I just got my LTB's on the samurai, and I have already wheelled a
few places...
This thread will be for LTB's and their owners, and also for onlokers anting info on a nice, price for the punch tire.. I will be updating this thread every time I do something new, ranging from rocks to sand, mud to ice... ECT. I don't want people to get these tires just because they look good, BUT! because they can see a thread on people and their first hand experience (This means:Own/Have owned a set, or know/wheeled with someone with a set...)
So now onto the begin of the review...
When I saw them for the first time, I was dumbfounded at the agressiveness of such a cheap tire! Ranging from $107 to $117 (what I paid at Les Schwab) per tire...
When I went down the road, I was disappointed at how quiet they were... Not even close to trademark Super Swamer... Maybe after I break them in a little more.
Pics of tread:
As you can see, this is one aggressive midget! The side lugs (on the 31") are about 1.75" wide at their widest point and the lugs (on an 8" rim) line up EXACT with the sidewall... Making the lug the widest thing on the tire. And also; these are really! soft tires. Very nice compound...
And for the Coin test, I did it with a quarter (about 13/16 up the quarter) a Penny (the size of a penny.) and a dime (a little bit under the middle-most lug.)
And a pic describing it:
But the coolest part about these tires were the pop-outs on the side lugs of the tire!
Of course they are jut for show, but that is a cool plus for a tire that is only $107...
Ok... Now onto my driven review...
LOOSE WETTED DIRT: (Kinda like top soil)
The day I got them, the tire shop put 15 lbs in each tire, and I told them to balance them with bb's (which work over 24 MPH BTW!) so when the bead was set good enough, I lowered them to 10 lbs and went up the mountain... There was LOTS of slick ice and crap up there, and I was only in 2wd most the time, so I did a lot of sliding... (a 2000 lb rig with a lot of torque?! what do you think happend?!) but when I got to the top, we headed for the "Big Hill"... Where we couldn't make in a $8000 sammy on Baja claws(locked/full susp./gears, the works!), I made in slick dirt (like top soil)... And I will tell you, it was a nervous ride STRICKLY because my T-case was making noise from a loose bolt... But other than that, we climbed up the hill hitting roots and falling in 4wd quad burnouts and stucks, we made it all the way...
Unlocked and lightweight, I have NEVER seen a tire like this perform so well in tearing through the dirt to get to the good stuff.
FORREST MUD:
Today, after work, I went to a private spot that has been soaking wet and grassy for the past month, just to see how the mud flys!
Feeling better about my T-case (after welding the bolts to keep them from creeping out), I went down the road from my work to play in the slop... It was just wet enough to be slick, but dry enough to hold together, . This terrain is similar to the kind of stuff you find a little off the beaten trail...
I put it in first and dropped the hammer on that stuff and you can just see PILES of wet mud behind your rig. I can't get them to load up!!! I was throwing 5' roaster tails everytime I went WOT! It's killing me that all the goo-e, gummy mud is all underneath a sheet of ice (damn ice... I hate ice...) But come spring, the mud WILL be flying...
In mud, if you can get these tires stuck, it's only because you're afraid of your skinny peddle, or you picked a line your truck wasn't made for.
Still to come:
Rocks: The famous White City rock pit is only 10 miles from me... This was designed by Brent (founder of Trail Tough) and he does testing of his new products in this very pit... Next project to test will be his Bolt-on 40"+ tire setup (stretched on coils and such...) for the samurai's... But I will get pics of that too.
Deep or Goowy mud: I know of a perfect spot. My camera guy can ride with me...
Deep sidehill ruts: I know somewhere, but it will be a while before I get pics..
The Monster of mud: I know another place were the mud is black. Where the big fullsize K5 blazers with 44" bogger can't make up, and the mud is too slick to even
hike up.
For now, end of review. These tires are worth every penny
If ANYONE has a question/request to knowledge, please ask away ON the thread... It's good to let everyone know something ahead of time...
And this isn't just MY thread, PLEASE!!! Jack this thread with your own
LTB experience.
