MTR vs. Claw--real oppinions needed

[Cody]

I remember a year or two ago when I was down in Farmington for an ARCA event there were some guys running the 37" 13.5 MT Claws and loving them. I saw them in person and thought they were bad ass.

So I ask you. If it came down to choosing between 37x12.5 MTR's w/ 90% tread or 37x 13.5 MT claws with 75% tread--what would you do? All on 15" TR beadlocks and both are sets of 5.

Assuming the cost became nearly equal, witch set would you run?

Cody

 

[muleskinner]

I'd go with the MTR. More tread for the same money.. I dont know anything about the claws. I dont see to many people run them, dont know why??

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Can't say much about the Claw's other than there isn't alot of people running them, and that can be a good indication itself. I have MTR's and I love em'. Quiet, clean out good, have lasted quite a while. IMHO...

 

[ShortShaft]

I had a set of Claws and they by far were the loudest tire I have ever had. The rubber compund seems to be really hard and the sidewall is super stiff. When I ran them on the road I would have 10 psi less than normal just to even out the tread wear. Off-road they did not perform quite like I was used to. I have not run MTRs, and am not a big fan of them overall. IMO the best tire out there are the SSRs, that is what I run.

 

[Cody]

I'm not concerned about road noise or milage on these tires. Strictly offroad.

I think they would have to be the competition (softer) compound. I'll find out.

I think the reason you don't see many peopel running them in comp's and stuff ist hat most of the big guys are with BFG and GY. I don't think MT brings a truck by and gives out tires like the other guys do.

Cody

 

[ShortShaft]

Go for the claws then. If all you are interested in is off-road give them a try, and if they don't work out just go with a different tire next time. You know how often we go through tires, especially this time of year. You can't loose a whole lot, and most of the time tires only make up part of how the vehicle wheels, the majority is driver, and then the rest I say is suspension. For the most part any tire will do, IMO.

 

[brian]

mtr's work....no question!!!...never tried baja claws and dont know anyone who has.....stick with something you know will work.......unless you got the extra $$$$ to experiment!!!....just my thoughts!!!!!

 

[Bones]

I have only seen the Claw in action and the opinions are either I love em of hate them. The love em comments were from everyday joe wheeler like us (I rode with one and they did seem stiff in the sides, but I'm used to MTR's now), the hate em comments came from shop crownies that got them at below cost, and they went back to TSL's so take that with a grain.

Trailer queen? What about TSL's or SX's? Not to make this a pissing match, but I LOVED my old 33" TSL's and 36" SX's. I swapped to MTR's cuz mine is still driven to the trails and the SX's were damn near square I like my MTR's alot (and the prices are only getting better), but if mine was on a trialer, I'd be back on some grooved 38x12.50 swampa's. I just like the lugs better for what I normally wheel in here. My MTR's did fantastic in Moab, minus the cat calls from my wife about "Some swampas could have made it" when I couldn't make it up this or that

My $0.02

 

[Caleb]

well I ran the 35x12.5 claws and they were ok...I didn;t mind them on the road(not a point ot you though) and they were an average tire offroad...I never did anything too big or crazy with them...I've only ran AFC with them...I like the MTRs but EVERYBODY has them(dont anybody say its cause they work so well cause I see alot of GY Wranglers around too) I know the MTRs do work but I think a lot of the guys have them cause that was the cool tire to have...are you planning on competing? I think the MTRs have a tougher sidewall so I would prolly go with them...Claws might be fun to try though...I dont know about the 37s but the old claws all measured small and that is why (I think atleast) a lot of guys arent running them...a 35 claw is like a 33 of any other tire...I think they fixed taht with the larger tires but dont know for sure...

 

[Parker]

Don't you have a set of MTR's already?

Skip the Claws all together. Soft compound is way too soft, the lugs just fold over themselves and supply little traction... the hard compound is just plain too hard. I tried the hard a year ago and they were so damn hard that you could pull the valve stem out and they still felt like they had 20 lbs of air. No conforming to rocks at all. I have one 37x12.50x15 left you're welcome to if you like.

Stick with the Goodyears... they work.

If you're dieing to try something new see if you can get a hold some Krawlers. They seem to work surprisingly well.

 

[Mike_Lib]

No real opinions here....but after watching your rig perform in Moab I would expect a bigger tire to help more than the same size tire in a different tread.

The only reason I run MTR's is because my rig is dual purpose. If I had a trail only rig I would run a 38.5" SX or an even larger TSL. The 39.5" Krawlers and 40" MTRs seem cool, but thats a lot of dough for 4 pieces of rubber. I don't know what some of you guys get for tread life, but my MTRs only have 6 moab trips on them and maybe 4k mi max and they're chunked up pretty good.

Just my $.02

Mike

 

[Brett]

save money....pay off debt...buy new tires

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by Mike_Lib
No real opinions here....but after watching your rig perform in Moab I would expect a bigger tire to help more than the same size tire in a different tread.

The only reason I run MTR's is because my rig is dual purpose. If I had a trail only rig I would run a 38.5" SX or an even larger TSL. The 39.5" Krawlers and 40" MTRs seem cool, but thats a lot of dough for 4 pieces of rubber. I don't know what some of you guys get for tread life, but my MTRs only have 6 moab trips on them and maybe 4k mi max and they're chunked up pretty good.

Just my $.02

Mike

I agree. a taller tire would have done you a lot better than a different tread compound.....and for hellsake let some more air out of them.

for curiosity, what were you running on lower H. It looked like around 25 PSI.....I would go for 5 PSI with those beadlocks!!

 

[Brett]

Originally posted by spencurai


I agree. a taller tire would have done you a lot better than a different tread compound.....and for hellsake let some more air out of them.

for curiosity, what were you running on lower H. It looked like around 25 PSI.....I would go for 5 PSI with those beadlocks!!

Personally, I would run about 40 psi

 

[Cody]

11 psi front and 9 in the back. I didn't want to get a lot of sidwall flex upfront on offcamber stuff. First trip--still gotta get them dialed in.

I think I"m going to pass on the claws. Maybe some fo-dee inch BFG or GY's next season.

Cody

 

[Mike_Lib]

Originally posted by GroceryGetter
11 psi front and 9 in the back.

I ran mine from 5-8, but I also had much less sidewall than you. Don't be afraid to show your buldge on the trail. The girls won't get offended....I promise

 

[crimsonride]

Cody, don't listen to these guys. They don't know what they're talking about. Get Thornbirds!

 

[Cody]

cini-bear. it is indeed your claws I was considering buying. I've decided to stick to what I have for now. Good luck selling them.

Cody