all terrain tires – RoadTraveler.net

November 2, 2024November 12, 2024

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T LT295/70R18

Remote, northeast corner of Nevada, near the Idaho and Utah borders, BLM managed public land.

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T LT295/70R18

During the November 2019 SEMA Show, I received insider information from a Mickey Thompson manager about a new Baja Boss A/T they had in-the-works; it was still more than one year from being announced. I’m a fan of the Benjamin Franklin quote “three may keep a secret if two of them are dead,” and I focus on being the one that is alive.

The Baja Boss All-Terrain was introduced to automotive journalists at the virtual 2020 SEMA Show, with a press embargo date of April 5, 2021. As soon as possible I requested a set for evaluation, choosing the LT295/70R18 size. One month later I had them.

Long-term Mickey Thompson’s Baja Boss A/T evaluation started April 2021.

As you can see in my photographs this is a fairly high-void, four-rib tread pattern that Mickey Thompson calls a hybrid, AKA a commercial traction design or an aggressive all-terrain. Tires like these have been my preference for decades, offering more potential grip via siping, self-cleaning abilities, and deeper tread than more conservative all-terrains or all-seasons, while offering a quieter driving experience, and better longevity than mudders.

Continually reducing perceived noise while improving the other attributes of these hybrid designs has been an ongoing challenge for engineers. Historically there’s been no free lunch, because much better sloppy conditions traction requires bigger tread blocks and voids, increasing road noise. Was Mickey Thompson able to achieve the impossible? Read my opinion about this below under the subheading Quiet?

According To Mickey Thompson

Mickey Thompson says the Baja Boss A/T blends Extreme Sidebiters® for a bold look and serious grip with an all-new silica-reinforced compound providing long-wear, all-weather performance and cut/chip resistance.

Design highlights include:

Large surface-area tread elements for a greater contact area
Shoulder scallops for an additional biting edge
Sound-deadening ribs for stability and a quiet ride
Enhanced stone ejectors to reduce debris retention
PowerPly XD™ with 50 percent heavier denier cord on the biased-angled third ply for protection, handling and stability
Rim flange protector for added wheel protection
3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) symbol certifies that all sizes 12.50 (315) and narrower are Severe Snow Service rated
50,000-mile treadwear warranty
Increased-load LT-Metric sizing for heavy duty applications
Lower-load floatation sizing for half-ton, lighter trucks and SUVs
Several sizes approved for 12-inch and 14-inch wide wheels, including three 35X15.50 sizes
A 35-inch tire approved for 17×6.5 “dually” wheels

To all of the above I say yup, appears to be true! The substantial siping, which helps achieve the severe winter rating and increase overall grip, measures a whopping 17/32” of the total 18.5/32” tread depth. Calling the shoulder tread Extreme Sidebiters® is not public relations department hyperbole, as they are 14/32” at their deepest!

Extreme Sidebiters® “for a bold look and serious grip”. Truth!

Up to a whopping 14/32” of Extreme Sidebiter® on sidewalls.

Sizes are offered for wheels from 15-24”. A standout worth noting for the DRW folks or old-schoolers like me that prefer taller, narrower rubber that fits and clears more easily, offering less rolling resistance, potentially better fuel economy, etc., is the LT255/85R17. Also know-as a 35×10.00R17, this load-index 121 size supports 3,195-pounds at 80-psi in SRW applications, and would be great under my everyday crew cab. However, the 129 load-index and 18” wheel of the LT295/70R18 was a better choice for my flatbed Hallmark Camper outfit because the shorter sidewalls are firmer and more stable for maximum loads.

2017 Ram with Hallmark flatbed camper always works much harder than my 2014 crew cab daily driver.

Mount & Balance

Unless a specific tire and wheel combination requires a different solution, my standard practice is to use a single plane, so-called static spin balance, as this method requires less weight and is generally sufficient. Wider tires and wheels, super aggressive treads, or just a carcass with more lateral imbalance may require dynamic balancing, which involves putting weight on both the inside and outside of the wheel.

Many do not realize that it is often the wheel that requires the majority of the weight to balance an assembly, as modern tires are generally fantastically true. An easy way for an enthusiast to see this is by noting where wheel weight has been placed for their current and previous sets of tires. Typically the weight is needed in the same general area, pointing to imperfections in the wheel more than the tires.

According to Mickey Thompson the LT295/70R18 size weighs 67 pounds each, and they were 104-pounds when mounted to an OEM forged aluminum wheel. Maybe you should sit down before you read how little weight was needed to static balance these beautiful meats.

1) 3.0 ounces, right-rear

2) 3.25 ounces, right-front

3) 2.5 ounces, left-rear

4) 3.25 ounces, left-front

Instead of putting the rims with the least weight upfront as is common at most shops, I typically put those with the most weight on the front axle. This helps confirm that they’re truly balanced, and avoids potential surprises after the first rotation. In this instance all the wheels needed just a few ounces. I rarely have tires rebalanced, as Centramatic balancers constantly perform that task. These Bosses have been run up to well above any speed limit on numerous occasions, and they have remained insanely smooth after thousands of miles and a few rotations, living on both of my Ram/Cummins trucks.

Just a few ounces to balance the LT295/70R18E, which is continually maintained by the Centramatic balancers visible behind the wheel spokes.

Quiet!

Manufactures have been increasingly successful making beefier treads quieter, yet I routinely find that even aggressive hybrid treads that start out impressively tame get louder with wear, sometimes much louder, even with optimal rotations. (All bets are off if proper maintenance and rotations are not strictly observed.) This has not been the case with the new Baja Boss A/T, the barely audible hum has yet to increase. To my ear they are still one of the quietest, if not the quietest, tire in this category that I’ve experienced. Impressive!

Tough Enough? Extreme Puncture Resistance?

Rugged designs help prevent punctures and stout carcass construction helps tires run cooler and support big loads, translating into better performance under heavy diesel-powered rigs that do more than run around empty. Commercial tradesman applications, farming and ranching, off-pavement adventures, and RV users can all benefit from the Boss A/T’s stout construction. Are these treads as rugged as they claim? After over 14,000 miles of hard use, my answer is a resounding yes!

Designed to do work, diesel trucks can be hard on tires. Size can a limitation, but my trucks leave the pavement often, mostly in the high-desert of the Intermountain West.

My tire evaluations typically include a photo shoot off-road at low pressures in a nearby National Forest, where I flex and abuse the tread and sidewall on some rocks. It helps gauge ruggedness and flexibility, and makes for some cool photographs. Few other than dedicated a 4WD enthusiast will ever do this, particularly in a big diesel pickup…enter the James-ness!

Low pressure tire loading and flexing off-road.

Even rugged tire designs can be punctured, as they are essentially rubber balloons. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the flexibility and ruggedness of the Baja Boss All-Terrain’s when I subjected the tread, shoulder, and sidewalls to folding and pinching rarely seen outside of competitive rock crawling.

After the photo shoot, they were filled with appropriate street pressure, and have continued to perform flawlessly at all speeds and under all conditions. Tire pressure has been dropped many times to improve off-payment traction, ride, and overall performance, and the tires repeatedly work like they should.

Extreme Sidebiter® folding and pinching on the right-front tire at low pressure under a 2014 Ram/Cummins crew cab.

Some tires can take considerable abuse, obviously this tire did, but there’s always risk of damage or failure.

Application Considerations

My 2017 regular cab with Hallmark flatbed camper is a full time RV, so while it’s under a constant, full-load, it accumulates miles much more slowly than a daily driver. One would think that a heavily loaded RV-application Turbo Diesel (hauling and/or pulling) would result in rapid wear, yet that is not necessarily what happens. Chronicling treadlife on many sets of tires on my diesel pickups, and those of friends and acquaintances has provided valuable perspective.

Vehicles that see daily driving are typically subjected to repeated hard accelerations, which loads the drive tires, as well as hard stops and turning, which is harder on the fronts. These realities often contribute to reduced life compared to vehicles that see more steady, long-distance travel.

Occasional aggressive use of the skinny pedal is part of my driving style, although I am extremely soft on the brake pedal and travel slowly through most tight turns. I often obtain superior longevity and slower wear on my daily driver crew cab compared to my friends. Drivers matter.

Longevity

The Boss All-Terrains were initially mounted on my 2014 crew cab to log miles more quickly. As shared in previous columns, I am highly critical of the brief tire reviews in most magazines that say… the tires performed well, we really like them, blah blah; which is typically the result of nothing more than a few hundred miles of use, not thousands. Occasionally there’s an update later after more miles. Thousands of miles of saddle time and evaluation should be the baseline norm, not the exception.

The Boss A/Ts arrived at the perfect time, as I had started working away from home; the 2014 crew cab started seeing daily commuting miles, which included a run home during my lunch break for dog care. I’m often pressed for time, and there’s much firm use of the skinny pedal at the hands of the BD Throttle Sensitivity Booster (still LOVE it!). Due to these lifestyle changes the Boss A/Ts received harder use than any others treads in many years.

Under torque-monster diesel pickups I have repeatedly observed that approximately 1/32” of tread per 2,000 miles is good or average for an aftermarket set of rubber, and substantially more miles, 2,500 or so, is above average. For comparison, a few sets of OE Firestones I’ve measured have melted though 1/32” in a mere 1,500 miles, 25% less than my 2,000 mile baseline!

After the initial mounting and the first rotation on the 2014 crew cab, I had accumulated 6,500 miles on the Baja Boss A/Ts. Three measured 15.5/32”, and one was 15/32”, which was 2,080 mi. per 1/32” of tread depth. Considering the repeated, aggressive accelerations and fast driving this was above average; it would be just average with less spirited driving.

The Mickey Thompsons were pulled from the crew cab and slapped onto the 2017 Ram flatbed Hallmark camper rig, where they logged another 4,500 (s)miles before their third rotation. The rears were down to 13/32”, with the front wearing little and still showing 15/32. (This is part of why we must rotate.) As the tread becomes shallower the overall accuracy of measurements increases, and it’s not uncommon for the rate-of-wear to slow after these more accurate measurements. With another 3,500 miles under the Hallmark Camper, 14,500 miles total, all were showing 13/32”. The Baja Boss A/T treads had achieved 2,600 miles per 1/32”, which is well into the above average column for many diesel pickups.

After hours of slow 4WD, with several narrow and/or technical spots for such a big outfit, it was time to stop treating this rig like a side-by-side and make camp.

Traction Everywhere

Traction and handling has been impressive in all conditions and on all surfaces, which included much dirt, gravel, rock, some sand, rain, but unfortunately very little snow. It would’ve been nice to evaluate the severe winter rating more thoroughly. However, the western states multiyear drought has severely reduced precipitation in Northern Nevada and Northern California.

It’s difficult to chronicle the exact number of off-pavement miles these Bosses have seen, but a conservative estimated is 1,500 (10% is huge for non-commercial applications). Opinions regarding traction are mostly subjective, variable, and relative to the platform and driver. Nevertheless, for those wanting a hybrid tire I don’t envision people wanting more grip than the Baja Boss A/T can provide. Should the opportunity present itself I’d gladly run another set of the Baja Boss, as they’ve earned a spot on my short list of favorites.

Tell ‘em you saw it on RoadTraveler.net!

James Langan

Resource:

Mickey Thompson Tires: mickeythompsontires.com

draft

July 12, 2023

NEXEN ATX All Terrain 10,000 Mile Review

Although I have favorite tire treads and brands, I am always interested in trying something new or different. Nexen’s Roadian ATX all-terrain is a new 5-rib tread designed specifically for light- and heavy-duty pickups and full-size SUV wagons, and available in a whopping 63 sizes. Lugs on the upper sidewall/shoulder offer both traction and protection from damage, while adding a tough and aggressive look. The shoulder lugs are the same on both sides, but one side adds a cobblestone pattern between the lugs and inside the raised black letters.

Beefy sidewall lugs put to work off-road.

All LT-sizes have 16/32” of tread depth, most have 3-ply sidewalls, as well as being 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) severe winter rated, with the exception of the larger flotation offerings. Light-truck sizes have a substantial 60,000 miles tread warranty.

At the 2022 Overland Expo West show in Flagstaff, Arizona, a handful of journalists were treated to a sneak peek briefing introducing the new ATX, as well as the new HTX2 highway-terrain design. The HTX2 is also 3PMSF certified, which is downright impressive! The introductory press release information was embargoed until June, and in July Nexen sent a set for a longterm evaluation in a favorite size, LT285/75R18E.

3-Ply Construction

Nexen boasts the ATX has an industry-best (for an all-terrain) reinforced 3-ply sidewall, longer tread life, and increased durability to perform well under heavier loads and at higher pressures. The increased rigidity is designed to enhance cornering stability and load support. The sidewall construction increases puncture resistance both on- and off-pavement, and the aggressively angled shoulder lugs improve durability.

Nexen claims the sidewalls are XTRA Tough, and that’s been my experience thus far.

Siping

All-terrains and all-seasons invariably have more siping than most higher-void designs, and the ATX is no exception with two or three sipes in every tread block. Nexen’s sipe technology is designed to increase tread-to-road contact, and overall handling characteristics as they wear. Of course the siping helps it earn the 3PMSF severe winter certification.

Mount And Balance Take One

The 67-pound LT285/75R18 ATX with a load index of 129 (4,080-lb capacity each at 80 psi) were mounted and balanced on forged-aluminum OEM Ram 18-inch wheels at my local Discount Tire. They used my preferred single-plane, static balancing method, which puts less weight on the wheels. An average of only two ounces was needed to balance the set. However, zeroing on a balancing machine is not always the whole story.

With the ATX on my 2014 crew cab for my initial test drive, even with the additional help from Centramatic Wheel Balancers, there was some roughness that I thought was a possible balance issue. Discount Tire rebalanced them using the dual-plane dynamic method, which did not add substantially more wheel weight, and lowered the perceived imbalance.

First Rotation Issue

After 2,500 miles I performed the initial reward-cross rotation, but the ATX from the rear axle were not happy up front, with shakes and vibrations that increased with speed.

To help diagnose the problem the suspect tires were returned to the rear axle. After placing the AAM 11.5 on jack-stands and taking all appropriate safety precautions, I let the drivetrain turn the ATX at low-idle as if on a spin balancer. The offending wiggling and hopping was obvious, shared with my contact at Nexen, and they immediately sent a replacement set.

The positive response from Nexen was refreshing. No product is perfect and there are occasionally defective or blemished examples that sneak through (I’ve even had a bad tire from highly-respected Toyo), and because of the professional relationship I contacted the manufacturer directly.

Are Your Wheels The Problem?

It should be noted that the wheels are often the source of balancing issues. In many cases it is the wheels, not the tires, that need most of the weight for the assembly to be balanced. Modern rubber from top manufacturers, even larger light-truck mud-terrains, are quite round and true, usually requiring little weight to roll smoothly. Just a few short decades ago light-truck radials were not nearly as good or capable, and had difficulty handling the loads and power of heavy-duty diesel pickups.

Wheels have also become larger, so even though most are aluminum they can be much heavier than older, smaller diameter rims. These forged aluminum OEM 18-inch Ram wheels weigh 30-pounds each, where the equivalent 20-inch Ram wheels weigh 40 pounds. In contrast, the forged-aluminum Alcoa-made sixteens on my 1996 F-350 weighed only 16 pounds.

Confident that my eighteens were not the issue, having continually used them for several sets of tires, I had an extra set available if necessary for further diagnosis.

Mount And Balance Take Two

Discount Tire mounted the replacement set of LT285/75R18 Nexen ATX, and again I requested a static, single-plane balance, plus I asked them to record the road force as measured by the machine during the process (Road force is summarized below.)

As the included chart shows, this set needed little weight to balance, none in the case of tire/wheel combination #2, and the road force measurements were also low. Tire #1 had the most road force at 29, but a typical maximum allowable road force for a P-rated (passenger car) tire is 35, and much higher for a big LT tire.

Tire	Weight oz.	Road Force	Location
#1	1.25	29	Left-rear
#2	0	11	Right-rear
#3	4.75	9	Left-front
#4	1.75	3	Right-front

Road Force

Road force, or radial force variation, is a tire and wheel condition that can affect steering, traction, braking and load support. High road force will impart ride disturbances to the chassis and ultimately the driver.

Many modern balancing machines automatically measure the road force as part of the balancing process. A road force load roller simulates the force of the road on the tire and wheel package, and measuring this force provides data on the uniformity of the combined tire and wheel assembly.

Tires may have an area that is stiffer than the rest, which is called force variation. The combination of imperfect run-out and force variation can lead to bad vibrations. Some inconsistencies in stiffness, weight, and balance are unavoidable, but this additional metric can be quite helpful diagnosing problems or defects.

Recently I had a set of LT295/65R20 Cooper STT PRO mudders swapped onto a different set of OEM 20-inch wheels, and noticed that the weight placement was odd on one rim. During my requested rebalance, the problem was obvious for anyone paying attention; the road force was 113! Rotating the tire 180° on the wheel corrected the issue, resulting in a road force measurement of only 29.

Where The Rubber Meets The Road

Conventional wisdom includes putting the best tire and wheel combination (least wheel weight and/or road force) on the front axle, often the left-front position, to avoid poor drivability, handling, or driver complaints. But I am not an employee at a tire shop, I put the mounted rubber onto the axle studs myself in my shop, and am often interested in the rawest, most revealing data possible for my reviews.

So I will frequently put what is likely the least true assembly on the front. This helps me confirm that they are truly balanced, and will roll smoothly at all speeds, even after a rotation. These Nexen ATX felt fantastically smooth and true, with no bad manners or vibrations up to 100 mph!

After an initial 50-mile high-speed freeway flogging, I returned my garage and immediately did an X-pattern rotation to get every tire on both the front and rear axles, and both left and right sides of the truck. Another high-speed freeway road test followed, and the Roadian ATX continued to run flawlessly.

Overall Subjective Observations, Comments & Critiques

Traction

Winter 2022–2023 ended the years-long drought cycle in Northern Nevada and nearby Northern California, producing both abnormal amounts of rain and countless days with several inches of snow. This provided many opportunities to use the Nexen ATX during on-highway 4WD conditions, in both shallow and inches-deep snow, a little ice, and pooling heavy rain that made it wise to use four-wheel-drive.

Sipes, rubber compound, and snow sticking to snow are big parts of winter traction.

Routine off-pavement driving is a part of my lifestyle, so these ATX have seen hundreds of miles of high- and low-range four-wheel-drive use, usually with the pressures lowered specifically for that purpose (30 psi in front and 20 psi in the rear). Flex, deformation, ride, and traction has been great. Cutting or chipping of the tread appears virtually nonexistent.

Clearly these are not mud-terrains, however, they have seen shallow mud and squishy terrain several times, and have performed as well or better than any 5-rib A/T I’ve run in similar conditions.

Rear axle, 20 PSI, flexing on a rock. Even a 5-rib A/T has to endure my low-pressure torture test photo shoot.

Aggressively folding the sidewall and tread with much of the truck’s weight stuffed onto the left-rear.

Caked and packed with wet dirt, but still performing well in challenging conditions for a 5-rib all-terrain.

Noise And Ride Quality

Perception of noise is extremely subjective, has much to do with the specific vehicle and road conditions, as well as one’s tolerance and personal experience baseline. If someone only runs a highway-terrain tread, then anything with more void is going to seem loud. Conversely, those that run a mud-terrain or a hybrid/commercial traction design, will think lower-void tires are nearly silent. With a preference for medium-void commercial traction treads, I find the ATX impressively quiet, but not only because I’m accustomed to louder rubber. When comparing the ATX to my memories of testing the similar 5-rib Cooper AT3 and later AT3 XLT just a few years ago (TDR108), the ATX seem nearly silent.

Again comparing the ATX to the Cooper AT3 XLT, the Nexen’s 3-ply sidewalls appear to provide a firmer, more supportive and responsive driving experience compared to the 2-ply Coopers. This is a positive for heavy-duty applications because softer tires will not support big loads as well and can flex too much, generating excess heat, which is the nemesis of all tires. Balance and tracking have remained excellent, but treads can exhibit different characteristics on different chassis, and your alignment settings matter too.

It is critical to remember that regardless of the tire you choose, it is beneficial to run appropriate pressures and avoid unnecessary over (or under) inflation for the best overall performance. An extreme example is running 80 psi on the rear axle of a pickup with zero load in the bed. Sadly, unless you’ve updated/reprogrammed your truck’s computer, Ram has made running appropriate psi problematic on the 2500 series. A cautionary yellow TPMS light will illuminate when running less than the 80 psi on the rear axle, or 60 psi up front. This is simply ridiculous, but I understand folks not wanting to run around with a glowing light on the dash. My trucks have been modified with lowered pressure thresholds to match my uses, and I use appropriate inflation for the load.

Dirty sidewalls in the Sierra Nevada, what’s not to like?

Baselines

Longevity and wear is impacted by several variables, including: the vehicle on which the rubber is mounted, road conditions, loading (which includes one’s acceleration, braking, and turning habits), temperature, inflation pressures, and the driver. During my freelance journalism career I have tracked the wear of dozens of tires, chiefly but not exclusively on heavy-duty, 4WD diesel pickups with manual transmissions.

With a manual, every upshift results in a loss of boost and rpm which must be regained before reaching for the next higher gear. This cycle involves the repeated loading of the drivetrain with low-rpm torque which is different than an automatic transmission. Autos will keep the boost and rpm higher when one is accelerating briskly, more horsepower and less low-rpm torque, and these differences should be obvious in the seat-of-the-pants of experienced and attentive enthusiasts. So if all things are equal, which they rarely are, I argue that a manual transmission can wear tires more quickly than an auto.

Elsie our Welsh Terrier is my helper during most automotive projects, and a great rodent hunter too!

Wear Data

After 9,600 miles and two rotations, the Nexen Roadian ATX are 4.5/32” shallower than their original 16/32”, which is 2,133 miles per 1/32” of tread depth. This is good and comparable to quality aftermarket rubber from several manufacturers. Considering the test platform, duty-cycle, and other variables, my opinion is that substantially under 2,000 miles per 1/32” is substandard, and over 2,000 miles is good.

It’s noteworthy that there has not been a substantial rate-of-wear disparity on the front and rear axles. The torque-loading of the drive axle, especially under a diesel, often results in more rapid drive-tire wear. This is not just a truck thing, as I have documented this on two personally-owned manual transmission Volkswagen TDI (diesel) front-wheel-drive cars. Both TDIs wore the fronts much more quickly than the rears due to the low-end torque. Designs that do not show substantially more drive-tire wear between rotations often indicates the potential for superior longevity.

Really Like ‘Em

While I was skeptical about the Nexen brand before trying the ATX, sometimes it’s good to step out of one’s comfort zone. Even with my bias for medium-void rubber, I have been impressed with the Roadian ATX. Hopefully they make a hybrid/commercial traction design soon, which would fill a gap in their current lineup. I’d be chomping at the bit to try them.

James Langan

Instagram: @RoadTraveler

YouTube: RoadTravelerNet

Resource:

Nexen Tire: nexentireusa.com

April 1, 2023

NEXEN ATX All Terrain Photos

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Instagram @RoadTraveler

Resources:

NEXEN Tire USA

March 13, 2023

NEXEN ATX AT FIRST LOOK, MOUNT, BALANCE, AND ROTATION

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James Langan

Instagram @RoadTraveler

Resources:

NEXEN Tire USA

June 6, 2022

NEXEN Roadian ATX

Nexen, a Korean tire company, hosted a media briefing at Overland Expo West. They gave journalists a sneak peak at their new Roadian ATX all-terrain (official launch was not until June 1, 2022). This tire has a 3-ply sidewall, 60,000 mile treadwear warranty for LT sizes, and the 3-peak mountain snowflake/severe winter rating (except flotation sizes).

While I have noticed Nexen at the SEMA Show I had never investigated the brand or their offerings. My general preference is for higher-void, all-terrain or commercial traction designs, however I’m not against running a lower-void, 5-rib all-terrain or all-season, particularly one that has a robust sidewall deign and is 3-peak/mountain snowflake rated. (Nexen also makes a couple good looking, knobby mud-terrain treads.)

There are 63 sizes, including one of my current favorites, the LT285/75R18. Timing matters, and currently I have an extra set of 18″ OEM aluminum wheels sitting in my shop, and an opening in my editorial schedule. If Nexen will supply a set for evaluation, I’ll start a long-term review.

Tell ‘em you read it on RoadTraveler.net!

James Langan

Instagram/TruthSocial @RoadTraveler

Resources:

NEXEN Tire USA

October 6, 2016May 10, 2018

Cooper Discoverer A/T3

Testing & Talkin’ Tires

October 6, 2016

Even casual readers of this site will notice that I’m a light-truck tire aficionado; there are many posts about rubber for light-trucks. My personal obsession aside, there are powerful reasons tires are such a popular topic for both writers and enthusiasts nearly everywhere we gather. Mounting new meats is one of the easiest and most dramatic performance and/or appearance modifications owners can make to their trucks. Replacing worn rubber with new, even the same pattern, can greatly improve safety and traction. If you have any doubts, watch this Tire Rack video regarding tread depth and stopping distances on wet roads: tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=5&tab=tires

Looking through a historical lens, modern tires are generally excellent, with unsurpassed designs and sizing options, and they are a good value. Yet value doesn’t mean inexpensive, and depending on the size and performance category, a new set of shoes for your truck can easily top $1000. This substantial outlay leads to questions and much research for many buyers.

Still Plays With TIRES means frequent trips to tire stores with a few shoes and insoles. This is a moderate load, sometimes I need a bigger trailer.

Journalism’s Dirty Tire Secret

If you read truck tire reviews critically, you may realize that many involve very few miles of use before the evaluation is penned, often as little as a few hundred miles. Reasons for this include the long lead-time for print periodicals, editors’ desire to publish something as quickly as possible, and sometimes a little pressure from the manufacturer or advertising agency folks. Writers sometimes mount new tread and take them on a little excursion, writing much about the adventure and some about the tires, then use this one experience as the appetizer, main course, and dessert. Meh.

Another favorite is the manufacturer’s initial ride-and-drive test at a testing facility or track. When possible I happily attend and enjoy such events, but they are mostly a good introduction. If they’re not followed with a longer, personal-use test, they often don’t tell the complete story.

When one brand redesigned their super-popular all-terrain pattern two years ago, they hosted journalists in Baja where the test vehicles were race buggies and Ford Raptors. I have no doubt that the conditions and obstacles were gnarly, and I’m not saying the product isn’t good. But how does one test a tire’s performance on an unfamiliar chassis, particularly on a race buggy or (factory) desert-prerunner truck? Where is the baseline? Are the tires being tested, or is the complete chassis? Would these highly-capable vehicles perform impressively if another tire brand or design was mounted? Surely.

Hopefully readers can benefit from my continuous evaluations. Instead of buying a new set every few years like many consumers, some running the same or similar treads repeatedly, I typically test a few sets each year. My personal experience and database over the past two decades is quite large, and includes aggressive mud tires, tame all-terrains, and many in-between. Although I swap tread often, I dismount them from wheels infrequently. At any given time I have several sets of tires on OE wheels, currently six that fit my 2014 Ram 2500, and keep notes on the dates, miles, performance, and wear. Some I buy, and some are supplied by manufacturers for review. Just this week I sold two older sets, one Ram and one Toyota, and bought a new set for my 2500. Some get more miles than others, depending on my needs and preferences, the physical size or fit, and how well they mesh with current objectives, but all receive thousands not hundreds of miles. Several years ago a teasing friend dubbed me “the Imelda Marcos of tires.” What can I say, if the shoe fits….

Starting lineup. There are few truck parts (any?) I like more than a fresh set of rubber. — There are few truck parts (any?) I like more than a fresh set of rubber.

Cooper Discoverer A/T3

Over the past several years Cooper Tire and Rubber—which is still a U.S.-based company and manufacturer—revamped their light-truck line. The 5-rib all-terrain Cooper Discover A/T3 is a natural choice for someone wanting better traction in more varied conditions than a highway tire (HT) offers, but something quieter, smoother and softer than a commercial traction pattern like Cooper’s S/T MAXX (which I’ve run on my 4Runner for a few years). The performance improvement over an HT can be substantial in inclement weather, including something as common as a hard rain, but the differences can be even more dramatic with a little snow, slush, or ice covering the roadway.

Because the A/T3 is their flagship all-terrain tire there are an impressive 56 sizes. The outer rib’s open lugs allow liquid and debris to escape better than highway designs, as do the circumferential voids in the center. The silica-based compound improves wet traction and on-highway handling, provides cut and chip resistance on rough terrain, and reduces rolling resistance. Lateral groove protectors reduce stone retention and drilling, and the broken center rib is designed to improve soft surface traction. It is M+S rated, and has a 55,000 mile tread wear warranty.

There will always be a place in my heart and space in my garage for high-void traction tires, though maturing has made me increasingly less fond of louder designs when they are not necessary. The A/T3 is pleasant, barely audible to my ears, and notably quieter than the similar but slightly higher-void 5-rib Toyo A/T II tested on my Ram for 8,000 miles. (The Toyos averaged 1/32 of wear for every 2,100 miles, with frequent rotations, and were removed to mount the A/T3s.)

Comparing Cooper’s high-void, 295/70R18E STT PRO mudder to the the 285/75R18E A/T3. Both sizes support 4,080# each at 80 psi.

Again I chose the fantastic, niche, LT285/75R18 size. Cooper is one of a handful of companies making this approximately 35×11.50 inch size, tall but not overly wide. These Coopers are 34.84-inches tall, with 17/32 of tread depth measuring 8.9-inches wide, and weighing 58.4-pounds solo and 90 when mated to Ram Big Horn WBJ forged aluminum wheels. They fit perfectly on the stock 8-inch wheels, and like any pattern in this size, will support a massive 4,080 pounds at 80 psi. Loaded to the Ram’s GVWR, with 60 psi in front and 80 psi in back, the rear differential ground clearance is 8 3/4 inches.

Balancing Act

Using my favorite local Discount Tire store the Coopers were dynamically (dual-plane) balanced. As always Centramatics balancers work in the background, adjusting to any irregularities on-the-fly. The A/T3s took very little wheel weight to balance, and they have remained smooth at all speeds, legal and above.

Inside Outside

#1 3.00 0.25

#2 1.75 1.75

#3 1.50 3.00

#4 1.25 3.00

The LT285/75R18E Discoverer A/T3 starts with 17/32” of tread. — The LT285/75R18E Discoverer A/T3 starts with 17/32 of tread.

Ride quality is smooth and compliant; the traditional construction 2-ply sidewall is not stiff, and helps absorb impacts, even at full pressure under a maximum load. The generous and squiggly shape of the siping helps grip, and is surely behind some of the excellent winter traction endorsements I’ve read on snow plowing sites (my A/T3s have not seen much wet yet). Straight-line tracking is good as one would expect from a 5-rib all-terrain/all-season design, as is steering response. When conditions are right my truck will drive straight for 10 seconds or more with no input. It’s too early to report on wear, but after the first 2,500 miles, it looks mileage will be similar to the Toyo A/T II tires mentioned above.

The A/T3 doesn’t feature or need sidewall tread for its target market.

Supporting Documentation

Confidence in my prose is important, but I enjoy sharing others’ views when it helps make a point. Before accepting the Senior Editor post at OutdoorX4 magazine, I was a technical editor at Overland Journal (OJ) for a few years. For the Summer 2014 issue, OJ conducted a comprehensive, seven tread, all-terrain comparison which was later published online, and can be read at: expeditionportal.com/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road. The article is a good read for traction tire enthusiasts. The short version is that the Cooper Discoverer A/T3 won both prizes after all the tests were completed: the “Value Award” and “Editor’s Choice”.

For a less analytical but impressive amateur review, this YouTube link gives a snapshot of the A/T3’s winter performance potential. A competitor’s design with plenty of tread remaining cannot start up a snowy incline in 2WD, but with Cooper A/T3s mounted, the truck moves forward.

youtube.com/watch?v=m2OHErN5ZOI&app=desktop

If you are in the market for a traditional 5-rib all-terrain, but with an updated design and reputation for superior traction, consider the Cooper Discoverer A/T3.

Sources:

Cooper Tires: coopertire.com, 800-854-6288

A version of this article was published in Issue 93 of the Turbo Diesel Register magazine, in my Still Plays With Trucks column.