SS TSL Thornbirds? Opinions?

[JPalmer81]

I am beginning the research into the kind of tire I want for my truck and I am thinking of buying 2 sets, one set for everyday use and another for long road trips and for driving in the snow, the long trip and snow tires are already picked out. So this search is for the everyday puttin' around town and occasional 2-300 mile road trips. First off, I don't want to hear that your cousins brother had a set of Thornbirds and he hated them. i realize they are not for doing heavy duty off road stuff. I want people with first hand experience with these mounted on a heavy truck, not your half ton SWB or jeep. I am putting these on a 7500 lb crew cab. I have always wanted these tires and just so happens they make them in the 16.5 rim so i can get them on some 12" wide white 8 spoke steel rims for a sweet look. The tire size i want to go with is the 33x12.5R16.5 load range "D" with a rating of 2830#'s, so as long as I am not towing a small car in the back of my truck I should be good. I have been scouring the internet looking at all the reviews and it seems like all the bad stuff is second hand info, I DO NOT WANT YOUR SECOND HAND INFO!!! But there are lots of guys that had good things to say about these tires running them on full size 3/4 ton trucks getting good result and pretty respectable mileage.


So, if you have ran these on one of your heavy 3/4 ton trucks in the past or have them on now, please let me know what you think of them, Good or Bad, I would really appreciate it!

[ymerej71]

I'm breaking the rules a little here because the vehicle I had Thornbirds installed on does not match you specifications... but it is a first hand (I actually owned them) review. I had a set of 33x12.50's mounted on a 4X4 Toyota years ago... half the weight of your crew cab. The Thornbirds look awesome and have a totally unique tread pattern that'll definitely draw attention to you rig. I had pretty good luck with them as an off-road tire with exception of the "thorn" part of the tread that sticks out the side... I had a couple get chunks torn from them when off-roading. Also, no Super-Swamper brand tire should be purchased by anyone too concerned with mileage. They're heavy tires with a soft rubber compound that doesn't last long on the pavement... but then again they are off-road tires. One other thing about Super Swamper tires (I've owned more than one type), they are LOUD cruising down the road... especially Thornbirds. Just for reference, I drove my toyota for a little over 20,000 miles before my Thornbirds began to get pretty worn, and that's on the hot Texas pavement. They still had some life left in them but were begining to chunk a little. Hopefully this will give you a little info on the Thornbirds and help in you purchase decision. FYI: My last three sets of offroad tires have all been BFG MUD T/A's... In my experience they have almost double the tread life as many of the other brands I've ever owned.

[Zane M]

They look really cool, and are loud as stated previously.

I would shy away from them for a daily use tire though, unless you like replacing tires often. I had 35x12.5x16.5s on my F250. I got close to 20,000 miles out of them, but I literally ran them down to the point of being slicks.

[obijuan]

hands down worst tire ever made. they cant wear well, theyre terrible offroad and on. lacking in every department as well as looks. they dont self clean and theyre extremely noisy even new. they chunk out and rip off too deep, nothing even close to a bogger. not to mention being the guy whos got thornbirds.

[JPalmer81]

Thanks guys for all your comments. I have a set of BFGoodrich MT's 33x12.5R16.5 on my other truck, bought them from an old man who had them mounted on wheels, but never put them on his truck, so they were brand new. They do really good for street driving, but that is about it, they are horrible in the snow and wet roads and not too good in the mud, but the tread will probably still be good when the tires are dry rotting



I really just want an aggressive looking tire, that i can put on my 12" wide 16.5 white spokes. I have had Boggers on them once before and I don't do enough off roading to justify them, but other than the noise, they actually do pretty well on the street as long as you are not going on a really long drive.

Another thing is, it will probably take me 4 or 5 years to put 20000 miles on my crew cab, I don't have a long commute and wont be driving it for everything, just use it for putting around town and occasional camping trips pulling a trailer. Would regular old TSL's be better??

[obijuan]

Lightyears ahead.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JPalmer81]

Originally Posted by obijuan

Lightyears ahead.
Posted via Mobile Device

So have you had the regular TSL's? I had the boggers and put probably 7000 miles on them and they still had over half tread left, and that was driving alot on pavement and doing some light mudding on the weekends. I like the regular TSL's and they have them in 33x12.5R16.5, but i guess i just figured the T-birds would be better for the street.

[Square_78]

I also had a couple sets of Thornbirds on my lifted 1991 Toyota 4-runner. They wore ok, were kinda loud on the highway and were crappy off road especially in the mud. They are no where near as loud as the Boggers mind you. The boggers sounded like you were flying in a twin engine Sesna. It sounded kinda cool but got tiresome after an hour or so. The reason I kept using the Thornbirds was because I wanted a cool looking tire that worked well mostly on the street. They suck in the rain and are absolutely useless in the snow. If I had another 4x4, I would probably buy another set just because I like the way they look.

[thirdstreettito]

Go with some BFG M/T KM2's. You'll love em.

[andrewmp6]

I would look at more of a all terrain tire if its going to see more on road then off road with it.

[slinginrods]

mickey thompson mtz baha radial aggressive tire that works on the street and in mud and sand.way better than thornbirds

[slinginrods]

these,sorry baja.

[JPalmer81]

Thanks for all the responses guys, but I am pretty much limited to Super Swampers because I want to put these tires on a set of 16.5x12's white spokes I have, and unfortunately, Interco is the only company that makes a wide selection of tires in the 16.5" rim, unless you go up to the 36 and 37 inch military tires, which 4" lift will not fit very well.


So which is better the Classic regular TSL?



Or the Thornbird?



Unless anyone know's of another company that still makes some 33x12.5 in the 16.5 rim size, i think BFGoodrich still offers the A/T's in this size, but they are way backed up on them nation wide was the last I heard. It is a shame they stopped making these size tires.

[Dunenutt]

TSL's are far superior in every way! There is a reason they call them "thornturds".

BTW, white spokes are dirt cheap. Why not spend a little more and upgrade, when you get the new tires?

I have a set of 16.5 on my f@*d, but I run military tires. I can change tires in my driveway, which I do alot. When the supply runs out, I will switch so I can have a selection.

[JPalmer81]

They are pretty cheap normally, but there is one company that I know of, Allied Wheel Company, that makes them in 16x10 for 8x6.5 lug pattern and it will cost me $1000 for 4 shipped to Alaska!! They are not making this wheel in very many sizes for 8 lug trucks. This is my favorite wheel design, one that will never go out of style, but super hard to find a wide size for my application.


Funny thing is, is that Pro Comp makes the white spoke wheel in a 16.5 size, but doesn't make a tire to put on it!?!?!? Makes no sense to me!

I can get a set of 16" wheels widened, but that will cost a ton of money.

Unfortunately, not many options are on the table

[Dunenutt]

I was looking at these for when I switch,

http://www.jegs.com/i/Black-Rock/262...rentProductId=

Black rock makes custom wheels too. May want to give them a call.

http://www.blackrockwheels.com/produ...RockCustomShop

[JPalmer81]

Originally Posted by Dunenutt

I was looking at these for when I switch,

http://www.jegs.com/i/Black-Rock/262...rentProductId=

Black rock makes custom wheels too. May want to give them a call.

http://www.blackrockwheels.com/produ...RockCustomShop

Appreciate the help man! Those are pretty cool wheels, but they are all black, maybe they can paint em' white for me and not charge me an arm and a leg!

[Dunenutt]

Originally Posted by JPalmer81

Appreciate the help man! Those are pretty cool wheels, but they are all black, maybe they can paint em' white for me and not charge me an arm and a leg!

On the custom shop page, it says 4 colors available.

[JPalmer81]

Originally Posted by Dunenutt

On the custom shop page, it says 4 colors available.

Ahh, I didn't see that part, thanks man, will definitely look into that

[andrewmp6]

I just looked on summit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BFG-30537/