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Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:49 pm

Okay guys I need help on a good tire choice for my bug, I really like the BFG Baja T/A's but at $300+ a tire I want to make sure there isn't a better choice before digging into my wallet. What I want is something that will be good in the desert and not terrible on the road. Is there a tire that works better for bugs? Or is it just like anything else and it's personal preference? I don't mind spending the cash I just wanna make sure it will work for what I'm looking for. Also how big of tires should I run, I just have the 3x3 rear and I have a warrior 6" wider front, what would be a good size? Thanks

Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:25 am

have you read this thread? some good info.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=351210&highlight=tires

Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:07 am

Squeek151 wrote: Okay guys I need help on a good tire choice for my bug, I really like the BFG Baja T/A's but at $300+ a tire I want to make sure there isn't a better choice before digging into my wallet. What I want is something that will be good in the desert and not terrible on the road. Is there a tire that works better for bugs? Or is it just like anything else and it's personal preference? I don't mind spending the cash I just wanna make sure it will work for what I'm looking for. Also how big of tires should I run, I just have the 3x3 rear and I have a warrior 6" wider front, what would be a good size? Thanks

a better choice may be a different tire store. My 30" bfg's were only about
$125 a piece .
the rears are easy with lots of choices but i found a poor selection at the local stores for fronts. I think the 7 x15's sold by aftermarket vw suppliers are a good bet. the fronts i used to have were a stiff real 6 ply sidewalls with aggressive tread and i liked them a lot. I recently ended up getting some suv 6 ply " rated" fronts and they seem way to squishy and wimpy but was all that i could find locally.

I would mention that my original front tires had 50K miles and showed very little signs of wear. the only reason i had to replace them was cause the car sat for 15 years and they dried out.

Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:04 am

He's talking about buying Baja T/A's, but the street version of the Trophy truck tire. But what size do they come in? 35? 33's maybe, probably not anything smaller.......Id stick with a all terrain, The T/A's your gonna buy aren't the trophy truck tires anyways.....

Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:40 am

how is your trans built?
running pretty much the same suspension setup ive got a trans built for running 33's. probably just gonna run all terain t/a ko
i think those baja t/a are actually a bit over priced.

Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:23 pm

the smallest i have found are just the 33's maybe i'll stay away from them. my friend runs them on his trophy truck but he is also sponsored by bfg. The other question I have is I see alot of peoples bugs with different size tires front and rear, is there a reason? As far as trans goes I don't have one sense i'm in the process of building my bug. Everyone says to buy a bus trans, is there a good year to buy?
thanks

Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:10 pm

What trophy truck? Number? If he's sponsored then he gets tires through the race program cheap, really cheap, why are you not consulting him?

Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:48 pm

His name is Dean "Iceman" Bulloch, if your into rockcrawling thats where you would know him better, I don't know his number off the top of my head. He just started dabbing into the trophy truck racing with his solid axle king of the hammers truck. We have been so busy lately I haven't thought of asking him.

Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:04 pm

OH O.K. Trophy Truck is a SCORE thing. Who built his truck? Is it actually a trophy truck? The SCORE series is in Baja California, havn't seen or heard of him there? Oh my bad I see, He's a rock racer! he should be able to hook you up pretty good, ask him......

Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:07 pm

Squeek151 wrote: The other question I have is I see alot of peoples bugs with different size tires front and rear, is there a reason? As far as trans goes I don't have one sense i'm in the process of building my bug. Everyone says to buy a bus trans, is there a good year to buy?
thanks

As far as why people stagger the tire size it is generally because without power steering having the same tire size in front as you do in the rear steering at slow speeds would be a pita.

As far as trans check out the tranny for dummies sticky at the top of the page it is best to go to bus trans if possible the 091 version, which is on buses after '72 I believe, is the strongest. Then there is always getting a built trans option but it all really depends on how much you are looking to spend and your engine/tire combo.

Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:21 pm

since you do not have a trans yet, pick the tire and size you want to run first, and if you have or know what motor you are gonna be running, have the trans built around that information. as for what trans to get, try finding a 091 trans. if you are not going to crazy with the horsepower you can get away with a 002, but for a vw trans, the 091 is the way to go. check out the "Transmissions for dummmies" in the stickies at the top of the forum page.

Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:03 pm

I just bought BFG At KO's for my vw baja. I am very impressed with their performance. I do recommend them.

Sun Oct 11, 2009 7:16 pm

sloboatnova wrote: I just bought BFG At KO's for my vw baja. I am very impressed with their performance. I do recommend them.

whats your suspension set up and what size did you go with?

Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:49 am

Stock torsion setup with coil over shocks. The tires are 235/75r15. They measured out at 28.5" before I had them mounted. I haven't measured them since they were. I have about 1 1/8" between the tire and torsion bar.

Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:47 am

I've been pondering which rear tire to buy. I' really like the way the BFG Mud KM2 looks, but its 180+ a tire or the Mickey Thompson Baja.

My fronts are Mickey Thompson Mini Mags. I you look at all of the desert racers lots have them or a close variant of it. I really like them they bite strong in the turns and are DOT approved. Being that they are directional they do wonder a little on the highway. BUt IMHO are great in offroad.

Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:25 am

I was looking at the Mickey Thompson Mini-Mag's but the website says offroad only:

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/off-road.php?item=MiniMag

Do they have D.O.T. approved on the sidewall?

Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:34 am

vw@cfrscca.org wrote: I was looking at the Mickey Thompson Mini-Mag's but the website says offroad only:

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/off-road.php?item=MiniMag

Do they have D.O.T. approved on the sidewall?

The ones that I have DO have DOT. I don't know if the new ones do or not. I'll try and get the date code off of them, and a pic of the DOT stuff.