Tires, still looking

[James Morse]

I want to put truck back to oem size which was 265/75R15 so 31x10.5 is the same and 265/75R15 very limited selection.
31x10.5 should cause no issues at all and would put speedo back to being correct it reads very high now because it has 235/75R15's.

Wants:

Aggressive tread but ok for highway (handling, noise) there is going to be a tradeoff probably
Must be good in dirt, rocks, mud (and highway, wet/dry so much as possible)
Sidewall tread desired, most of these kind tires will have it.
Don't care about performance in snow/ice.
Made in US if possible
Have tread left/right tires appear the same, i.e., mirrors of each other

Leaving aside tires that don't fit my truck without different wheels or mods:

>>Symmetric tires. They are only M/T tires, I cannot find symmetric A/T tires.
What I want to know is your opinion how much am I going to sacrifice in handling and noise on the highway if I go with MT tire, specifically these.
Even though I don't plan on running in a lot of mud, it's really common that the side of the road can be really wet and squishy and if you have to turn around or pull off to let somebody by I'd like to have that kind of tread. To me for rocks and dirt and gravel I'd think it would be every bit as good as any A/T tire if not better.

Crosswind MT mfg China

https://simpletire.com/brands/crosswind-tires/m-t

almost the same as Pinnacle Atheon MT
"Crosswind is a subsidiary tire brand of TBC Corporation, and manufactures tires for passenger cars, SUVs, CUVs, light trucks, and commercial vehicles. Crosswind offers a reliable range of all-season, all-terrain, and mud-terrain tires and represents brilliance in tire technology, innovation, and quality control."
(Simpletire)
"Crosswind tires are produced by Chinese tire manufacturer Shandong Linglong Tire Co. Ltd. Its manufacturing plant in Thailand is responsible for making high-performance radial tires, light truck tires and passenger truck tires."
(ppmc-transport.org)

RPB Repulsor MT mfg China

Truck Tires | Aftermarket Tires | Custom Offsets

Help your truck keep a handle over any terrain and ride on in comfort with new tires from the best brands at Custom Offsets. Financing and quick delivery available.

www.customwheeloffset.com

Kumho Road Venture MT mfg S. Korea

Kumho Road Venture MT 31x10.50R15 | 1764313 | Custom Offsets

Drive with confidence with these Kumho Road Venture MT Mud Terrain tires. This specific set of tires comes in a 31X10.50R15 configuration with a Q speed in

www.customwheeloffset.com

Pinnacle Atheon MT 31x10.50R15LT mfg US?

Pinnacle Atheon MT 31x10.50R15LT | PN1120 | Custom Offsets

Drive with confidence with these Pinnacle Atheon MT Mud Terrain tires. This specific set of tires comes in a 31x10.50R15LT configuration with a Q speed ind

www.customwheeloffset.com

"Pinnacle Tire is part of the Sutong Tire Resources Inc., and it was founded in 2016. The brand designs, produces and distributes passenger vehicle, SUV, light truck and commercial grade tires for sale on the tire market. These tires offer excellent durability and driving capability with their offered construction and traction. This ensures that the tires promote safer driving experience in various conditions."
(TireMart)

"Established in 2016 and based in Houston, TX, Pinnacle is a family-owned company that currently sells all-season, mud-terrain, highway, 4X4, and ultra-high-performance tires for use on passenger cars, SUVs, CUVs, and light trucks."
(Simpletire)

also, but requires 17" wheel:

Pinnacle Atheon MT LT265 70R17 (31.9x10.4R17) | PN1131 | Custom Offsets

Drive with confidence with these Pinnacle Atheon MT Mud Terrain tires. This specific set of tires comes in a LT265/70R17 configuration with a Q speed index

www.customwheeloffset.com

I realize all the above you can only rotate front/back not side to side because they have to be mounted different faces.

non-symmetric a/t that seem popular and are under consideration:

BFG K02

BFGoodrich All Terrain TA KO2 31x10.50R15 | BFG69948 | Custom Offsets

Who Is BFGoodrich? BFGoodrich has a long and rich history, they are one of the most trusted brands for tires because of this. They have had the time and

www.customwheeloffset.com

General Grabber X3 (more a mud tire I think)

General Grabber X3 31x10.50R15LT | 4505660000 | Custom Offsets

Drive with confidence with these General Grabber X3 Mud Terrain tires. This specific set of tires comes in a 31X10.50R15LT configuration with a Q speed ind

www.customwheeloffset.com

General Grabber A/TX

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HAZ5m68kGgNX5BTX1bmtd2rbowXSXjvfJ9wtTVBc55W-zX3aoejWBIaAsD0EALw_wcB&tireMake=General&tireModel=Grabber+A%2FTX&partnum=105SR5GRATXRWLV2&GCID=C13674x012-tire&KEYWORD=tires.jsp_General_Grabber+A%2FTX_Tire&code=yes&ef_id=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HAZ5m68kGgNX5BTX1bmtd2rbowXSXjvfJ9wtTVBc55W-zX3aoejWBIaAsD0EALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!537118804928!!!u!293946777986!&gclsrc=aw.ds

Cepek (Thompson) Baja MTZ or other Thompson tire mfg US I think

https://simpletire.com/paid?brand=mickey-thompson&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HAppSH2HtFG2G9MoO-oaqSn1PiEB-f-ok5-xlRIRIX6xiNeMB8s2TgaArIxEALw_wcB&hsa_acc=2136589202&hsa_ad=578311665733&hsa_cam=6452832924&hsa_grp=133618350918&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-1598737214291&hsa_ver=3&itemId=127250&mpn=331156010&productLine=baja-mtz-p3&region_id=3000039999&tireSize=lt31-10.50r-15&utm_campaign=G_Shopping_Region_03&utm_creative=578311665733&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=&v=1&delivery=Del3

Goodyear Wrangler (maybe)

if anyone has favorite tires for my intended purpose AT or MT not listed let me know please, and comments appreciated.

This article might help with where they are made I didn't go through it yet

Tires Made in USA: American and Foreign Brands

Tires made in USA may belong to domestic or foreign brands. Find out more about those brands and learn how to tell if tires are made in America.

www.utires.com

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I love my grabbers.

 

[Curious Hound]

I always vote for BFG

 

[rusty ol ranger]

KO2 or Grabber ATX.

Mud tires are noisy and wear fast. Unless youre after that super aggressive look or spend 95% of your life hub deep in gumbo id go with an A/T

 

[rubydist]

BFG K02 are very good tires. They have decent manners on the highway, and if you keep the alignment right they will not cup or feather as long as you rotate them from time to time. None of that can be said about any M/T tire I have ever had experience with.

I have never had good experience with a General tire, not ever.

Here is what Tire Rack says about the K02: "The All-Terrain T/A KO2 is the On-/Off-Road All-Terrain category benchmark. We see how it compares to three “mild” all-terrain tires."

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Sounds like you’re looking for exactly what I run… Mastercraft Courser CXT

Made in USA. Aggressive, slightly noisy, long wearing, works well in all conditions. Side biters.

 

[James Morse]

Buy Mastercraft Courser CXT 31x10.50R15LT Tires | SimpleTire

Courser® CXT (mastercrafttires.com)

Mastercraft is owned by Cooper, should be made in US, plant code on the tire would tell.
Cooper USA Tire Plant Codes

• 3D – Albany, Georgia.
• U9 – Tupelo, Mississippi.
• UP – Findlay, Ohio.
• UT – Texarkana, Arkansas.

Cooper Subsidiaries
The company’s sub-brands and their tire type-oriented specializations are:

• Dick Cepek – off-road tires for trucks, SUVs, 4x4s, etc.
• Mastercraft Tires – all types of tires from passenger to light truck.
• Mentor Tires – all-season, winter, summer tires for passenger vehicles.
• Mickey Thompson tires – racing and high-performance tires for street/off-road use.
• Roadmaster Tires – commercial tires.
• Starfire Tires – budget-oriented quality tires.
• Avon Tyres – all types of tires (for Europe).
• Dean – commercial truck tires (Asia).

I hadn't looked at these CXT's, but they do look nice, aggressive, but probably not so much as strictly mudders. Not symmetric, but I pretty much gave up on that anyway since they aren't there except mudders. And I like the black sidewall, with sidewall tread.
Could be a winner....
Seems like NTB should have these, but I don't see them. They told me "Cooper is our brand" when I replaced 2 of the 235/75R15 on the '99.
I kind of liked NTB because the one I went to, I got in on time, out on time, they checked alignment, seemed good. Here's what I'm worried about (for any place I go unless I really knew them which I don't) - I was told about being careful taking off the hub caps, use something to not mar up the wheels (maybe there is a cushioned tool in my jack holder I have not looked at it yet), so I'm wondering if maybe the best thing is just take off the wheels and take to the place, that would get rid of them messing with hub caps, scratching the wheels, overtightening lugs, etc. And I'd just drop them off and pick up not wait around.
Scratches from weights off/on, shouldn't happen, not much you can do about it if it does.
Wheels are in near perfect shape now just trying to keep them good.
Thanks.
And I'm certainly interested any other owners of these or comments.

 

[Blmpkn]

Grabbers.

 

[James Morse]

@rubydist what problems did you have with Generals, people seem to like them

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Buy Mastercraft Courser CXT 31x10.50R15LT Tires | SimpleTire

Courser® CXT (mastercrafttires.com)

Mastercraft is owned by Cooper, should be made in US, plant code on the tire would tell.
Cooper USA Tire Plant Codes

• 3D – Albany, Georgia.
• U9 – Tupelo, Mississippi.
• UP – Findlay, Ohio.
• UT – Texarkana, Arkansas.

Cooper Subsidiaries
The company’s sub-brands and their tire type-oriented specializations are:

• Dick Cepek – off-road tires for trucks, SUVs, 4x4s, etc.
• Mastercraft Tires – all types of tires from passenger to light truck.
• Mentor Tires – all-season, winter, summer tires for passenger vehicles.
• Mickey Thompson tires – racing and high-performance tires for street/off-road use.
• Roadmaster Tires – commercial tires.
• Starfire Tires – budget-oriented quality tires.
• Avon Tyres – all types of tires (for Europe).
• Dean – commercial truck tires (Asia).

I hadn't looked at these CXT's, but they do look nice, aggressive, but probably not so much as strictly mudders. Not symmetric, but I pretty much gave up on that anyway since they aren't there except mudders. And I like the black sidewall, with sidewall tread.
Could be a winner....
Seems like NTB should have these, but I don't see them. They told me "Cooper is our brand" when I replaced 2 of the 235/75R15 on the '99.
I kind of liked NTB because the one I went to, I got in on time, out on time, they checked alignment, seemed good. Here's what I'm worried about (for any place I go unless I really knew them which I don't) - I was told about being careful taking off the hub caps, use something to not mar up the wheels (maybe there is a cushioned tool in my jack holder I have not looked at it yet), so I'm wondering if maybe the best thing is just take off the wheels and take to the place, that would get rid of them messing with hub caps, scratching the wheels, overtightening lugs, etc. And I'd just drop them off and pick up not wait around.
Scratches from weights off/on, shouldn't happen, not much you can do about it if it does.
Wheels are in near perfect shape now just trying to keep them good.
Thanks.
And I'm certainly interested any other owners of these or comments.

So Mastercraft is Cooper’s old tread designs for the most part. Cooper makes a good tire and Mastercraft is a very closely related off brand so anyone selling Cooper should have access to Mastercraft, but some places may whine about ordering them in.

All of my Mastercraft tires say Made in USA on the sidewall. I’ve owned two sets of the Courser CT tires. That design was replaced by the Courser CXT design which was more aggressive. My parents got a set of Courser AXT tires. Those had a tendency to load with mud. Dad almost got stuck this year in a muddy farm field because of that. When we got home, I swapped my CXTs from my Ranger onto his since mine still needs some work. Night and day. He didn’t even come close to getting stuck despite several rainy days in a row after swapping tires. The CXT in 31x10.50 self clean like a mud tire. My big fingers can fit all the way down between tread blocks. The multiple sizes of tread blocks are supposed to help reduce noise. Dad bought a set of the CXTs for his Ranger after using mine.

Your stock tire iron should have a rubber coated point for popping the center caps off. They also make specific aftermarket prying tools to minimize the risk of rim damage. The best way to minimize rim damage is to do as much of it as you can yourself because tire shops typically don’t care. That said, it’s not always practical to do it yourself. I ended up with my own tire machine partly because I went a step beyond in caring about rims. I buy ceramic balancing media (Innovative Tire Balancing) and put it inside the tires and transfer it from my old tires to the new ones. Because of physics, by doing this, I don’t get damage from weights on the rims, the balancing media is where it’s most effective, and it constantly self-balances as you drive.

 

[sgtsandman]

Mud tires tend to be pretty noisy. Some are worse than others and how noisy they are is a very subjective thing that changes from person to person. The tire roar can be annoying on long road trips but again, it depends on the person.

All Terrain tires are going to be much quieter but not as quiet as an all season most of the time.

Cooper and Mastercraft make a good tire. Like any other tire maker, they are going to have their good models and their bad ones. I like their snow tires very much. I haven't had much experience with the All Terrain or Mud Terrain tires to be of much help. The only set I had were horrible after a couple years but it's a long discontinued model. So not relevant to the current discussion.

 

[rubydist]

@James Morse - all of the Generals I have ever had would either cup the inside edge or the outside edge, no matter how the vehicle was aligned.

The General Grabbers mostly have tread that is a knockoff of the K02, but with fewer sipes and bigger blocks, so they have less traction and are noisier compared to the K02.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

@James Morse - all of the Generals I have ever had would either cup the inside edge or the outside edge, no matter how the vehicle was aligned.

The General Grabbers mostly have tread that is a knockoff of the K02, but with fewer sipes and bigger blocks, so they have less traction and are noisier compared to the K02.

Granted my BFGs are on my F250 and the Grabbers on my ranger but honestly i think the grabbers actually do better in certain terrains over the BFGs.

The grabbers seem to win in mud for sure. They will sling mud about like a mud tire. The BFGs cake up unless you really hammer on it.

The little bit of sand ive had them both in the BFG's seem better. Snow its hard to tell because my 250 just sucks in it compared to the ranger anyways, but best i can tell there about even in snow. The BFGs seem a bit better on hardpacked snow/ice but the grabbers better in deep stuff. Athough both do more then fine.

Street...BFG all the way. The grabbers are louder for sure and seem a bit less willing on wet pavement. Cant speak for wear on the grabbers as i havent put many miles on them...but my last set of BFs on my 250 went 50k and never got rotated. I coulda ran them further but the rear tires wore the middle of the tire cause i kept them inflated to 80psi all the time.

Both are great tires, but i think the BFG is overall a better tire...slightly.

Both trucks are 2wd with open diffs