I really want to put some M/T's on my truck but wear issues are a worry. I really don't want to spend 6 or 800 dollars to have them wear out before the next rain this summer in Texas. What kind of wear can I expect, which direction should I go?

 

You'll have a tough time getting a set of M/T's to last as long as a set of A/T's, that's just the nature of the beast. But with today's tread designs and rubber compounds, and proper care/maintenance (inflation, rotations, etc.), you should be able to approach the 40k mark or even better with a good set of M/T's. I've got a buddy with 35" BFG M/T's on his '03 and he's pushing 25k+ miles on them. Yeah they are showing signs of wear, but I'd expect another good 20k from them.

 

40,000 if they are rotated religiously, you also better consider noise and handling, there is a big diff in the two tire types. Try the Maxxis Mudders if you must go w/ muds that are inexpensive and pretty good for a m/t.

 

The mud terrain tires typically have softer compound. When you add the heavy weight of the Cummins on them, they get eaten up in short order. You have to religiously rotate them to have any hope of longevity. I have 22K on my BFG AT and I rotate every 3000-5000 miles. They still have quite a bit of tread on the (I would guess 3/8 - 1/2". I think I should be able to hit 50K on them. I think a reasonable expectation for a mud terrain would be 25K - 35K

 

If you don't mind the noise and slightly poorer handling go with the muds. BFG AT KO isn't quite a mud tire, but has an aggressive tread pattern/sidewall so it has a similar look to a mudder, but handles and wears alot better. Another AT tire that I liked was the Big-O (I think Big Foot) Very aggressive, quiet, and wear friendly.
I'd rather give a little in the aggressive look of the tire for one that will last almost twice as long, is quiet, and handles the road better.
DK

 

The Toyo open country tires are supposed to be very good. Very quiet and long wearing for a mud tire. I got this info from Les Schwab. They say some guys can get 60k out of a set.

 

We've been forced to put the Open Country A/T's on our comapny trucks because the M-55 doesn't come in a 17 inch size. The Open Country's are OK for highway and maintained gravel road driving, but they don't even come close to measuring up to the M-55's in the bush - mud, snow, ice, highway, and nearly everything in between.

 

1 vote for Pro Comp Mud Terrains - I now have 49,000 miles on first set - Although they are getting worn I am going to try to make it to 55,000 at least - I do rotate a lot as the fronts wear pretty good under the weight of the Cummins - The tires were the quietest mud terrains when new, now they have gotten a little louder. I have to look no further, I will be putting on a new set soon. I ran a set of those Bridgestone Mud Terrains on my old Powerstroke and they were not worth anything, I had to milk them to get 40,000 miles out of them, you couldnt pay me to buy another set. Pro Comp has just come out with a new tire that is halfway between mud terrain and all terrain (I think all terrain extreme is what they are called). I thought about getting a set of those (they are making a 17 inch one) but, I am so happy with the mud terrains I am just going to get them again.
fo the record I love the BFG Mud Terrain, I have them on my 84 Chevy Truck and would have gotten them for my Dodge but, they didnt have the size I wanted so I tried the Pro Comps - cant go wrong with either one - one point, I have found you get what you pay for, cheap mud tires wont last long and will be so loud you wont be able to ride down the road with your windows down IMO
Good Luck and let us know what you get and how you like them

 

Fellas, some good news (I think)......


I emailed Toyo and they have plans for a 295/70 R17 in the Open Country M/T that they hope to have available during the second quarter of this year (i.e. within the next couple of months). These are supposed to be great tires. They offer the highest weight capacity available, are aggressive looking and performing, were designed to offer a quiet (for a M/T) ride, and are speed rated up to 99mph (again, better than any of the competition).

These are perfect as far as I am concerned. They offer a better look than the stock size, will not require a lift even if you do some offroading, have a high load range, and will not drown you out with the drone. IMO, they are the best looking tire out there. I was going to get the Nitto in the same size, but I think that I want these instead.

Of course, they will probably cost an arm and a leg, but we will see.

 

EKUgrad, I hope they do come out with those. A 295/70/17 is just about a perfect tire for our trucks, in my opinion. I've heard lots of good things about the Toyo tires. The only good thing that will kill my enthusiasm woudl be if they were $200+ tires.