Normally I always whine and say to Silvie: “We really need this or that for Cali!” In the case of the AT tires, she turned the tables on me and had already been bugging me about it before we got the first Cali. Visually, we settled on the BF Goodrich KO2 relatively quickly, but looks weren’t everything. We talked to people who were already driving AT tires on their campers and heard everything from “It’s great!” to “No, never again!”. Another “problem”, according to various forums and Facebook groups, is that the BF Goodrich in the 245/70 R16 dimensions can only be driven with a speedometer adjustment. So the usual game started again, do it yourself and get informed. Below you will find all the information about the BF Goodrich on the Grand California, from costs to registration.
Tire model
We chose the BF Goodrich KO2 in the dimensions 245/70 R16. We had to pay particular attention to the load-bearing capacity of the tires due to the extra weight. The KO2 has a load index of 113, which means that a tire has a maximum load capacity of 1150 kilos, so with the Grand California’s maximum axle load of 2100 kilos, this is not a problem. So even with 4.1 tons we can drive this tire without any problems.
The KO2 is available in different versions, one with and one without white lettering. We have opted for the model with the white lettering. Please don’t be alarmed, the lettering looks blue when it’s new. This is a protective coating that dissolves by itself over time due to water. The two versions differ in price by around 30 euros per tire.
- BF Goodrich without white writing about 180 euros per tire
- BF Goodrich with white writing about 210 euros per tire
Registration
Yes, dear TÜV. Unfortunately, you need individual approval for these tire dimensions in accordance with §21, as Volkswagen does not have approval for these rims. This is where the rumor mill starts in the forums mentioned above, without going into detail again, here are the simple facts:
- Individual acceptance according to §21
- No speedometer adjustment necessary
- No impact test necessary
- No adjustments to the wheel arches or the like
- Cost of registration about 240 euros
A speedometer test drive must be carried out during acceptance by TÜV, Dekra, GTÜ etc.. The speedometer is checked using a VBOX and the Crafter or Grand California makes a precision landing with the Goodrich tires.
Costs
The complete cost of the tires including mounting and registration is about 1100 euros.
Driving behavior
A lot is written and told here too. The fact is, the car drives differently with these tires. From our point of view, the suspension has become a little softer and the rolling noise has become subtly louder.
One point that everyone should really bear in mind is that these tires consume considerably more diesel.
For us, the average is 2 liters per 100 kilometers.
We have to write a correction on the subject of consumption! A reader – many thanks again at this point – has pointed out to us that the speedometer has a standard deviation and this applies not only to the speed, but also to the consumption. For example, if the speedometer is ten percent ahead, the fuel consumption displayed is correspondingly lower. Now that the speedometer is virtually 100 percent correct, the fuel consumption displayed is also correct, i.e. correspondingly higher.
The braking distance has not changed, neither on dry roads nor in the rain. Especially on gravel and muddy surfaces, this tire feels really comfortable and does an excellent job.
Driving behavior is always very subjective, the things listed here correspond to our feelings. It may be that others see it differently 🙂
Why AT Tires?
In addition to visual reasons, our love of Sweden is a very decisive factor. In January, we’re going to the far north again for 3.5 weeks, and in addition to lots of snow, we can also expect various gravel roads. That’s why we opted for an AT tire, and not just for visual reasons.
If you are only on the road at campsites, you will probably pay a high price for the purchase, registration and, last but not least, diesel. Of course, anyone can opt for this tire for visual reasons alone, because it’s a winner 🙂
If you have any questions about the tires, just leave a comment or send us an email.
A small update
Today, on 22.07.2024, I unfortunately had a very, very unpleasant situation. I was accused of deliberately spreading false information and that this tire cannot be driven on a 3.88 ton Grand California.
First of all, the facts:
It is correct that the axle load of a 3.88-ton Grand California is higher than that of a 3.5-ton Grand California. This means that tires with a load index of 110 cannot be used! But if you absolutely want to drive the BF Goodrich in the above-mentioned dimensions, you can have the axle load of your 3.88-ton Grand California adjusted accordingly at the TÜV! So this is also no problem.
One more sentence about the situation mentioned above: not only was I insulted in the worst possible way, I was also threatened with a beating if I ever crossed paths with someone… We don’t need to discuss the fact that such statements are human waste at this point. But a request to all the great readers and followers of GrandCali.com, don’t just inform yourselves here, but also use other sources. Mistakes happen to me or us too and our word is not the law.
Thank you ❤️
