Goodyear MTR w/ Kevlar... sidewall strength?

[Kevin B.]

I see that now, I was expecting links in the article. I must admit, I'm heartened by their review of the KM2 - they shined everywhere but mud, it says, which just happens to be everywhere I drive.

 

[Greg]

Would you just pick a project, STICK with the damn thing and see it through before abandoning it and changing direction completely every 6 months

Remind me when I have changed direction, I have 2 projects currently and am sticking to my plans on both. You need links to the threads? I'll get the Crayons out for you.

 

[Greg]

Thanks for all the input everyone, I feel better about the sidewall of the MTR w/ Kevlar.... I'll plan on running them on the GMC!

 

[TommyGp]

I run a set of 35s on 15" bead locks. The sidewalls will not tolerate a rock pinch at 5 psi. I've got 2 plugs in the gash of a tire with less than 1500 road miles and 2 wheeling trips on it.

I'm not saying they suck, just that I was wrong to expect near-bias ply strength out of them. Otherwise I like them very well and they handle muddy Missouri side hills surprisingly well.

 

[wallysheata]

I've been out with a few guys running 40" KM2's and a few of my buddies have the 40 & 42" MT/R's. Both guys with the KM2's have had to replace a tire due to a sidewall puncture. The KM2's did wrap up very nicely on the rocks, but they also sagged way out at 8psi on a 1 ton TJ compared to a 40" MT/R at the same PSI on a similarly equipped TJ. For a jeep that see's a lot of street time, i'd run an MT/R....oh wait my wife does run an MT/R Kevlar on her LJ :greg:

And yes please post links to both builds so i can help keep you focused :amy:

 

[Greg]

I've been out with a few guys running 40" KM2's and a few of my buddies have the 40 & 42" MT/R's. Both guys with the KM2's have had to replace a tire due to a sidewall puncture. The KM2's did wrap up very nicely on the rocks, but they also sagged way out at 8psi on a 1 ton TJ compared to a 40" MT/R at the same PSI on a similarly equipped TJ. For a jeep that see's a lot of street time, i'd run an MT/R....oh wait my wife does run an MT/R Kevlar on her LJ :greg:

And yes please post links to both builds so i can help keep you focused :amy:

For the Searching-impaired Wally...

Truck build - http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?88685-Project-Dual-Sport-1998-GMC-Sierra ; The truck is going to be a back country camping rig and tow rig for the buggy.

Buggy build - http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?82846-The-Budget-Beater-buggy ; Beater Buggy... the name says it all. No rush to finish it. :greg:

 

[sixstringsteve]

I heard that you need to air down the MT-R Kev's a bit more than your standard tire. The sidewall is supposedly stiffer, so it takes an even lower pressure to get them to bulge. My buddy and I were both @ 10 psi with identical rigs. I had KM2s and he had MTRKs, and I had more traction due to tire pressure. Once he aired his down to 7, it made things a bit more equal.

 

[Greg]

I heard that you need to air down the MT-R Kev's a bit more than your standard tire. The sidewall is supposedly stiffer, so it takes an even lower pressure to get them to bulge. My buddy and I were both @ 10 psi with identical rigs. I had KM2s and he had MTRKs, and I had more traction due to tire pressure. Once he aired his down to 7, it made things a bit more equal.

IMO, that's a good thing... tells me that the sidewall and carcass of the tire are pretty stiff and therefore strong. Were you guys in equal weight vehicles? I think with my tires being on a fullsize with one ton axles, I'll have a fair amount more weight on the tires.

 

[JL Rockies]

I air down my MT/Rs to 20PSI and I go everywhere.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Our weights were very close to each other.

 

[Trate D]

I run 37 Kevlars on my Comanche and my experience the sidewalls are awesome. I run them at 20psi on the streets and they handle and ride great. EJS was my first run on them (2 weeks old at that point) the first day out I was a little displeased. I ran 10psi... That's what I ran my previous non Kevlars at and always had good luck. The next day out I started dropping air as the day went on. I ended at 5 psi and the tires had no issues the rest of the trip hooked on everything. I will also add that was with no beadlocks! I have ran them at 5 every time I have went out and never had an issue. Funny thing is at 5psi sidewalls are still very supportive. I have recently added beadlocks so time will tell on what psi I run now. My overall thought is you won't be disappointed.

 

[iamsparticus]

i will ad this to the pot. When i was out at king of the hammers last year doing pit support the number one tire that was blowing out was teh kevlar mtrs! We saw rig after rig come in with a shreaded tire. Also in recent moab trips they dont seem to grip very good on the slick rock. I personally wont ever run them but thats just me 2 cents

 

[Greg]

I run 37 Kevlars on my Comanche and my experience the sidewalls are awesome. I run them at 20psi on the streets and they handle and ride great. EJS was my first run on them (2 weeks old at that point) the first day out I was a little displeased. I ran 10psi... That's what I ran my previous non Kevlars at and always had good luck. The next day out I started dropping air as the day went on. I ended at 5 psi and the tires had no issues the rest of the trip hooked on everything. I will also add that was with no beadlocks! I have ran them at 5 every time I have went out and never had an issue. Funny thing is at 5psi sidewalls are still very supportive. I have recently added beadlocks so time will tell on what psi I run now. My overall thought is you won't be disappointed.

Good info, makes sense that with the stiffer carcass (as Steve said) that they will need a lower pressure to get to work like they should. Once I get mine, I'll have to play with the air pressure while offroad and see what is best for my rig.

i will ad this to the pot. When i was out at king of the hammers last year doing pit support the number one tire that was blowing out was teh kevlar mtrs! We saw rig after rig come in with a shreaded tire. Also in recent moab trips they dont seem to grip very good on the slick rock. I personally wont ever run them but thats just me 2 cents

I'm not planning on running KOH with a fullsize truck... The Hammers and especially KOH are brutal on tires, no doubt.

For my use, the tires will be on a recreational 4x4 that will see more time on the road than off. I don't plan on hard rock crawling or high-speed blasting thru the desert. For what I'm doing and based on what others have said, I think the MTR/K will work fine.

Far as the grip in Moab, perhaps the tire pressures weren't low enough? Everyone has been saying they need to be lower than usual to make them work, like the above post.

 

[iamsparticus]

We were running single digits on the tires for air pressure in moab they wernt terrible but they didnt hook up very well. and i understand you are not planning on running KOH but the fact that most the tires that were failing were Kevlar MTR's was my point, actually the falken's were the only tire that seemed to hold up the best, once again your not doing KOH or serious rock crawling but if a tire can weather the hardest race in the world then it surly will handle what you can through at it or just the reverse

I'm not planning on running KOH with a fullsize truck... The Hammers and especially KOH are brutal on tires, no doubt.

For my use, the tires will be on a recreational 4x4 that will see more time on the road than off. I don't plan on hard rock crawling or high-speed blasting thru the desert. For what I'm doing and based on what others have said, I think the MTR/K will work fine.

Far as the grip in Moab, perhaps the tire pressures weren't low enough? Everyone has been saying they need to be lower than usual to make them work, like the above post.

 

[mbryson]

We were running single digits on the tires for air pressure in moab they wernt terrible but they didnt hook up very well. and i understand you are not planning on running KOH but the fact that most the tires that were failing were Kevlar MTR's was my point, actually the falken's were the only tire that seemed to hold up the best, once again your not doing KOH or serious rock crawling but if a tire can weather the hardest race in the world then it surly will handle what you can through at it or just the reverse

I'm not planning on running KOH with a fullsize truck... The Hammers and especially KOH are brutal on tires, no doubt.

For my use, the tires will be on a recreational 4x4 that will see more time on the road than off. I don't plan on hard rock crawling or high-speed blasting thru the desert. For what I'm doing and based on what others have said, I think the MTR/K will work fine.

Far as the grip in Moab, perhaps the tire pressures weren't low enough? Everyone has been saying they need to be lower than usual to make them work, like the above post.

I went from a sticky Creepy Crawler to a Kevlar MTR. While they are not comparable in traction, the Kevlars hooked up better than I expected esp. in Moab or St. George. It's a bonus that they do work decently on the highway.

I really can't speak to durability as I've not killed many tires off-highway on my Jeeps (in fact, I can't think of any). Tow rig: I can kill anything.

 

[thenag]

i will ad this to the pot. When i was out at king of the hammers last year doing pit support the number one tire that was blowing out was teh kevlar mtrs! We saw rig after rig come in with a shreaded tire. Also in recent moab trips they dont seem to grip very good on the slick rock. I personally wont ever run them but thats just me 2 cents

I don't know, just asking...

Where there significantly more mtr's on rigs than other tires? I mean if 100 rigs were running mtrs and 10 rigs running falkens, of course there will be more failures of the mtr's

I am just asking

a few years ago I swore that it is tough to beat an MTR (old mtr) for an off road tire that you want to run at 70mph on the highway, I assumed the new ones would be better, maybe not though...

I hadn't considered the falkens...

nathan

 

[sixstringsteve]

It's great that we have so many options for offroad tires. Just like vehicles, there is no one "best" that meets everyone's needs perfectly. Some tires are flexy, some are stiff, some are great in mud, some are better on rocks, you get the point.

To me, I never drive in harsh environments, so sidewall strength is at the bottom of my priority list. If I lived in AZ or NV, I'd probably choose different tires than what I currently run. To some people, durability is more important than traction. For others, traction trumps all. Sounds like Greg has done his research and that the MTR Kevlar sidewalls are going to be plenty tough for his needs.

 

[JL Rockies]

Sounds like if you don't race at single digit psi, you're OK.