Best tires for high desert mountains?

Deb's Jeep

New Member
Joined
May 29, 2020
Messages
6
Location
New Mexico
Hi, new here. I would appreciate your thoughts, suggestions and advice. Thank you.

Question about best tires for the environment I'm now living in. For a Florida girl relocated to NM high desert mountains, the driving is certainly different. Before the first snow this year I need to replace my Florida tires. I need more aggressive tires than what I have now.

Specs to consider: 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, stock tire size 255, 70R-18.

Living near top of mountain, driving 64 miles round trip to work 5 or 6-days a week, paved road. 3 miles up paved twisting road up mountain pass with 45 degree incline at the steepest part with no rode side rails, then completely off-road for mile to house. Off road is not a typical dirt road that I'm used to. It is mountain rock covered in a combination of desert fine dust, sand and clay. Once this "dirt" washes out, the road is rock, sometimes jagged and pointed. Road also has pot holes (some large and deep), but interestingly no wash boards. The bouncing is caused by the rock road, so shocks and stabilizer will need replacing. Stabilizer actually went out this week and being repaired tomorrow.

Driving conditions: mostly paved road once off mountain rock pass, dry humidity, rain, deep knee high water lakes (as I call them) until they turn to mud lakes, snow, ice, sleet.

Normal temperature daily swing: winter: 0-30's, summer: 30-90's

My main consideration for tires in this environment:
*1st priority - Safety, sliding off mountain pass into deep rocky cannon, due to snow and ice and no road side rails on steep incline/decline
*2nd priority - handling, maneuverability
*3rd priority - noise

Tires I'm considering:
Stock size at 255, 70R-18:
*K02, approx $255 each, total $1,020

Alternative size at 275, 65R-18:
*Wrangler Duratrac, approx $244 each, total $976
*Grabber X3, approx $251 each, total $1,004
*Cooper Discoverer STT Pro, $268 each, $1,072

Thank you again.
 
I appreciate your thoughts. NM hdm jagged rocks are completely different than Florida beaches and palmetto swamp back country. Just don't want to buy wrong thing and waste money.
 
If you'll be dealing with a lot of jagged rocks, you may want to actually go with an M/T tire then, as they'll have stronger sidewalks. If that's the case, I'd suggest a BFG KM3, a Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Kevlar, or a Cooper M/T personally.
 
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Hey, update on my decision after many months of research and questions. Today I'm installing Firestone Destination MT2. Pricey but very hopeful this will help current conditions on the off-road mountain trail I live on.

20200919_111143.jpg
 
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I do have a separate question. I have owned several Jeeps but this is my first Wrangler. My Wrangler Sahara Unlimited is 24 months old. Is it normal to replace all 4 shocks and swing stabilizer bar, brakes and repair a leaking axle seal? Total repairs total (not including tires) is approx $3,500. Is all this damage due to the mountain trail or normal for Wranglers?
 
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