36" TSL swampers OR 37" MTR for WA conditions

Post by **cbr** » Mon Feb 10, 2003 5:52 pm

Alright here is the deal I am about to buy some tyres for my 4runner (this week) and have narrowed them down to 2 choices, 36" swamper TSL and 37" MTR.

WA conditions consist of Dry gravel/clay type surface (ruts), sand, mud and some rock. So when it gets wet the gravel/clay surface turns to mud, this is only in Winter. The other times of the year it is very dry. So it not like QLD dry rock. It is probably more like Sydney/Melbourne area, from the photo's I have seen. I don't like playing in sand and deep mud (if it can be avoided).

To get to any decent places to 4wd is about a 2+ hour drive. So I will be streeting the tyres atleast to go 4wding. So If I get the swampers I will have to swap tyres before I go 4wding. With the MTR's they will be streetable all the time. So less hassle when I got 4wding.

I just found out on the weekend that 2 of my current 35" BFG started to delaminate, so they are toast. So If I go the swampers I need to find 2 35" second hand BFG (near impossible in Perth) and 4 new rims for the swampers. If I go the mtr's I can street them all the time and don't have to buy new rims.

I can get the Mtr's for $383 ea. The swampers are $440ea.

The mtr's look about 1" taller then the swampers.

The mtr's look like they will last longer then the swampers.

I think the swampers will out perform the MTR's in WA contitions ???

I think the mtr's are an all-round tyre but the swamper is a dedicated 4wding tyre!!

Any comments??

Chris.

Post by **Westoztroopa** » Mon Feb 10, 2003 9:34 pm

I personally would probably go the swampers if you can afford it. Not that I have much experience with either tyre but I just think that as it is probably more of a dedicated 4x4 manufacturer the swampers would be the go in term of longevity. I think lateral grip is pretty important too so whichever one looks like it would be less likely to slide sideways...
I remember seeing Dale (TJ) get into a little trouble with his claws because of poor lateral grip.

Noel

Hey remember this Christian? :shock:

Post by **Surfection** » Mon Feb 10, 2003 10:34 pm

That's a pretty damn good price for the MTR's cbr, i would say it's a pretty easy choice. I've owned/run swampers, not tsl's but they're all relativly similar, and they were great, but after spending alot of time watching dan's mtr's on the trail i wouldn't bother with swampers, not with the amount of steet driving you are going to be doing, and not for the amount of money you will save, spend it elsewhere. Just MHO anywayz.

Post by **RUFF** » Mon Feb 10, 2003 10:39 pm

Both tyres are illegal fitted to drive on road anyway but if i was to have to drive 2hrs on road to get to where i wheel i would by the MTR as the TSL are not a real road friendly tyre and will wear real fast once they are hot.
The MTRs work real well offroad and wear real well on road.

Just a question. Have you worked out how you are going to fit these up in the guards on full stuff yet?
35 MTRs only just fit in the guards on Nicks and they still rub on the trailing edge slightly on full stuff.

Post by **cbr** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:21 am

RUFF wrote:Both tyres are illegal fitted to drive on road anyway but if i was to have to drive 2hrs on road to get to where i wheel i would by the MTR as the TSL are not a real road friendly tyre and will wear real fast once they are hot.
The MTRs work real well offroad and wear real well on road.

Just a question. Have you worked out how you are going to fit these up in the guards on full stuff yet?
35 MTRs only just fit in the guards on Nicks and they still rub on the trailing edge slightly on full stuff.

I realise the MTR's are illegal on the road, but so are 35's on a 4runner here in WA!! What can you do? I though about carrying the 4wd tyres to trail and them fit them, but that is a pain in the ass.

Which ever tyre that I run I will be cutting to make them fit. Need the tyres first then I will cut to suit!!

I want to go up in size as my current 35" BFG are really only 33.5" tall.

So Tony, Surfection or any one, what are the MTR's like in a bit of goo?? I have the power to spin the 37" to clean them (with the v8) is this enough to make them work??

decisions, decisions

Chris.

Post by **cbr** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:32 am

Westoztroopa wrote:I personally would probably go the swampers if you can afford it. Not that I have much experience with either tyre but I just think that as it is probably more of a dedicated 4x4 manufacturer the swampers would be the go in term of longevity. I think lateral grip is pretty important too so whichever one looks like it would be less likely to slide sideways...
I remember seeing Dale (TJ) get into a little trouble with his claws because of poor lateral grip.

Noel

Hey remember this Christian?

Yea I sure remember this :shock:

Lucky that it stoped in time!! It's one thing to put dents in you own rig but to put them in someone else's is another!!

I can afford the swampers but I could spend the money else where (cost savings on tyres and rims). But this is not my major concern, it is longevity. I don't want to spend $1800 and only last 6 - 12 months because of the road travel I have to do to get to places like harvey and collie, etc.

But on the other hand I don't want to spend $1600 on tyres and they don't work any better then the BFG's I have now !!

If I lived in QLD I would not have any doubt the mtr's would be the go, but here in WA the decision is a bit harded.

Chris.

Post by **cbr** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 2:48 am

So has anyone in Sydney/Melbourne had experences in slightly muddy conditions with these tyres, either swampers or MTR's.

Anyone in Perth had any experences with them??

Come on post up.

Don't just vote tell me the reason for you votes

Chris

Post by **bj on roids** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 7:41 am

If you are going to be doing any street at all, the radial tyre is the go, if its an offroad pure machine, 36s, will be better!

if you wheel a lot of sharp rocks, that lacerate radial tyres, then the swamper is a better choice too

Post by **Wendle** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 7:48 am

yeah, for all round use go the goodyear.. even if you run a small amount of rock and cut the occasional tyre up an need to replace it, the longer life and cheaper price of the radial will still be ahead in $

Post by **MADSHORT** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 9:37 pm

Look check out the pedes you will be surprised they wear ok and are leagal on the road (here NSW) good in mud and good on rock but are only 35`s

Madshort

Post by **cbr** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 11:05 pm

MADSHORT wrote:Look check out the pedes you will be surprised they wear ok and are leagal on the road (here NSW) good in mud and good on rock but are only 35`s

Madshort

Yea I considered them but not tall enough!!

Chris.

Post by **duncan** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 1:13 am

Chris ive seen the mtrs work with some of the guys from opposite lock on the south end of Edwards road going up the muddy section in the middle of winter with lots of mud they worked pretty well and are a lot cheaper also there on the car all the time . Also saw them on a wrangler drive Bobs hill they worked real well on the rocks.But if you start to do more muddy work or lots of low presure work i think the swampers will last longer because of the way they are construted .Just something to consider do you realy need to go higher your cog is already very high bigger tyres are just going to make it more unstable on large rocks and ruts unless you have got the suspension working real well.I dont think the MTRS are going to be heaps better than your bfgs if its mud id go the swampers or maybe baga claws only my thougts hope to see you out there this winter got put onto some new tracks down brunswick way

Post by **cbr** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 1:34 am

duncan wrote:Chris ive seen the mtrs work with some of the guys from opposite lock on the south end of Edwards road going up the muddy section in the middle of winter with lots of mud they worked pretty well and are a lot cheaper also there on the car all the time . Also saw them on a wrangler drive Bobs hill they worked real well on the rocks.But if you start to do more muddy work or lots of low presure work i think the swampers will last longer because of the way they are construted .Just something to consider do you realy need to go higher your cog is already very high bigger tyres are just going to make it more unstable on large rocks and ruts unless you have got the suspension working real well.I dont think the MTRS are going to be heaps better than your bfgs if its mud id go the swampers or maybe baga claws only my thougts hope to see you out there this winter got put onto some new tracks down brunswick way

Dunan how do you like the Simex's??

How is Keiths Swampers going with wear ??

Chris.

Post by **cbr** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 1:40 am

duncan wrote:Just something to consider do you realy need to go higher your cog is already very high bigger tyres are just going to make it more unstable on large rocks and ruts unless you have got the suspension working real well

Yea something to think about!!

I am planing to install ifs huds at the front to get it to match the wider IFS axle and am getting the rims modified for greater offset. So I should be about 4" wider since the last time you saw it.

Plus I am redoing the rear suspension to make it work better. I am probably taking it off the road next weekend to start all the mods I have planned

Been 4wding lately ??

Chris

Post by **duncan** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 12:58 am

Chris the simexes are great they chew through the mud real well only problem is that the truck could do with some more horses to turn them since I saw you last Ive fitted my 5 link front works great and some rock sliders all from the creative mind of this backyard engineer.Keith has only been out a couple of times with his swampers still working great but I do seem to get through the mud better with the simexes still I wish Id gone taller after seeing Dale and a couple of other cars at Kalgoorlie with 37 x 13 Boggers just not enough power to turn them if your interested in going out when you get the lux finished drop me a line Im going out on the weekend of the 21st with a mate who runs with the jeep gang down south see how those wranglers go catch you round

Post by **Steve** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 2:59 pm

duncan wrote: Also saw them on a wrangler drive Bobs hill they worked real well on the rocks.

I did Bob's Hill in my TJ running 31" BFG All-Terrains!

But that was during summer. I used to run 32" TSL SX's and well onroad they are horrid. They flat spot after being parked and it's like driving on a square tyre until they heat up a bit. I bought them secondhand and they were pretty worn when I had them out for the last time in a bit of mud. I'd say go the MTR.

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