Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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GOT BAJA MUD? 33 inch Goodyear MTR w/Kevlar Mud Evaluation
Goodyear MTRw/Kevlar vs. Goodyear MT/R vs. Interco TrXus MT vs. BFGoodrich All-Terrain
GOT MUD?
I have run Interco TrXus MT tires for 9 years on my Rubicon. My friend Mike has run Goodyear MTRw/Kevlar for about 2 years on his LJ Rubicon, and we
went on a run with two guys running BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires and Goodyear MT/Rs.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will let the photos talk.:hide:
My Jeep after getting fished out of a mud hole.:wavey:
The guys with their winch controllers on the ready!:popcorn:
Closeup of the Interco TrXus MT - Packed in with mud/dirt.
Rubicon with BFGoodrich All-Terrain's takes the easy line through the mud hole.
Momentum through the more hairy section.
BFGoodrich - PACKED WITH MUD
The TJ Wrangler w/rear locker churning through the thick slop w/Goodyear MT/Rs!
Goodyear MT/R - PACKED WITH MUD
The LJ Rubicon w/front and rear lockers churning through the thick slip w/momentum w/Goodyear MTR w/Kevlar!
Tread lugs are clean, and no momentum was lost!
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I think it has more to do with the tread design than with the Kevlar. The MTR with Kevlar has a wider open area vs the reg. MTR design. I can tell you
from experience the BFG TA KO is not good in the mud and not that great in the snow either. But they are my choice for Baja and the desert.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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3 Strikes Law
Strike 1:
On the route from Mike's Sky Rancho to the Observatory Road, I lost traction (with my 33" BFGoodrich AT-preKO tread) at the cliff rounding the boulder
in the trail. My (Professionally-trained) trail spotter was scared for my life after she saw that! I was driving my Ford Ranger w/4.56 gearing, 4WD,
and open differentials.
Me standing next to my Ford Ranger w/Pre-KO BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires - remaining two on rear axle.
Strike 2:
On the (DESERT) route to Mission Santa Maria, in my Rubicon (I might add), my All-Terrain tires lost complete traction traveling through the swamp
area. It felt like I literally had no forward control! The ride on Hwy 1 was quiet and well-mannered, however.
Strike 3:
Traveling down Gold Crown Road into Joshua Tree NP, my BFGoodrich All-Terrain that I had been using as a trail spare literally split apart at the
sidewall, completely shredding itself like confetti. It was aired down to 15 p.s.i. but that didn't seem to help nor hinder. I had to mount my
2-Ply sidewalled Interco TrXus MT with the cut sidewall - that amazingly performed better, and did not split apart like the BFGoodrich 3-Ply tire!
I'm glad that you can run the All-Terrain T/A and not have problems. I really liked the well-mannered ride. The performance off-road left so much to
be desired.
[Edited on 7-20-2012 by Ken Cooke]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I've been on most of the trails in Baja and many in Death Valley over the past 35 years and I've had a total of three flats off road. Two on a BFG TA
KO sharp rock thru the tread and one on a Pep Boys tire, not BFG, also thru the tread. I've never had a side wall puncture. I'll go knock on wood now
for the future. All three flats were on tires with less tread than I usually run, I was trying to get some extra milage out of them and paid the
price.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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Under the right conditions the moisture/soil content can clog(Is clog a good word) most any type of tire tread configerations. Ever heard of "Owl
chit"?
[Edited on 7/20/2012 by Cypress]
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