How Long Do Mud Tires Last On Jeep Wrangler?
Tires are an important aspect of the Jeep Wrangler. Jeep Wrangler is also considered a hybrid vehicle, you can use it for both on-road & off-road. The major difference that varies during the on-road and off-road are the types of tires you will be using on your wrangler.
Mud Tires last from 40k miles to 80k miles on average. You can prolong the tire by doing proper tire rotation for about 4k to 5k miles. If you use it for the daily drive you must be prepared for excessive noise. For a Jeep wrangler, mud tires are really good for 15k – 20k miles without a tire rotation.
There are 3 types of tires available on the market. All-terrain tires, road terrain tires, and mud-terrain tires. You may decide to have all three in your garage and switch whenever necessary. Still, some drivers want one type of tire specifically on their wrangler, be it mud-terrain, road-terrain, or all-terrain.
Tires are manufactured to be used on a specific terrain or multi-terrain, as in the case of all-terrain tires. But this does not mean that road terrain tires cannot be used for off-roading, and mud-terrain tires cannot be used on paved roads. As long as the tire is circular in shape, it can be driven anywhere.
Choosing wrong tires for Jeep wrangler
What you will encounter when using the wrong tire on the wrong terrain is that you’ll have handling and performance issues with your wrangler.
For example, when you use road terrain tires on an off-road trail, you will have traction issues. Your wrangler might slip, especially if the trail is wet. The most off-roading road tires can be on a dry trail with no bumps and obstacles.
On the other hand, all-terrain tires can be used on all terrains, as the name itself suggests. But they won’t offer better offroad performance than mud-terrain tires when off-roading, and they are not as good on the tarmac as road terrain tires.
When it comes to mud tires, very few wrangler owners will permanently put them on their wranglers, especially if they use them as a daily driver.
They reduce the performance and increase the fuel consumption drastically, among other negative reasons that should make you not want to use mud terrain tires on paved roads.
Advantages of using mud tires on paved roads
When using mud tires on paved roads, it’s not all about the advantages of doing it. Sometimes, you’ll need that extra grip as you might also find yourself on slippery roads that only mud-terrain tires can withstand.
There might be traffic, but the diversion available can only be used if you have mud-terrain tires. If you want to go to an off-road trail after work or at the weekend, you do not have to change tires. Changing tires is not as easy as it seems, and it will take up some of your time.
Are mud-terrain tires better than all-terrain tires?
Mud terrain tires rarely get compared with road terrain tires; they are compared with all-terrain tires since both are used on similar surfaces. Here, it depends on your driving habits.
The only difference between these two tires is that all-terrain tires have narrower tread depths and thinner sidewalls, making them better for tarmac use. They provide a balance of what mud tires and road tires have.
If you often drive your wrangler offroad with a bit of town driving every now and then, mud tires are definitely the tires for you.
How long do mud tires last?
Most manufacturers give a specific mileage for different tires, whether road terrain. Tires with the same features, such as the tread depth, tread size, type of rubber used, and if the sidewalls are reinforced or not, will last for around the same period, and they cost almost the same.
But this will happen if they are out on wranglers driven by a similar habit. With all types of tires, even mud tires, the price tells a lot about the quality of the tire. The cheaper the tire, the poorer the build quality.
Never get a cheap tire because it is an easy way out of your tire problem. You’ll end up spending more than what you could have bought a quality tire for.
The best mud tires last for not less than 30,000 if used correctly, which is being used off-road. If you are in the market for tires and see a mileage figure less than that, try and avoid that tire. Most mud tires are built to be used off-road, but if you daily your wrangler, that mileage will reduce.
The tires will wear out quicker if you have some modifications or a load that adds weight to your wrangler every time you go off-roading. The same case applies if you are towing a trailer.
Best Mud tire brands you should Choose for your jeep wrangler?
Having a Mud Tire of a well recognized brand that offers the extra grip and safety for your Jeep is really important. Here are some of the best Mud Tire brands listed below.
Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3
Mickey Thompson tires are known for their exceptional mud-terrain and all-terrain tires. Their off-road tires have hardened sidewalls with treads that increase traction even in the most difficult situations, such as rock crawling or creek climbing.
Deestone
Deestone specializes in making tires for light SUVs, and the jeep wrangler falls in this category. Their mud-terrain tires, also called mud crawlers, offer exceptional performance while off-roading, especially when driving on wet surfaces.
BF Goodrich MTs
BF Goodrich is one of the few manufacturers with mud-terrain tires that are more comfortable and quieter than most mud-terrain tires when driving on paved roads. However, this does not mean that they have a negative performance off-road. Hardened sidewalls and treads on the KM series tires ensure that you are safe against punctures. The tires will last longer since they are protected from rock and other debris damage.
Mastercraft MXT tires
Mastercraft MXT Tires are made for drivers who want affordable yet capable off-road tires. They may not last as long as tires from other competitors, but they get the work done just as much. They have thin sidewall treads that offer extra traction when needed. If you want to drive on the highway for a while maybe on your way home from a trail, noise from the tires is not that much, and they also have a smoother ride.
Haida
Haida’s mud champ tires offer peak off-road performance and are quieter on paved roads. The treads are designed to wash out mud and debris, thus offering traction at all times regardless of the surface you are driving them on, making them a common favorite among off-roading enthusiasts.
What affects the lifespan of mud tires if daily driven?
Most drivers tend to think that mud tires will last longer in daily driven wranglers than in those mainly driven offroad, but this is not the case.
The treads on mud-terrain tires are made deep and wide for enhanced grip offroad as they’ll dig into the surface or press onto surfaces. Basically, the threads are made for more grip off-road than on tarmac roads.
When you look at road tires, they have narrow and short treads, thus having a larger area of contact between the tire and the road. For offroad tires, the treads are significant, and there are wider gaps between the treads.
The treads will wear out quicker due to the smaller surface on contact between the treads and the road. If mud tires are used strictly offroad, they’ll last for the indicated mileage on them when you first purchased them and maybe a little more if not abused.
Tire rotation becomes more difficult if you use mud tires on your daily driven wrangler. The front tires will wear out way too quickly, and you’ll end up removing them and buying new ones. Even if you try rotating them, tire wear will be uneven when using all-terrain or mud-terrain tires.
Reasons why mud-terrain tires are not suitable for daily driven wranglers
Most people who drive their wranglers daily have road terrain or all-terrain tires. You’ll find yourself mostly on paved roads if you are such a person. You’ll use your wrangler to take your kids to school, go to work, go to the mall, and most of the roads leading to such destinations are paved.
Unless you work in a forestry service or something else of the sort where you encounter rough terrains and obstacles, it’s recommended you stick with road tires or all-terrain tires.
Mud-terrain tires are not suitable for daily driven wranglers for three main reasons
Reduced handling and acceleration
Mud terrain tires have more aggressive with large tread blocks. This increases the tire’s grip on the road surface. When off-roading, you’ll notice that you do not lose traction or slip unless the surface is very wet and slippery, especially when driving on icy surfaces.
Such features increase the grip regardless of the road surface, even when driving on the tarmac. Road tires have a balance of grip between the road and the tires, but mud tires have more grip on the road. When cornering, you’ll notice that you have to steer harder than when using road tires.
Sometimes you might end up hitting the curb or hitting another vehicle. Since most mud-terrain tires are wider than other tires, the turning circle is also reduced. You’ll have to steer a little earlier than when using road-terrain or all-terrain tires.
You’ll also notice that your wrangler accelerates slower. This is because of the excess grip and weight of mud tires. When changing tires, it also affects the speedometer reading if you don’t recalibrate it.
Reduced fuel consumption
This is also a result of the weight and excess grip of mud-terrain tires. You’ll have to press the gas pedal harder due to the friction at the contact point of the tires and the road and because of the increased tire weight. When you encounter hilly roads, the fuel consumption becomes worse as gravity also increases the rolling resistance.
Increased tire noise and ride discomfort
The deep and thick treads will increase the sound coming from the tires as they roll, especially if you are driving on the tarmac. The weight and the length of the tires also contribute to this. You’ll also feel that the ride is rough, especially when going over rumble strips, bigger bumps, or braking.
This is because mud tires have a stiffer sidewall than road tires or all-terrain tires, which means that the sidewall of the tires does not flex as much. Some manufacturers reinforce the side walls to ensure that the tire does not flex, thus increasing the grip on the road.
This also makes mud-terrain tires run on low air pressure, which can be a big advantage if your tires have a slow puncture and you have no way of patching it.
Which are the perfect tires if you drive your wrangler Daily?
Jeep wranglers are classified as SUVs, and you’ll notice that most SUVs have all-terrain tires. Some manufacturers, including Jeep, have all-terrain tires as an option when buying your wrangler.
If you buy a jeep wrangler, there’s a part that influences you to buy it as you’ll use it offroad at some point, or the car you have is not capable off-road than a jeep wrangler.
If you are going to daily drive your wrangler with a bit of off-roading, you need to have tires that can be used off-road, and the best option is all-terrain tires. Some all-terrain tires last longer than road terrain tires, especially in daily driven SUVs.
Conclusion
Mud terrain tires are specifically built to be used off-road. Still, nothing prevents you from using them on your daily driven wrangler. You just have to be aware of the risks involved.
You can use them as you wait for other tires to arrive or before you get some cash for some new ones, but the moment you do, remove them and store them away.
