Mud Tires

hfw3 · January 5, 2004

I would like to start by saying hello to everyone, I just signed up before new year's. So far it seems like a great forum of experienced truck enthusiats. My question is this. I plan to put a set of 305/70R16 on my 04 ext. Z71 Chevy but can not decide what tire to go with. I want aggressive looks with decent road manners and I would like to hear the radio. I just read in Peterson's 4wheel about their comparison of the top 6 mud tires which narrowed down my pick to 3; BFG MT's, Mickey T's Baja Radial Claw, and Super Swamper Radials. The Baja Claws look mean as all get out but are not very pratical. BFG's & Swampers are about even in the test but I am sure the BFG's are a better tire for wear. However, where I live everyone has BFG's and I would like something a little different. Any other tire suggestions are welcome as are your comments of the above 3. And if it makes a differnce, they will be mounted 16x8 ClassicII.

tmf6902 · January 5, 2004

I have swamper radials....if you don't like the noise don't get them. But they wear great. I have them on my blazer, I think they wear very nicely, but I don't have a whole lot of power behind them to spin up, and lay rubber. As far as performace, well it's a swamper, I don't have to get into that.

I have Goodyear MTR's on my HD, I like them a lot, they wear pretty good, they're not to loud and they ride nice. I've had BFG AT's on the blazer at one point....the rode ok, and they weren't noisey, but the wear was terrible. The swampers wear better then the BFG's did.

TMF

awdvkd · January 5, 2004

MTR's are the best all around tire, they are pricey but they wear about as well as any off road tire on pavement. Mine have 14K on them and they are about 1/2 worn. they are heavy duty tires and I love the silicone sidewall. I used to get a lot of flats and I have yet to get one. I drive on a lot of gravel and they handle it well. They do required rebalancing every once and a while. Good luck with what ever you decide.

Mule · January 5, 2004

Good mud tire comparison in this month's Peterson's 4 Wheel magazine. I have the BFG's and am happy with them. I wanted the Goodyears, but no one had them in 305/70R16 last year. One guy had 4, but if i shredded one, he couldn't replace it.

Chris97K1500 · January 5, 2004

If you like the Mickey Thompson Radial Claws, look at ProComp's X-terrain's. They are very similar in tread pattern, plus you could easily get 40-50K miles out of them. I've got almost 50K miles out of my PC Mud Terrain's and plan on getting the X-terrain's in the spring. If you like the Mickey Thompson tread design, these X-terrain's will wear much better and longer on the road. Just curious, but why do you think the MT Claws are not practical? As far as price, all of these tires, MTR's, BFG's, MT Claws and X-terrain's will run you around $200 ea. in the 305 size. With the Claws being the least expensive. Good luck with whatever you choose, just make sure you get something you like. Chris

tmf6902 · January 5, 2004

As far as price goes you should really shop around. I got my MTR's for $140 each, and $85 overnight freight, that's 85 for all four not a piece., and their 315's, from the tirerack.com. Just look for the best price and start calling companies up and getting them to beat each other....it'll take some work, but you'll save some dough.

tmf

Shotgun · January 6, 2004

I love my MTR's,they really tear it up in the rice field...here is a link to the mud tire test......We Test ’Em All

jherdt · January 6, 2004

I know I'm going to catch some flack from this, but if you want a good off road tire with decent off road performance you might want to check out the Michelin A/T's. They have very good on road manners with decent off road performance. They have good off road ratings with high "mud" ratings. I have been very pleased, especially with their on road handling characteristics.

Jim

Chris97K1500 · January 6, 2004

Not trying to knock you for your opinion, but NO AT tire can compare to a Mud tire. I had the Michelin LTX AT's on a 4x4 Toyota, locked front and rear, I had a very hard time going up hills with wet grass on our farm, much less any kind of real mud. I went to a Mud tire and never had a single problem on our farm and very rarely ever needed 4WD. The Michelin's did probably drive the best of any tire I've own on the road, but if you use your truck offroad, those AT's won't cut it. Most tire makers put an AT on a tire to make the person buying them think they will work in all terrains, but in reality, AT's really mean asphalt terrain. By design, AT's have no way to self clean when driving through mud. Again, I respect your opinion, but if you have ever been in true mud, more than a 1/2", AT's will get gummed up and just spin like slicks. Chris

Wingnut · January 6, 2004

That's what mine do....But they are great in sand.

Nitto Terra Grapplers BTW.

regcab02HD · January 6, 2004

There is a new tire test in the Feb. issue of Peterson's 4wheel and off-road magazine.

They tested the BFG Mud-Terrains, Goodyear MTRs, Mickey T Baja Claws, Pro Comp X-terrains, Super Swamper TrXus and Super Swamper TSLs. These were all 31x10.50x15 tires.

The TSLs were first in the mud test followed closely by the Baja Claws. Next was the BFGs, TrXus, MTRs, and then the X-terrains.

I personally had a set of TrXus. They performed extremely well in the mud and were fairly quiet on the road.

The down side is I only got 17000 miles out of them,even though I rotated them every 4,000 miles. But still I was pretty hard on them. If you drive alot of highway, you could probably get around 25000 mile out of them.

P.S. Don't get All-Terrains if you plan on playing in the mud, you'll be sorry.

Elwood 2000 · January 6, 2004

I used to own a fully restored 1979 Chevy K20. I pulled a trailer almost daily (4000lbs) and ran BFG MT's. (33x12.50.16.5) Excellent wear with proper rotation, little road noise and excellent off road capabilities, especially mud. When I sold the truck, I had 30k on those tires and there was about 40%-50% tread left on them.

I would have bought them again for my Silverado, but did not need that aggressive of a tire. I opted for the BFG AT KO's and love them. Although I only have a few thousand miles on them, they ride well and are very quiet. From the AT's I have had in the past the wear will be excellent as well.

It is very hard to go WRONG with a BFG tire. They are all excellent!

hfw3 · January 7, 2004

I would like to thanke everyone for their opinions, and I agree with what everyone said about BFG A/Ts, I currently have a set of 285's on the truck as we speak with about 30k on them and littlewear. They were from my 2000 Chevy. I do like the tire but I am still interested a more aggressive or mud tire. To respond to the question of why I said Mickey Thompsons are not the most practical was not cost based because they are all a close price comparison but it was more for their noise and road manners. I do more highway driving than mud no matter what I would like to wish for so I need more road durability. I like the comments on the Goodyear MTR's for noise. I know they are great tire with very capable mud travel but I had heard they were fairly loud. Again I appreciate the comments and anyone else please let me know what type of experiences you have had. Lastly, for the BFG A/T folks, you can plan on a long life. A friend has them on a 2000 GMC 1500 and has turned about 80,000 on the same set. All highway miles but had them put on a week after buying the truck new in 2000. Not a bad tire life!

J-rod · January 7, 2004

they will be mounted 16x8 ClassicII.

oooo, oooo ... post a pic when ya get em mounted! I want those wheels on mine ... no, correction: I *neeeeeed* those wheels on mine!

I wish I could help ya out on your choice but I'm in the same boat you're in ... looking but not having any personal experience w/ mud tires. I had the BFG AT/KO's on my previous truck (Nassin hardbody 4x4) and only got so-so tread life out of em, but the noise (or lack of) was great! Anyway, I'd like an aggressive looking tire - gotta love those gnarly lookin sidewalls! - but I can do without the noise as much as possible (I do have 40 series Flowmasters, so that would drown out a good bit of tire noise, hehe). I've read some about the Pro Comps and wasn't really crazy about the fact that the XTerrains had directional tread ... less options on tire rotation ... but that's just me.