NDT's suck.

[wyowillys46]

I've been driving my M37B1 around town lately and I've come to the conclusion that many others have. NDT's are abysmal on snow and ice. Even more so when they're 40+ years old. If I lived in a drier, warmer climate I'd probably run them until the cords showed. But that's not the case.

I'd like to put either Geolanders or Power Kings on the truck sometime soon. I've been doing some reading on the Geolanders and it seems they wear quite a bit faster on heavier trucks. Does anyone running these have any feedback about them? Will the 315/75R16s fit the Budd rims and secure the lock ring all right?
It's a damn shame the Custom Xtra Grips aren't made anymore. They look like a great tire.

[oilleaker1]

Ever thought about installing studs in the lugs? Do they make a drill / kit to do this? You wouldn't need to do every lug either. Then it would be " BAD ". The crazy prices on tires are out of hand like fuel. Half of the original purchase price just for tires. Then tubes. Then shipping, then install, dismount/mount. Split rims are turned away in places. Most new tires are tubless with flexy sidewalls. The end choice for me was just buy a set of chains and use them when the roads mandate only. A pain to put on, but the financial pain of tires is large also. Now, the cool part is that "drifting" your M37 on snow and ice is easy! John

[DAP]

I have some Super Swampers already mounted and ready to go. See the thread at:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4251

more pitures on another thread listed in that one

[k8icu]

Yep NDT suck in snow and ice and wet pavement. Work good in dirt, mud is questionable. 70 year old technology and even the Army who is slow to chage has moved away from them. Both the Goodyear Wrangler and the BF Goodrich (I forget the brand name) for the HMMWV are comerical tires and can be purchased in a 16 inch tire size. You'll pay a good price ($200 or so each depending) but they will work in all terain and weather conditions. Of course if your just looking for something that will give you all around good performance there are commircal truck tires that are 9.00x16 that can be had for a fair price.

[ZGjethro]

I have brand new Power Kings on my truck and they are pretty good. They are definitely not as good as the studded Cooper Discoveries on my 4runner, but I can run the Power Kings all year round

Edit. I was referring to their performance on hard packed snow and ice, not deep powder in offroad conditions

[wyowillys46]

Unfortunately the HMMWV tires are 16.5". I thought about getting a set of those wheels and having them recentered. Doing that and ordering some surplus bias plys would be roughly comparable in cost to a new set of 16" tires. No one here is running Geolander MT+'s? I know I saw some trucks with them on Charles' website.

Thanks for the link DAP, but I'd rather go with a tire that has better road manners than a SS.

I took my spare down to the local tire shop and they broke the bead for me for $10. I disassembled it the rest of the way.

[k8icu]

I meant to get that brand of tire not HMMWV tires themselves. Good Year Wrangler MTs in a 16 inch is what I was saying. I know the actual HMMWV tires a .5 inch bigger and that would not be good on 16 inch rims.

[DJ]

Been looking for tires too. Found a place called 'TreadWright", that sells retreads. Haven't heard from anyone who has them. They have a 2 year warranty , and a good price.

[8543bob]

They may suck in certain situations, but in others they are fine. In last winters Christams snow, 24" where I am, they worked fine for me. I pulled out a couple of stuck vehicles, one an Avalange. They held tight to the new snow, I never had a feeling I was losing control. I live on a beach on the south shore of Long Island, they work great in the sand. I dont take the M out in the rain, but fully understand where the term " widow maker" came from. And as far as I'm concerned no other tire looks as good on an M as the NDT'S.
JUST MY .02 BOB

[cuz]

NDCC's look a wee bit better and are correct but the Goodyears look even better. It's all in the eye of the beholder!

[Monkey Man]

Humour my stupidity Cuz, what model are the Goodyears again and are they still in production?

Best Regards - MM

[Cal_Gary]

Sometimes airing the NDT down will provide a better grip-certainly not on ice but in goo or powder/slush it can help. I sometimes envy those with duals-air them both down to provide a mega-wide tread that can go many places a single tread can't.
Gary

[wyowillys46]

Humour my stupidity Cuz, what model are the Goodyears again and are they still in production?

Best Regards - MM

Those are Goodyear Custom Xtra Grips. I'm pretty sure they're not available anymore in the US. Garbee has a short section on the tire page of his website. I'd love to have a set of those.

[cuz]

They can be had in Malaysia and Indonesia I believe. I am hoping Goodyear will revive them in the near future.

[Josh]

I had Power Kings on my rig before the Michelins, and loved them, Very good in slushy conditions, will dig to China in mud/dirt, decent in rocks. Only achilles heel was in wet clay, they would pack up in clay, and they dig so fast that to get enough wheel speed to clear them, you better be moving forward already, spinning them from a stop to clear them will only result in teh truck laying on its belly in the clay.