Mickey Thompson
05-12-2004, 03:38 PM
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Mickey Thompson
Does Mickey Thompson not make a set of Radial Baja Claws in the 285/75/16 size? The smallest I could find was 305/70/16. I really like these tires, but if they don't have them in that size I guess I'll be going with the BFG Mudders. I would just get some MTRs, but I need some serious mud tires.
05-12-2004, 04:02 PM
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HarrisonP ... have you done a search here at yotatech on the Mickey Thompson tires? I just ask because I was recently researching tires and heard some pretty negative things about the Mickey Thompsons ...
05-12-2004, 06:22 PM
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Thanks, no I havent searched on Yotatech, but a few of my friends run them on theirs yotas and really like them. I wasn't expecting to get a very good treadlife out of them, I just need something for some nasty mud. I have to drive through the swamp to get in walking distance from most of my hunting stands, and have gotten stuck many times. There is no bottom to this stuff and I dont have the funds for a 4wheeler right now. I have run BFG Mudders before and liked them, looks like I will just get a set of them.
05-12-2004, 06:31 PM
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Firestone Destination IIs are great in the mud, too.
I've also heard a LOT of good things about the Interco trXus mt ...
http://www.gis.net/~zacharer/jeep/re...xusreview.html
the following was stolen from another website:
Since "What Tires" is one of the most frequently asked questions on the BB I thought I'd take a few recent articles and post them on the BB. These articles are posted from Jp and Petersen's 4Wheel & Off Road magazines. This is gonna be kinda long so sit down if you aren't already and grab the beverage of your choiceÅ
All of the mud performance test results are teken from Petersen's. Each tire was mounted to the same vehicle, a CJ-8, on similar rims. The tires were graded on six different characteristics:
Floation (ability to stay on top of mud)
Steering ability (important if your tires fall into ruts)
Launching (indicates what type of grip the tires have)
Slippery hill climb in 2 wheel drive (for all around indication of traction)
Self cleaning ability and,
Distance each set of tires could propel the Jeep into the mud pit.
Anywho...here it goes:
Yokohama Geolander MT
The Yokohama Geolander Tires offer super sticky tread with a 55 durometer. The sidewalls are unusually flexible so you can run more air pressure and still have good performance without worrying about popping beads. The Geolanders are probably best suited for use on slab type rocks, light mud, gravel and sand. Jagged rocks may eventually take their toll on the pliant sidewalls. Jp Was worried about punctures in the 2-ply skins but had not encountered one. The groove down the center gives them good lateral stability on high speed runs and side hills.
In the mud the Geolander got off to a slippery start. In fact, the Geolander exibited little, if any, bite during the clutch dropping start of the run and had a difficult time finding traction in the sloppy soup. As speed increased down the track, so did the lack of steering ability, and floatation was next to nil. After the Jeep finally sunk into the mud after a last place, 43 foot 8 inch pull, the lack of cleaning ability caused one judge to note they looked like big glazed donuts. On the bright side, the tires excelled over many others in the 2 wheel drive test up the slippery slope, where they made the climb without the driver having to slip into four wheel drive.
ÅExplorer Pro Comp MTs
Pro Comp MTs are probably one of the best buys in aggressive tires. They offer a tread pattern that works well all around at a very reasonable price. The sidewalls are 2 ply but fairly strong. They seem to be stiffer than other radials so they may be more puncture resistant. Real sharp rocks and stumps will pass through them but the tire really isn't designed for crazy extreme use. The extra siping on the lugs helps the Pro Comps stick to the wet streets and rocks better than other mud tires. They shed mud fairly well but not as good as more aggressive bias plys. Since they're radials there are no problems with flat spotting. The compound is slightly hard at a 66 on the durometer.
While the Pro Comp looks similar to the BFG MT it stands on its own in the rock and trail world. In the mud the hard dump of the clutch just spun the tires until the world caught up with them, and then they had a difficult time in the pit. Although they floated better than some, the lack of good steering control led to rut stuckage. They even tried twice to make sure they weren't crazy. Fortunatley they cleaned themselves out fairly well, which helped them go 54 feet 2 inches. In 2 wheel drive the tires pulled the Jeep up the slippery slope while others did not. The siping on the tread was a benefit as was the 12.50 width.
Mickey Thomson Baja Claw
Mickey Thomson Baja Claws have some of the sidewalls ever. The tread practically wraps from bead to bead making punctures almost impossible. It's sort of a hybird radial/bias ply tire with 4 sidewall plys. Jp Ran their 35s woth 3 psi in the sand. The sidewalls are so stiff that low pressures are needed to make them grip. On the street, 10 PSI was enough for their Jeep. As you can imagine, beadlock wheels help tremendously in keeping the tires seated. The tires are at home in every terrain, especially jagged rocks. It took about 500 miles of street and off road driving to get the tires to flex and grip really well. A durometer reading of 68 rates them as a rather hard tire. Running claws on the street was bareable despite the tendancy to get flat spots in cooler weather or at night.
The launch into the mud pit was fairly impressive, leaving the line with good traction, and the RPM spun them into the slop. ABout midway through the course the claws began to bog down but then the sidebiters began to hook up as the wheels were sawed back and forth to provide some extra grip. The floatation was good since they didnt sink to China, but this was accompanied by a definate lack of steering control. An interesting note was that in the mud the claws didnt clean themselves very well, with only a few chunks blowing into the air at full RPM. The claws pulled themselved to a respectable 43 feet 9 inches. The claws gripped exceedingly well up the slippery hill and got high marks in that category.
Å
BF Goodrich MT
The BFG MT radial has been a favorite in all facets of off-roading. Desert racing, mud bogging, rocks and even streets have worn down plenty of BFGs. The Mud Terrain is a good all around tire. The 3-ply sidewalls are tough, but the rubber gives way when sharp rocks are encountered under low pressures. The BFGs have a durometer of 64. Thats one of the harder tires with an aggressive tread. If your Jeep is a daily driver that encounteres all types of terrain the BFG MT is a good choice. The lugs are somewhat close together and small so the don't climb jagged rocks as well as a tire with larger lugs that can act like gripping fingers. Siping increases performance on these tires.
As the Jeep eased up to the starting line to enter the mud pit the BFGs weren't sliding around on the slick ground very much. That was a good sign. They launched better than most and provided excellent steering. While flotation seemed well below average, the great self cleaning lugs really spun out the goo, and that helped propel the BFG shod CJ-8 to the 60 foot mark before it buried itself to the gills
BFG AT/KO
BFG AT/KO radials aren't really aggressive tires, but they do have some respectable qualities. Jagged rocks and mud are not in the AT's vocabulary. However, rounded and slab-like rocks like slick rock are. The ATs grip well on the street and other smooth surfaces, and are perhaps the best in this listing for icy or wet streets. Thick mud usually packs up the tires and renders them almost useless. The AT tire carcass is essentially the same as the MT. The side wall strength is similar although the KOs have an extra bead protecting ring and some extra tread for additional side wall reinforcement.
I've also heard a LOT of good things about the Interco trXus mt ...
http://www.gis.net/~zacharer/jeep/re...xusreview.html
the following was stolen from another website:
Since "What Tires" is one of the most frequently asked questions on the BB I thought I'd take a few recent articles and post them on the BB. These articles are posted from Jp and Petersen's 4Wheel & Off Road magazines. This is gonna be kinda long so sit down if you aren't already and grab the beverage of your choiceÅ
All of the mud performance test results are teken from Petersen's. Each tire was mounted to the same vehicle, a CJ-8, on similar rims. The tires were graded on six different characteristics:
Floation (ability to stay on top of mud)
Steering ability (important if your tires fall into ruts)
Launching (indicates what type of grip the tires have)
Slippery hill climb in 2 wheel drive (for all around indication of traction)
Self cleaning ability and,
Distance each set of tires could propel the Jeep into the mud pit.
Anywho...here it goes:
Yokohama Geolander MT
The Yokohama Geolander Tires offer super sticky tread with a 55 durometer. The sidewalls are unusually flexible so you can run more air pressure and still have good performance without worrying about popping beads. The Geolanders are probably best suited for use on slab type rocks, light mud, gravel and sand. Jagged rocks may eventually take their toll on the pliant sidewalls. Jp Was worried about punctures in the 2-ply skins but had not encountered one. The groove down the center gives them good lateral stability on high speed runs and side hills.
In the mud the Geolander got off to a slippery start. In fact, the Geolander exibited little, if any, bite during the clutch dropping start of the run and had a difficult time finding traction in the sloppy soup. As speed increased down the track, so did the lack of steering ability, and floatation was next to nil. After the Jeep finally sunk into the mud after a last place, 43 foot 8 inch pull, the lack of cleaning ability caused one judge to note they looked like big glazed donuts. On the bright side, the tires excelled over many others in the 2 wheel drive test up the slippery slope, where they made the climb without the driver having to slip into four wheel drive.
ÅExplorer Pro Comp MTs
Pro Comp MTs are probably one of the best buys in aggressive tires. They offer a tread pattern that works well all around at a very reasonable price. The sidewalls are 2 ply but fairly strong. They seem to be stiffer than other radials so they may be more puncture resistant. Real sharp rocks and stumps will pass through them but the tire really isn't designed for crazy extreme use. The extra siping on the lugs helps the Pro Comps stick to the wet streets and rocks better than other mud tires. They shed mud fairly well but not as good as more aggressive bias plys. Since they're radials there are no problems with flat spotting. The compound is slightly hard at a 66 on the durometer.
While the Pro Comp looks similar to the BFG MT it stands on its own in the rock and trail world. In the mud the hard dump of the clutch just spun the tires until the world caught up with them, and then they had a difficult time in the pit. Although they floated better than some, the lack of good steering control led to rut stuckage. They even tried twice to make sure they weren't crazy. Fortunatley they cleaned themselves out fairly well, which helped them go 54 feet 2 inches. In 2 wheel drive the tires pulled the Jeep up the slippery slope while others did not. The siping on the tread was a benefit as was the 12.50 width.
Mickey Thomson Baja Claw
Mickey Thomson Baja Claws have some of the sidewalls ever. The tread practically wraps from bead to bead making punctures almost impossible. It's sort of a hybird radial/bias ply tire with 4 sidewall plys. Jp Ran their 35s woth 3 psi in the sand. The sidewalls are so stiff that low pressures are needed to make them grip. On the street, 10 PSI was enough for their Jeep. As you can imagine, beadlock wheels help tremendously in keeping the tires seated. The tires are at home in every terrain, especially jagged rocks. It took about 500 miles of street and off road driving to get the tires to flex and grip really well. A durometer reading of 68 rates them as a rather hard tire. Running claws on the street was bareable despite the tendancy to get flat spots in cooler weather or at night.
The launch into the mud pit was fairly impressive, leaving the line with good traction, and the RPM spun them into the slop. ABout midway through the course the claws began to bog down but then the sidebiters began to hook up as the wheels were sawed back and forth to provide some extra grip. The floatation was good since they didnt sink to China, but this was accompanied by a definate lack of steering control. An interesting note was that in the mud the claws didnt clean themselves very well, with only a few chunks blowing into the air at full RPM. The claws pulled themselved to a respectable 43 feet 9 inches. The claws gripped exceedingly well up the slippery hill and got high marks in that category.
Å
BF Goodrich MT
The BFG MT radial has been a favorite in all facets of off-roading. Desert racing, mud bogging, rocks and even streets have worn down plenty of BFGs. The Mud Terrain is a good all around tire. The 3-ply sidewalls are tough, but the rubber gives way when sharp rocks are encountered under low pressures. The BFGs have a durometer of 64. Thats one of the harder tires with an aggressive tread. If your Jeep is a daily driver that encounteres all types of terrain the BFG MT is a good choice. The lugs are somewhat close together and small so the don't climb jagged rocks as well as a tire with larger lugs that can act like gripping fingers. Siping increases performance on these tires.
As the Jeep eased up to the starting line to enter the mud pit the BFGs weren't sliding around on the slick ground very much. That was a good sign. They launched better than most and provided excellent steering. While flotation seemed well below average, the great self cleaning lugs really spun out the goo, and that helped propel the BFG shod CJ-8 to the 60 foot mark before it buried itself to the gills
BFG AT/KO
BFG AT/KO radials aren't really aggressive tires, but they do have some respectable qualities. Jagged rocks and mud are not in the AT's vocabulary. However, rounded and slab-like rocks like slick rock are. The ATs grip well on the street and other smooth surfaces, and are perhaps the best in this listing for icy or wet streets. Thick mud usually packs up the tires and renders them almost useless. The AT tire carcass is essentially the same as the MT. The side wall strength is similar although the KOs have an extra bead protecting ring and some extra tread for additional side wall reinforcement.
05-12-2004, 06:32 PM
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Gateway Gumbo Monster Mudders
{Petersen's mud test only, no listing in Jp}
Gumbo Mudders have ben around since dirt was invented, or so it seems. We've (Petersen's) used them in the dirty rocks, and even took em up Suprise Canyon to Panamint City years ago with good results. The Gumbos were the best floaters of the bunch, even though the launch was just above average which could have been due to the extra width compared to other tires. The Mudders' great self cleaning ability led to a better than average pull through the mud, with good steering helping to make the pull at 58 feet 2 inches. The major shortcoming was the 2 wheel drive section where the wide footprint and lack of siping hindered tractionon the slippery uphill drive. Overall, the Monster Mudders made the grade for a mud tire, proving that old is indeed good.
< language=1.1 =text/>
ÅInterco Super Swamper TSL (4th)
{Mud test only}
The standard Super Swamper TSL is a tire by which many others are judged. When the clutch was dumped the Swampers spun-and then motivated the Jeep instead of launching hard. While suprsing, the fact didn't keep the TSLs from chewing down the course with excellent floatation and steering. The TSLs pulled off a generous 59 foot 7 inch run. Right near the top of all other tires. The TSL's biggest drawback was on the 2 wheel drive hill climb-the big tread block and lack of sipes made for a difficult trip. In fact, while it wasn't the lowest rated tire in this department, it tied 2 others for last place.
< language=1.1 =text/>
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R
There's no question that the old Goodyear MTs were some of the stickiest tires available. However, the sidewalls were as thick as Saran Wrap. The new MT/Rs have retained the sticky status with a soft durometer of 52, but the new 3-ply sidewalls are more durable. The 35x12.5s measure about an inch taller than comparable sized tires, so they offer additional axel clearance. At 10psi they conform well to all different types of terrain. They are perhaps the best all around tires. However, they slap you for more coin than other radials.
The 12.50 section width was smaller than the Swampers, but comparable to other tires of the same size. The new tread pattern really showed it's stuff on launch where the Jeep nearly pulled the front tires off the ground. These tires launched hardest by far. While screaming through the mud the MT/Rs exhibited great steering ability, even though the flotation department noted they were pretty average. As far as self-cleaning, these tires did that in an above average manner, contributing to a distance mark of 63 feet 9 inches, even better than the Swamper TSLs. Whats more, the trip back to the garage proved that these tires work great on the two-by section while going uphill in the slime.
< language=1.1 =text/>
Interco Super Swamper SSR
{mud only}
Improving on the famed TSL wasn't easy, but slap on a radial sidewall and some siping on the tread and you have a winner. In fact, while the old TSL did very well in this test, the younger brother smoked the older one with a better launch and cleaning abilities in the mud. Flotation was a bit poorer, but by a small amount. The big difference was the churn in the mud where the SSRs went beyond the distance of seven other tires with a 75 foot mark. The radial incarnation of a time tested design has also worked well in previous rock and dirt tests.
Super Swamper Boggers
The Super Swamper Boggers were originally intended for mud boggers (hence the name). Even though most boggers are worn by street only show trucks, they also work incredibly well in rough terrain. They have stiff four-ply sidewalls like other bias ply tires, so 3-5psi is a normal trail pressure. Again, beadlocks are almost mandatory. The large lugs act like grabbing hands on rock edges, tree stumps, loose dirt, gravel, and unwanted spotters. If you encounter smooth surfaces like slick-rock, streets, and granite slabs, the Boggers are a poor choice. Noise, flat spotting, and short tread life make Boggers a poor street tire, ut hey, they look cool. They are an extremely heavy tire, so expect your Jeep to drive lik it has the e-brake on.
Starting with a better-than-most launch, the Boggers flew into the track as if rockets were attached to the Jeep. Floating above the goo and slinging clumps out of every tread block, these tires provided excellent steering control even when they started to slow down and dig deeper in the pit. Thats when these tires came alive as they dug down and grabbed glop to shoot the Jeep down the track. From that point on it was churn and burn as the Boggers propelled the Jeep completely through the 100 feet of Midwest mud. While the hill climb was as average as the other fat tires, the Boggers were the only ones to make a full pull through the test track.
{Petersen's mud test only, no listing in Jp}
Gumbo Mudders have ben around since dirt was invented, or so it seems. We've (Petersen's) used them in the dirty rocks, and even took em up Suprise Canyon to Panamint City years ago with good results. The Gumbos were the best floaters of the bunch, even though the launch was just above average which could have been due to the extra width compared to other tires. The Mudders' great self cleaning ability led to a better than average pull through the mud, with good steering helping to make the pull at 58 feet 2 inches. The major shortcoming was the 2 wheel drive section where the wide footprint and lack of siping hindered tractionon the slippery uphill drive. Overall, the Monster Mudders made the grade for a mud tire, proving that old is indeed good.
< language=1.1 =text/>
ÅInterco Super Swamper TSL (4th)
{Mud test only}
The standard Super Swamper TSL is a tire by which many others are judged. When the clutch was dumped the Swampers spun-and then motivated the Jeep instead of launching hard. While suprsing, the fact didn't keep the TSLs from chewing down the course with excellent floatation and steering. The TSLs pulled off a generous 59 foot 7 inch run. Right near the top of all other tires. The TSL's biggest drawback was on the 2 wheel drive hill climb-the big tread block and lack of sipes made for a difficult trip. In fact, while it wasn't the lowest rated tire in this department, it tied 2 others for last place.
< language=1.1 =text/>
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R
There's no question that the old Goodyear MTs were some of the stickiest tires available. However, the sidewalls were as thick as Saran Wrap. The new MT/Rs have retained the sticky status with a soft durometer of 52, but the new 3-ply sidewalls are more durable. The 35x12.5s measure about an inch taller than comparable sized tires, so they offer additional axel clearance. At 10psi they conform well to all different types of terrain. They are perhaps the best all around tires. However, they slap you for more coin than other radials.
The 12.50 section width was smaller than the Swampers, but comparable to other tires of the same size. The new tread pattern really showed it's stuff on launch where the Jeep nearly pulled the front tires off the ground. These tires launched hardest by far. While screaming through the mud the MT/Rs exhibited great steering ability, even though the flotation department noted they were pretty average. As far as self-cleaning, these tires did that in an above average manner, contributing to a distance mark of 63 feet 9 inches, even better than the Swamper TSLs. Whats more, the trip back to the garage proved that these tires work great on the two-by section while going uphill in the slime.
< language=1.1 =text/>
Interco Super Swamper SSR
{mud only}
Improving on the famed TSL wasn't easy, but slap on a radial sidewall and some siping on the tread and you have a winner. In fact, while the old TSL did very well in this test, the younger brother smoked the older one with a better launch and cleaning abilities in the mud. Flotation was a bit poorer, but by a small amount. The big difference was the churn in the mud where the SSRs went beyond the distance of seven other tires with a 75 foot mark. The radial incarnation of a time tested design has also worked well in previous rock and dirt tests.
Super Swamper Boggers
The Super Swamper Boggers were originally intended for mud boggers (hence the name). Even though most boggers are worn by street only show trucks, they also work incredibly well in rough terrain. They have stiff four-ply sidewalls like other bias ply tires, so 3-5psi is a normal trail pressure. Again, beadlocks are almost mandatory. The large lugs act like grabbing hands on rock edges, tree stumps, loose dirt, gravel, and unwanted spotters. If you encounter smooth surfaces like slick-rock, streets, and granite slabs, the Boggers are a poor choice. Noise, flat spotting, and short tread life make Boggers a poor street tire, ut hey, they look cool. They are an extremely heavy tire, so expect your Jeep to drive lik it has the e-brake on.
Starting with a better-than-most launch, the Boggers flew into the track as if rockets were attached to the Jeep. Floating above the goo and slinging clumps out of every tread block, these tires provided excellent steering control even when they started to slow down and dig deeper in the pit. Thats when these tires came alive as they dug down and grabbed glop to shoot the Jeep down the track. From that point on it was churn and burn as the Boggers propelled the Jeep completely through the 100 feet of Midwest mud. While the hill climb was as average as the other fat tires, the Boggers were the only ones to make a full pull through the test track.
05-12-2004, 07:31 PM
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If you are going for the looks aspect as well get the pro-comp xterrains they look nearly identical to the baja claw radial. If you want something to get you through the mud and dont care about treadware you cant beat a swamper IMHO.
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02-01-2005, 04:06 AM
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I'm debating on whether to get some Baja Claws. I can pick up some used ones with 4k miles for $400 bucks. They look in excellent condition and have never been offroad. Good deal?
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