2000kms op aan George verkoop omdat ek MT's wou gehad het - hoop nie ek het robbiesh aan George verkoop nie want hy ry nou in Donker Afrika rond met die goed.

George hou die BF's nog?? George George kom in George!!!

Hugo ontspan.Ek is baie happy met jou bande.Moes seker nog van die goeies gewees het.Jou stel het nou al regtig nare paaie gesien en ek het geen probleem nie.Touch wood.

Klong se Pa · Post by **Klong se Pa** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:15 pm

Val, vir wat dit werd is moes jy dalk vir daai rep gesê het van hierdie thread. Lyk my hier is heelwat BFG-users wat nie heeltemal happy campers is nie. Ek gaan verseker in die toekoms kyk na alternatiewe. Op my werf staan 3 bakkies, twee met BFG's, en ek is nie gelukkig met een van die twee se tyres nie.

Agteros · Post by **Agteros** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:33 pm

george wrote:
Agteros wrote:Julle maak my nou bekommerd - ek het my BF AT's met 2000kms op aan George verkoop omdat ek MT's wou gehad het - hoop nie ek het robbiesh aan George verkoop nie want hy ry nou in Donker Afrika rond met die goed.

George hou die BF's nog?? George George kom in George!!!
Hugo ontspan.Ek is baie happy met jou bande.Moes seker nog van die goeies gewees het.Jou stel het nou al regtig nare paaie gesien en ek het geen probleem nie.Touch wood.

Hey George - goed om te hoor. Kom ons hoop dit bly so!
Ek volg julle blog gereeld - mooi fotos en dit lyk na 'n heerlike trip!
Geniet!