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Those wheels look GOOD and I enjoy your rig! Well done. But I gotta say, nothing warms my heart more than when someone takes a drill, angle grinder, or "cutter" to their Defender. Each time, I imagine some highly polished person in Mumbai cringing.....
(For those who want to know, this is a reference to the HQ of Tata Motors)
EDIT: @GCSchmidt - I'm sure you posted it, but I must have missed the read. I just noticed the dual sets of Rigid lights. I'm pretty confident you went with the ditch lights up top. What did you use for the bottom set? I'm a gear nerd, so the more details the happier I'll get!<g> BTW - I seriously want to put some old school round lights (perhaps Baja Designs LP-6) down there. I have just been distracted by my trailer build for too long. Fortunately, just put the (semi) final touches on this past weekend so time to get back to the mother ship, aka Defender and work on some projects. Meaning I'm going to be dropping off the M416 forums and back to Defender ones!
I went with the SR-Series Pro 20” Spot/Drive bar because I didn't want the lights to interfere with the Adaptive Cruise Sensor in the grill LR badge. Furthermore, I went with Rigid because the light output color (6000k color temperature) matched the headlights color output perfectly. The Baja Designs are more yellow than the headlights (5000k color temperature).5000K5000K.
My Auxiliary Lighting Setup:
I used Lucky8’s method of running wires in the cabin (link below).
KC under hood light kit with a bracket I modified to hold the switch that utilizes the radiator shroud clip for retention.
I secured the lights with large Stainless Steel fender washers and bolts with nylon locking nuts. I did have to poke holes in the liner to attach the lights…basically sandwiched the liner in between two fender washers.
I ran the wires under the hood liner (secured with heat resistant ducking tape) to the battery terminal under the hood, grounded at a factory underhood location.
I was about to get the exact same tires/size on my '20 defender and wanted to ask how you're liking them 7 months later? Has your MPG changed much?
How do you like them in the snow?
Originally Posted by GCSchmidt
New tire day!
The new BFGoodrich All Terrain KO3 (265/70R18) mounted yesterday…no rubbing at full lock in any height.
-However, with the front classic mud flaps, I did have to trim a slight amount off (used a box cutter...super simple and easy)…the tires did contact them in reverse at full lock in access height slightly. I have the Lucky8 rock sliders and the front classics mud flaps had to be trimmed anyway for them to work with the sliders.
I got almost 50,000 miles out of the KO2’s. Loved the KO2’s, hammered on them off-road…hopefully the KO3’s will be better.
Initial Review/Impressions: They feel very similar to the KO2’s, however they feel “softer”…more cushioned of a ride, definitely quieter and feel smoother then the KO2’s I had on it. The on-road ride/handling is improved …going to put them through their paces off-road soon. They are suppose to be better in the wet and snow than the KO2's (more sipes in the lugs, improved lug channel geometry, increased silica in the compound to keep them softer in the cold) and more durable on gravel roads…time will tell...only put 12 miles on them so far...on the way home from the tire shop…lol
I run 38 psi in the front and 40 psi in the rear on-road and do 47 psi in the front and 50 psi in the rear when towing or heavily loaded. Off-road typically 18 psi all around, depending on terrain.
I plan on updating this post as I rack up the miles on them.
I was about to get the exact same tires/size on my '20 defender and wanted to ask how you're liking them 7 months later? Has your MPG changed much?
How do you like them in the snow?
I have done some long road trips with them, lots of off-roading (mud, rocks, snow), they are the best AT tire that I have had throughout the years on my vehicles, they have remined quiet on the road and have preformed excellent off. My mileage has not changed, currently averaging 16-18 mgp, depending on highway/city/off-road, I do have a lot a weight on the defender (bullbar, winch, sliders, other off-road accessories, I do rotate my tires every 5,000 miles. Long story short I can't recommended the KO3's enough. I did some wheeling last weekend in the deep snow, they did great, their is a considerable difference between the KO2's and KO3's in the snow on-road and off, it is a big improvement in grip and stability.
I'm currently "wearing out" my K02's on my Defender, and trying to decide if I just buy another set of K02's or swap to K03's.
2 of my 5 K02s are getting kind of worn ... grr. I have done no rotation other than forced rotation when I've debeaded tires and swapped them around when swapping back - forth from spares when offroad, so they have 'sort of' been rotated around randomly. ha.
Seriously considering swapping my OEM 19” wheels back on and installing KO3s when my current 20” Falken Wildpeaks need replacing. By then, the 255/65R19 KO3s should be readily available to order.
Seriously considering swapping my OEM 19” wheels back on and installing KO3s when my current 20” Falken Wildpeaks need replacing. By then, the 255/65R19 KO3s should be readily available to order.
Same. There are a lot of winter tire options for the 20s so moving those 20” wheels to winter duty and making use of the 19s (with slightly more sidewall!) that have been taking space in my garage forever would be great.
