M/T Tire Debate

Maverick26 · Feb 4, 2015

I am wanting to get some new tires for my Toyota pickup and I want to know what folks think of the top 4 or 5 brand/treads out there. I am looking in the 33"-35" size and want something that does good in a lot of different conditions. I want something that will go down the road good but also really shine off road. I am looking into the Goodyear MTR Kevlar, BFG KM2, Nitto Mud Grappler, and the Hankook MT. I am running 33" Goodyear duratracks now and they seem ok but on the mild side. I am open to other tires if there is something overwhelmingly better. What says the peanut gallery? I know there is no silver bullet but I am curious to hear what people have to say about these tires that run them on light weight rigs (jeeps or Toyotas). Thanks.

WA-Wheeler · Feb 4, 2015

My vote are for the kevlars.

Bfgs are too thin for my taste.

Nittos and Hankook are too pricey on my mind.

yotacrawler83 · Feb 4, 2015

I have been really happy with my Cooper stt tires, wearing really well on a 3/4 ton gmc that's daily driven and sees mild off roading. But the mtr are really good I have been happy with bfgs in the past toyos are good but not for the money they want for them. No experience with the others.

GRW · Feb 4, 2015

Trxus mt

dfowlkes · Feb 4, 2015

Maxis bighorns :beer:

Hampton · Feb 4, 2015

Nitto trail grappler M/T. I've had 3 sets of these tires. IMO hands down the best tire out there. I put 50,000 miles on my last set of them on a 06 dodge mega cab. They ride real nice on the street and work really good offroad. Look and see how may nitto tire you see at KOH.

JAWS · Feb 4, 2015

Hampton said:
Nitto trail grappler M/T. I've had 3 sets of these tires. IMO hands down the best tire out there. I put 50,000 miles on my last set of them on a 06 dodge mega cab. They ride real nice on the street and work really good offroad. Look and see how may nitto tire you see at KOH.

This is what I put on my Tow rig. I love them.. Ive towed in to muddy fields snow they ride nice. seem to be lasting good and are fairly quiet on the road.. no complaints yet..

ain'tstuckjustresting · Feb 4, 2015

Hampton said:
Nitto trail grappler M/T. I've had 3 sets of these tires. IMO hands down the best tire out there. I put 50,000 miles on my last set of them on a 06 dodge mega cab. They ride real nice on the street and work really good offroad. Look and see how may nitto tire you see at KOH.

JAWS said:
This is what I put on my Tow rig. I love them.. Ive towed in to muddy fields snow they ride nice. seem to be lasting good and are fairly quiet on the road.. no complaints yet..

Same here, really have liked the Trail Grapplers on my tow rig. Thinking about getting a set for my Colorado next.

maxx · Feb 4, 2015

They all have their ups and downs.

KM2 is a great tire on and off road, but they do tend to have a weaker sidewall, however more aggressive and stronger than your duratrac.

Kevlar is a great tire offroad, in my experience they always tend to start cupping/feathering within 5-10k miles. You need to be religious about rotations, and it's still probably going to happen.

Nittos, Don't look at the mud grappler, look at the trail grappler. I think these are a great all around tire, work well offroad and kick ass on the road. They have just about everything you're after but do tend to be a bit pricey.

I had a set of hancooks, I loved them, but I did kill a sidewall and wasn't that hard on them offroad, mostly tahuya and snow wheeling. I killed a set crossing a small stream in the snow.

cooper STT seems to be a decent tires too. Similar to the nitto/toyo MT but softer compound.

Trxus M/T work awesome, but again have a ridiculously soft sidewall.

My vote assuming you are going to be putting more than 75% road miles would be between nitto and BFG

CHOP SHOP · Feb 4, 2015

BFGs work good until the tread fly off or the sidewall bulges.

ain'tstuckjustresting · Feb 4, 2015

I've owned 2 sets of the older BFG m/t's and didn't get full tread wear out of either set before they separated. Both sets were bought new and not old crusty tires.

I have 32x11.5 Cooper STT's on my Colorado right now and they have been great. I don't wheel it but they have good road manners and wear even. I think the Nitto is a better tire but priced higher too.

Maverick26 · Feb 4, 2015

Lots of good info here guys, thanks a lot for the honest words... I was really looking hard at the Goodyear MTR Kevlar but now I'm starting to think the Nitto is the top dog. I miss typed in my first post on the Nitto, i ment trail grappler not the mud grappler.

If anyone has a set of 35" Nitto trail grapplers can you put a tape on them and measure the real hight for me? I am running 33s right now but I am thinking of stepping up if I have the room.

Clark · Feb 4, 2015

i've run most of these tires, i can say if duratracs aren't aggressive enough for you, get the mtr's. That tire worked great on my wifes jk for 45K miles, and worked really well in the snow, and dirt. But they got loud, and rode rough since the lugs are so big. I would run the duratracs personally, my favorite tire hands down if it's not a dedicated wheeler, and will spend a lot of time on the road.

I haven't run the Nitto's, but I heard they are good.

Hampton · Feb 4, 2015

Discounttiredirect.com has some good deals on tire and free shipping to your door. I have the nitto 295/65/20 on my truck they are a true 35.3in tall and they have a 4000lb per load rating.

ain'tstuckjustresting · Feb 5, 2015

My 35x12.50/18 Trail Grapplers measure at 34.5" with about 35% tread left.

Maverick26 · Feb 5, 2015

ain'tstuckjustresting said:
My 35x12.50/18 Trail Grapplers measure at 34.5" with about 35% tread left.

Wow they are really true to size then.. that's cool.

From what I can tell the Nitto is only available in 33x12.5x15 load range C. That is the only size they have in the 15" rim flavor. I am not buying 17" rims just so I can run 35s... and all the larger rim size are in load range D and E. I don't want that on my little truck, way too stiff.

Looks like lots of guys are having issues with the MTRs being hard to balance or being out of round... more then one guy on the discount tire site reviews said this and a few ended up going with different tires in the end. My good friend at work had the same problem with duratracs last week and ended up getting upgraded to KM2s for free.

I like the idea of the Nitto but they don't have the size I want. The Goodyear sounds like a good tire but there seems to be some issues. It seems the BFG KM2 is the only tire in the 35x12.5x15 load range C and it has really good reviews on the site.

My truck does not see a lot of miles, its not my DD, I have a civic for that. I also tow it most of the time when I go east. I bet I put maybe 2000 miles a year on the truck. I do like to drive it to work once a week or so but I mostly drive when I go in the woods.

I have 34" swampers on beadlocks that are just too harsh for the road, I don't trailer the truck everywhere so I want something I can run the hwy to a fro trails or trips.