Whether you need to take your truck off-road for work or adventure, it needs to be ready to handle different types of terrain and obstacles including mud. Using good quality truck mud tires can provide your truck with much-needed traction and bite to handle the deepest mud or other types of soft and sluggish terrain. To choose the best mud tires for your truck you need to consider several factors, including the type of mud tires, tire tread, sidewall reinforcement and price.
There are different types of mud tires available on the market. You can get mud-terrain tires designed specifically for mud terrain or you can get hybrid versions for use in mud and snow. Hybrid tires that offer snow or cold temperature features have tire tread designed to handle the cold temperature. This might include studded tread that offers traction on icy roads. There are also hybrid versions of mud and all-terrain tires. These tires offer wide tread and larger lugs than typical all-terrain tires.
You will also have the option of choosing a mud tire with bias-ply or radial-ply construction. The configuration of the ply is an important factor when picking the right tire for your truck. Most off-road tires will have bias-ply construction, which has multiple layers of rubber overlapping each other. This type of tire is more flexible, which allows it to offer better bite and traction, a vital feature to have in mud tires. The tradeoff with bias-ply tires is that the ride is not as smooth and the tires might not last as long as radial-ply mud tires. For the most heavy-duty mud tires, you can choose tires that have a 10-ply construction.
One of the major differentiating factors of mud tires to other types of tires is the tread, which is the part of the tires that goes into contact with the road or ground. The tire tread patterns are known as lugs. The lugs of mud tires are deep and large shaped, ideal for use in soft or sluggish terrain. The large gaps between the lugs force mud to channel through the grooves. Keep in mind that the reduced surface area of mud tires means they won’t offer great traction on icy roads. You may want to consider getting mud/snow hybrid tires if you plan on using your truck on mud and icy roads.
If you plan on driving on roads that have pebbles or small rocks, a useful feature to have on mud tires are ejectors. These ejectors are designed to expel any debris that gets stuck between the tire tread. Keeping the gaps between the tire tread clean allows the tire to deliver its maximum traction.
Most types of heavy-duty mud tires have three-ply sidewall reinforcement for extra puncture protection. Another advantage of the sidewall reinforcement is the load capacity of the mud tires is increased. Whether you are using your truck for hauling or towing, the extra loading capacity should be useful. To get tires with high sidewall reinforcement, get tires with ply rating and load range.
For good, quality mud tires for trucks, you should expect to spend $180-$300 per tire.
A. All-terrain tires are great for use on the road as they offer better rolling resistance and can last longer than mud tires. However, when used in mud or sand, all-terrain tires can be of little use. The tire tread and other features of all-terrain tires are not designed to handle mud. The large lugs and big gaps in the tread of mud tires are better suited for mud or sand.
A. The lifespan of the mud tires will depend on several factors, such as driving conditions, driving style, type of vehicle, maintenance and more. As is the case with all tires, rougher terrains will cause more wear and tear to the tire tread, reducing its longevity. Tire maintenance services, such as tire rotation and tire balancing, can help maximize the life of the mud tires. It will also help the performance and longevity to use the tires at the recommended air pressure.
A. Mud tires can be used on the roads, but they will not last as long or deliver the same level of fuel efficiency compared to all-terrain tires. Unless you plan on using your truck primarily for off-road terrain, you should consider sticking to all-terrain truck tires.
If you plan on using your truck in icy conditions, you can consider getting specialized winter tires for your truck.
The Firestone Destination M/T2 is made to handle mud and snow. The tear-resistant tread combined with the tread block pattern makes for excellent traction. These tires also feature ejectors to remove any road debris that gets stuck in between the lugs.
Sold on Amazon
BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 Radial Car Tire for Light Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers
This tires features include Tread-Attack tread design, Mud-Phobic bars, Krawl-Tek technology and CoreGard Max technology. BFGoodrich is a brand of Michelin tires.
Sold on Amazon
For a mud and highway hybrid tire, you can consider the Mastercraft Courser MXT 121 Q. The deep and large tread pattern allows for excellent performance in mud. These tires offer more surface area than regular mud tires, making them a practical choice for highway use.These hybrid tires also offer better handling on icy conditions, compared to mud-terrain tires.
Sold on Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Ali Azhar writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
