A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Hi all,
I have been away these last weeks giving the Prado a workout, I have just completed 8,600km,s in 25 days, Cairns to Kununurra and back with a fully loaded vehicle incl 40L Engel Fridge, towing a Platinum Kimberly Camper with 2Kw genset, 76L Eutectic Autofridge and all manner of spares and 4weeks tucker (Bloody Heavy) set Polyairs at 15PSIG. I drove a number of off road areas including the Bins Track "Buchanan Highway", "Purnlulu" Bungle Bungle national park (it had not been graded since the wet, only washaways fixed up a bit) a bit off bush bashing around kununurra without camper attached.
I did the above with Dunlop Grandcraps set at 34PSIG Fronts, 41 PSIG Rears I also fitted a TPMS as reassurance knowing that if I damged a tyre it would be trashed in seconds in some of the gibber strewn areas. Although I have the facilities to airdown and reinflate I did this only once on a rough stretch in Jasper Gorge.
I had one flat tyre for the trip due to picking up a screw in Kunanurra on a Saturday morning 2 mins from the tyre place Phew!! and dry weather for all but one day of the trip also Phew!!
I would have liked to fit new BFG's but thought, stuff it why chuck away perfectly good rubber, I guess this shows that treated kindly the Gandcraps can do the job.

[LiveFreeAndRoam Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LiveFreeAndRoam]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

... I guess this shows that treated kindly the Gandcraps can do the job.

Nice one Clifton. That sounds like it was a blast of a trip!

I gotta agree with you. I only have good things to say about my GrandTreks too.

Although, as I type, I'm replacing them with MT ATZ 4-ribs in preparation for a dual crossing of the Simpson Desert and the Central Aus. GTG. My GrandTreks have 34K on them, and I would guess they are just past half-way worn. They've been in all sorts of tricky ruts, mud, beach, sharp shale rocks, and of course plenty of highway. I treated them with some care (correct tyre pressure, regular wheel alignments, 5-tyre rotations) and they have performed flawlessly.

The GTs will now live in a corner in my garage, much to my wife's delight, and may come out to play again in the future.

Cheers,
LFaR.

[Bob P Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bob P]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

Ditto - Last weekend I was the only vehicle without extreme off road tyres tackling the Power Lines Route at Mundaring here in WA and we went were others feared to tread!

Mind you I'm eyeing up BFG Muddies :mrgreen:

[Snowy FNQ Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowy FNQ]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

Hi Kym, being cruel to the Grandtreks eh????? Personally I can't wait to dump mine, but I'm still procastanating about what to replace them with. Sounds like a good trip though, are you going to post us some piccies? Did you do the Booraloola - Hells Gate way? It would have been a wee bit hard on the Dunlops, but hey, the backpackers take their wicked camper vans through there, anythings possible.

[stewy Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close stewy]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

I would have to agree with the below comments.
I was suspicious at first with how these Dunlops would fair, but can't warrant changing the tyres yet until they've had it.
After nearly 30,000klms of mainly road use, they have performed flawlessly on the blacktop and offroad, for me.
They do look more like a HT than an AT, but I've pushed them to the limits in all types of terrain.
Even in clay and mud they've clawed the Prado through everytime to my surprise.
I'm a firm believer in adjusting tyre pressures to suit the terrain your on.
Just my thoughts anyway.

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

Hi Kym, being cruel to the Grandtreks eh????? Personally I can't wait to dump mine, but I'm still procastanating about what to replace them with. Sounds like a good trip though, are you going to post us some piccies? Did you do the Booraloola - Hells Gate way? It would have been a wee bit hard on the Dunlops, but hey, the backpackers take their wicked camper vans through there, anythings possible.

Hi Snowy,
The BFG's and Briggy 694's seem to be the most popular tyre with the locals out northwest with Coopers not fairing well in the mileage stakes, this after talking to lots of locals and tyre shops in Katherine and Kununurra. We did not go across the top, turned south at Booraloola as many 4wd and truckies said the road was Quote "stuffed" at the time and the ladies wanted a rest from corrugations and red dust Me included I must admit and my mate had relies in Mt ISA to visit, sorry mods getting off the subject!
I will get BFG's for sure when the Dunlops wear out, as I have had a great run with them on previous 4wd's.

[BAZPRADO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BAZPRADO]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

One of the best tires I have ever owned, they perform very well in the very soft sand around these parts, subject to having the right pressure.

[maxjj Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close maxjj]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

to be honest, whether the AT 20 grand trek never wore or never punctured or never got me stuck, they are still the grand craps to me. Its the fact that they are designed for a great ride, with the negative affect on steering response and feel, they cause excessive body role and are way too soft in the sidewalls. In my opinion they affect handling to the point that they are dangerous. In the wet performance on bitumen is poor, braking is poor on all surfaces and on dirt roads they do not bite into the surface, but roll over the top of the loose surface, ie like driving on marbles.

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

I did hard braking test on the AT20s and found that they pull up pretty well. I also tried to break traction going round a corner at speed after the recent Adelaide rain and it took a bit of speed before the tyres squealed. As for body roll, I think the OEM suspension would contribute more to that. They are nice and quiet and keep my fuel economy down. YMMV

[ookami Member Find all posts View Profile Close ookami]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

I had a bad experience with mine and had a hole torn in one about 6cm long, I assume from a rock driving on a gravel road which only had 8,000km on it. Tyres were let down to 25psi. The commodore's and camry's going past us didn't seem to have any problems and I doubt they let their tyres down. When replacing it, the tyre guy said that they were only of passenger tyre construction and weren't designed for going off the the blacktop so not to expect any better from the tyre. I replaced mine with Mickey Thompson ATZ and haven't had a problem since and have traveled that same dirt road many times since. I must say I think the Dunlops didn't handle on wet bitumen better aswell as the MTZ handle, other than that the Dunlops handled better onroad.

[BAZPRADO Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BAZPRADO]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

Like some of you, my experience with the Grandtreks has been flawless thus far (knock on wood). I have 92,000 KM with some good tread left, I expect they will easily go on for 100,000 KM plus (in 3.5 years). I use the car mainly on road, with occasional stints in the soft sand, camping trips, and towing a 6,500 pound boat (including trailer). They have performed admirably, the only issue is that they are getting a little bot noisier, but still tolerable. They are locally priced reasonably at around 151.00 Australian Dollars, I am very reluctant to change from this true and tested formula :mrgreen:

[Bazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bazza]

Re: A Bit of Test for AT20 Dunlop Grand Treks

I got better than 160,000 out of two sets of Grand Treks on my last Prado. 95% on road use with a lot of towing. I could'nt fault them, wet or dry, stopped well. I think if your use is primarily on-road, no problem, if it's continualy heavy off-road it's a different story. They are too soft walled for that. I'm about to do more off roading in the new Prado and am on the look-out for a set of BFG AT's, when I can find them.
Bazza.