TireTerrain

Mud Terrain Tires

BF Goodrich KM3 vs Cooper STT Pro

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BF Goodrich KM3 and Cooper STT Pro are both mud-terrain tires that can be used for highway driving. Most people prefer these tires to obtain an aggressive look on their vehicles. Yet, an aggressive appearance comes up with some cons. Let’s see which will meet your expectations.

BFG KM3 is a tall tire that looks dope on lifted vehicles
BF Goodrich KM3Cooper STT Pro
Better forOff-road adventure,
lifted vehicles owners who wanna put aggressive appearance,
great on-road manners for a mud terrain tire,
winter traction		Squishy regions,
hauling & towing,
commercial usage
ProsInsane off-road traction,
tough sidewalls,
long-lasting rubber for a mud-terrain tire		Insane wet and dry traction,
mild & severe off-road traction,
ConsA bit noisyLimited winter performance

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, BF Goodrich KM3 offers a slightly smoother and less vocal tire. BF Goodrich KM3 and Cooper STT Pro are both solid picks for wet and dry grounds. Furthermore, both have exceptional off-road performance. While BF Goodrich KM3 performs better in muddy conditions, Cooper STT Pro handles slightly better in rocky conditions. However, BF Goodrich KM3 lasts longer.

Table of Contents

Dry Performance

The dry performance consists of 3 different dimensions.

The first dimension is dry traction that’s not an issue for mud-terrain tires. These tires are also known as maximum traction tires. Well, dry traction is the easiest part for them.

Secondly, steering response. Steering response’s a huge game-changer in my point of view. It’s hard to reach for huge tires but not impossible.

Lastly, cornering stability. This part is tricky. These tires need flexible sidewalls due to increasing their air-down performances. Yet, manufacturers should balance this flexibility with sidewall durability.

Let’s compare them for each sub-sections.

Dry Traction

Let’s keep this part short. These are premium brand maximum traction tires. So, they’re both extremely trustworthy options regarding dry traction.

If have to pick one, I would go with BF Goodrich KM3. Its divided center section lugs will increase the biting edge area and offers slightly better traction.

Steering Response

Steering response is related to the contact patch. If your tire steps the ground completely then it’ll provide a solid steering response. Think about racing tires. They’re almost bald due to improving steering response.

In that case, our tires are close rated. Yet, if you check them closely, you can clearly see that BF Goodrich KM3 has a very well optimized and slightly less void area. Its center section almost steps the ground in whole and that’s a huge plus for quick steering response. On the other hand, bigger and differently sized center section lugs. These kinds of designs generally have an issue with steering response and balance in the latest tread life. Because they tend to wear unevenly.

BF Goodrich KM3 has a quicker steering response. Yet, Cooper STT Pro has a decent steering response. It’ll satisfy you at least %70 of its tread life.

Cornering Stability

Cornering stability is important when you’re driving at high speed. Though worth reminding, I don’t recommend using these tires at high velocity. Especially, if you’re not paying attention to your inflation pressure.

Regarding our comparison, I prefer BF Goodrich KM3 every day of the week. Its optimized sidewalls are robust and flexible at the same time. However, Cooper STT Pro has tough sidewalls. Yet, unlike BF Goodrich KM3, Cooper STT Pro is only designed for off-roading. Therefore, its sidewalls aren’t optimized for high-velocity driving.

I recommend BF Goodrich KM3 if you’re likely to use your vehicle at high speeds. Otherwise, Cooper STT Pro will meet all of your expectations.

Wet Performance

Flotation sizes of Cooper STT Pro are hugeee

Mud-terrain tires generally struggle on wet grounds. Due to their less notched tread patterns, they have huge grip issues on wet ground. However, their water evacuation ability makes them a reliable tire regarding hydroplaning resistance.

Wet Grip

Wet grip is kinda challenging for these two. But, no worries. Both can handle it very well.

Due to their soft compounds, both have an average wet grip ability. However, Cooper STT Pro is one step ahead due to its better-notched rubber.

Cooper STT Pro is a better pick if a wet grip is your priority.

Hydroplaning Resistance

I don’t think that you’ll have an issue with hydroplaning with these tires. Yet, in case it’s important for you, here is the comparison.

Due to its narrower horizontal shoulder grooves, BF Goodrich KM3 can evacuate the water with a higher pressure. As a result, it can throw the water out of the pattern zippier.

BF Goodrich KM3 has better hydroplaning resistance.

Off-Road Performance

Tacoma + Cooper STT cooperation looks dopee!

Off-road is where these two are shinning. Yet, they’re experts on different surfaces. Let’s evaluate them one by one and which one is better.

Dirt and Gravel

This section is for those who’re using these tires for appearances. So, you guys mostly face dirt or gravel.

Regarding dirt, both tires can perfrom perfectly. Due to their unique rubbers, they can grip like no others. Let’s say draw for this time.

Regarding gravel, both tires are trustworthy. Yet, I prefer Cooper STT Pro because its wider shoulder grooves can grip the loose ground better. On the other hand, these fellows have stone ejectors which provide consistent traction through the gravel terrains.

Just close your eyes and pick one for this section. They’re both unstoppable.

Mud

Mud performance is strongly related to water evacuation capability. In that case, shoulder biters have also had a huge impact on performance.

BF Goodrich KM3’s shoulder design promises a lot more than Cooper’s. Its shoulder grooves continue to its sidewalls. Therefore, its water evacuation ability is superior. Moreover, its sidewall biters are specially designed for loose grounds. They increase its traction ability a lot.

BF Goodrich KM3 is a better tire for mud driving. Yet, Cooper STT Pro is also a solid pick for this section.

Sand

Let’s keep it short. Less aggressive design always works better on sand. In that case, BF Goodrich KM3 is the winner of this sectiion.

Rock Crawling

Rock crawling is the expertise of BF Goodrich. Due to their robust compound selections and 3-ply sidewall addiction, BF Goodrich tires always my best picks for rock crawling. Yet, they have a tough competitor for this time.

BF Goodrich KM3 and Cooper STT Pro are equally great tires for rock crawling. While Cooper’s combine Armor-Tech3 construction with a 3-ply sidewalls, BF Goodrich has 3-ply sidewalls built with CoreGard technology. Both are beast for this section. You can confidently go each way.

Comfort and Road Noise

Unlike other tire segments, comfort and road noise aren’t aligned with each other for mud-terrain tires. These tires should have superior grip and flexible sidewalls due to perform properly off the road. So, they’re generally smooth tires. However, their huge void areas and big lugs make them the noisier tires in the market.

Regarding comfort, both are quite comfortable tires. They can absorb the reaction force on bumps with ease. Well, that’s expected. These tires should absorb rock crawling forces. Bumps are nothing for them.

I have to admit that, if you’re expecting a deaf ride, you can stop reading this article right now and start searching for all-terrain tires instead of mud. Mud-terrain tires are noisy. Yet, here is a perfect tip for you. If you’re looking for the quietest one you should pay attention to their pattern. A less void area on the center section always makes less noise.

Both offers smooth ride. Yet, BF Goodrich KM3 is a less vocal tire due to its optimized void area.

Winter Performance

BFG KM3 can handle winter, though, I prefer Cooper STT Pro

Winter performance is where most mud-terrain tires are failed. Well, expect deep snow. Due to their lug-type patterns, these tires aren’t able to perform in icy conditions. Their contact patch is very limited for a decent performance on the ice. Therefore, I don’t recommend using these tires in icy conditions.

Light snow performance is highly similar to wet grip. Due to its softer compound and more siped pattern, Cooper STT Pro is a better pick for light snow. Though worth reminding, both tires have an absence of snow-biting sipes. Expecting perfect performance is nothing more than imagination.

Deep snow performance is strongly related to tires’ traction capability. In that case, shoulder biters and lugs are crucial. Due to more aggressive sidewall biters and higher void areas, Cooper STT Pro is a better pick for compact snow. However, BF Goodrich KM3 is a bit wider tire. Furthermore, its tread grooves are deeper than Cooper STT Maxx. Well, the difference is minor.

Tread Life

Tread life is the weakest point of mud-terrain tires. Due to their application range, they should grip better than other tires on the market. Hence, they have relatively soft and sticky compounds.

In that case, I’m going back to my comment in the previous sections. BF Goodrich KM3 has an optimized contact patch, which makes it a superior tire for highway usage. For this reason, its tread life is longer than Cooper STT Pro.

Due to uniform and optimized contact patches and stiffer compounds, BF Goodrich KM3 tends to wear more evenly. Thus, it will last longer than its competitor.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Warranty

Cooper and BF Goodrich don’t offer tread life warranty for these products. Yet, uniformity warranty at first 2/32” of wear is valid for both of them.

You can click here to see Cooper’s warranty document.

You can click here to see BF Goodrich’s warranty document.

Specs

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain KM3Cooper STT Pro
CategoryMud-Terrain TireMud-Terrain Tire
VehicleLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’
Weight37 – 89 lbs42-94 lbs
Made InOpelika, AL, USAUSA
Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF)No (Only M+S)No (Only M+S)
Warranty (P-metric)N/A45 Days Test Drive
Warranty (LT Sizes)N/A45 Days Test Drive
PricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible prices

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
  • Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgoodrich-mud-terrain-t-a-km3

Cooper Discoverer STT Pro: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/cooper-discoverer-stt-pro

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/bfgoodrich-mud-terrain-t-a-km3

Cooper Discoverer STT Pro: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/cooper-discoverer-stt-pro

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://simpletire.com/brands/bfgoodrich-tires/mud-terrain-t-a-km3

Cooper Discoverer STT Pro: https://simpletire.com/brands/cooper-tires/discoverer-stt-pro

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.

Conclusion

These tires have a tight battle. Moreover, they have a very similar application range. Well, I can confidently say that you can go both ways. Yet, the below table will help you to make the best selection.

BF Goodrich KM3Cooper STT Pro
Better forOff-road adventure,
lifted vehicles owners who wanna put aggressive appearance,
great on-road manners for a mud terrain tire,
winter traction		Squishy regions,
hauling & towing,
commercial usage
ProsInsane off-road traction,
tough sidewalls,
long-lasting rubber for a mud-terrain tire		Insane wet and dry traction,
mild & severe off-road traction,
ConsA bit noisyLimited winter performance

If you’ve any further questions, please leave them below. I will answer ASAP!

Toyo Open Country MT vs Nitto Trail Grappler MT

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Toyo Open Country M/T and Nitto Trail Grappler are mud-terrain tires that are built in the same factory. Even though they’re built for off-roading, people prefer to use them due to their aggressive appearances. In this article, I’ll classify their usage depending on the different customer expectations. Let’s move on!

Compare to Toyo, Nitto tires are generally less durable and more smooth tires
Nitto Trail Grappler MTToyo Open County M/T
Better forSmooth and quiet ride for a mud-terrain tire,
if you spend time on the highway		Beach driving and hunting
ProsLong-lasting rubber,
satisfying wet traction,
great winter traction		Long-lasting rubber,
wet and snow traction,
quick steering response,
fuel efficiency
ConsNoisy and stiff rideNoisy and stiff ride

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, both are trustworthy options for off-road. The difference between these two is the vest pocket. Nitto Trail Grappler MT has better off-road manners and winter capability. Moreover, it overcomes Toyo MT due to tread life. Although, Toyo Open Country MT has a more aggressive look and slightly wet grip.

Table of Contents

Durability

Mud-terrain tires are built to perform under the hardest conditions. Therefore, durability is the manufacturer’s priority.

Toyo Open Country MT has high turn-up 3-ply polyester sidewall construction. This feature increases impact resistance significantly. That’s the good part of Open Country MT. The bad side of it is weak compound. Soft compound tear-up and worn so easily. This tire is good for relatively small(Jeep, Rubicon) SUVs or light trucks. 

On the flipside, Nitto Trail Grappler has 3-ply sidewall construction too. In a word, you don’t have to be afraid of punctures. Trail Grappler’s compound is stiffer than Open Country MT’s. Yet, if you don’t follow the rotation time up, you might not get more than 30,000 miles with these dudes.

Tread Life

I’ve explained most of the things above. Let’s get them over.

Nitto Trail Grappler has a more durable compound than Open Country MT. Well, it has a relatively better tread life. In that case, I would like to separate their tread life due to application.

First of all, although these tires are mud-terrain, I don’t recommend you to use them on heavy-duty loaded applications unless you don’t care about tread life.

For unloaded heavy-duty applications, Nitto Trail Grappler is a better option.

For mild operation, if your vehicle’s weight is less than 3/4 tons you can go either way. If it’s higher, I recommend you to use Nitto Trail Grappler.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Road Noise

Road noise is what most customers complain about. Well, noise reduction is not what I’ve expected from mud terrains. Yet, market needs are changing. People want a more aggressive look on their tires. So, they slide all terrains into mud-terrains. Thus, manufacturers are trying to make mud-terrain tires with on-road manners. This change has positive and negative sides. Well, low road noise is a positive side.

Yes, yes, I am talking about Nitto Trail Grappler. This tire is mute compared to other mud terrains. Well, I will keep BFG KM3 out of the equation, it’s exceptional. Trail Grappler has smaller center blocks with narrower void areas. This design is perfect if you wanna reduce noise.

Our second competitor Open Country isn’t that successful in that case. The design is cool. Yet, the angle of the blocks increases its noise dramatically. Well, these blocks will improve the traction in further sections.

Nitto Trail Grappler is the winner in this section.

Riding Comfort

Riding comfort generally aligns with road noise. Yet, absorption on bumps and vibration should be taken into consideration.

In that case, I think Trail Grappler is one step ahead. Toyo has larger blocks. It’s a wider tire. So, absorption ability is a bit less than its competitor.  Moreover, while I was studying these two, I saw a couple of negative comments about vibration. Just for your information.

Most tire sizes begin with modifier letters(P, LT, etc.) that identify the type of vehicle or type of service for which they were designed. Here is a perfect guide for reading tire size –> https://tireterrain.com/how-to-read-tire-size/

Dry Performance

Dry performance is consists of 3 different dimensions. Dry traction, cornering stability, and steering response. Let’s value them one by one.

Dry Traction

Dry traction doesn’t have to be your concern if you are buying mud-terrain tires. Due to their aggressive tread pattern, both fellows have huge traction ability.

Cornering Stability

Open Country MT is one of the weightiest tires in its class. Well, strong internal construction always improves cornering stability. It’s trustworthy.

Trail Grappler is the other heaviest tire in the mud-terrain class. I’m not going to repeat myself, this one is also a very reliable option.

Steering Response

In my point of view, steering response is the crucial part of mud-terrain tires. These are heavy tires, when you fill them with too much air, steering might be challenging.

Luckily, both option has sensitive steering response. These are highly rigid tires and full-depth sipes on large blocks give it an ability to move together under horizontal forces.

Wet Performance

Toyo Open Country MT is a tough but a bit noisy guy

Mud-terrain tires don’t have too many sipes on them. Well, their contact patch is also very limited compared to all-terrains. These two attributions are fundamental to wet performance. Therefore, most mud-terrain tires fail on wet.

Fortunately, Trail Grappler and Open Country MT are decent tires in this case. They have softer compounds than regular mud-terrains. Hence, they have the superior wet capability.

I personally prefer Open Country MT on wet. It has narrower circumferential(kinda) grooves that can evacuate water better than Trail Grappler. Yet, both are reliable options.

Winter Performance

Deep snow and light snow traction aren’t a problem for mud terrains. Their tread depth is deep enough to grip deep snow. Moreover, Trail Grappler and Open Country MT have massive self-cleaning abilities. So, in that cases, let’s say they are equal.

Where they aren’t that successful are packed snow and ice. They suffer due to a lack of siping. Well, we are going back to the void area. Less void area always works better on compact surfaces.

Trail Grappler and Open Country MT are trustworthy tires in winter. Trail Grappler is the better option. Yet, I recommend not using them on ice.

Off-Road Performance

Off-road performance is where these two are shining. Except for sand…

Trail Grappler has more center block spacing. Well, that means better traction off the road. What I don’t like much about them is the sidewall tread pattern. It seems a bit soft in my opinion.

On the other hand, Open Country MT is a wider tire. So, the contact patch is bigger than Trail Grappler. This feature increases its grip ability. What I like most about them is the sidewall. They are maximumly aggressive and increase the traction on loose surfaces.

In summary, both are pretty trustworthy off-road options. I prefer Open Country MT due to the lovely sidewall design.

Here is the perfect comparison of these two. (BF Goodrich KM3 is included.)

Specs

Toyo Open Country MTNitto Trail Grappler
CategoryMud-Terrain TireMud-Terrain Tire
VehicleLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”, 26”15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”
Weight57 – 110 lbs59 – 111 lbs
Made InWhite, GA, USAWhite, GA, USA
Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF)No (M+S)No (M+S)
Warranty (P-metric)N/AN/A
Warranty (LT Sizes)N/AN/A
PricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible prices

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
  • Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

Toyo Open Country MT: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/toyo-tire-open-country-m-t

Nitto Trail Grappler MT: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/nitto-trail-grappler-m-t

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

Toyo Open Country MT: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/toyo-open-country-m-t

Nitto Trail Grappler MT: Not available

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Toyo Open Country MT: https://simpletire.com/brands/toyo-tires/open-country-m-t

Nitto Trail Grappler MT: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/trail-grappler-m-t

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.

Conclusion

Nitto Trail Grappler and Open Country MT are leading the market with the BF Goodrich KM3. They are both trustworthy options. Yet, Trail Grappler has better on-road manners.

Nitto Trail Grappler MTToyo Open County M/T
Better forSmooth and quiet ride for a mud-terrain tire,
if you spend time on the highway		Beach driving and hunting
ProsLong-lasting rubber,
satisfying wet traction,
great winter traction		Long-lasting rubber,
wet and snow traction,
quick steering response,
fuel efficiency
ConsNoisy and stiff rideNoisy and stiff ride

I hope this article will help you to decide. If you have any further questions, please leave them below. Have a safe ride!

BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain vs KO2 All-Terrain

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Trail feedback, and technical insights — from a former Bridgestone test engineer

The BFGoodrich KO2 is one of the most versatile all-terrain tires on the market, capable of confident performance on highways, trails, and snow. If you want to see how it compares to its successor, check out my BFGoodrich KO3 vs KO2 comparison.

The BFGoodrich KM3, on the other hand, is a maximum-traction mud-terrain tire designed for serious off-road use — think deep mud, rock crawling, and aired-down adventures. While both are off-road focused, their personalities and priorities are very different.

Below, I’ll break down how they perform on dry pavement, in wet conditions, through snow, and in extreme off-road situations so you can choose the tire that best matches your driving needs.

BF Goodrich KM3 is bigger, wider and taller tire
BF Goodrich KM3 (Mud-Terrain)BF Goodrich KO2 (All-Terrain)
Better forOff-road adventure,
lifted vehicles owners who wanna put aggressive appearance,
people who are looking for a mud-terrain tire with the best on-road manners		Snowy and squishy regions,
smooth and quiet ride,
towing & hauling,
working trucks
ProsInsane off-road traction,
tough sidewalls,
long-lasting rubber for a mud-terrain tire		Insane winter traction,
unique handling
mild & severe off-road traction
ConsNoisy and stiff ride, poor winter and ice performanceA bit noisy

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, BF Goodrich KO2 has better on-road manners compared to KM3. It is quiet. Moreover, it has longer tread life than KM3. It overperforms BF Goodrich KM3 in wet and winter conditions. On the other hand, BF Goodrich KM3 has exceptional on-road manners compared to other mud-terrains. Moreover, off-road performance is phenomenal.

Table of Contents

Durability

BF Goodrich tires have a good reputation due to their exceptional durability. In that case, durability consists of sidewall strength and puncture resistance.

BF Goodrich uses ‘Traction-Armor Sidewall Sculpture’ technology to increase sidewall durability. Well, it works. This tire is highly resisted against punctures. Obviously, that’s what you should expect from a mud-terrain tire. 

On the other hand, BF Goodrich KO2 has a 15% stronger sidewall than the previous version. 3-ply sidewalls guarantee sidewall protection. Facing punctures is very unlikely with it.

Either BF Goodrich KO2 or KM3 is a very reliable preference. You can confidently put them on tough surfaces

Tread Life

Compering tread life of these two is not logical and also not fair. These tires were built with different intentions. So, expecting tread lives are also quite different from each other.

While mud-terrain tires generally last 40,000 miles, this number scales up to at least 60,000 miles at all-terrain tires. So, I will take these numbers into consideration.

Let’s start with BF Goodrich KM3.

BF Goodrich KM3 has a softer compound than most off mud-terrain tires. Well, that might horribly decrease its tread life depending on your operation. If you don’t be tough with it, you can use it for around 40,000-50,000 miles.

On the other hand, BF Goodrich KO2 has an average tread life. Well, this tire is focused on performance. So, expecting an impressive tread life is kinda unrealistic. It won’t last less than 60,000 miles.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Road Noise

Due to its building intent, BFG KO2 offers better on-road manners

This section is easy peasy.

BF Goodrich KM3 as a mud-terrain tire has a heavy block tread pattern. That feature increases road noise significantly. Well, it is a common feature of mud-terrain tires. Yet, BF Goodrich KM3 is exceptional comparing other mud-terrains. It is not quiet but the noise is not that annoying.

BF Goodrich KO2 produces less road noise than KM3. Well, it is what we all expected. But compared to its competitors, there are better options to go with. Here is the one them.

BF Goodrich KO2 is the winner in this section.

Comfort

These two are decent due to comfort. 

BF Goodrich KO2 has an aggressive design for an all-terrain. Well, it is built to perform on severe surfaces. Not highways. So, the comfort level is not as good as highway-focused all-terrain tires. Yet, it won’t disappoint you.

On the other hand, BF Goodrich KM3 has opposite features. It has not that aggressive tread design for a mud-terrain tire. Moreover, its compound is not hard as other mud-terrain tires. Well, comparing the mud-terrains, it is exceptional. 

In short, BF Goodrich KO2 is a smoother tire. Yet, if you need a mud-terrain tire that provides a smooth ride, BF Goodrich KM3 is your tire.

Dry Performance

I evaluate dry performance under 2 different dimensions. Dry traction and steering response. Let’s dig into them.

Dry Traction

Mud-terrain and all-terrain tires are built for maximum traction. If you buy a premium brand like BF Goodrich, it’s improbable to face poor dry traction.

Both have trustworthy traction on dry ground. You can go either way.

Steering Response

The steering response mainly decreases when the tire gets bigger. The reason behind it is tire weight. When the tire gets heavier, you need more force to give it a direction.

BF Goodrich KM3 is a heavier tire. Hence, steering response is not as quick as BF Goodrich KO2. Yet, compared to other mud-terrains, it is legendary.

BF Goodrich KO2 has a slightly better steering response. Yet, if you want an aggressive tread design, you can confidently go with BF Goodrich KM3.

Wet Performance

Wet ground is where most mud-terrain tires are failed. There are two reasons for this. The first stiff compound can’t produce enough grip. Second, wide gaps between lugs decrease contact patches and cause hydroplaning. 

I use BF Goodrich KM3 on wet ground. Well, it is way ahead of my expectations. They are not perfect but marginal. I never felt unsafe.

On the other hand, BF Goodrich KO2 is decent on wet surfaces. This tire has stiffer compounds than most all-terrain tires. So, it might lose its grip from time to time. 

In summary, BF Goodrich KO2 is a better tire on wet. Yet, BF Goodrich KM3 has exceptional wet performance for a mud-terrain tire.

Here are my favorite wet ground tires for the above 3/4 ton pickups and SUVs. This list is also dedicated to the best diesel truck tires –> https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/

Winter Performance

As expected, BF Goodrich KM3 doesn’t have severe snow labeling. On the other hand, BF Goodrich KO2 is rated for severe winter conditions.

BF Goodrich KO2 can handle light and deep snow easily. While aggressive sidewalls ensure deep snow traction, the well-siped tread can handle light snow grip easy as apple pie. About ice, it is better than BF Goodrich KM3. Yet, there are better options.

On the flipside, deep snow traction is BF Goodrich KM3’s expertise. Deep grooves can overcome the packed snow and provide tons of traction. Light snow is not where it shines. Yet, it has quite an impressive performance compared to the other mud-terrains. Ice… Don’t use mud-terrain tires on ice. That one also has very satisfying manners on ice.

A side note here: Understanding the snow performance of all-terrain tires can be quite challenging. For those who find it perplexing, I’d like to direct your attention to a helpful resource: “6 Best All-Terrain Tires for Snow by AT Tire Category“ This article is specifically designed to assist you in making informed decisions regarding all-terrain tires in snowy conditions.

Off-Road Performance

Kinda in love with BFG KM3's appearance

Off-road performance is where these two come to the boil. They are head to head on almost every surface. Let’s classify them due to the surface.

Dirt and Gravel

This section will fulfill your need if you aren’t an overlander.

First of all, both are very trustworthy options. These tires are built to produce traction. Dirt and gravel are like shelling peas to them.

About dirt, nothing much to discuss. They are great! In that case, I would like to give some information about KM3. This tire has a phenomenal self-cleaning ability. Moreover, notched shoulder design has a significant effect on dirt grip.

About gravel, these two have powerful sidewalls. So, a puncture isn’t an issue. Moreover, BF Goodrich KO2 has a specific compound that prevents cut and chipping issues. On the other hand, BF Goodrich KM3 is performing flawlessly on gravel. Well, it can’t resist cutting and chipping as well as BF Goodrich KO2.

Mud Performance

Most all-terrains fail on mud. Yet, BF Goodrich KO2 is not one of them. It has really aggressive design that can handle muddy surfaces easily. 

On the other hand, BF Goodrich KM3 is a mud-terrain tire. Of course, it overcomes KO2 on mud. But, let me tell you something. These tires are unbeatable on mud. Spinning is not an issue. You have to worry about how to wheel these tires in the mud. They are sticky as hell!!!

Rock Performance

Rock traction is not a problem for mud-terrain tires. Well, KM3 performs yummy on the rock.

In that case, BF Goodrich KO2 is the exceptional one. In my point of view, it is the best all-terrain tire for rock driving. Its ability to crawl under air-down conditions is unique.

Both options are trustworthy.

Specs

BF Goodrich KO2BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain KM3
CategoryAll-Terrain TireMud-Terrain Tire
VehicleLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’
Weight34-78 lbs37 – 89 lbs
Made InOpelika, AL, USAOpelika, AL, USA
Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF)YesNo (Only M+S)
Warranty (P-metric)50,000 MilesN/A
Warranty (LT Sizes)50,000 MilesN/A
PricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible prices

🚨 Breaking News Alert! 🚨

Hold onto your seats because I’m thrilled to introduce the all-new BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 – the next evolution of the fan-favorite KO2! And the excitement doesn’t stop there – this beast is now available in two additional OEM sizes: LT285/70R17 and LT275/65R20. Get ready for the ultimate off-road experience with the KO3!

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/bfgoodrich-all-terrain-t-a-ko2

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/bfgoodrich-mud-terrain-t-a-km3

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
  • Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgoodrich-all-terrain-t-a-ko2

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgoodrich-mud-terrain-t-a-km3

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://simpletire.com/brands/bfgoodrich-tires/all-terrain-t-a-ko2

BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3: https://simpletire.com/brands/bfgoodrich-tires/mud-terrain-t-a-km3

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.

Conclusion

BF Goodrich KO2 and BF Goodrich KM3 are reliable options for off-road lovers. The right conditions to use them are detailly explained in the above sections.

BF Goodrich KM3 (Mud-Terrain)BF Goodrich KO2 (All-Terrain)
Better forOff-road adventure,
lifted vehicles owners who wanna put aggressive appearance,
people who are looking for a mud-terrain tire with the best on-road manners		Snowy and squishy regions,
smooth and quiet ride,
towing & hauling,
working trucks
ProsInsane off-road traction,
tough sidewalls,
long-lasting rubber for a mud-terrain tire		Insane winter traction,
unique handling
mild & severe off-road traction
ConsNoisy and stiff ride, poor winter and ice performanceA bit noisy

I hope this article was helpful for all of you fellows. If you have any further questions, please contact me in below comment section. Have a safe ride!

Nitto Terra vs Ridge vs Trail Grappler

Updated: by Leave a Comment

Nitto Terra and Ridge Grappler are tires that serve the same intention. Both have very satisfying on and off-road manners. On the other hand, Nitto Trail Grappler is a mud-terrain tire. It overperforms Terra and Ridge Grappler due to off-road performance. Yet, it doesn’t have good on-road manners as its brothers have. Let’s see how Nitto classifies these tires!

Nitto Ridge Grappler on Tacoma
Nitto Terra Grappler G2 All-TerrainNitto Ridge Grappler Rugged-TerrainNitto Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain
Better forSquishy and snowy regions,
working trucks,
hauling & towing,
mostly highway driving		Lifted vehicles and wider aftermarket wheels,
appearance,
mild & severe off-road traction		Off-road lovers,
if you need long-lasting mud-terrain tire
ProsInsane wet and snow traction,
long-lasting rubber		Satisfying wet and dry traction,
can handle mild and severe off-road,
quiet for its design		Satisfying wet and dry traction,
great off-road traction,
long-lasting rubber,
decent snow performance
ConsCan’t handle off-road very wellThe ride is a bit stiff,
P-Metric sizes are providing average tread life		Can be noisy if you’re not used to mud-terrain tires

As a former Bridgestone engineer, Nitto Ridge Grappler is my favorite pick of these three. It’s quiet on the road and aggressive off the road. Moreover, the application range overwhelms others. However, Nitto Trail Grappler is extremely quiet for a mud-terrain tire. It has one of the best on-road manners among competitors. Let’s say it is a mud-terrain that can perform like an all-terrain.

As a bonus pick, I strongly recommend Nitto Terra Grappler for those who have a limited budget and need a tire that can perform on mild off-road applications as well as under on-road conditions.

Table of Contents

General Comparison Table

Mud-terrain and rugged-terrain tires have different pattern designs. I recommend reading this article before start to reading this article –> https://tireterrain.com/highway-tires-vs-all-terrain-vs-mud-terrain/

Mud-terrain tires mostly have bigger lugs and wider void areas. Hence, their design is significantly more aggressive than on-road all-terrain or rugged terrain tires.

On the other hand, due to achieving better on-road manners; rugged-terrain tires have narrower void areas and less aggressive tread patterns.

In fact, these features bring some advantages and disadvantages to themself. Let’s check the below table to make it clear!

Nitto Terra GrapplerNitto Ridge GrapplerNitto Trail Grappler M/T
SegmentAll-TerrainRugged-TerrainMud-Terrain
DesignLess AggressiveAggressiveMore Aggressive
Tread LifeAverageGoodPerfect
Dry TractionGoodGoodGood
ComfortGoodGoodAverage
Noise ReductionGoodGoodPoor
Fuel-EfficiencyGoodGoodPoor
DurabilityAverageGoodGood
Wet PerformanceGoodGoodGood
Winter PerformanceAverageGoodGood
Off-Road TractionAverageAbove AverageGood
Air-Down PerformanceAverageAbove AverageGood

According to the above table, Nitto Ridge Grappler is slightly better than Nitto Terra Grappler. Worth reminding that, this difference reflects to price tag. 

I like to call Nitto Terra Grappler an Immature Ridge Grappler.

Please note that the above ratings describe their status within their segments.

On-Road Comparison

On-road manners are crucial for all-terrain and rugged-terrain tires. Well, I can’t say the same thing for mud terrains. I see customer expectations are beyond this comment. Yet, in real life, it is almost impossible to reach this level.

The battle is between Ridge  Grappler and Terra Grappler in this section. Yet, I would like to give Trail Grappler credit for its good manners. It is way ahead of most of its competitors.

Comfort

Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are very close rated due to comfort. Yet, the price difference is getting into the game again. Ridge Grappler is the most smooth tire in this competition.

Terra Grappler is slightly behind Ridge Grappler. Nevertheless, this gap is quite acceptable if you put the price in the equation.

The surprising fact is Trail Grappler is also very smooth. It is almost as comfy as Terra Grappler.

If I have to sort them out, 

  1. Nitto Ridge Grappler (comparison)
  2. Nitto Terra Grappler (comparison)
  3. Nitto Trail Grappler (comparison)

Noise Reduction

Nitto Terra Grappler G2

Noise reduction comparison is similar to comfort. The take-home point is Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are equal.

Noise reduction is mostly about the void area. The wider void area is always noisier. I can hear you say ‘ Emre, Terra Grappler has the narrowest center gaps. Why it is equal to Ridge Grappler?’. Well, the answer is solid. Compound. Ridge Grappler has a soft compound that is going to help it to reduce noise.

About Trail Grappler…. Let’s not put too much pressure on the mud-terrain tire. It’s good for mud terrain but there is no way it can compete with rugged terrains.

Dry Traction Comparison

All of our tires perform perfectly on dry grounds. You can confidently choose either of them. Don’t even hesitate.

If you want me to sort them out, here is the deal;

Trail Grappler has been built for only one purpose. Traction! It leads this segment. Ridge Grappler is slightly behind. And the last place belongs to our budget-friendly tire Terra Grappler.

Tread Life

This part is a bit sliding depending on your driving habits, vehicle, and operation. More importantly, these kinds of comparisons can be made between the same segment tires.

In our comparison, Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are members of the rugged-terrain tires family. On the other hand, Trail Grappler has been released as a mud-terrain tire.

Due to these reasons, I am going to compare Trail Grappler individually. Yet, I will sort all three at the end of this section.

Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are both known for long tread lives on the market. Yet, in my point of view, you can get a 10-15% better tread life with Ridge Grappler. I have a reason to support this claim. Ridge Grappler has an average of 2 millimeters thicker tread depth in each size.

I’d like to give another paragraph for Trail Grappler. Why? Cause it is an exceptional mud-terrain tire due to tread life. In general, 50000-60000 miles with a mud-terrain tire is highly acceptable. Some customers even reach 100,000 miles with Trail Grappler. It’s incredible. I’ve studied this tire a lot. It has one of the best tread life among the competitors.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Fuel Efficiency

In that section, rolling resistance and tire weight will be our decision-makers.

Nitto Trail Grapper is the top-heavy tire. It has also higher rolling resistance due to its larger footprint. So, it is the less fuel-efficient tire in this comparison.

Here is the perfect explanation of rolling resistance!

Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are almost equal due to weight. They have a 3-8 lbs difference in each size(Ridge Grappler is superior). That’s not a big gap for huge tires like these ones. Although the rolling resistances are quite similar, Nitto Terra Grappler is the winner of this section.

Wet Performance

3 dimensions state the tire’s water evacuation. Circumferential grooves, compound, and tire footprint.

Let’s start with the tire footprint. So, in that case, Terra Grappler is the narrowest one as expected. Hence, it can combine a smooth riding experience with better fuel consumption and less road noise. On the other hand, this feature increases its hydroplaning resistance but decreases the wet traction. Therefore, Terra Grappler G2 is a better option for high-speed vehicles.

Please note that the footprint is the part of the tire that touches the road. So, less void area reduces the risk of hydroplaning.

As tires spin on wet surfaces, circumferential grooves channel water away to maintain good traction. All three of our tire’s grooves connected perfectly to the shoulders. With this feature, you can confidently trust all of them.

About rubber, a softer compound means better performance on wet. Nitto Ridge Grappler is our winner.

Lastly, full-depth sipes have a significant positive effect on wet performance. While Ridge Grappler and Trail Grappler have full-depth sipes, Terra Grappler’s sipes stop halfway through. Yet, it covers this deficiency with a high density of sipes through the pattern.

All three options are reliable. You can confidently use either one of them.

Winter Performance

Nitto Trail Grapper is the only of our Grapper tires with a 3-peak mountain snowflake marking. So, it is superior on snow.

Between Terra Grappler and Ridge Grappler, Ridge Grappler is the better one snowy surfaces. Tread depth and staggered shoulder lugs ensure to best grip in deep snow.

Ridge Grappler and Trail Grappler are trustworthy options. On the other hand, I don’t recommend Terra Grappler unless light snow is the only snow you’ve faced with.

A side note here: Understanding the snow performance of all-terrain tires can be quite challenging. For those who find it perplexing, I’d like to direct your attention to a helpful resource: “6 Best All-Terrain Tires for Snow by AT Tire Category“ This article is specifically designed to assist you in making informed decisions regarding all-terrain tires in snowy conditions.

Off-Road Traction

Nitto Trail Grappler on Jeep

This time, instead of comparing these three, I am going to share the best application to use one by one.

Let’s start with Terra Grappler.

Terra Grappler is not a tire for use on all off-road applications. Weak sidewalls are limited to mild operation usage. They are the best ones on the sand. Yet, rock and mud performances are poor. 

Ridge Grappler has a wide range of applications. It can handle dirt, gravel, and rock very well. Moreover, unlike other rugged terrain tires, it has decent performance on mud.

Lastly, Trail Grappler. This tire was built with mud traction intention. It is performing smoothly on any off-road surface but gravel. Wide lugs are struggling to bite smaller stones and as a result, it causes traction loss.

In summary,

I recommend Ridge Grappler for mild and average-severe applications.

Trail Grappler is your tire if your operation is tough. Yet, gravel is not their expertise.

Terra Grappler can be used for daily-basis off-roads. The take-home point is weak sidewall durability. You should avoid the sidewall impacts due to achieve high-quality off-road performance.

Specs

Nitto Terra Grappler G2Nitto Ridge GrapplerNitto Trail Grappler
CategoryAll-Terrain TireRugged -Terrain TireMud-Terrain Tire
VehicleLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’, 24’’16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”
Weight30-81 lbs40 – 95 lbs59 – 111 lbs
Made InWhite, GA, USAN/AWhite, GA, USA
Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF)No (M+S)No (M+S)No (M+S)
Warranty (P-metric)65,000 MilesN/AN/A
Warranty (LT Sizes)50,000 MilesN/AN/A
PricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible prices

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/ridge-grappler

Nitto Terra Grappler G2: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/terra-grappler-g2

Nitto Trail Grappler: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/trail-grappler-m-t

Conclusion

Although Grappler tires seem to perform in a similar usage, in deep they are separated but their expertise.

Nitto Terra Grappler G2 All-TerrainNitto Ridge Grappler Rugged-TerrainNitto Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain
Better forSquishy and snowy regions,
working trucks,
hauling & towing,
mostly highway driving		Lifted vehicles and wider aftermarket wheels,
appearance,
mild & severe off-road traction		Off-road lovers,
if you need long-lasting mud-terrain tire
ProsInsane wet and snow traction,
long-lasting rubber		Satisfying wet and dry traction,
can handle mild and severe off-road,
quiet for its design		Satisfying wet and dry traction,
great off-road traction,
long-lasting rubber,
decent snow performance
ConsCan’t handle off-road very wellThe ride is a bit stiff,
P-Metric sizes are providing average tread life		Can be noisy if you’re not used to mud-terrain tires

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a trustworthy pick for either mild or severe applications. Yet, mud performance is not their priority.

Nitto Trail Grappler covers Ridge Grappler’s shortcomings. It performs perfectly on mud. Moreover, it’s surprisingly quiet on the highways.

Nitto Terra Grappler is our budget-friendly option. It is not as durable as Ridge Grappler. Yet, on-road and mild operation performance will cover all of your expectations.

I hope this article will help you to pick the best one for yourself. If you have any further questions, kindly leave them below! Have safe ride folks!

Toyo M55 vs Open Country

Updated: by 10 Comments

Toyo’s light truck product line-up consists of 3 different names. Open Country, M-Line, and Proxes. While Open Country consists of 7 different products; others only have one each. Today, I will compare Toyo M55 with Open Country CT, MT, and AT. Though, the real competition will be between Open Country CT and Toyo M-55. Let’s see which one is better for your usage!

Toyo M55 is a commercial grade tire. Its sidewalls are extremly durable
Toyo Open Country C/TToyo M-55
Better forWorking trucks that mostly spend their time on the highway,
hauling and towing,
1/2 ton light trucks		Working trucks that mostly spend their time off- the road,
3/4-ton or 1-ton heavy-duty work trucks
ProsWet and snow traction,
responsiveness,
comfortable and quiet ride		Dry and wet traction,
loose ground traction,
sidewall durability
ConsNot a tire for severe off-road conditionsCan be disturbing on the highway

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Toyo Open Country CT and Toyo M-55 are solid commercial tires. The only difference is they work under different circumstances. In this case, if you work under mild conditions (little dirt, mud, or snow), Toyo Open Country C/T is a better option for you. It also offers the most smooth ride among these. If you have a heavy-loaded application, need long tread life, and have huge traction you should definitely go with Toyo M-55.

Table of Contents

Toyo M55 vs Open Country MT vs CT vs AT

Toyo’s Open Country line-up is met with different customer expectations.

  • Toyo Open Country M/T: MT is a maximum traction tire. Hence, its limited tread life will not cover commercial intent.
  • Toyo Open Country C/T: CT is a commercial-grade tire. Yet, it has limited traction ability compared to MT.
  • Toyo Open Country AT:  AT is on-road tires that have off-road manners. Comfort is one of its priorities.

Now, I would like to talk about M55 a bit. M55 is a combination of MT and CT. While it can provide maximum traction, it also has a satisfying tread life. It is gold for individuals, small, even massive businesses. I will not put AT to the rest of the comparison. These have completely different intents. If you want to see where AT places between Open Country’s, you can check this article!

Tread Appearance

Let’s start with the tread depth. 

Toyo Open Country MT has the deepest tread depth between these three. Tread depths for the size of LT255/85R16,

  • Toyo Open Country MT: 18.9mm
  • Toyo M-Line M55: 18.1mm
  • Toyo Open Country CT: Not available but tread depths are the same with M55

Tread depth can help to traction. Though, it is also strongly related to compound and tread design. 

MT has the most aggressive tread design among them. It has wider shoulders and bigger lugs that are going to help it a lot on severe off-road surfaces. Yet, inadequate sipes are kinda prof of poor wet traction.

CT and M-55 have similar patterns. The sharpest difference is the sidewall. M-55 has flat and stiff sidewalls. It is designed to work under heavy loads. So, stiff sidewalls are a must. These are not the tire for air-down driving. Pay attention to this.

If you need low inflation pressure driving, you should go with MT or CT. In that case, your intent will be the decider. CT for commercials, MT for off-road cats.

Lastly, M-55 and CT are studdable tires of this comparison. They will perform better than others on the ice.

Tread Life

As we all expected, commercial-grade tires tend to last more than mud or all-terrains. 

While CT and M-55 are getting 5-stars due to tread life, MT is getting 4 at maximum. If you will use them on the road too much, the star rating most probably will decrease to 3.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Durabilty

Normally, I evaluate durability with to resistance of the sidewall impacts. In that case, we are comparing commercial tires. So, sidewall impact is not your main concern.

M-55 has flat sidewalls. That might seem a bit weak at first sight. Wrong! These tires have the strongest sidewalls I have ever seen. Exceptional, definitely exceptional. May be as strong as 14-ply.

On the other hand, MT and CT have trustworthy sidewalls. These two also have sidewall protectors that M-55 does not even need.

Comfort and Noise

If you are looking for comfort and less road noise, you are at the wrong place. Let me guide you to the proper one!

If I have to choose one of them, I would definitely go with Toyo Open Country CT.

Surprisingly, M-55 is the loudest one. Even, MT has less road noise no matter how wide its void area is.

About comfort, I have talked about how stiff is M-55. It’s placed at the bottom again.

Toyo Open County CT is the true ruler in this section.

Off-Road Performance

The off-road performance of these tires depends on different variables. In that case, I would like to evaluate them with two different approaches. Commercial and air-down.

While commercial off-road contains gravel and dirt performance; mud, rock, and sand will be regular off-road performance indicators.

Commercial

If you have are a commercial intended user, you are mostly facing gravel and dirt. These are the surfaces you need traction most.

All of our tires are very successful on these surfaces.

Nevertheless, well-placed sipes increase dirt traction a lot for CT and M-55. MT is not bad but not good as others.

Gravel is a bit cheeky. In that case, you should put groove width under the consideration. MT with the extensive grooves sometimes struggling on gravel depending on stone diameter. If the stones are too small, creating a biting age becomes a huge challenge. Well, you lose traction.

CT and M-55 do not have this problem. Stone holding is where these two separated. CT is holding a bit much more stone. These stones might cause damage in further time.

For the commercial off-road my ranking is,

M-55>CT>MT

Air-Down

Toyo Open Country M/T is your tire if you're looking for a weekend adventure

Air-down situations are mud, rock, and sand. I will put M-55 out of this section. M-55’s sidewall is not usable for air-down conditions. It will crack if you will decrease your inflation pressure.

On rock, I like CT very much. It is not as good as MT. Yet, lugs are capable to move in different ways. That increases gripping ability significantly. On the other hand, MT’s rock performance is not questionable.

On the sand, softer designs always work better on the sand. So, CT is my pick.

On mud, no surprise. MT is a winner as a mud-terrain tire. Evacuation capability is exceptional.

Wet Performance

Wet performance is where these tires place very closely. Either of them has its own advantages.

  • Toyo Open Country MT: Soft compound
  • Toyo Open Country CT: Normal compound, average siping
  • Toyo M-55: Perfect siping

MT has a perfect compound for wet grounds. Yet, siping is not providing enough biting.

CT has the optimal design. Average siping and middling compound

M-55: Perfect siping, stiff compound

The battle is close. Yet,

CT>MT=M-55

Winter Performance

Toyo Open Country C/T has a sidewall protectores that also increase its grip capability on loose grounds.

It’s time to put MT aside. Winter is not MT’s priority. It has an average winter performance. But not rated with 3-peak mountain snowflake marking. It can not compete with M-55 and CT.

M-55 and CT both have 3-peak mountain snowflake marking. That means we are safe in harsh winters. Moreover, both are studdable. Frozen grounds will not be a problem anymore.

The only advantage CT has is compound toughness. A softer compound always works better on snow or ice.

Specs

Toyo M-55Toyo Open Country C/T
CategoryCommercial All-Terrain TireCommercial All-Terrain Tire
VehicleLight Truck, SUVLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’16”, 17”, 18”, 20”
Weight30 – 60 lbs45 – 79 lbs
Made InWhite, GA, USAWhite, GA, USA
Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF)YesYes
Warranty (P-metric)N/AN/A
Warranty (LT Sizes)N/AN/A
PricesCheck price section to see best possible pricesCheck price section to see best possible prices

Conclusion

On tire selection, defining your operation is a factor. It is even more crucial if you are commercial intended.

Toyo Open Country C/TToyo M-55
Better forWorking trucks that mostly spend their time on the highway,
hauling and towing,
1/2 ton light trucks		Working trucks that mostly spend their time off- the road,
3/4-ton or 1-ton heavy-duty work trucks
ProsWet and snow traction,
responsiveness,
comfortable and quiet ride		Dry and wet traction,
loose ground traction,
sidewall durability
ConsNot a tire for severe off-road conditionsCan be disturbing on the highway

Hope I can help you with your selection. If you need any further support, contact me via the comment section below!