Jeep Tire Buyers Guide - 4 Ply Guide

BFGoodrich MT KM
The BFG Mud Terrain is available in just about any popular size up to and under 37 inches in diameter and has a nice, semi-aggressive tread pattern that makes it a good all-around choice for a daily driver and weekend trail machine. On the street the tires run smooth, with virtually no tread slap noticed. Dry loose dirt, sand, light mud, and some rock capabilities don't cause the MT to break a sweat, but the 3-ply sidewalls have developed a reputation as being less resistant to punctures and tears than its Krawler cousin. The sidewall lugs on the MT KM are slightly larger than those of the previous generation MT, and we've found them to be reasonably long-lived on a daily-driven vehicle.
Street:***
Sand:***
Mud:***
Heavy Rock:**

Pro Comp Extreme AT
Relatively new on the scene, the Pro Comp Extreme AT is an affordable tire offered in a wide array of sizes. As may be expected of an all-terrain tire with generously siped treads, noise levels and performance on the street-whether wet or dry-were outstanding. The tires ride smoothly and quietly with no drawbacks. Also, as may be expected from an all-terrain, these tires offer abysmal performance in the mud, where the treads quickly clogged and showed reluctance to self clean. Sand performance was decent, with digging experienced only at higher throttle levels, but they tended to slip a bit in the rocks.
Street:****
Sand:**
Mud:*
Heavy Rock:*

Pro Comp Xterrain
The Xterrain is a radial tire with up to three polyester sidewall plies. The plies are said to be thicker and woven more tightly to provide a more puncture-resistant sidewall than other 3-ply tires. We didn't gouge ours, even though we tried. The tread is appealing and aggressive, with large siped blocks that don't take away much from the tires' road manners. The sidewalls have proven flexible in the rocks, and we've found performance in slightly hard-packed mud to be phenomenal. Gooier mud and sand running are capably handled, but it's not this tire's main forte.
Street:***
Sand:***
Mud:***
Heavy Rock:***

High-Tec Retreading MT
We liken owning a set of High-Tec tires to getting into Disneyland on half-price day. You're not too upset if you don't get on every ride, but it's a bonus if you get on all the roller coasters-and we got on all the roller coasters. While sidewalls change based on carcass availability, we were extremely surprised at how much performance we mustered out of a dirt-cheap set of MTs. The medium-sized lugs were quite soft and supple, so performance in the rocks was good. Street noise was moderate to low, and mud and sand performance was dead middle of the pack. They proved to be an all-around good performing tire that were fun to run.
Street:***
Sand:**
Mud:**
Heavy Rock:**

Mickey Thompson Baja Claw
The Mickey Thompson Baja Claws have proven to be some of the toughest tires available. The polyester and fiberglass bias-belted design puts up to 6 hefty plies in the sidewall. Plus, the tread wraps most of the way around the tire, offering traction and extra protection at any angle. The Claw has plenty of sizes, but because it's a bias ply you'll notice some flat-spotting when parked overnight in cooler temperatures or when run at lower pressures.
Street:**
Sand:***
Mud:***
Heavy Rock:****

Mickey Thompson MTZ
Another relatively new arrival on the scene is the Mickey Thompson MTZ radial. Like most Mickey Thompson designs, the MTZ features big, biting tread lugs that extend part way down the 3-ply sidewalls. The thick, siped tread blocks provide excellent grip in the rocks, and we've found their performance in most types of mud to be outstanding. The tires don't require a lot of wheel speed to clean out and pull willingly. However, as seems to be the case with any tire that works well in mud, there is a lot of road noise given off. That isn't to say the ride is harsh, just noisy.
Street:**
Sand:***
Mud:***
Heavy Rock:***