When you have a good Four Wheel Drive (FWD) SUV or a truck equipped with the right tires, you are able to overtake any mud without any issues. Taking into consideration that we’re in the “muddy” season, this is the perfect time to check what tires you should have to be sure you won’t have any problems passing through difficult mud.
The first thing that you should know is that those tires having the “M/T” signs indicate that they are for Mud and Trails. If your tires do not have this sign, we recommend you stay away from mud. Such types of tires have a really aggressive tread and an overall really strong carcass. These tires are made to endure the damage that unpaved surfaces, ruts, rocks, and mud may cause.
Today, we are going to talk about mud tire prices and the first thing to mention is that mudders (tires for mud) usually have a higher price tag compared to everyday tires due to various reasons. One of those reasons is that such tires are built for loading ranges 6-, 8- and even 10-ply ratings, compared to the 4-ply ratings that most of the passenger tires offer. Another reason, as mentioned, such tires usually have a strong carcass too including other factors.
Mud Tire Maintenance
Important to know is that mud tires have a lower top speed rating compared to passenger tires (and obviously, race tires) – often they are Q-rated. This indicates that mudders are good for 100 miles per hour (approximately 160 km/h) and that makes them good enough for highway use. They are going to offer you a rougher highway ride compared to all-terrain tires.
Another important fact to keep in mind is that mud tires generate different friction on highways and off-road than all-terrain tires all along with the softer tread compound that helps these tires to well grip uneven surfaces. Therefore, you’ve got to know that they are not going to last as long as other tires too.
This is why is so important to know that tires for mud require proper and special maintenance. For example, you should when you go off-roading, you’ve got to air them down and if you’re going back on the streets, you need to re-inflate to “paved road pressure”. You’ve also got to keep them balanced and rotated.
Luckily for you, at NeoTires you can a lot of information about the perfect tires that suit your needs. More than that, you can find the perfect price range for each of them. According to the performance attributes of each type of tire versus the price, you can choose which one suits your needs better.
Below we would share a few tires for mud that we prefer with different price tags.
Reference:
$ = Low budget tires compared to others of such type
$$ = Affordable tires not too expensive, not the cheapest
$$$ = Premium tires that are better compared to most others
$$$$ = Absolute best tires of such type that you could find
Toyo Open Country M/T
The tires called Toyo Open Country M/T have earned a well-deserved reputation thanks to their ability to show top-level off-road performance. This tire is hook-shaped, having high void blocks known for well grabbing onto sand, gravel, rocks, and mud. In addition to that, the scalloped shoulder has well-blocking handle ruts. Plus, the tire offers sidewall tread elements which are known for enhancing traction.
The Toyo Open Country M/T tire is gathering even more strength from its 3-ply polyester carcass and as a bonus – the tread is self-cleaning as well. The performance it showed proved that the tire is great on pavement since is doing a great job of “swallowing” each block to offer extra grip in rain, mud, and snow. Other than that, it makes a quiet ride too. Toyo Open Country M/T tires are much more durable compared to most other competitors that you would find.
- Price: $$$$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: E (10 ply)
- Best Uses: For difficult off-road paths as well as can be a comfortable tire for everyday travel on the highway.
Green Max Traveler M/T
The mud tire that is rated at 6, 8, or 10 ply called Green Max Traveler M/T has very aggressive, lug-style blocks all across the four ribs. Due to the tire’s wide and deep voids, you can be sure that they are going to be great even when you’re preparing to go through the worst off-road surfaces. Such tires allow you to pass surfaces that you haven’t even considered in the past.
At the same time, the Green Max Traveler M/T is doing a great job on pavement, even a wet one. With such a tire, drivers would notice improved street handling on trucks as well as SUVs even when they are compared with many lug-style and higher-ply tires. One of the best news when talking about Traveler M/T is the price. Taking into consideration that the tires are manufactured by a Chinese company called Ling Long, they are very affordable, we can even say “cheap” compared to other mud tires.
- Price: $
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: C (6 ply); D (8 ply); E (10 ply) – depending on the size
- Best Uses: For difficult off-road paths but is also good for towing and paved street use when you need a softer ride.
Centennial Dirt Commander M/T
A pretty affordable mud tire that is doing a great job is the Centennial Dirt Commander M/T. it has a tread design that makes it pretty clear – such tires are always ready for any off-road challenges. The Commander has four ribs. These feature big and overlapping, as well as irregularly shaped blocks that offer extra traction edges. This architecture along with deep voids ensures easy passing through the difficult-to-pass roads where there’s extra dirt, gravel, mud rocks as well and light snow.
The Centennial Commander M/T is a perfect tire for light snow as is rated as an all-season tire, showing great performance in off-road, light snow, and rain as well. Even though it comes with a very aggressive design required for off-roading, do not let this design fool you into making you think that it won’t do a great job on a highway. Take the Centennial Commander M/T and you’re all set, being ready for either everyday mountain ride as well as serious off-road.
- Price: $$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: E (10 ply)
- Best Uses: For everyday rides, for towing as well as for difficult off-road paths.
BFGoodrich Mud/Terrain T/A KM2
If you’re preparing your vehicle for a serious and difficult off-road, is hard to find tires that would offer you more confidence than BFGoodrich Mud/Terrain T/A KM2. It's a perfect big-lugged tire that would behave extremely well either in serious mud or on a highway. Its design might make you think that the tires are good exclusively for off-road, but that is a big mistake. BFGoodrich Mud/Terrain T/A KM2 is going to sip all types of roads, regardless if we’re talking about muddy and rocky trails or snow-covered pavement.
If you’re worried about the off-road capabilities, the BFGoodrich Mud/Terrain T/A KM2 won’t leave you disappointed. That's because of its extra stable performance on difficult off-road due to the tread that has added strength from 2 steel belts as well as a nylon cap ply. If you get to serious mud, there’s nothing to worry about – its sidewall lugs offer you extra traction, making sure you go over it. Other than that, the tread is self-cleaning too. OK, you have good mudders, but you may want to have a quiet street ride either as you could drive them daily. Don’t go too far, with such a type of tire, your daily drive would get enhanced too.
- Price: $$$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: C (4 ply); D (6 ply); E (10 ply) – depending on the size
- Best Uses: For everyday rides, and amazing for difficult off-road paths.
Kanati Mud Hog M/T
If you ever heard someone saying that in Indonesia you can’t find anything good for your car, show them the Kanati Mud Hog M/T tire performance. This Indonesian tire is amazing to help you get over the rockiest surfaces and at the same time, you won’t get a “black hole” in your wallet. The Kanati Mud Hog M/T would amaze you with how well it can perform on significant rocky trails due to its heavily blocked tread. Also, it has a super strong carcass and at the same time, you’re going to a feeling of calmness when you equip them and go on a highway. This tire offers super long-shoulder lugs too.
The Kanati Mud Hog M/T is extremely well made, offering 2 polyester plies, 2 steel plies as well as 2 nylon plies that support the tread. To protect the tire from unwanted and possible damage, the tread pattern is supplemented with sidewall lugs. They help to keep your tires safe and sound.
- Price: $$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: C (6 ply); E (10 ply) – depending on the size
- Best Uses: For everyday driving combined with rocky and/or sandy trails.
Pirelli Scorpion MTR
Pirelli is a well known tire company and therefore, many people automatically assume that its tires are expensive which is far from true. Pirelli Scorpion MTR is a prime example of that with its competitive price for a mud tire that has a dual compound rubber. Thanks to this, it makes the tread a bit more flexible and a bit more grippy, allowing users to go through harsh road spots. At the same time, this tire would allow you to save some extra money. The carcass is really well built being stiff enough for great stability and maneuverability.
The Pirelli Scorpion MTR has a C load range and that makes it have great off-road strength. Still, at the same time, this allows for a smooth and comfortable highway drive, especially when compared to some other heavier builds. The tread offers special lugs that are required for the muddy and rocky trails thanks to which the tire is doing a great job and also displays a great performance in rain as well as light snow on paved roads.
- Price: $$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: C (6 ply)
- Best Uses: Perfect balance for everyday driving on a highway combined with off-road needs.
Atturo Trail Blade M/T
Most of the tires that are made to do a great job in the mud, trails, and rocky roads do not look as good as other tires. That’s because they are usually made in a way that helps handle all those roads, but the “extra–everything” makes it less attractive. Yet, that’s a different story when talking about the Atturo Trail Blade M/T which looks extremely good and performs even better.
Thanks to the tread blocks that were shaped like knife blades this tire obtained the name “Trail Blade”. This feature truly works like “blades” as they are ready to attack and cut through anything that stands in the tire way. As a result, those who choose to equip their SUV or truck with Atturo Trail Blade M/T would be sure their car is really good-looking when parked. Yet, it's capable enough of releasing the “monster” when it prepares for serious off-road trips. As a bonus to a stylish “monster” that looks good whilst performing amazingly off-road, this monster is “controlled” during highway travel running quietly, especially when compared to most other mud tires.
- Price: $$$
- Season: All-Season
- Load Range: C (6 ply); D (8 ply); E (10 ply) – depending on the size
- Best Uses: Looks extremely stylish and you can show off, plus is great for serious off-road and is reasonably comfortable and quiet for everyday highway drives.
Mud Tires: FAQs
Are Mud Tires Good on the Road?
Mud tires will drive you safe and sound on the paved road. However, you must understand that their main purpose is mud, dirt, gravel, sand, and rocks. As such, don't expect smooth driving with them on the pavement. At least, they will be somewhat less comfortable and louder than all-season or touring tires. Highly extreme mud tires are generally unsuitable for pavements.
Do Mud Tires Use More Fuel?
Taking into account the construction and weight of mud tires, you can expect a fuel economy drop. The vehicle consumes quite a lot of energy and force to propel these huge and bulky mud tire treads on the road. Also, the aggressive and deep tread design creates massive air circulation. These 2 aspects increase the rolling resistance of mud tires, which is why they increase fuel burning. According to statistical data, these tires are about 3% less fuel-efficient than the all-terrain category and about ~4% in comparison with all-season tires.
How Long Will Mud Tires Last?
Mud tires are generally exposed to damage factors such as rocks, mud, and irregular pavement. As such, their tread deteriorates relatively quickly even if their rubber is very durable and resistant. on average, you can expect mud tires to last about 20,000-40,000 miles, depending on the manufacturer and price. If you use mud tires occasionally and on various types of surfaces including smooth roads, they can last up to 60,000 miles.
Why Are Mud Tires So Expensive?
The price of the tires depends on the materials used, the internal casing, additional reinforcement compounds, and the advanced technologies in them. If we talk about mud tires, they are huge, with a complex design, and with plenty of materials to ensure their durability and resistance to impact. In addition, their internal structure is much stronger than a regular tire to face off-road and mud abuse. All these aspects add value to the mud tire price tag.
Is a Mud Tire Different From an All-Terrain One?
Even if they look similar, mud tires differ from off-road ones. The difference lies in the complexity of the tread, and internal casing, as well as the versatility of the conditions in which they are used. Take a look at the image below for more detailed information.
Why Trust NeoTires?
The Neotires team has a special passion for tires and everything that means a performant driving experience. We love to test different tires, compare them, and observe how each model behaves in different conditions. However, we are not just amateurs, but professionals with experience in this field. Each member of the team is proud of their knowledge in this industry and they help us create reliable, trustworthy, and expert-validated content.
In addition, we collaborate with the most reputable tire makers and people who work in tire production companies. As such, we constantly keep an eye on industry innovations in order to offer our clients the best in terms of tires and technical service. Here we learn, grow, evolve, and share our great products and services to our end customers for their ultimate driving experience.
