The Best Toyota 4Runner Tires – Guide to Road and All-Terrain Tires. The Toyota 4Runner is widely regarded as one of the best all-terrain vehicles of all time. The 4Runner has continuously evolved over its nearly 40-year existence to operate well not only off-road, but also on-road. The core design of the 4Runner is undeniably excellent, but there are other factors to consider in order to properly optimize their performance. Tires are one of these factors to consider.
Most cars can be outfitted with a diverse range of tires from several manufacturers, each having a unique tread style and best use settings. The possibilities for a Toyota 4Runner are twice as numerous. Because the 4Runner is well-known for its off-road capabilities, several tire manufacturers produce off-road tires for it. This is in addition to the hundreds of on-road-specific tires available.
Because there are so many good 4Runner tire options, narrowing them down might be challenging. This post will go through the finest 4Runner tire selections for both on-road and off-road driving.
When Should You Change the Tires on Your 4Runner?
When it comes to replacing your 4Runner’s tires, the three most significant elements to consider are tread depth, mileage, and time. The time between tire replacements is also strongly influenced by the tire’s manufacturer and model.
Depending on the trim level, the 5th Generation 4Runner comes with one of four standard wheel and tire packages:
17-inch wheels and 265/70R17 tires are standard on the SR5, TRD Pro, and TRD Off-Road trim levels. The Firestone Winterforce 2 UV or the Goodyear Wrangler AT/S are the Factory tires for these grades.
The Limited trim includes 20-inch wheels with P245/60R20 tires. The Bridgestone H/T D684 or the Yokohama Geolandar G96B are the Factory tires for this trim.
In general, the majority of the tires that come standard on the 4Runner should last around 50,000 miles. Using mileage as an indicator, on the other hand, is not the ideal approach. Checking the tread depth on your 4Runner’s tires is a much better predictor of whether or not it’s time to replace them.
Toyota recommends replacing your tires when the tread depth reaches 4/32″. The penny trick is an easy way to determine tread depth. Just insert a coin head-first into various tread grooves on your tires. If the top of Abe Lincoln’s head is always visible, it’s time for a new set.
Tire age is also a significant factor to consider. Most tire manufacturers recommend replacing your tires every 6 years, regardless of tread depth.
When Should I Rotate the Tires on My 4Runner?
Tire rotations are an essential 4Runner repair item for one simple reason: front and rear tires wear differently. A tire rotation can considerably extend the life of all four tires of your 4Runner and guarantee that they wear equally.
Toyota advises rotating the tires on your 4Runner every 3,000-5,000 miles. The majority of owners believe that getting their tires rotated at the same time as their oil change is a wise plan. Toyota suggests that tires be rotated in a specified manner. The rears should go straight ahead, while the fronts should move in a cross pattern to the rear.
Selecting the Right 4Runner Tires
Everyone drives in a unique way. This is especially true when you consider how much a Toyota 4Runner is capable of. Some people, for example, hardly use their 4Runner’s full potential. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the best 4Runner tire for someone who drives nearly completely on asphalt is not the same as the best 4Runner tire for someone who does a lot of off-roading.
There are other aspects to take into account within those two categories, on-road and off-road tires. How is the weather in your area? What surfaces will you be driving on during your off-road excursions? Do you require a tire that can easily drive on and off-road? These are just a handful of the questions you’ll need to consider before purchasing a set.
Selecting the best off-road tires for a Toyota 4Runner is a complicated and delicate subject. As a result, we’ll leave the issue of off-road priority tires for another day. This post will go over the best 4Runner on-road and all-terrain tires. While all-terrain tires may be limited for individuals who wish to conduct really difficult off-road driving on various surfaces, they will suffice in the majority of backcountry situations.
Differences in 4Runner Tire Size
While it is usually a good idea to stick to Toyota’s tire size recommendations for your 4Runner, some owners prefer to fit either slightly bigger or slimmer tires depending on the application. When fitting different sidewall widths and sizes, you must also account for the size of your wheels. As a general rule, keep the overall diameter of your wheel and tire combination the same.
Both upsizing and reducing your wheels may have advantages.
The main advantage of shrinking your wheels and hence increasing the sidewall size of your tire is increased comfort. Larger sidewall tires tend to absorb more road irregularities. This is also true for off-road driving, as thicker sidewalls allow for more give and flex. There are also many more bad-weather tires available in smaller diameters.
There are also advantages to increasing the size of your wheels. Tires with smaller sidewalls often handle and perform better on asphalt in dry weather conditions.
Factors for the Best 4Runner Road Tires
If we’re being completely honest with ourselves, most 4Runners spend the great majority of their time on the road. Some people never leave the comfort of the asphalt, which is perfectly good! The fourth and fifth generation 4Runners are pleasant and capacious SUVs that are more than capable of serving as daily family transports. If you find that you utilize your 4Runner exclusively for that purpose, you won’t need to worry about the complexities of selecting an off-road tire. That’s one less headache!
Having saying that, there are still certain aspects to consider when selecting a solid 4Runner road tire. While shopping for 4Runner road tires, keep the following factors in mind:
- Life of a Tire
- Weather-Related Prerequisites
- Comfort
- Sounds from the road
- Price
Because there are so many factors to consider when purchasing a good road tire, you’ll most likely have to prioritize a few characteristics above others. When it comes to road tires, most people emphasize cost, comfort, and weather resistance. Fortunately, most major manufacturers offer 4Runner tires that are specifically designed for those areas. In the following part, we’ll go through some of the best 4Runner road tires while keeping the aforementioned factors in mind.
1) Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza – Best Off-Road 4Runner Tires
Comfort, low road noise, and durability are top priorities.
5 years / 65,000 miles tread warranty
Sizes Available:
There’s a reason Toyota equips select 4Runner vehicles with Bridgestone Duelers from the factory. Overall, they are an excellent choice for anyone seeking optimum comfort and little road noise. Duelers thrive on roads, so if you have a long commute to work, they are an excellent choice.
Dueler H/Ls are an all-season tire, which means they will give adequate traction in most non-extremely bad weather conditions. User reviews, on the other hand, frequently claim that they aren’t the best option for snow driving. If you are seeking for an alternative that’ll work well in extreme weather conditions, Duelers might not be the ideal choice.
Owing to their symmetrical tread design, Duelers are possibly the quietest and most pleasant road tire on this list.
2) Firestone Destination LE 2 – Best Off-Road 4Runner Tires
Comfort, low road noise, low cost, and touring are the top priorities.
5 years / 60,000 miles tread warranty
Sizes Available:
In compared to the Bridgestones indicated above, Firestone Destination LE 2s perform better in bad weather. On wet or snowy roads, the circumferential grooves, zigzag sipes, and sweeping slots of the Destination LE 2s outperform conventional tires with symmetrical and wide tread grooves. Their A-rating for traction on the Uniform Tire Quality Grade index reflects this. It’s worth noting that, despite their more advanced tread design, LE 2s are still an all-season tire. Simply said, they are still not the greatest option in extreme weather.
Firestone Destinations, like the Duelers, are designed for comfortable and smooth city and interstate driving. Destinations’ outstanding dry weather handling is due to the innovative tread and shoulder design. Their closed shoulder construction reduces road noise and keeps the interior quiet.
3) Michelin Defender LTX M/S – Best Off-Road 4Runner Tires
Comfort, low road noise, and affordability are top priorities.
Tread Life: 70,000 miles / 6 years
Sizes Available:
17″
225/75R17
235/65R17
235/70R17
235/75R17
245/65R17
245/75R17
255/65R17
255/70R17
255/75R17
265/65R17
265/70R17
265/70R17
285/70R17
295/70R17
Michelin Defender is a well-known brand in the area of SUV tires. They are difficult to beat solely on paper. They have a treadwear rating score of 720, an A-rating for traction, and an A temperature rating, making them one of the highest-rated tires on the Uniform Tire Quality Grade index. According to most user reviews, they are an excellent jack-of-all-trades tire, establishing a balance between comfort, steering responsiveness, and poor weather performance.
The Defender has been on the market for a decade, and Michelin has utilized that time to learn and improve its construction. The latest Defender is built with an unique “Evertread” rubber composition that extends tread life. It is also an extremely efficient tire. Michelin claims that the Defender can save you up to 65 gallons of petrol throughout the life of the tire due to its highly developed tread pattern.
Factors for the Best 4Runner All-Terrain Tires
All-terrain tires are designed for customers who use their 4Runner in settings other than simple road use. Some popular all-terrain applications include basic trail driving, driving in harsher climates, and trying to reach off-the-beaten-path camping locations.
All-terrain tires are designed to be used both on and off-road, with an emphasis on off-road applications. Due of this, most all-terrain tires aren’t as comfy, quiet, or responsive as road tires when driving in cities.
While all-terrain tires provide adequate traction in most situations, there are rare situations where more aggressive tires are required. All-terrain 4Runner tires, for example, may struggle on particularly muddy or icy terrain. In those instances, a mud and snow tire would be the ideal option.
Nonetheless, most 4Runner drivers identify all-terrain tires as a fairly solid middle ground that will get you most of the time where you want to go. It is also crucial to keep in mind that AT tires are more expensive than road tires and degrade faster.
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1) Nitto Terra Grappler G2 – Best All-Terrain 4Runner Tires
Priorities include light trail duty, quiet highway driving, and long-lasting batteries.
Tread Life: 50,000 / 65,000 miles, depending on the compound
Sizes Available:
17″
235/80R17
245/65R17
245/70R17
245/75R17
265/65R17
265/70R17
285/70R17
285/75R17
295/70R17
305/70R17
315/70R17
35X12.50R17
37X12.50R17
37X13.50R17
Nitto Grapplers are the most popular all-terrain tire option for the 4Runner. There are a few distinguishing features that set them different from the competition. Grappler tires are renowned to be among the longest-lasting all-terrain 4Runner tires. They come with a 50k or 60k mile treadwear warranty, depending on the dealer, which is excellent for a tire of this size.
According to most user experiences, Grapplers function admirably in their early phases – both on and off the road – but lose a significant amount of grip around the 30k mile mark. Grapplers are an on-road tire, which means they have good off-road traction but are more comfortable on the road. Because of the variable pitch tread lock mechanism, they are also quite quiet.
Nitto Grapplers have a few tricks under their sleeves when it comes to off-road capabilities. Nitto chose to stiffen the Grappler’s construction by integrating tread block coupling joints. Grapplers also include sidewall shoulder lugs that aid with off-road traction.
In general, Nitto Grapplers are a solid choice for someone searching for a comfy tire with appropriate traction for modest off-roading. Most Nitto owners indicate that they aren’t great in deep snow, especially as they start to wear, so keep that in mind.
2) Falken Wildpeak A/T3W – Best All-Terrain 4Runner Tires
Priorities include snow driving, trail duty, and long-term durability.
55,000 kilometers of tread life
Sizes Available:
17″
235/80R17
245/65R17
245/70R17
245/75R17
255/65R17
255/70R17
255/80R17
265/65R17
265/70R17
275/70R17
285/70R17
285/75R17
315/70R17
35X12.50R17
37X12.50R17
Falken Wildpeaks are a less frequent all-terrain tire on 4Runners, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less effective. These are, in fact, the best tires for intense snow and harsh winter weather. They are approved by Three Peak Mountain Snowflake and are certainly brutal in bad weather.
They are also comfy and perform well on the street. Unlike many other all-terrain tires, Wildpeaks were created with the purpose of providing unrivaled winter weather traction while maintaining steering feel. The 3D canyon sipe design used by Wildpeaks lowers tread wear and enhances on-road traction. Their sophisticated tread design, which includes heat dissipation technology, also helps to lengthen tread life.
Because of their silica tread compound and deep tread pattern, the Falkens are highly durable. For your piece of mind, the Wildpeak A/T3 comes with a 55,000-mile tread life warranty. They are also one of the most economical tires in their class, making them a highly appealing option. During my investigation, I couldn’t uncover any drawbacks to the Wildpeak. Everyone who owns one adores it.
3) BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 – Best All-Terrain 4Runner Tires
Priorities include Jack of all Trades, Wet Weather, Trail Duty, and Highway Comfort.
Tread Life: 50,000 miles / 6 years
Sizes Available:
17″
225/65R17
235/80R17
245/65R17
245/70R17
245/75R17
255/65R17
255/70R17
255/75R17
265/65R17
265/70R17
275/65R17
275/70R17
285/70R17
The BFGoodrich KO2 has a long history. As a result, they are the preferred all-terrain tire for many 4Runner owners. For nearly four decades, BFGoodrich has been continuously developing and improving the KO2. Since their debut in the late 1970s, they’ve gone a long way.
The latest version KO2 has twice as thick sidewalls as the previous generation with a serrated shoulder design that penetrates into loose surfaces for enhanced off-road performance. BFGoodrich takes pleasure in the KO2s’ construction, which makes sense given how advanced they are. On top of BFGoodrich’s TriGard, 3-ply polyester cord sidewall ply architecture, the tire’s interior structure incorporates twin steel belts strengthened with spirally wrapped nylon.
The KO2’s tough structure and smart interlocking tread design make them suitable for even moderate/demanding off-road use. The KO2, like the previously mentioned Wildpeak, is approved by Three Peak Mountain Snowflake. The KO2 is well prepared to handle hard winter weather without sacrificing all-season performance.
Summary of the Best 4Runner Tires
The adjective “best” is obviously subjective. Everyone utilizes their 4Runner differently, and the finest tire for one person may be completely useless for another. It is critical to consider your specific tire requirements before purchasing a set. If you mostly drive on city streets and highways and rarely venture off-road, all-terrain tires are definitely unnecessary. If you like to go off the usual path, all-terrain tires may be your only option.
