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Mickey Thompsons? 34.5-11.9 tall, good/bad?

2K views 25 replies 9 participants last post by  D90user 
#1 ·
I am still looking for a magical 34 inch tire just under 12 inches wide...seems like a good tire for the d90. Tire sizes seem to jump from on the short side of 33 to just over 35 iches; and the width also jumps from 10 to 12.5

The Mickey Thompson MTZ radial 35/12.5-16 measures 34.5 tall and 11.9 wide.
(vs a true 35 inch tire that's 12.5 wide)...I guess its splitting hairs at this point???

That seems to be a great proportion for rovers....a taller than 33's and on the skinny side
They Have a good looking side tread similar to the goodyears....
Now, someone burst me bubble and tell me why they suck!
 
#3 ·
I don't know why they suck, but they suck. I have never seen a MT tire that I liked or performed well. If you are not a big wheeler, I don't see a problem with it.
 
#11 ·
artm said:
I'd be too paranoid to offroad an LR3.)
I was at first , but then after a while i got use to it. But I did once send it to the shop for two weeks because i broke the EAS compressor mount, and then it sucked up mud and water into the air lines :eek:
I even have 32' cooper STT's on it, and they barley fit with some trimming
 
#14 ·
Anyway. Back on the subject. Why does the general consensus seem to be that Mickey Thompsons are for looks and not performance... I am also in the market, and looking for a more aggresive radial than what I have. At least the baja claws seem like a very aggressive tread that is well suited to the desert/arid mountain trails in my area. Any opinions based on real experience with these tires?
 

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#16 ·
pcscharfe said:
Anyway. Back on the subject. Why does the general consensus seem to be that Mickey Thompsons are for looks and not performance... I am also in the market, and looking for a more aggresive radial than what I have. At least the baja claws seem like a very aggressive tread that is well suited to the desert/arid mountain trails in my area. Any opinions based on real experience with these tires?
My good friend ran them for a year or so on his TJ. We wheeled together a lot. The tires are just not good. I don't know what to tell you other than that. He ended up dumping them for MT/Rs. There is something to be said that the TTC contestants this year were all offered FREE Baja Claws and every single one of them turned them down except for XXX but those guys are sponsored by them and the magazine. I will say that if you mount them backwards they work really well in pure sand.

So if you run out at glamis or pismo, they might be a good fit for you. But all in all, I think they are for looks. I really believe that if you are looking for a road tire that is great offroad for the SoCal environment, you will not beat the MT/R. They suck hard in mud, but you almost never get that down here.

What size tire are you looking for?
 
#18 ·
Thanks for your take Buck. My tires/suspension are stock--I've had the truck for about 10 mos. After sliding through ruts with my stock ATs I am ready to start in on the performance mods. I dont get out on the trails every weekend, so I'll probably settle with something that gives me a real noticeable edge over stock but still maintains some street performance.

My tentative plan: 2" OME lift, then 33s or 34s. I liked the idea of Baja Claws at 305/70/16 (33x12.5) on 16x8s.... I'll look into MTRs also, as that seems to be the most popular tire recommended on the forum. I guess I tend to like the look of a wider tire, and it seems to have its advantages on the trails. My search for wider is what brought me to the Micky Thompsons. I just dont want to create a wheel/tire combination that looks like it belongs on J**P.

Any other recommendations, or opinions for a wide stance that will give me a noticable improvement over stock without killing my commute?

Paul
 
#19 ·
You are right Buck...When I lived in so cal I did spend a lot of time out at glamis with the 90. They were great on the sand, i mean a world of difference... far far superior to the bgf's and way more resistant to blowing the bead and having sticks stuck in the sidewall, I blew 3 bfgs at once one time and I never had a single issue with the claws. They look like sand paddles and they seem to drive like them too.
With that said I have lived in reno for a couple years now and I still have them, I rarely run them , but I do strap them on for serious trails. this summer I ran the rubicon with them on the 110 and I thought they were OK. Personally I think I have them too wide (305) but they seem to stick to rock kinda of well, but they are an incredably tough tire. They never seem to get any real damage. I do find the tread a bit wierd being that it seems to force you off of rocks. I have seen rock buggies run them backwards and I could see how that would help.

On road they feel stable, they are loud but wear like a brick **** house... similar to the old style bfgs... they just won't wear! this wide they must effect milage but I have never checked.

Personally I don't think I would buy them again. They are expensive but by no means a bad tire.

If the price is right... I do have a set of 5 305/70-16 1 new and 4 with few miles
:)
 
#20 ·
Bryan - I have the Goodyear 35" MTR's and mine actually measure about 34.5 x 11.9. Hmmm, interesting numbers :) I think I've heard that the MTR's actually run small for 35 x 12.50's. Not sure if you're getting your sizes from the manufacturer specs, but those are not always accurate. So to compare, you really need actual measurements (which are not always easy to come across).
 
#21 ·
D90user said:
....They were great on the sand, i mean a world of difference... far far superior to the bgf's and way more resistant to blowing the bead and having sticks stuck in the sidewall, I blew 3 bfgs at once one time and I never had a single issue with the claws...........................
Steve--

Do you have any pics of your rig with the Claws on---I would love to seem them? I'm very curious what the stance looks like at 12.5"... Also, what are your wheel specs? thanks.

Also, you had a lot of great things to say about the Claws, why would you not purchase them again---not suited to Reno/Tahoe?

Paul
 
#22 ·
I have heard the claws clean very well out in the mud and don't require alot of wheel spin to do it, But i have no clue about out west performance. Just like the goodyear mtr's suck for mud but are decent for rocks. Every tire has it's strength's, it all depends on how you wheel and were you wheel. I'm planning on maybe some TSL's for off-road
 
#23 · (Edited)
pcscharfe said:
Thanks for your take Buck. My tires/suspension are stock--I've had the truck for about 10 mos. After sliding through ruts with my stock ATs I am ready to start in on the performance mods. I dont get out on the trails every weekend, so I'll probably settle with something that gives me a real noticeable edge over stock but still maintains some street performance.

My tentative plan: 2" OME lift, then 33s or 34s. I liked the idea of Baja Claws at 305/70/16 (33x12.5) on 16x8s.... I'll look into MTRs also, as that seems to be the most popular tire recommended on the forum. I guess I tend to like the look of a wider tire, and it seems to have its advantages on the trails. My search for wider is what brought me to the Micky Thompsons. I just dont want to create a wheel/tire combination that looks like it belongs on J**P.

Any other recommendations, or opinions for a wide stance that will give me a noticable improvement over stock without killing my commute?

Paul
Well,

The Iroks are available in a 33x13.50 r 17 and they are without a doubt the best offroad tire I have ever run. And not by a little! They are good on the street but loud. In the radial they wear faster than an MT/R but way slower than any other tire that hooks up as well as this one does. I have never hit mud with them, but in rocks, and sand they are almost unbeatable. I would say the only tire out there that does better is the Crawler Red Label, but you pay double. Also, they are rediculously light. My 39.50x13.50 mounted on 15x8 steelies weigh 76LB. The same that my 37 Mt/r's weighed that measured a true 35.8.

They are not for everyone and they will proabably be bald in 20k miles. But, they fit the bill for wide and aggressive!
 

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#24 ·
Hi Bryan,

The new MTZ's look like a great all around MT tire. I'll bet they are so new you won't find anyone running them, I haven't see any on the road or trail yet.
I have found over the years that all the radial MT tires perform very much the same, I've run Yokohamas, Toyos, BFG's, MTR's, Dick Cepeks's plus a couple generic brand MT's, all with very similar results. They work good all around, but they don't overly excel in any one area either.
I'd say go for it and buy a set.
 
#26 ·
Paul-
Sorry missed your question... sorry no pics and I don;t have them on right now but I'll dig around for some old ones. I'm not sure what rims they are on pretty sure they are 7.5in wide no clue on the backspacing. they look like wolfs but are wider... got them used.

I wouldn't buy them agian because I don;t hink they are worth the price and I find them a bit wide for the rear end of my 110 on the spring tower plus the turning circle but that is specific to my setup... which I like. I run two sets of tires now and I would rather get a set of swampers for the tough stuff just because they seem to hook up better on rock and are tits in the mud. Probably more in the width of 10-11.5 in and 34 tall

Also Related but not really. IMHO cooper S/T-C are a great all around tire that is tough and handles snow, sand, mud and street with ease. It is not a proformance offroading tire but you can't beat it for an all arounder. I saw a bunch of people running them in australia and they really use them downunder.
 
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