Jeep Cherokee Forum

Jeep Cherokee 1984-2001: All-Terrain Tire Reviews

Finding the perfect tire can not only improve the look of your Jeep, but also improve your performance both on and off the road.

By Pizzaman711 - September 18, 2015
Contributors: Jennifer R Heuertz

This article applies to the Jeep Cherokee XJ (1984-2001).

All-terrain tires provide that perfect medium between a street tire and a dedicated off-road tire. They're perfect for those who use their Jeep as a daily driver and want to maintain good road characteristics as well as good tread life while still giving their Jeep a more aggressive look.

All-Terrain Tires
BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
General Grabber AT2
Firestone Destination A/T
Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac
Price $150 $113 $116 $170
Size

LT 235/75R15

LT 235/75R15

LT 235/75R15

LT 235/75R15
Tire Height 29" 29.1" 28.9" 28.9"
Weight 36lbs 35lbs 34lbs 36lbs
Estimated Lifespan 50-60k Miles 40-50k Miles 50-60k Miles 35-45k Miles
Best Quality: Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac

Best Value: General Grabber AT2

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2

Price – $150

Size – LT 235/75R15

Tire Height – 29"

Weight – 36 lbs.

Estimated Lifespan – 50-60k Miles

The KO2's are a tried and true all-terrain tire found on anything from a trail Jeep, to a mall crawler, to a desert race truck. Keeping in mind that these aren't a dedicated mud/rock/sand tire, they perform well in just about every condition. The only places they struggle is in deep, soupy mud because the tight tread pattern makes them prone to getting clogged without being able to self-clean easily, but really this is a problem with just about any all-terrain tire. On the road they may feel like they're wandering a bit for the first couple hundred miles, but once the tire breaks in, they'll handle pretty close to a street tire with a little bit more road noise. However, the price is a real deal breaker for these tires. For a while, BFG had the market on all-terrain tires with the KO2, but now there are many tires out there that perform similarly for a lower cost. Recommended for its performance in every condition.

General Grabber AT2

Price – $113

Size – LT 235/75R15

Tire Height – 29.1"

Weight – 35 lbs.

Estimated Lifespan – 40-50k Miles

The first thing you'll notice about these tires is that the tread pattern looks very similar to the BF Goodrich KO2. You're probably also thinking that they'll perform the same, and you wouldn't be wrong. On lighter vehicles like Jeeps, these tires perform the same or even better in some cases. Off-road performance is on par with the KO2's and on-road performance is slightly better in the fact that they have less road noise. The only real time these tires aren't recommended is if you plan to put them on a heavier vehicle like a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck, as the tread compound used wears a lot quicker under that kind of weight than the KO2's do. Recommended for its better performance than the KO2.

Firestone Destination A/T

Price – $116

Size – LT 235/75R15

Tire Height – 28.9"

Weight – 34 lbs.

Estimated Lifespan – 50-60k Miles

Compared to every other tire on this list, these are the closest to a street tire as an all-terrain can be. These will have very similar driving characteristics on the road as your normal highway tire. What really separates these from a highway tire is their better performance in snow, sand, and on packed dirt. It's not recommended taking these out on the trail on a wet day, as the tread pattern doesn't allow for gripping rocks well when wet, and the pattern isn't good for mud either. If you do 95% of your driving on the street and just want a tire that looks a little more aggressive or something for the winter months, then these tires are a good match. Recommended for winter weather.

Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac

Price – $170

Size – LT 235/75R15

Tire Height – 28.9"

Weight – 36 lbs.

Estimated Lifespan – 35-45k Miles

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Firestone Destination's is the DuraTrac. This is about as close to a mud-terrain tire as an all-terrain can get The larger tread voids and side lugs allow it to both clean mud out easier as well as grip into ruts to keep you going. The high amount of siping on the tread lugs allows it resist hydroplaning as well to help it perform similar to a street tire in wet conditions on the road. The only place these tires really aren't recommended to be used is on the rocks. The DuraTrac uses a softer sidewall compound to allow it to air down easier, but this compound allows lower resistance to being punctured by a rock on the trail. Recommended for driving on mud.

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