Mud Tire Reviews

[AuPanda]

While it rarely rains in Southern California, I hear that it doe sin other parts of the country; so this is a thread about mud tires.

 

[frogslinger]

Hey it rarely rains here in west Texas... but it is made of clay so when it does rain....

 

[AuPanda]

Here are some links worth checking out:

http://www.offroaders.com/info/tech-...eading/mud.htm

http://mudtires-4you.com/

http://mud-tires-direct.com/

http://www.4x4offroads.com/off-road-tire.html

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techart...ted/index.html <-- This one is very good - they name names and rate the tires! See below...

Mud Tire Tests and Reviews - We Test Em All
Mickey Thompson, Mudder, BFG, Swamper, Pro Comp, Goodyear, Yokohama
From the February, 2009 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road

Tires. Big tires. Big mud tires. Yep, that’s what you want if you live in mud country. Face it: If you don’t have real mud tires when slogging through Midwest gumbo, your rig better have a big winch on it. Street tread just doesn’t cut it in real slop, and anyone who mudbogs or just has to cross the stuff to go to work knows that real mud tires are a must. But which mud tire is the best? Are they all good, or are some better than others? We decided to take those questions and do a real world mud tire test.

We were looking at the six different tire characteristics we felt were a good indication of performance: Flotation, or the ability to stay on top of the mud; steering ability, which is important if the tires fall into deep ruts; launching, which indicates what type of grip or traction the tires have; slippery hill in two-wheel drive, an all-around indication of traction; self-cleaning ability, where a tread design throws out the mud so the lugs get a fresh grip in the goo; and finally, the distance each set of tires could propel the Jeep into the mud pit. So here it is, the mother of all mud tire tests. While you may not agree with our conclusions, and we admit that a test like this is highly subjective, we also know what we saw and how the tires performed in a real-world situation. Enjoy the read, then go mount some meats and check it out for yourself.


How We Did It

We asked the guys at National Tire & Wheel to help us with this project, since they live in the muddy Midwest and sell half of the tires we wanted to test. Owner Greg Eaton even has a plot of slop near his house which he graciously let us use, along with his garage, CJ-8, and a few of his friends and employees to help pull off the biggest tire test ever.

The concept was simple: Select nine real mud tires, mount them on similar rims, and try them out on one vehicle. Eaton’s own CJ-8 normally rides around on 38-inch Super Swamper Boggers. The drivetrain is a stout Chevy 350 coupled to a T-18 and Dana 300 transfer case. A Currie 35-spline 9-inch Ford rearend with a spool and 4.88 gears is matched to a front Currie-built Dana 44 with a Lock-Right and 4.88s.

For consistency sake we felt a single driver on all of the tires would be the best. Once our course was laid out, we measured off 100 feet of goo, with the easy stuff at the beginning. Each run was made in third gear, low range, and the clutch was dumped the same way at the same rpm to get the tires spinning. We even ran the first couple of sets of tires through the course at the end of the test so that track degradation wouldn’t be a factor. At the end of each run (and more often than not) the neighbor’s tractor was called in to rescue the Jeep when it bottomed the frame out in the 3-foot-deep slop. In addition to the bog pit, we drove the tires on hilly terrain back and forth to the garage during tire swaps. This gave us a chance to evaluate the side hill gripping and ride, but more importantly, we were able to test them in the two-wheel-drive mode to check for traction.


9. Yokohama Geolandar MT

The Geolandar MT came on the four-wheel-drive scene a few years ago, and many a test have proven it to be a great tire. It was one of our favorites as well, from Rubicon rock to desert dust. In our nine-way mud tire test, the Geolander got off to a slippery start. In fact, the Geolander exhibited little, if any, bite during our clutch dropping start of the run and had a difficult time finding traction in the soupy slop. As speed increased down the track so did the lack of steering stability, and flotation was next to nil. As the Jeep finally sunk in the mud after a last-place, 43-foot 8-inch pull, the lack of self cleaning of mud off the tires caused one judge to note that they looked like big glazed donuts. On the bright side, the tires excelled over many others in the two-wheel-drive test up the slippery slope, where they made the hill without the driver having to slip it into four-wheel drive.


8. Explorer Pro Comp Mud Terrains

Our newest tire manufacturer has had good results over the last few years. While similar in looks to the BFG Mud-Terrain, the Pro Comp stands on its own in the rock and trail world, and this was a chance to try them in real mud. In the mud, the hard dump of a clutch simply spun the tires until the world caught up with them, and then they had a difficult time in the pit. Although they floated on the mud better than some, the lack of good steering control led to rut stuckage. We even tried the pit twice to make sure we weren’t crazy. Fortunately the tires cleaned themselves out fairly well, which helped them go 54 feet 2 inches, or near the top of the first half. Even in two-wheel mode on the drive back to the barn, the tires pulled the Jeep up the slope, while other tires did not. The siping on the tread elements was a benefit here, as was the 12.50 width.


7. Mickey Thompson Baja Claw

Our first contestant was the Baja Claw, and we also ran them last to make sure our results were consistent. The first launch was fairly impressive, leaving the line with good traction, and the rpm spun them into the slop. About midway through the course the Claws started to bog down, but then the sidebiters seemed to hook up as the front tires were sawed back and forth to provide some extra grip. The flotation characteristics seemed good since they didn’t sink to China, but this was also accompanied by a definite lack of steering control. An interesting note was that in this mud the Claws didn’t seem to clean themselves very well, with only a few chunks blowing into the air at full rpm. However, our first victim couldn’t pull the full 100-foot course, but came up with a respectable 43 feet 9 inches for the initial run, and after all the other tires were tested, the check run came in at 42 feet 5 inches. This verified that the track was tough and consistent and that the Baja Claw worked well in real mud. Our final test was a two-wheel-drive try up a slick rock and mud hill, and the Claws gripped exceedingly well, getting high marks in this category.


6. Gateway Gumbo Monster Mudders

Gumbo Mudders have been on mud trucks since dirt was invented, or so it seems. We’ve used them in the dirty rocks, and even took them up Surprise Canyon to Panamint City years ago, with good results. Our set was one of the fattest in the bunch, and it showed. In fact it was the second-best floater, even though the launch was just above average in this grouping of tires, which could have been due to the extra width compared to others. But the Mudders’ great self-cleaning ability led to a better-than-average pull through the mud, with the good steering helping to make the pull at 58 feet 2 inches for a spot right in between the top and bottom sets of tires. The major shortcoming was the two-wheel-drive section where the wide footprint and lack of siping hindered traction on a slippery uphill drive. Overall, the Monster Mudders made the grade for a mud tire, proving that old is indeed good.


5. BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains

BFG has been a standard of the light truck industry for years, and most people buy them because they know they work. It’s that simple. And once again, the Mud-Terrains proved themselves capable. As the Jeep eased up to the starting line, we noticed that the tires were not sliding around on the slick ground very much. That was a good sign. We imediately noticed that they launched better than most and provided excellent steering, especially for such a skinny tire compared to some others. While flotation seemed well below average, the great self-cleaning lugs really spun out the goo, and that helped to propel the BFG-shod CJ to the 60-foot mark before it buried itself to the gills. The most interesting aspect of these tires was on the hill test in 2x4 condition, where the BFGs simply climbed up the hill as the other 12.50 tires did; contact pressure overcomes flotation in a test such as this.


4. Interco Super Swamper TSL

The standard Super Swamper TSL is a tire by which many others are judged, and we were anxious to see how well it would do. When the clutch was dumped the Swampers spun—and then motivated the Jeep, instead of launching hard. While surprising, that fact didn’t keep the TSLs from chewing down the course with excellent flotation and steering characteristics. In fact, we had to duck for cover at times, as the self-cleaning tires shot goobers of sludge at us from a distance. And speaking of distance, it was a generous 59-foot 7-inch run in the mud for the Super Swampers, right near the top of all the other tires. The Swampers’ real drawback was on the two-wheel-drive hillclimb; the big size and lack of sipes in the tread blocks made for a difficult trip. In fact, while is wasn’t the lowest-rated tire in this department, it tied two other entrants for last place. Despite this one shortcoming, we were impressed with what a real mud tire can do in a sloppy environment.


3. Goodyear MTR

The newest addition to the Goodyear line is the MTR, introduced two years ago on the Rubicon. While we continue to be impressed with them in rocks, this was the first time we really got to check ’em out in the mud. The 12.50 section width was smaller than the Swampers and such but comparable to the other tires of the same size. The new tread pattern really showed its stuff on launch, where the Jeep nearly pulled the front tires off the ground. These tires launched the hardest by far. While screaming through the mud the MTRs exhibited great steering ability, even though the flotation department noted that they were pretty average. As far as self-cleaning, these tires did that in an above-average manner, contributing to a distance mark of 63 feet 9 inches, even better than the Swamper TSLs. What’s more, the trip back to the garage proved that these tires work great on the two-by section while going uphill in the slime.


2. Interco Super Swamper SSR

Improving on the famed Interco TSL wasn’t easy, but slap on a radial sidewall and some siping on the tread and you have a winner. In fact, while the old TSL did very well in this test, as the younger brother smoked the older one with better launch and cleaning abilities in the mud. Flotation ability and self-cleaning were a bit poorer than the older brother, but by small amounts. The big difference was the awesome churn through the mud where the SSRs went beyond the distance of seven other tire sets that stayed in the pit, with three quarters of the track behind the Jeep before it was over. Sure enough, the SSR went nearly the distance, and in two-wheel drive the siping and skinny profile scooted the Jeep up the hill and garnered big points for doing so. This radial incarnation of a time-tested design has also worked well in previous rock and dirt tests. While we love the old TSL design, this one was worth noting for the fine performance it displayed.


1. Interco Super Swamper Bogger

Boggers were designed for mud, period. Even though they look awesome on nearly anything and work equally well in the rocks, dirt, street, or mud, they are a mud tire first. We fully expected these tires to do well since we’ve seen ’em work, but this test was the proof in the pudding. Starting with a better-than-most launch, the Boggers flew into the track as if rockets were attached to the Jeep. Floating above the goo and slinging clumps out of every tread block, these tires provided excellent steering control even when they started to slow down and dig deeper into the track. But that’s when these tires came alive as they dug down and grabbed glop to shoot the Jeep down the track. From that point on it was churn and burn as the Boggers propelled the Jeep completely through the 100 feet of Midwest mud. While the Hillclimb in 2x4 was as average as the other fat tires, the Boggers were the only one to make a full pull through our test track, making it the highest rated tire in our nine-tire shootout.
Mud Terrain Truck Tire Test - Putting Mini M-Ts To The Test
Mud-Terrain Shootout
From the October, 2009 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road
By Ali Mansour
Photography by Alan Huber, Ali Mansour
What's the best mud tire for my 4x4?" It's a question we're often asked, yet there's no clear-cut answer. While purchasing a set of mega-mudders for your trail toy is a big investment, we find that most wheelers have a tougher time deciding which is the best mud terrain for their modest daily drivers and weekend wheelers.

To give you a clue on what to look for and what we found to be great tires, we put together a tire shootout using five of the most prominent 33x12.50 mud-terrains on the market. Our parameters included: (1) a price around $200 each at the time of the story; (2) tires must be available for 15-inch wheels; and (3) radials were preferred since we considered these tires great candidates for everyday use.

Another important factor to consider was the vehicle or vehicles we should use to test the tires. If we went out to the pit with a super-high-horsepower rig equipped with every wiz-bang gadget, would we really be testing the tires? Of course not, so instead of bulletproof, we opted for budget prone.

Using a '97 Jeep Wrangler equipped with a tired four-cylinder engine, five-speed transmission, and 4.88 differential gears, we teamed the creampuff TJ with a '47 Willys flatfender equipped with a carbureted Chevy 4.3L V-6, automatic transmission, and 5.38 gears. To ensure that all the mud-terrains had a biting chance, both Jeeps were equipped with lunchbox lockers (Lock-Rights).

Behind the wheel of the TJ was Feature Editor Ali Mansour, while Editor-in-Chief Rick Pewe sat at the helm of the classic flattie. The two drivers not only had different vehicle configurations, but also different experience levels and driving styles. This driver and vehicle dynamic created two very distinct perspectives, thus equating to a well-rounded tire evaluation.

For the mud pit we headed up to the central coast of California and had the experienced employees of the Hollister Hills SVRA build us a fresh and challenging mud pit. During the test we ran all of the 33-inch tires on both Jeeps, using the same 15x8 Pro Comp Xtreme Alloy wheels, and placed the air pressure at 24 psi for all of the competitors. This was a mud tire test, not a vehicle engine dynamics laboratory, and we admit that it was far from a perfect scientific evaluation. Instead of breaking out calculators, we relied on rev limiters, driving technique, and forward progress to help us determine which of these five tires pulled the best in the fresh muck and sticky clay.

Did we find out which one worked best? We think so. We ranked the tires in order of which one we thought excelled. For the record, we only tested the tires in the mud, since that was our focus. For that reason we concentrated on each tire's mud performance. So who prevailed as king of the pit? Read on to find out.


Rubber Runners-Up


BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/AKM
The BFG M-T came into the test as the veteran of the group. We hoped that the original KM, which has been succeeded by the KM2, would maintain its place in the Goodrich family. The BFG appeared to have the narrowest footprint, but that didn't seem to hinder its performance. While low speeds made it a tad more difficult for the tires to clean themselves, a few hits off the rev limiter and the radial M-Ts began propelling the goo. Sawing the wheel helped a bit, but the lack of side bite seemed to kill the momentum once the tires were packed. For a radial mud-terrain it had nicely sized lugs and tread voids. Overall, the legendary M-T worked well as long as you kept up the rpm and stayed out of the super-sticky stuff.

Specs
Size: 33x12.50x15
Load Range: C
Tread Depth (in): 21/32


Source
BFGoodrich Tires
www.bfgoodrichtires.com


Goodyear wrangler MT/R
The completely redesigned MT/R arrived with a more staggered and spaced tread pattern than previous models, and we were all anxious to see it in action. With beefy bulletproof Kevlar sidewalls, these skins may have been the toughest in the test. The larger spacing between the outer lugs helped to move the Jeeps along at the start of the pit, but once the tires got plugged and in the thick of it, they simply couldn't cut through the muck as well as the others. Though sawing the wheel and high revs helped a little, once they were packed it was time to get pulled out. Overall, the tire performed well, and for loose or mildly muddy trails we think they would work fine.

Specs
Size: 33x12.50x15
Load Range: C
Tread Depth (in): 19/32


Source
Goodyear Tires
www.goodyeartires.com


Maxxis MT-762 Bighorn
If there was a sleeper in the pack, the Maxxis Bighorn was it. The aggressive pattern could be felt instantly, as the tires did a great job of chewing through the mud. Tread clearing was decent at low speeds and excellent once you reached higher rpm. Definitely one of the most aggressive tires in the group. We enjoyed the consistent performance throughout the pit. Where to rank the Bighorn was a tough call, but the side bite of our Second Place participant just edged it out.

Specs
Size: 33x12.50x15
Load Range: C
Tread Depth (in): 21/32


Source
Maxxis
www.maxxis.com


Pro Comp Xtreme Mud-Terrain
To call a tire a mud-terrain is one thing, but if you throw the word extreme into the mix (or Xtreme, as they spell it) it better excel. Though we've had experience with the larger versions on the Xtreme Mud-Terrain, this was our first time with the smaller units. Luckily for us and Pro Comp, the Xtreme M-T handled the pit like a pro. Whether it was romping at low or high speeds, the tires cleaned out with ease. Throughout each end of the pit the tires continued to perform consistently and maintained a steady pull, and with a little sawing action of the wheel the functional sidewall tread bit in and kept moving. The Pro Comp was a pleasant surprise and a tire that is clearly designed with mud performance in mind.

Specs
Size: 33x12.50x15
Load Range: C
Tread Depth (in): 20.5/32


Source
Pro Comp Tires
www.procomptires.com


King Of The Pit


Interco trxus Radial Mud-Terrain
Interco prides itself on creating some of the largest and most mud-dominating tires on the market. So when the Trxus radial mud-terrain showed up for battle, it had a lot to live up to. It's difficult to pick a winner in test like this, especially when all of the competitors performed well. But to say that the Trxus is just another radial mud-terrain would be far from the truth. Throughout the entire mud-romping shootout, the Trxus performed excellently. They had no problems cleaning out their tread at both low and high speeds. When the Jeeps did get slowed down by the muck, a few saws of the wheel and the aggressive side cleats dug in and kept the vehicle moving. Though we can't speak for how they would perform anywhere else, they would most definitely be our choice of tire if we were stranded on a mud-covered island.

Specs
Size: 33x12.50x15
Load Range: C
Tread Depth (in): 19/32


Source
Interco Tire
www.intercotire.com


Test Notes
While we all know that not all mud tires are created equal, we did our best to ensure that each tire got a fair shake. Each set entered the pit multiple times, and between passes we would accelerate on the hard-packed dirt to see how well they cleaned up outside of the wet dirt. From dead-stop attempts in the deeper slop to a little experimenting in two-wheel-drive only, we feel we put the tires through their muddy paces, and we stand by our rankings.

Rankings
1. Interco Trxus Radial Mud-Terrain
2. Pro Comp Xtreme Mud-Terrain
3. Maxxis Bighorn
4. BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain
5. Goodyear Wrangler MT/R

(information reposted from the efforts of madcowranch & magicmtndan)

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Here are some links worth checking out:

http://www.offroaders.com/info/tech-...eading/mud.htm

:hey: Hmmm...that looks strangely familiar - I've seen that before on the forum

It's a really good post with a nice combination of links and helpful information.

 

[AuPanda]

:hey: Hmmm...that looks strangely familiar - I've seen that before on the forum

It's a really good post with a nice combination of links and helpful information.

You and madcowranch deserve all the research credit.

 

[AuPanda]

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1389084599838&oid=84666448018

 

[bstoner59]

The Nitto Trail Grappler™ M/T blends some of the off-road performance of the Mud Grappler™ with the on-road comfort of the Terra Grappler™ to create a tire that is both aggressive and quiet. For off-road performance, the sidewall combines a 3-ply high turn-up construction with a thick rubber compound that cushions the tire and helps prevent punctures. On the tread surface, the blocks are configured to provide additional biting edges that command lateral stability and enhance forward traction. For on-road comfort, Nitto’s engineers used advanced sound analysis equipment to reduce the noise levels commonly associated with off-road tires. The internal construction and tread design also help optimize treadlife. Two wide steel belts provide a stable base for the tire and increase tread strength. This advanced construction provides optimal uniformity and reduces irregular wear.

Performance Rating: PQ

 

[frogslinger]

Nice find panda... that is insane.

 

[KaiserM715]

Here are my experiences with "mud grips". Note: these were 31x10.5 R15, load range "C" tires on my Ranger... your experience may vary.

ProComp Mud Terrains
I put about 40k miles on these tires.
On Road Started out with reasonable noise and little vibration. By the time I got rid of them, the noise and vibrations under 30 mph was pretty bad. These tires must be rotated often to slow down cupping. I rotated them every 5000 miles and still had some issues. Very sensitive to balancing. The siping on these tires is minimal and was gone by about 20k miles. Wet weather and ice traction was not very good (esp after siping wore away).
Off Road These tires took everything I could throw at them (mud, trail running and lots of rocks). Never had a flat the entire time I owned them.

Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ
I currently have XX miles on these (will update)
*Note: These tires came out after Cooper bought Mickey Thompson and **** Cepek and are built on the same carcass as the Cooper STT and **** Cepek Mud Country tires (direct info from an employee of Cooper).
On Road The first thing I notice was how quiet these were compared to the ProComps. They have gotten slightly louder, but are still not bad at all. Siping is much improved over the ProComps. Wet weather and ice traction is better, but still nothing to write home about. Good snow traction (as long as it is not packed to the point of becoming ice). I have rotated these every 5000 miles.
Off Road I would rate their performance off-road the same as the ProComps. Used in the same conditions.

Other thoughts: There seems to be a big difference between the on road noise/vibration/wear patterns for the "new generation" tires vs the "old generation". I am lumping these tires together as "new gen": Cooper STT, MTZ, Mud Country, ProComp ExtremeMT and Toyo Mud country; with many of these having a *very* similar tread pattern.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

BFG options:

Mud-Terrain T/A® KM
Off-Road | Pickup Truck
All-Season Tires

Named a 10 Most Influential product by JP Magazine
The only tire to be recognized in the enthusiast publication's top 10 all-time off-road products

Unbelievable traction for deep dirt, mud and rocks.
DiggerLugz™ (upper sidewall traction bars and treadclearing shoulder void bars)

Incredible rock climbing and slick surface traction1
Improved high-void tread design with larger footprint, interlocking tread elements and advanced compounding†

Improved wheel and tire protection from off-road hazards, especially during aired down situations1
Rim protector

More even wear1
Dual-tread radius

Reduced road noise1
Computer-optimized tread design

Exceptional bruise resistance under the tread and in the sidewall
BFGoodrich® Tires’ TriGard® construction — innovative 3-ply polyester carcass

Improved ride smoothness and tire uniformity1
Single strand beads on all dimensions (single wire wrapped continuously)

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/off-road/mud-terrain-t-a-km/tire-details


Mud-Terrain T/A® KM2
Off-Road | Pickup Truck
All-Season Tires

When roadside assistance is not an option
Super-tough sidewall compound cuts and bruises to take the edge off of rocks and other off-road hazards

Overcome nearly any obstacle
Linear flex zones allow the tire to conform and grab obstacles in aired-down driving

Leave the tow rig at home
Drive to the trails with better road manners and less noise than you'd expect in an off-road tire

Krawler-inspired tread design for incredible on-off road performance. Large sidewall lugs add muscle to the sidewall and improve traction in soft soil conditions †
Aggressive New Looks

Large and thick sidewall lugs increases sidewall strength New sidewall rubber compound is more resistant to cutting and tearing BFGoodrich Tires' TriGard, 3-ply construction has cords that are up to 33% stronger that increase sidewall strength†
Krawler-TEK Sidewall

New sizes that are up to 42 inches in diameter More sizes with 17 inch and larger rims
Exciting New Sizes

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/off-road/mud-terrain-t-a-km2/tire-details


Krawler™ T/A® KX
Off-Road
All-Season Tires

Unprecedented grip on rocks, mud and dirt
Deep-lug tread pattern with a soft, grippy compound that grabs onto uneven surfaces for better traction

World's best rock-crawling tire
Tread can be carved to better suit your individual requirements.

A super-tough carcass built like some of our off-road racing tires. The lessons we learn in off-road racing are built right into the Krawler T/A®KX
Race-spec carcass

One of the highest puncture resistant sidewalls of any tire we’ve ever offered
Four nylon sidewall plies

Deep, large and solid sidewall lugs aid both traction and puncture resistance
Brawny, solid sidewall lugs

Improved wheel and tire protection from off-road hazards, especially during aired-down situations
Rim protector

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/off-road/krawler-t-a-kx/tire-details