KO3 'E' vs WildPeak AT4s 'SL'

[OUGrad1]

Hey folks, any thoughts on comparing ride quality and noise between the KO3s 'E' vs Falken AT4 'SL' versions? Do you all think the latter is a better ride and lower noise given the 'SL' rating? I'm not worried about MPG, so the weight is less of a concern, and they are similar anyway.

I know it's a random comparison but I can't seem to get a straight answer from the tire stores I called. I like the ride quality and noise level of my stock OT+ Toyo AT3s at 265 70R 18s, but want a wider tire, specifically 285 65R 18s. I'm looking at the KO3s in that size, but they only offer it in an 'E' rated tire, which each store has recommended heavily. Recently, I discovered that Falken offers the Wildpeak AT4 in an 'SL' model, but I have only seen YouTube videos suggesting that the KO3s outperform the Wildpeak AT4s when both are rated 'E'. I'm unsure how to translate that into an 'SL' for the latter based on my preference for the quietest and smoothest ride in an AT at 285 65R18.

Thanks!

 

[teghogh]

K03s are E load tires and are purposely build for offroading. i wouldnt personally put anything more that C load on any offroad oriented truck. these tires are too stiff and heavy for day to day use.

 

[jpto]

Personally, I wouldn't go for a E rated tire unless your use case is serious off-roading or you're towing something heavy

Tire Rack did a comparison that includes both the K03 (LT) and AT4

 

[chris.gio]

I went E a few years ago on an LR4, needed it bulletproof as wasn’t carry8ng a spare. They never missed a beat. So then put them on our Defender, which was great and plan to put on GX when need to replace factory tires.

Great to never worry about your tires.

 

[rangertrace]

I saw a youtube video where a shop said KO3s are very hard to balance, so they quit buying them.

 

[ISU3GX]

I can give you a partial insight on the AT4W. I went from the factory Toyo AT-III to the AT4W in 285/70-18 LT. These Falcon are still a C-Load rating, but an LT (light truck) tire with 3-ply sidewall and still have a 3MP snow rating.

Regarding the factory AT-III. They ride amazingly well, are quiet and wear fast. I really liked them. But I wanted bigger, I wanted to keep the 18” wheels and I wanted a tougher tire as I did not have full confidence the factory tire sidewalls would make it though hitting the trails.

The AT4W are much heavier @ an ungodly 68lb each. The 3-ply sidewalls transmit small impacts to the truck much more than the AT-III. Not offensive, but noticeable. Acceleration feels similar to factory tires. The weight really shows up when braking from freeway speeds (~75/80mph typical here locally) as requiring more deliberate application of the brakes. Ultimate braking performance feels similar.

I am still experimenting with normal AVS vs. Sport AVS for best ride due to the heavy nature/stiffness of the AT4W LT tire.

I’m overall happy with my change and knew what I was compromising (weight) to get my combination of +Size/C-Load/3MP tire. I’ve had E-load tires on my 3/4 Ton Suburban and think they would be overkill and even stiffer sidewalls on a GX.

For when these wear out in the future I’m hoping there are far more choices in C-Load ATs. If necessary I’ll go to a 17” wheel next time to increase my range of choices in + size AT tires with C-Load.

So, not a direct compare to your ‘E vs. SL’ ask, but perhaps a proxy.

 

[rangertrace]

Other than the little bit of rub in reverse, I'm loving AT4Ws on mine. My average MPG has dropped from 16.4 to 16.1 for city driving, but ride quality with the tires and Wescott kit still seems great to me.

 

[tig]

FWIW, the AIs (Grok) say this:

The Falken Wildpeak AT4W in LT285/70R18 weighs 68 pounds, while the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 in the same size weighs 64 pounds. This makes the AT4W 4 pounds heavier per tire.

Tire Model	Size	Weight (lbs)	Tread Depth	Max Load (lbs)	Max PSI
Falken Wildpeak AT4W	LT285/70R18	68	18/32"	3,195 (single)	50
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3	LT285/70R18 127/124S	64	16/32"	3,860/3,525	80

So I asked: Seems odd to me that a C rated tire is that much heavier than an E rated?

It's not as odd as it might seem at first glance—tire weight isn't directly tied to load range in a linear way across different brands and models. Load range (C vs. E) primarily influences the tire's construction for load-bearing capacity, such as the number of plies or reinforcement layers (typically 6-ply for C and 10-ply for E), which can add some weight but isn't the biggest factor here. Instead, the key differences come from design choices like tread depth, compound materials, sidewall thickness, and overall architecture optimized by each manufacturer.

In this case:

• The Falken Wildpeak AT4W (Load Range C, 117/114S) weighs 68 lbs primarily because it has a deeper tread depth of 18/32", which means more rubber material in the tread area for better longevity and off-road grip. This adds significant weight, even though the lower load range means less reinforcement in the carcass and sidewalls.
• The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 (Load Range E, 127/124S) weighs 64 lbs with a shallower tread depth of 16/32", reducing the amount of rubber used. BFG also employs advanced compounds and construction (like CoreGard technology derived from racing tires) that allow for higher load capacity without proportionally increasing weight, making it lighter despite the higher rating.

Essentially, the extra 2/32" of tread on the AT4W accounts for much of the 4-lb difference per tire, as tread rubber is dense and a major contributor to overall mass. Different brands prioritize different traits—Falken focuses on deep tread for durability, while BFG emphasizes toughness with lighter, more efficient materials. If you're running these on your GX550 Overtrail, the heavier AT4W might slightly impact fuel economy or acceleration, but it could offer better wear life in exchange.

Note: Upon double-checking specs, the max load for the AT4W in this size is actually 2,835 lbs single / 2,601 lbs dual at 50 PSI (not 3,195 lbs as previously stated—that appears to have been an error based on a different load index or size variant).
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For the KO3, it's confirmed at 3,860 lbs single / 3,525 lbs dual at 80 PSI.
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If the size or ratings don't align with what you meant, let me know for more tailored info!

 

[OUGrad1]

Works been a little crazy this week so sorry for my delayed response.

Thank you all for the feedback as it’s been super helpful! I did end up ordering the AT4w in the ‘SL’ load and the weight is only 50lbs per tire, which is roughly the same as the ‘E’ load K03s at 285 65R18s from what I found.

My hope is the ‘SL’ load will be “softer” than the ‘C’ load mentioned above as the latter is closer to an LT tire and heavier as mentioned. The ‘SL’ sidewalls are 3ply so I assume they will not be as smooth as the 2ply OEM Toyo AT3s on my Overtrail but better than the KO3s.

Anyway, I get the AT4 installed tomorrow along with my magnaflow cat back exhaust so looking forward to driving the truck afterwards. I’m really hoping these tires work out since I am going to sell my K03s (I forgot to mention I bought them last Friday) on Facebook marketplace or this board after just a week of owning them. Yay for trial and error.

 

[m32]

Please report back on how you like your AT4s as well as your magnaflow! I'm about to order tires as well

Edwin

 

[rangertrace]

Yes, I need to hear what you think about the exhaust!!