max traction and mud tires are two different types of tires. whole different story.

 

his are down to the wear bars and they are worthless. I'm not 100% sure on the mileage but its not more than 20k, I don't think. Now, where we live here in WV its all twisty 2 lane and I never get the advertised mileage out of my tires, the fronts always get the shoulders torn out of them before anything. And with all the **** he's done to his truck its making somewhere like 450 hp and over 900 ft lbs, and its a 6 speed. Both mitigating factors.

Also I dont understand the comment on a max traction tire and a mud tire. What exactly are you talking about? When I hear someone talk about a "max traction" tire I've only heard the term used in the context of a BFG Gforce KD or michelin pilot sport type tire. Never for off road tires. And when I think of a mud tire, I think of a swamper bogger or baja claw or etc. And thats what I think of when I think of the tire you would want for maximum traction off road as well.

 

when you see m/t on a side wall it stands for max traction, and that is a radial tire label. mud tires, like mentioned in the post and as you said are knobby and mainly bias ply like turbogus was asking about. bfg and people's assumptions messed it up. people see m/t on a sidewall and a blocky tread pattern and assume "mud terrain"

 

well, there is a service rating for "mud and snow" tires. And we all know thats just pure BS cause most any all season will get that.

Beyond that, its all just labeling. One company's MT might mean maximum traction, one might mean Mud Terrain (like BFG). One might very well mean "MUD TAR"
There isn't necessarily a class for the different types of tires that might bear this label. And more and more, tire manufacturers are finally catching up with the times and offering their knarliest tread patterns on radial carcass tires. So I don't really think there is a clear line distinction like you are trying to make.

Keep in mind that its late and I dont want to go to bed yet and I'm just really typing this paragraph response for something to do.

 

i love bias ply tires. and i live in illinois. so i definitely understand flat spotting. a radial will never be as good in varied off road terrain, because of the carcass, and i'm talking these trucks. heavy metal trucks, not jeeps with fiberglass tubs.

 

National tire and wheel.com is the only place I know that still sells the original buckshots. They only carry them in one size and its about a 36. I will say I would run a set of them on an old 4wd they wear like iron for what they are and dig like no tomorrow.

 

buckshots, groundhawgs, gumbo mudders, spur grips, and a few others. forwards and backwards, if you stopped goin forwards you could always back up and hammer down again. and miles and miles of tread! i used to do crazy burnouts with mine and never really lost much tread, eventhough there was always that little pile of rubber behind each tire

 

Wow, i have NEVER heard anything bad about the Toyo MT. Other than expense and that theyre heavy. But IMO the very best tire ever made, and well worth the money. We run those and M-55's on everything on the ranch. 65k + everytime whether all pavement or all gravel pullin a trailer. As far as the balancing goes that depends on tire size. If i were you any MT over 35" put half a bag of equal in there. I used to work at les schwab, that was by far our best most sold and most raved about tire. The only step up in tire quality from the Toyo MT is Bridgestone 19.5's

 

hasteranger,

I've also got an '02 F-350, diesel, 4x4, crew cab truck that I put a heavy Lance 1121 slide-in camper on. The truck with no payload, no passengers and full of fuel weighs almost 8,000 lbs and the camper weighs about 4,200 when loaded with stuff for a trip. Sometimes I also tow an 18' Boston Whaler Outrage on a 42" hitch extension.

My tire of choice (By Far!) is a Toyo Open Country Mud Terrain. They are rated to carry 4,300 lbs which is more than any other tire I could find without going to 19.5" wheels.

They are expensive, but they handle well, they're relatively quiet and they're great in snow. Honestly, they're the best "off road" tires I've ever owned.

Prior to these (on the F-350) I had a set of Parnelli Jones Dirt Grips. Great looking tires, but loud, and they wear really fast. With the camper loaded I had a blow out on the left rear tire. Not fun! I also had set of BFG Mud Terrains on the truck which lasted pretty well, but IMHO the Toyo's are significantly better.

After the blow out, the Dirt Grip tire was replaced under warranty. The wheel was destroyed and of course was no longer available. I had the tires re mounted on a set of slotted mag wheels and I put that set on my '73 F-250 4x4. They look great, but they can't hold a candle to the Toyo's.

 

Tire noise was one factor in these Buckshots, but for the loud exhaust note (despite turbo mufflers w/resonators) it wasn't very noticable.

 

Well, I measured my Toyo's ..... and I'm at 11/32's. They were 21/32 new....so they are about half worn. At the rate I'm going now, they'd easily make it till 80,000. But I'll probably replace them at 65,000. And I WILL put some equal in them. They are in perfect balance when they are clean. However, it doesn't take much mud to get stuck inside the wheels....and they will begin to vibrate.

 

i used to run p buckshots on my blazer and loved them. best tire i have ever had in the mud hands down. sure they were squirrely and loud but that dont matter when you need to get offroad.

as far as buckshots now, theres a place in my hometown..farmerville, la...that can still get p's (33 inch bias ply) but they are pricey.

HOWEVER, there is a place in Jackson, Mississippi, that still has p's , q's and r's..which are 33, 35, and 38 or round about. BUT he only has them in a 15 inch wheel size, which sucks considering i have to run 16's on my f250. I would love to run R buckshots but i think i am going to settle for the radial gateway buckshots on national tire and wheel, which like mentioned before are 36.4x12x16.

i have been told by a couple guys... i have done major researching on these tires, they are HIGHLY wanted around my neck of the woods...that like co-op (similar to buckshot) gateway has also closed up shop for good. looks like the end has finally come for, in my opinion, the best mud tire of all time.

 

I'd be curious to see a head to head of these versus the super swamper TSB's or whatever they are called. They look really close in design.

 

I run Mastercraft Courser MTs on my Bronco perform really well. Tread holds up good if you don't drive much the first year and a half after that the tread starts to get hard and they will last, lol. My next set will be Mastercraft Courser MTs again.

 

I saw a bronco with courser MT's on it go NOWHERE in the last big snow despite having a limited slip rear. My nissan pathfinder 4wd with open diffs walked right by him. (on snow tires, of course).