Hey all! I recently went and bought some new Kicks for my X. Went down to my local Tire Factory and was set up with some sweet 31x10.5x15 LT's.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/IMAG0620.jpg

Kelly Safari TSR's (http://www.kellytires.com/cfmx/web/kellytiresel/details.cfm?product=316)

Now, I had been looking for a set of A/T's that would give me the grip I would need on the trail without going full blown M/T. I was running 255/70r x15's that were about to the end of their life.

So during my search I decided to choose the Kelly TSR's. Kelly is made by Goodyear. I was actually debating between the TSR's and the Goodyear Wrangler Authority, which are similar, the TSR's being more agressive in tread.
http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture003.jpghttp://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/0069766209363_180X180.jpg

I have owned the BFG KM1's and was not looking for something that agressive, but when I compared the two.. they are very similar but I think the Kelly's ride better.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/images.jpghttp://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture003.jpg

My first impression of the tire was basic amazement. How my X went from a stock mall crawler to something that would make tracks off road. Then transformed from a wimpy looking soccer hauler to a tough rig that no one in their right mind could confuse for a kid Uhaul.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Jan_19_2011_595.jpghttp://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Jan_19_2011_924.jpg

Alright I have only had these tires for 2 days, but from what I can tell ya, the ride is great. I can hit the RR tracks without pounding my kidneys and while I thought I needed to get an alignment done, the new tires seemed to have worked that problem out.. and it rides smooth, and strait..

Road noise is minimal, it was just as much noise with my 255's at 65 MPH. The greatest part is that they fit stock and I only had to trim the stock mudflap just a tiny bit, so the shoulder tread and side lugs would clear when I turn fully.
http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture004.jpg

I have not taken it off road yet, but I am looking forward to getting some mud and maybe some snow through those lugs.. and I will keep this updated.

Any questions just let me know.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture004.jpg
That is a close copy to KM2s... Look good man.. be sure to post miles in all :)

Look very similar to my duratracs.... I never knew kelly was made by goodyear

Well so far i think i have put 10 to 15 plus miles.. I will have to look at total expected mileage. Apparently Kelly has been owned by Goodyear since around WW2

After some research, it seems anywhere between 20 and 35K miles.

Most tires you'll see are made by about a dozen companies, all operating under different names and target price points.

Kelly has been around forever, as a GY subsidiary that makes tires that look like name brands, but without the construction details that add cost.

So, while the KM2 for example has similar tread elements, the KM2 has three sidewall plies instead of 2 like the Kelly, extra thick cords, instead of std cords, and so forth.

The rubber compounding is less expensive, the carcass is less expensive, and so forth...to sell the tire at a lower price point.

Part of the target demographics for a cheaper tire involve a nice quiet ride, and an aggressive appearance.

Longer tread life can be an attribute of less expensive rubber made w/o the more expensive additives that add wet traction...and the harder, less sticky rubber can last longer.

The addition of sipes can help compensate for the loss in wet traction as well...and being pined for studs can help in winter traction....

...and the Kelly uses these less expensive measures to restore some performance w/o jacking the price up more, etc.


In rocks, sure, the thinner 2-ply sidewall with thinner cording can get ripped out more easily than a thicker 3-ply sidewall with thicker cording...and the harder rubber might chunk, or slip more, and the weaker tread/carcass construction will tend not to grab on rocks as well, and so on.

MOST of these tires are pretty good in the mud...where the tread pattern means more than the rubber compounding, and where you rarely puncture a tire, etc....despite skimping on ejector ridges in the tread to help throw the mud out again, etc.

So, depending on your intended uses, these types of tires can be a great deal.

:wink-big:

all hail TJ

:anbeten-big:
lol dude, you have an answer for everything and its amazing

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture004.jpg


That sidewall is exactly my the duratracs too...

That sidewall is exactly my the duratracs too...

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture004.jpg

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa425/Muddypenguin/Picture003.jpg

http://image.4wdandsportutility.com/f/31471687+w750+st0/1102_4wd_05+goodyear_wrangler_duraTrac_tires+tire_ sizes.jpg

Notice the Duratrack has ejector ridges, while the Kelly doesn't.

The reptile skin type pattern on the Kelly sidewall elements is homage to Nitto though, not GY.

http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=20921&stc=1&d=1147659531

:wink-big:

What's chrome? That shiny stuff?

Hesus... thread necro much? I see TJ and echo_nine and I assume every thread I find through Google is current. God, I'm feeling like a sh!t disturber tonight! :p