Low-noise, road-first, all-terrain wheel upgrade for Big Bend - looking for recommendations

[Layman]

I cast another vote for non-squatch Badlands takeoffs. I am sensitive to road noise and don't mind the KO2s at all. Plus in my opinion stock badlands wheels look pretty good. Bet you can find a complete set of next-to-new tires and rims for around $1200 or so. You won't do tires and rims with any of the other options for anywhere near that.

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[Bronco56]

Hi, brand new Bronco owner here: 2.3l Big Bend soft-top, eruption green. Love the looks, but am installing a Black Diamond grill and running boards and am looking to upgrade the rims and tires.

I am looking for something
- wider than the stock 255/75 R17 Bridgestone Dueler
- but not necessarily much taller since I want to avoid having to lift it
- with low noise (road-first / all terrain) characteristics since I likely won't go mudding or rock crawling but hope to discover some New England / Adirondack dirt roads and don't want the road-noise to go up significantly
- that works well in wet and snowy conditions and
- that's better looking than the stock BB rims.

Curious what people here are suggesting since I'm having a hard time getting helpful search results with the above parameters!

Thanks much!

Cooper at3 xlt

low noise
Good in wet

here is 305/70r17

 

[dvonjan]

All good points - I like the looks of the Black Diamond rims better than the Badlands or Outerbanks. Might look for take offs of those!

 

[Strizzo]

Hi, brand new Bronco owner here: 2.3l Big Bend soft-top, eruption green. Love the looks, but am installing a Black Diamond grill and running boards and am looking to upgrade the rims and tires.

I am looking for something
- wider than the stock 255/75 R17 Bridgestone Dueler
- but not necessarily much taller since I want to avoid having to lift it
- with low noise (road-first / all terrain) characteristics since I likely won't go mudding or rock crawling but hope to discover some New England / Adirondack dirt roads and don't want the road-noise to go up significantly
- that works well in wet and snowy conditions and
- that's better looking than the stock BB rims.

Curious what people here are suggesting since I'm having a hard time getting helpful search results with the above parameters!

Thanks much!

First, any all terrain is going to be louder than your stock bridgestone tires.

That said, I would look at the milder Falken Wildpeak, the firestone destination a/t, and the michelin ltx at/2. Those are all more of a mild all terrain with a stronger tire carcass for off roading.

For a budget option, i'd look for a set of grabber atx take offs from a black diamond in 265/70-17. They will be noticeably louder than highway tires but you should be able to pick up a set of 5 for under a grand.

 

[dvonjan]

Thanks, yes, saw someone offer 5 BD rims with Grabbers for 1100 on ebay..

 

[AZ_Liberty]

Cooper AT3 is available in a C load rating. What I'll be using as soon as the stock minivan tires wear out.

 

[Gtrekker]

Hi, brand new Bronco owner here: 2.3l Big Bend soft-top, eruption green. Love the looks, but am installing a Black Diamond grill and running boards and am looking to upgrade the rims and tires.

I am looking for something
- wider than the stock 255/75 R17 Bridgestone Dueler
- but not necessarily much taller since I want to avoid having to lift it
- with low noise (road-first / all terrain) characteristics since I likely won't go mudding or rock crawling but hope to discover some New England / Adirondack dirt roads and don't want the road-noise to go up significantly
- that works well in wet and snowy conditions and
- that's better looking than the stock BB rims.

Curious what people here are suggesting since I'm having a hard time getting helpful search results with the above parameters!

Thanks much!

K02s All Terrain

 

[ATLBronco75]

Since you're in New England I'd be wary of some of our recommendations. You need a tire that will perform in Snow, Rain, and Slush. It'd hit up Tire Rack reviews and grab the best snow/rain performance tire in the AT category if I were you.

 

[MAGIA]

 

[MAGIA]

I bought Bandlands take off no leveling no lift no issues running KO2s and rides great! I’m looking to put a leveling kit on down the road.

 

[lakesinai]

Hi, brand new Bronco owner here: 2.3l Big Bend soft-top, eruption green. Love the looks, but am installing a Black Diamond grill and running boards and am looking to upgrade the rims and tires.

I am looking for something
- wider than the stock 255/75 R17 Bridgestone Dueler
- but not necessarily much taller since I want to avoid having to lift it
- with low noise (road-first / all terrain) characteristics since I likely won't go mudding or rock crawling but hope to discover some New England / Adirondack dirt roads and don't want the road-noise to go up significantly
- that works well in wet and snowy conditions and
- that's better looking than the stock BB rims.

Curious what people here are suggesting since I'm having a hard time getting helpful search results with the above parameters!

Thanks much!

I second what @Pressurized wrote. The "Badlands take-off" wheel is a great upgrade, 17x8x+55, its an inch wider than your stock, so it will add 1/2" in poke or stance to each wheel. Its nice looking.

Regarding tire, I've been using a very quiet, non-aggressive 285/70R17: the Nitto Nomad Grappler, which is their compact SUV tire. But in the 285 size, its beefed up so that its 250# higher load rating per tire than my OBX stock. I've got about 12,000 miles on mine. Its a P tire, so hard core rock crawling, no, but for my highway/beach use, great! I think they're worth your consideration. I had mine installed at my Ford dealer, for warranty and price reasons.

Regarding height, they're barely 32.8" tall, adding 3/5 inch diameter, or less than .4" height overall. Theyre about 2" wider that my OBX stock.

 

[RADRide]

Check out the Ford Performance Bronco website. Might have something you would like. I had these 17x8 Sinister Bronze wheels put on my stock General Grabbers last week. Same +55 offset as the stock 17x7.5 black steelies.

those look great!

 

[dvonjan]

Any opinions on Firestone Destination A/T2 and Contimental TerrainConact A/T?

 

[mpeugeot]

Thanks, yes, saw someone offer 5 BD rims with Grabbers for 1100 on ebay..

I paid about 1/2 that... Just wait for the right deal.

 

[BroncoBish]

I have ran a few different ones on mine since getting it in 21 - FAVorite one by far is the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT! Second but close was the Falken Wildpeak AT3W. Currently I have the YOKO GEOLANDER XAT on and they are good but have alittle more road noise than I like. Also have done TOYO, and NITTOs.

Next I am going back to the Mickeys for sure!

**Also only changed due to changing overall tire size and availabilty at the time. Plus wanted to test ones that I had on other vehicle - Once plus is my other vehicles have same bolt pattern. My other half like to play musical wheels/tires sometime

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