Truck mud tires

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Truck Mud Tires 101

Want to know about truck mud tires?

I had the opportunity to attend some mud drags recently.

Talk about people being hard on their truck. Mud tires are serious business to these competitors, some of them even cut their own tires. The suspensions can be custom and the engines worked.

It was early on the second day when I rose from my slumber and went in search of some really bad coffee that I came across a real character. Strutting around without a shirt and wearing a ten-gallon hat, was a guy who must have weighed close to 300 pounds. The guy in the hat proudly popped the hood to show off the engine of his custom truck for the people gathering.

I figured that since there was such a commotion it might be worth a good look, so I made my way over there. Just as I did the truck owner put his hands on his hips and boasted, “Ah, I love the smell of nitrous in the morning!”

The man in the hat wasn’t bluffing, his dragster-style mud racer was supercharged and nitrous oxide injected. I’m too scared to guess the money he must have spent on his machine, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn it was in the vicinity of what I paid for my house.

For us mortals, it was the sort of machine we can only dream about, but you could easily turn your own truck into a formidable mud machine with the right set of truck mud tires. Just follow this guide and consult with your tire dealer.

1.Tread Life Expectations

Be honest about how long you want your new set of tires should last. Treadwear ratings are a good guide if you know how to understand them. Check our treadwear article for more information.

Mud tires and road surfaces are not a happy marriage, so expect a tire that’s good in the mud to wear fast on the road.

2. Weather Conditions

Some of us live where it rains more than others. Some of us live where it snows. Perhaps you’re going to travel to areas where conditions will be the polar opposite of what you encounter at home. All of this information can help you choose the right tire.

3. Speed Rating

Some of the tires available these days are rated to 150mph and beyond. Do you really need a tire rated to travel 150 mph?

4. Ride Quality

Low profile tires look fantastic but don’t feel so great when you go over bumps. If you’re going to do some serious mud sports, you will probably need the higher tires for clearance. The more tire on the wheel the more protection from damage, too.

The compromise on ride quality you make for a truck mud tire is comfort, mud tires are noisier and give a rougher ride. Some mud tires, like super swampers, completely change the characteristics of your vehicle on the road. Mind you, the super swamper would get you in and out of places a street tire could never.