Real world experience with Goodyear Wrangler AT/S and Firestone Destination AT

[osteodoc08]

Tires almost down to the wear bars on my truck. I'm looking at these 2 tires.

G-Y Wrangler AT/S and Firestone Destination AT. I've typically bought either GY or Michelin tires in the past. These 2 are in my price range and are available locally.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Wrangler+AT%2FS

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Destination+A%2FT

I'm looking for real world experiences with them.

It will be going on a 2013 F-250 SRW and used mostly for commute as I drive 50-60K miles annually, but also need it for hunting and fishing locations, work around my friends farm and towing (nothing very heavy, usually under 8K pounds). It needs to be dependable and puncture resistant. I have Michelin LTX A/T2s on there now, but replacements are just too much.

[downzero]

I have the replacement tire for the AT/S on my Ranger, the Silent Armor:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Wrangler+SilentArmor

It is loud; surprisingly so. The traction is good but an all terrain tire shouldn't be this loud.

This tire looks promising and quieter if you must go with a Goodyear:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Wrangler+All-Terrain+Adventure+with+Kevlar

If I had it to do all over again I'd buy the Firestone you mentioned or perhaps the Michelin LTX AT/2. Maybe I'm just getting old and no longer want the noise.

On my 1 ton SRW I installed Nitto Terra Grapplers because they are rated for more weight in the size I am running.

If you are really driving that much every year, you should consider having two sets of tires.

[osteodoc08]

I have the replacement tire for the AT/S on my Ranger, the Silent Armor:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Wrangler+SilentArmor

It is loud; surprisingly so. The traction is good but an all terrain tire shouldn't be this loud.

This tire looks promising and quieter if you must go with a Goodyear:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Wrangler+All-Terrain+Adventure+with+Kevlar

If I had it to do all over again I'd buy the Firestone you mentioned or perhaps the Michelin LTX AT/2. Maybe I'm just getting old and no longer want the noise.

On my 1 ton SRW I installed Nitto Terra Grapplers because they are rated for more weight in the size I am running.

If you are really driving that much every year, you should consider having two sets of tires.

I appreciate the info, but the new G-Y Wranglers are in the $1500 neighborhood for 4 OTD. About $300-400 more than I'd like to spend. Michelins are in the same catergory, too expensive.

A different car is not an option. Same with different tire sets.

[CastingFool]

I ran GY Wranglers on my 2wd 96 Silverado half ton, and easily would get 75K miles out of each set. Went through 2 sets, and I'm on my third set, but I don't do the amount of driving I used to do. Most of my driving was highway miles, as I used to drive 75 miles a day, commuting to work and back. The tires on the truck are the SR/A model, whatever that means.

[Kraschenbirn]

Been awhile since I bought all-terrain tires but will share what I know about the 'low end' of the G-Y Wrangler line. In a word: DON'T!! My '98 TJ came with Wrangler A/Ts...trashed in less than 40,000 miles. Replaced them with another set of G-Ys...essentially the same story. Went to local farm supply store and bought a set of Cooper 'Discoverers'...about the same mileage but half the money and they ran quieter. Jeep was on its second set of Coopers when I sold it last fall and almost every potential buyer commented something like: "Tires look pretty good." even though they had about 24K at the time.


Bill

[R.M.]

My 98 Ram came with Wranglers. The lasted about 75K. I replaced them with the same and only got about 40k on the second set. I've since gone to Michelins from Costco, and they're doing great. They might not have the off-road traction that the GY did, but that's something I don't need much any more.

[SharpsShooter]

I personally like the Goodyear Wrangler. I have used them on full-size pickup trucks, jeeps, Ford Explorers and will soon be putting a set on my Dodge Nitro. 70,000 miles before refit is not uncommon.


SS

[square butte]

I am on my 4th set of Goodyear Wrangler AT/S on a 97 Toyota 4Runner. Three sets averaged 70 to 75K and one set only went about 47K before they went of of round. That set became very tough to balance. I will also say, that set was the only set that was cross rotated. The others went front to back and back to front. Except for the one bad set - I think they are great tires.

[lancem]

After having been through what seems like all of them, GY, Firestone, BFG, Yokahama, the AT tires that I've found to be the most puncture resistant and longest wearing are Hankook Danapro ATM, it's what all the big ranches run around here on their work trucks.

[HangFireW8]

Call around and play the price matching game on the Michelins. They cost more because they are worth it, but they also have a higher margin so you can make a bargain if you find the right shop.

[docone31]

I have always liked Cooper tires.

[jmort]

The best/longest lasting tires are the Michelin XPS traction.

[downzero]

Call around and play the price matching game on the Michelins. They cost more because they are worth it, but they also have a higher margin so you can make a bargain if you find the right shop.

This is probably the best advice. Don't be afraid to ask for price matching. I got my Goodyear Silent Armors at approximately a 20% discount this way.

I know E rated tires aren't cheap, but I haven't had any problem at all getting big time discounts on my choice of tires, to the point that $100-150, at max, separates the Firestones and Nittos from the premium Michelins.

If the Michelin LTX A/T2 came in an E rated 285/70R17, I'd be running that regardless of cost.

Remember that the cost is spread over a long time--the difference in performance lasts a long time, and even a small difference in life can make a big difference in value.

I was not happy with my Michelin 265 all seasons that came on my Ram, but I am confident that the AT/2 would have the traction off the pavement that I desire while still being quiet and long lasting.

The Goodyears are louder and better in the softer stuff, especially snow, but I don't think they'll last as long as the Michelins.

[sparky45]

I've been running Firestone Destination AT for 5 years now and haven't had a lick of trouble. Pretty quiet and nice ride. I run them on my 2008 Tundra Crewmax and she just turned 81000.

[MtGun44]

Stick with the Michelins, well worth it.

In my driving experience, since 1967, and several million miles of driving, many trips across the
whole or a very large part of this USA, I have, on four occasions, had extremely severe handling situations
where I JUST BARELY, with every ounce of skill I have, managed to retain control of my car and avoid
a serious, possibly even fatal accident. In each case, I was driving on Michelins which, in a few cases
cost as much as 40% of the value of my car (I was POOR when I was younger, but still bought good
tires for my junker cars). In my opinion, I might be crippled or dead if I had been driving on cheaper,
less capable tires. Two of them were youthful errors in judgement, the other two were some idiot
that just darned near killed me, but I managed to pull it off.

You pay your money and you take your choice, but those 4 small patches of rubber that touch the pavement
are the ONLY thing between you and death on many occasions. I do not look for bargains on tires, I usually
buy one grade up market from what is recommended for the car or truck I am driving, and almost always
stick with Michelin.

Would you buy the cheap parachute, or the best one that they sell? if you are willing to risk your life, what about
your kids or grandkids that ride with you? Think hard, this is an important choice.

Bill

[marlin39a]

Wow, interesting topic. I am looking for tires for my FJ Cruiser. Keep the answers coming guys!

[Lloyd Smale]

when i put tires on last year i had the same two choises at my buddys garage. He recomended the wranglers. Said there was about 10k more miles in them. Ive had them a year now and about 10k on them and they still look like new. the firestones did look a bit more agressive though and might be a tad better in the rough stuff but anymore the jeep takes care of the rough stuff for me. They did do a great job last winter in the snow and ice though. My favorite all terrain tire are the bfg all terrains but there a bit noisy on the road but give great traction for an all terrain tire and have excellent life.. Stay away from bridgestone duelers. I had a set on the truck when it was new and at 30k they were shot.

[dakotashooter2]

Given a choice I take Coopers over Wranglers. I generally get more life out of them. I have Wranglers on my truck right now but I probably only have about 22 K on them and the checking between the treads is the worst I have ever seen.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm with Mtgun44 and his comment about those four contact patches being the only control you have over a vehicle. I've run just about every brand made and Michelin's are excellent tires but almost always out of my price range. I've had good luck with a few brands, including some cheap ones but you generally get what you pay for.
My experience with Goodyear truck tires goes back about 30 years so I can't say if they've improved any, but based on my past experiences; I'll never take a chance on Goodyear tires again. They were absolute junk.
I was responsible for the maintenance of several ambulances and we purchased tires on state contract to get reduced prices. Goodyear was the only tire on the contract, go figure. IF you could find a new set that wasn't square and would balance, they wouldn't stay balanced long. The tread would wear quickly, cup and separate even when the suspension was perfectly within specs. The tires were not overloaded, under/over pressure or abused; they were just JUNK!
We eventually just paid for better brands out of pocket and our tire problems went away.
Goodyear may have improved but they lost me as a customer.

[country gent]

I had firestone tires several times and were nothing but a headache for me. 521s unwrapped like retreads, 721s would lose side walls, The ones on my explorer would blow out the sidewalls also. The set on my excurrsionchecked so bad at 30,000 white under rubber was showing.The only set that I got any satisfaction on was the excursions. I think that that was the vehicle dealer that replaced tose 4 tires. I perfer michilens have had coopers and good years with great results. When I was working I was an oil change a month. ( 3000 miles) . I put a set of pirellis on the explorer to replace the firestones and got great mileage ride and low noise. The Bird has w rated tires on it. A big price jump for that rating also, and ussually have to be ordered.

[osteodoc08]

Yall are making my decision that much harder now. According to the tirerack surveys the Firestone Destination AT was ranked 2nd and had a fair amount of reported miles on them. This puts them above the Michelins I have now. I've had good luck with Firestone, Michelin and Goodyears in years passed. The only tire I ever had an issue with was a cheap OEM out of round tire (Goodyear Wrangler RSA) at about 45K miles and were about worn anyhow. That was a decade or more ago. The written reviews for the GY AT/S on the bigger trucks (3/4 and 1 ton) seemed to be favorable on tirerack as well. As tire technology changes the top rated tires of yesterday seem to fall off. Perfect example is the Dueler Revos and BFG AT KO. Still an excellent tire, but no longer at the top. Decisions Decisions.

[rr2241tx]

Cooper Discoverer ATPs have given good service on my Chevy HD 4x4. Plus, they are made in the USA.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm always suspicious of ratings that are derived from the people that purchased the product. At first glance, one might assume the actual people that purchased the product would be the ideal evaluators of a product but there is a flaw in that method. There is a tremendous tendency to "self validate" ones own decisions; particularly purchasing decisions. There is a tipping point. If the product is really bad the consumers will vent their frustrations and rate it accurately. However if it is poor but not terrible, they will often validate their own bad decision and rate the product higher.
It works like this: I purchased brand X, therefore I must have made a good decision. Brand X must be an excellent product and a good value.
It's not totally intentional nor is it universal, it just places the validity of the data in question.

Don't forget that the company selling the product will very likely censor customer ratings that show their product in a poor light. There will always be enough positive ranking to publish in order to make it appear to be a good product, "as ranked by actual consumers".

Caveat Emptor

A good method to help gather information on a product is to find people that use the product but didn't buy the product. When it comes to tires for trucks, talk to drivers that use the tires on work trucks but had no role in purchasing the tires. Farm hands, loggers, surveyors, utility company employees, construction workers, etc. They will generally give an opinion on a tool they use (tires) that cannot be clouded by their own decision to purchase the tool.

[osteodoc08]

I'm always suspicious of ratings that are derived from the people that purchased the product. At first glance, one might assume the actual people that purchased the product would be the ideal evaluators of a product but there is a flaw in that method. There is a tremendous tendency to "self validate" ones own decisions; particularly purchasing decisions. There is a tipping point. If the product is really bad the consumers will vent their frustrations and rate it accurately. However if it is poor but not terrible, they will often validate their own bad decision and rate the product higher.
It works like this: I purchased brand X, therefore I must have made a good decision. Brand X must be an excellent product and a good value.
It's not totally intentional nor is it universal, it just places the validity of the data in question.

Don't forget that the company selling the product will very likely censor customer ratings that show their product in a poor light. There will always be enough positive ranking to publish in order to make it appear to be a good product, "as ranked by actual consumers".

Caveat Emptor

A good method to help gather information on a product is to find people that use the product but didn't buy the product. When it comes to tires for trucks, talk to drivers that use the tires on work trucks but had no role in purchasing the tires. Farm hands, loggers, surveyors, utility company employees, construction workers, etc. They will generally give an opinion on a tool they use (tires) that cannot be clouded by their own decision to purchase the tool.

for or a minute there I thought you were talking about Glocks and Colts (flame suit on)

i agree with your assessment, that's why I took into account number of miles logged. Ugh, this is worse than choosing a CCW or sidearm

[bayjoe]

Had Firestone AT on my work truck, got 86,000 miles out of the first set. Rotated tires only once.

[Petrol & Powder]

"for or a minute there I thought you were talking about Glocks and Colts" :) [not going there!!]

For the record, I'm not saying that all consumer evaluations are biased or even faulty. I'm just suspicious when the seller solicits feedback and then controls that "survey". Unless a product really sucks not many buyers will say "I was an idiot for buying this product", particularly immediately after buying the product.

We are lucky that one of our dilemmas is the fact that we have so many tire brands to choose from. There have been times in our history when a consumer would be happy to find any tire available and there are parts of the world today where that is the constant current situation. We could have worse problems!

Good Luck in your quest and remember that regardless of your final choice, you are still going to be way ahead of the average poor schmuck in some third world country!

[leeggen]

I've had Dunlop on my 1/2 ton Toyota, pull 16 ft trailer with cattle racks alot, got 48,000 out of them. Replacement was 400 dollars mount and bal. I run 40lb of air, truck calls for 30 but it wallows at that pres., with the trailer on I run 42, tread was even on the tires.
CD

[6bg6ga]

Call around and play the price matching game on the Michelins. They cost more because they are worth it, but they also have a higher margin so you can make a bargain if you find the right shop.

The wifes Envoy has Michelins on it and they have about 60K miles on them and need to be replaced. We chose them because they are quiet, provide great traction in the snow of Iowa and in my opinion can be expected to provide great service. Never needed to be re-balanced in their life. I've had the mega large noisy tires in the past and they rode rough and simply didn't provide the effortless service that I wish to have.

[HangFireW8]

The Decatur IL Firestone plant that made so many defective tires is now closed, and my tire guy recommends the Destination AT as second and the MS2 as top. Yes a mud and snow over an all terrain, even for off road! Both are good values.

[Lloyd Smale]

coopers for my truck were substantialy more money
Given a choice I take Coopers over Wranglers. I generally get more life out of them. I have Wranglers on my truck right now but I probably only have about 22 K on them and the checking between the treads is the worst I have ever seen.

[Ehaver]

Mickey thompson Baja Claw.

Last tire you will have to buy for a LONG time. But, they will cost you...

Sorry, no help..

[JSnover]

In three years I have put at least 75000 miles on a set of Destination ATs. I rotate them very fall, they've not been punctured yet and the tread is still pretty good. They're quiet, too. 2000 Ford Explorer.

[osteodoc08]

OP here. Did some more research and walked away with a new set of Nitto Terra Grapplers for well within my budget. I've got about 300 miles on them so far and they seem to be fine. Slightly noisier than the Michelin LTX AT2 from 45-60mph, but seem on par with them as far as dry handling goes. Definitely noticed better traction (from the rears) now that I dont have slicks on the back. I'll give an update as I accrue more mileage.

[starnbar]

The one thing about the new radials I have found with my truck is if you rotate them front to back instead of changing sides mine last longer. Maybe its just the way I drive but it works for me.