For me, Sport King A/Ts = A monumentally dissatisfied customer.
Written: Mar 22 '03 (Updated Mar 22 '03)
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Pros: Honestly, given my experiences with this particular tire, I can't even think of ONE!
Cons: Manufacturer defects - Uneven tread wear - Split belts - Poor off-road traction…
The Bottom Line: If I could have rated this tire with NEGATIVE stars, I assure you that I would have done so, without reservation.
--- In a word: BEWARE!
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| ezoozooone's Full Review: Fisk Sport King A/T Truck/SUV Tire |
Well, I came to own my first set of Sport King A/Ts out of pure necessity. --- In an emergency situation, I bought ONE Traction King A/T to replace a flat tire, and so began my abhorrent tire-related misadventures…
First up: The new Sport King’s load rating was higher than the remaining tires (8-ply/D ~vs~ 10-ply/E), and my handling suffered greatly as a result… So, I replaced the other three tires with Sport Kings a few days later.
Likewise, my second set was also acquired out of necessity. --- A few months after purchasing my first set, I noticed that all four of my LT225/75/R16 Sport Kings were coming apart across the seam that runs along the center of each tire’s circumference… The tread blocks were actually splitting apart, right down the middle, all of the way around each and every tire. --- I took them to the dealership where I had purchased them, paid the ‘tread wear use-fee’, and added to that fee the additional cost of up-grading my replacement tires to LT245/75/R16s. (And at that moment, why I didn’t just opt to get something else entirely, I’ll never know!)
Since that time, I have had to return to the tire dealer a number of times for further tire-related problems… I’ve had this second set of Sport Kings balanced SEVEN TIMES (by three different establishments!) in the last four months alone, and had to have yet another of them replaced, due to split belts.
Were that not enough, for the last couple of months, I have been trying to get the dealer to admit that the remaining three tires of this second set are also defective, and all suffering from split belts as well. --- In hopes of proving my point, I took my truck to another tire shop today… Without telling them anything about what I suspected, I had them balance my tires… Yep, you guessed it… All three of the remaining second set had high spots, and are believed to have split belts. --- It was highly recommended that I replace them immediately. (DUH!) --- At least now I have written documentation that these too are defective.
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Now, just in case I’ve almost put you to sleep… That’s a total of EIGHT DEFECTIVE TIRES so far! --- And you can bet your bottom dollar that the ninth one on there is more than a little suspect in my mind.
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As for their actual off-road performance: I am absolutely under-whelmed. --- I found my Sport King A/Ts to be embarrassingly incapable of traveling uphill in muddy conditions, and less than ideally suited for use in ascending dry, powdery, loose dirt trails.
I am an active 4x4-wheeler, and often go out with friends who possess the same make and model of vehicle as my own… On such occasions, I have experienced a number of situations where my tires were the only major difference between the vehicles in question, and yet I’ve often either been pulled-up, or had to park mine and ride the rest of the way with someone else (who’s only advantage was in sporting another manufacturer’s tires).
Thus, on this point alone, without regard to any of my other grievances, I find the Sport King A/T’s over-all comparable lack of off-road traction to be wholly unacceptable.
I will concede that their paved road performance was at least acceptable (Well, in as much as vibrating, split-belted tires can be, anyhow), but if ON-road performance were ALL that I was after, I'd have bought Ps, not LTs.
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Not that I’m very optimistic about my chances, but I am about to undertake the ominous task of getting a full refund for every single penny that I’ve spent on these tires, since day-one; the multiple attempts at balancing them; everything…
Wish me luck!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 500 (tires)
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Epinions.com ID:
ezoozooone
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Location: Almost (4x4) Heaven, West Virginia
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Isuzu 4x4 NUT-CASE / Internet EntreManure
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