The perfect tire.

[daddyusmaximus]

Designing the perfect tire has eluded tire makers for decades, because no one tire can truly do everything well. I want an all terrain tire because like most people, most of the miles I drive are on paved roads, and I need good snow traction as well. However, I also want a mud terrain, because slick mud is one of the quickest ways to get stuck, and here in the Midwest, there never seems to be a shortage of mud around.

My idea is simple, combine the two. I took my inspiration off the BF Goodrich line using the KO2 tread in the center, and the KM2 tread blocks on the outer edges. Don't see why they never offer a tire like this.

 

[craig333]

Interesting idea. Have you emailed the tire manufacturers?

 

[DiscoDino]

The Cooper STT MAXX is similar

 

[Hnoroian]

Duratracs are similar also

 

[F350joe]

Probably for the same reason motor-sailors never caught on. They didn't motor or sail particularly well.

What if they could make a tire go from hwy to AT to mud depending on PSI? Kind of what would happen with the tire you have there.

 

[chet6.7]

The Toyo RT is a combo tread.

 

[tarditi]

Goodyear tried that with the Wrangler GS-A (although outer shoulder was tighter like a road tire to reduce road noise and give better cornering stability.
http://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Reviews/Goodyear/Wrangler+GS-A

They were even OEM tires on Jeep Wranglers for a few years... problem was that the compound was pretty soft, so you only got about 20k good miles out of them, and they ended up not really being very good at anything... they were, at best, marginal.

Tire preferences are pretty subjective - same tire model on a different vehicle or different application can be remarkably different.

IMHO, the BFG MT could be made much better for more surfaces by siping the center lugs - they wouldn't chunk out like the outer lugs, but still get good traction on wet roads. Some of my buddies have done this with a grooving iron, but I've never tried it myself. I'll be transitioning to BFG AT KO2s when my MTs wear down a bit more. I hate mud.

 

[Buliwyf]

Cooper St Maxx is the next closest thing.

The Duratracs side lug spacing is closer than a normal MT, and it's on an AT carcass. It's also a softer compound, great mud and snow contractor tire. Not so great for logging roads which need a more armored carcass. But the Duratracs on my work truck have been great, as long as I rotate them very often.

Oddly enough, isn't this how the Super Swamper Iroks started? Big huge side lugs, with a mild center tread? Too bad they're $400+ per tire.

Just insert a BFG AT tread into the center of an Irok. That would be heaven.

But one of the main reasons these tires don't exist, is that a MT with an AT center, is still about as loud as an MT.

An MT with a siped mild center already exists in the Cooper STT or Cooper STT pro IMO. They hold up to heavy trucks very well. Seem to tow well.

You're missing out if you haven't tried the Cooper STT. But even though I've had excellent luck with them, they needed air'd down and a rear locker before they were great. With an open rear diff, my truck still had troubles with 33's. They were only part of the solution, not nearly enough tire to make up for the open diff.

AT's and mud chains are still a viable option for many of the heavier trucks with campers that eat MT's in the summer.

 

[UHAULER]

I don't know about "perfect" but I just put some Yokahama Geolander ice/snow tires -285/75/16 on my f150 supercrew. These tires are amazing in ice/snow conditions. I also did some muddy forest service roads and they work great. The tread is like an aggresive all terrain and the tread depth is 19/32, where most all terrains are about 15/32. I'm going to run them year round. The price was right. I think more tire Mfg's should make an all terrain with a tread like this.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Geolandar+I/T+G072&partnum=875QR6G072

 

[SilicaRich]

I feel like the ST Maxxs win this department and I would put Goodyear Duratracs as a close second. The Maxxs have the hefty outer treads blocks and a tight, AT center tread.

I'm curious about the next gen BFG KM3s coming out this October. Sounds like BFG might be making the center blocks a little tighter with more lugs. Those center lugs siped, I feel like that would be a good contender for the "perfect tire"

 

[Robert Bills]

Although there is no "perfect" tire, the Cooper Discoverer ST/Maxx has come close for me.

The tread pattern is similar to the "perfect" tread pattern posted by OP and it has tough 3-ply sidewalls. What's not to like?

ST/Maxx:

OP's "Perfect" tire:

 

[kayadog]

Kinati Mud Hog

 

[kayadog]

Mastercraft Courser CXT

 

[eggman918]

I too am very pleased with the ST/MAXX

 

[Comanche Scott]

View attachment 384993

Kinati Mud Hog

OK, this has to be the winner based on being the closest to the OPs photo-chop. :beer:
.

Another one with a similar idea, albeit much more aggressive is the Goodyear MTR