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Historically, mud tires were no more than slightly refined tractor tires with large tread patterns that featured substantial spacing between lugs to allow debris to pass over more easily at low speeds. With these wide voids between each tread lug enabling self-cleaning abilities.
Mud truck tires provide superior traction and look great. This option is an excellent choice for anyone who frequently takes their truck off-road.
Tread Patterns
Tread patterns are of paramount importance in the world of mud tires; street treads simply won’t do when dealing with Midwest gumbo, and anyone who has had to face such conditions knows the value of true all-terrain tires.
Recently, several advances have elevated mud-terrain tires beyond being just an option for traversing muddy trails. Thanks to special rubber compounds and computer-aided design tools, modern models now provide better handling and treadwear than ever before.
Some mud-terrain tires also include kickout bars – raised features between the main lugs designed to clear away mud, snow, or any debris that might otherwise get lodged between tread lugs – that help clear away debris that could otherwise get lodged between treads. This feature ensures strong grip in loose conditions while maintaining consistent performance regardless of steering angle. Most mud-terrain tires are load rated to carry 3/4- and 1-ton trucks, while some like Nitto Trail Grappler are specifically engineered for smooth rides and excellent highway manners.
Sidewall Tread
Mud-terrain tires were an enormous boon to truck and Jeep performance when first introduced. At first, these recreational mud-terrain tires were bias-ply; today’s more commonly seen radial versions provide superior handling and ride qualities over standard MTs on vehicles from previous years.
Many mud-terrain tires now include sidewall tread for increased traction in soft, muddy or sandy conditions or to provide grip when climbing rocky sections of terrain. Some even sport an “M+S” or “M&S” labeling to indicate they were designed specifically to handle both mud and snow conditions.
“TREAD 2 POLYESTER” refers to a tire’s sidewall coding which indicates there are two polyester radial body plies embedded into its tread rubber under its centerline as well as two belts of angled steel cord with one circumferential cap nylon cord and an extension from each of these plies onto its respective sidewall.
Tread Spacing
Mud tires specialize in providing traction on rough surfaces such as rocks, dirt and sand with their more aggressive tread pattern and larger gaps between their lugs. Furthermore, their tough multi-ply sidewall construction and reinforced construction help prevent punctures caused by sharp debris.
A wider void space between lugs allows mud tires to self-clean themselves by throwing off dirt and other debris that would otherwise block its leading edges and compromise traction. Unfortunately, however, this large gap also generates additional rolling resistance on paved roads, leading to increased noise pollution and compromising fuel economy.
Mud-terrain tires are an excellent choice for Jeep and truck owners who regularly traverse muddy, rocky, or sandy terrain; however they’re less suitable when driving on wet road conditions due to their wide void channels that don’t wick away water as efficiently as street tires do. As a result, hydroplaning becomes a risk; however some mud-terrain models feature sipes on their tread blocks which open when braked upon, increasing grip during wet weather driving conditions.
Tread Compounds
Notes:
With the rise in popularity of mud-terrain tires, manufacturers realized that truck and jeep owners in various regions required something beyond standard all-terrain tires for handling tough terrains like mud, rocks, dirt, etc. Tread patterns and materials evolved accordingly; tread block stiffness reduced flex for confident on-road driving while improved rubber compounds offered superior tread life; tread void space was optimized to enhance off-road traction, while stone ejector ribs offered enhanced self-cleaning action while stone ejector ribs enhanced self-cleaning action to eliminate rock retention.
