PDA

View Full Version : Falken Wild Peak AT - review



Discount Tire
09-16-2010, 04:53 PM
Falken Wild Peak AT
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/09/falvl4ang-3.jpg

Many of you have been asking about Falken's new AT. How good are they? How strong are their sidewalls? How do they rate in sand, dirt, gravel, rocks, mud, and on the highway? After abusing this tire for over 1000 off-road miles at the Jk-Experience last week, here's what I can show and tell from my first hand experience.


https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2010/09/RockyMountain-4.jpg
* * Road * * * * * Dirt * * * * * * Gravel * * * * * * Rock * * * * * Mud * * * * * Sand * * *
You name it, we did it. From low country to the high tundra we pushed this tire as hard as we could. We covered paved roads, dirt, gravel, rocks, Mud and Sand.

On the Highway these tires were smooth and quiet. We ran them at 30psi at highway speeds and with the radio on we had no trouble holding a conversation or hearing the CB. They tracked straight and cornering was predictable. Here's a quick video clip. The mic on the phone is not the best but the passenger window is down.

Windows down: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9406864

On dirt and gravel roads they tore it up. At times reaching 50+mph the Wild Peak held its tracks and stayed steady. Some days we were covering some serious miles on dirt and gravel roads and this tire didn't complain once. Aside from normal wear, I expected to see chunking or cuts in the tread after these sprints but I couldn't find them. From what I have seen Falken has a winning rubber formula in these.

Dirt Road Video Clip: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9548972

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

On slick rock and boulders as well as sharp rocks, these tires were TUFF! The 3ply sidewall flexed hard while the tread grabbed and pulled us up over boulders and through jagged rocks. At times we found ourselves in pinched situations where almost all the vehicles weight was on the tires sidewall, it only seemed to hold stronger as we took our time maneuvering through the obstacle. At other times in tight corners against tall jagged rocks, the sidewall literally redirected our fully loaded 4dr Rubicon without scarring or puncture.

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

When it came to mud, we knew it would be a challenge. No AT is built for mud but we wanted to see how the Wild peak would do anyway. To our surprise, in our mud conditions, it did pretty well. Sure, if we stopped in the wrong place or didn't have enough momentum we would have been in knee deep mud but with the peddle to the floor and some smart steering we were able to lap around a few others with MT's that were stuck. Did they cake up with mud? Yep, so did the KM2, the MTR with Kevlar, the Mud Grappler and the Krawler. Here's a little video from the mud. If you know you're in mud a lot, this tire is probably not the best for you but for moderate mud that you find along the trail it may not a bad choice.

Mud Video Clip: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9488314

40" MT's stuck in the mud
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

Mud on the trail:
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

Our last test was the sand. With the air pressure down the Idaho Dunes were no match for the Wild Peak. We climbed some of the tallest dunes we could find and we often found our selves accelerating up them. If we parked on the dunes wrong or waited to long to turn down a dune would we get stuck? Yeah sure we would, but no tire can compensate for lack of smart driving.

Video clips from in the sand:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9548790
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9548754
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png


All and all I give this tire two big thumbs up. The Off-road category is new to Falken Tire and they are headed full speed in the right direction. Its not often that you see such a successful product right out of the gate. I am more and more interested to see what comes from Falken Tire next in the off-road category.


For more information on this tire please stop in to your Local Discount Tire, America's Tire or call Discount Tire Direct @ 1.888.459.4080.

You can also find more information from your computer at home at www.tires.com or www.discounttiredirect.com.


-Travis
Discount Tire Co.

Sal-XK
09-17-2010, 08:32 AM
classic line in the mud video "ah, you what we should of brought?" LMFAO I don't think I ever spent a weekend out without saying that exact same line.

Discount Tire
09-17-2010, 09:38 AM
Yeah, I could see calender theme for those "Ah, you know what we should have brought" moments. :) I have a few I could add.

Doc in AZ
09-20-2010, 10:43 PM
as an avid off-roader i have to call BS on a couple of these... no hard feelings, i'm just saying.

where you are comparing the "other brands" to the falkens looks like two different places. i might be mistaken but the vid's show the thick stuff that would suck down a deuce & a half, and then the falkens run through a wet trail.

you claim they work well in the rocks.. just about anything works well in the rocks when you have beadlocks and can air down to 3-5lbs.

Discount Tire
09-21-2010, 08:54 AM
Hey Doc,

I don't blame you for questing but in reality there was about 20 jeeps on this trip and all of us went through the same stuff. We all went through the higher elevation muddy stuff and we all were in the muddy lake bottom. I was filming in the Falken Jeep while running Wild peaks at the lake bottom. Here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9488314 (Betweek 1:50 and 1:56 you can see two two Jeeps I have pictured below stuck in the mud) We could have buried the Falken's in the muddy lake bottom (as some others with them did) but we choose to put the peddle to the floor and keep our momentum. Anyone that lost momentum, no matter what tire they were running, sunk hard.

Here's a few more pics.

This is a set of Wild Peaks on a 4dr JK (editor of 4 wheeler magazine's rig.) I'm sure you will see their review in an upcoming issue. :)
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

Couple sets of MT's. - Same muddy lake bottom
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

Wild Peak AT
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

MT's.
https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png


Here's some more information on the event. I believe there were 7 Jeeps at this event running Wild peaks. www.jk-experience.com