Anyone ever run HTs up front and ATs in rear- year round?

My off road (4 ORP Runner or prior Tacoma TRDOR) needs are to drive 45 miles down the highway to my 80 acre farm, then be able to maneuver around logging roads. My logging roads require ground clearance and ability to go up and down some pretty severe slopes. I hunt on the property and maintain it using a chain saw, tractor etc. When it’s dry, I can maneuver these hills with 4WD and the HTs. When it’s wet, different story-no way. My Tacoma TRDOR was adequate with the Goodyear Wrangler OEM tires with Kevlar sidewalls but not as good in mud as the DuraTracs I eventually installed. I’m not crazy about acquiring a 2nd set of wheels and TPMs sensors, storing them and changing tires/wheels in the Fall during hunting season. I need some wet off-road capability from September thru December every year. I’m considering putting some DuraTracs (or equivalent UltraTerrains) on the rear of my ORP (keep HTs on front) and try this Fall to see how it works. I would keep the 2 removed HTs at my Cabin (at farm) as spares when the fronts wear out. I’m thinking the extra weight of 4 Runner on rear axle , compared to truck bed of Tacoma, with ATs on back would do the job. There were instances in my Tacoma in hilly wet grass and mud where the rear would lose traction and I would have to back up and get momentum to climb some hilly areas. With the DuraTracs on the Tacoma it was significantly better on wet or muddy hills than the OEM Wranglers with Kevlar sidewalls. I think the rear of the vehicle needs better traction when climbing uphill. The HTs drive smooth and get good mileage up front. The truth is most of my driving is not off-road. But when you need to get home at night, you need traction. I realize if I was driving miles of trails thru mountainous areas, 4 ATs is the only way to go. I use my 4 Runner for road trips requiring no off-road capability. I use it to pull a small trailer for mulch, topsoil etc (less than 3500 lbs and short trips). Has anyone ever mixed tires front and rear?

 

I do not think it is recommended to mix tires, it could possibly cause damage. You may be able to find more info. in your owner manual.

 

Correct!

From page 438 of the owner's manual:

"Do not mix tires of different makes, models, or tread patterns. Also do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear."

 

This has never been a good idea

 

Its funny with all this warnings on the owners manual still Toyota give a different tire as spare for TRD Pro. May be they don't expect owners to use the spare tire. LoL TRD Pro.

 

I would just get a set of good ATs and air down as you need for offroad driving.

 

They don't include the spare in the recommended rotation pattern, either, which suggests they intend it to be treated as a full-sized donut, at least for on-road purposes. (The steel rim is a big hint, too).

 

I think I would get a set of the Geolander AT G015s. I have a set on my Subaru Wilderness and it does great on dirt roads and on the highway even in the rain. I have Toyo AT3s on my 4R but if I end up moving from my forest home with a 10 mile round trip on dirt roads to the highway, I'll probably switch to the G015s for better wet highway performance.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...22&autoModel=4Runner&autoModClar=TRD Off-Road

 

According to tirerack, your AT3 tires have a better wet rating than the geolander. 8.9 rating for the AT3 and 8.8 for the geolander.

 

I saw the warnings in the manual. And I’m leaning toward a complete set of ATs.

 

I think those are customer ratings. On the actual Tire Rack test, the AT3s did OK but not great on wet roads. The AT3s look good though.

 

Mud terrains sound like a better fit for your wet muddy hills. But those will be the worst on road and wet pavement traction. A good AT is a compromise for both but won't perform like a MT in the mud up hill.

 

I missed that. Looks like the geos are slightly better in the official TR videos. Too small a margin to say what's better and boils down to personal preference and usage. One's a full blown AT tire and the other is a light AT tire. TR's wording and not mine.

 

Just get a set of mild all terrain tires and you'll be fine. Maybe keep a set of traction boards in your 4runner just incase.

 

You can put the spare in rotation if it is the same tire. But you'd want to put the spare in rotation at the first tire rotation because after that even if the tires were the same the circumference between the like new spare and the used tires are too different. The rim wouldn't match so most people would want to buy a 5th matching wheel.

If you need more traction in mud put on some snow chains, that's another use for them. You can put a less aggressive AT tire for better handling and fuel economy, and before you have to drive in the mud, put on the chains and you'll be on par with a good MT tire.

 

I like the idea of chains being added when needed. Never used them in mud but know the difference they make in snow.

Would recovery boards help much in a muddy incline? I have them as my backup plan if stuck but wouldn't think they help on an incline. Keeping momentum is always my strategy with mud just making it thru without stopping. Locker and skinny pedal don't stop.