BFGs have gained a terrible reputation for losing tread and being "square". The Cooper Cobra is now "owned" by Goodyear along with the M/T line of tires and a far better tire in both safety and construction. BFG is owned by Michelin. I have had three full tread separations on BFGs and will never use one again.
I personally haven't had issue with regular T/A's but my All Terrane's would loose 5" or 6" CHUNKS of treads.
It happened on 2 sets. I'm a little fuzzy on the size but maybe 235-75-15? Does that sound right?
When I inquired about waranty on the second set, the Rep told me it was my fault because I mounted them on a 7" rim. I said the application on YOUR chart shows 6 to 8". 7" is right in the middle.
He said, yes, that's a mis-application. I said why are you double talking me? He just walked away.
I've had problems with my P7 Pirelli's. The treads crack open like on the BFG's and the Fusion's on my SHO, 255-55-16 would be on the cords with 3,500 miles on them. That was with a 400 wear rating.
That tire, the p7, is a pretty expensive one and turns into a banana skin under 35° F. It's like there is ice on the road, and there isn't. They LIKE hot temps.
The best overall for me were the Goodyear GT+4's. The traction was excellent. They are very predictable, went through 24" of snow and lasted 25,000 miles a set.
All tires are going to have plus and minuses BUT today's "high performance street" tires are not intended to last more then about three years without drying out and cracking.
It has to do with the "rubber compound formula". The chemical that keeps the rubber from drying and cracking also reduces the traction properties of the rubber itself. So at this point in time, you can't have both.
The Avon's aren't going to last you long either, for both reasons. They are going to wear out rapidly because they are soft compound and they will dry out rapidly as well. IF you get 5 years out of them that's a lot. And they ain't cheap.
They are really a track tire for the street.
A real high performance tire on the street in the US is a waste of money I think. They really are just intended for the Autobohn. You will not see the difference here. Here it's just for looks.
To me, the BFG' TA's are as good as any. On my '68 Shelby I've been using them since 1978 with no issues at all.
Buy yourself a power washer to clean up the white letters. You won't need any chemicals on them at all.
I was "advised" that for actual wear, the wear rating means little. It is the "aggressiveness" of the tread design that controls the wear rate.
The speed ratings are there to satisfy EU requirements for unlimited speed rules. For the US, they are just a status symbol.
You can also ask yourself why something like the BFG Comp TA's aren't around any more? As Randy says, some tires have inherent issues.