Tires for Mud Trucks
Mud trucks are built to stand up to the harsh conditions that go along with the sport of ‘mud bogging’. Though not overly attractive in appearance, the main appeal these vehicles have is their ability to withstand rough terrain and conditions. In order to accomplish this, it is imperative the truck be outfitted with the right type of tires.
Especially designed for rough road conditions, the tread design on mud tires is different from tires used on the highway. The space is wider between the lugs on mud tires to allow the mud to clear out more quickly. The chunky tread is also designed to act as a ‘claw’ while traveling through the sticky soil, providing greater traction. Outstanding grip is better achieved when mud tires are combined with a four-wheel drive action while driving through slush. Though well suited to this type of terrain, mud tires are not suitable for on-road driving. The wide space between the lugs offers less contact with the smooth ground which results in a very annoying sound at highway speed.
Over a dozen different designs of mud tires are available to meet the needs of the avid ‘mudster’ – Baja Claw, Irok, and Thornbird, to name a few.
The Baja Claw is approved by the Department of Transportation for competition rock crawl. It is specifically designed for off-road use only. It has been proven to also provide top performance in gravel, snow and sand, in addition to other road condition extremes.
Unlike the Baja Claw, the Irok tire is designed for on-road use as well as off-road. The wide, deep voids in the tire offer quick self-cleaning and better mud traction. It is also peerless in snow terrain.
Thornbird tires combine features and functionality of both off-road and on-road tires. A fiberglass belt under the tread offers a smooth ride with less noise on the highway, while the three stage lugs on the sidewalls impart crucial traction in tough terrains – be it snow, water or mud.
When buying tires, there is another very important factor to keep in mind – age. “Age?” you ask. “But these are brand new tires!” True. However, it has been proven that tires begin to age as soon as they are manufactured. When you purchase tires, look for the production date on the tire itself. It is hard to find, so you must know what to look for.
On the outside of the tire, you will find the letters D – O – T (Department of Transportation), followed by a long line of numbers. At the end of this line of numbers is the code you are looking for. It is composed of three or four numbers and will tell you when the tire was made. For example – “414” means the tire was produced during the 41st week of 1994. “4202” tells you the tire was produced the 42nd week of 2002. You want a tire as young as possible, but preferably not more than three years old.
Keep in mind too, when the tires are installed on your vehicle, this information will be on the side facing under the vehicle. Consequently, it is important to buy tires from a dealer you trust to install the actual tires you picked out and not an older set of the same style to rid their facility of outdated inventory.
