Tires Swampers or Kumho M/T?

[Scott in Bellingham]

I want to buy a set of tires, my car is a daily driver 88 gl Wagon take the family to town , regular grocery getter, I want to upgrade my present set of 215/75-15 mimatched mud + snow tires to something better offroad, something that will still stop in the rain and when I go on a long trip the noise and ride doesnt drive you bonkers , looking at the

Kuhno Venture M/T 27x8.5 -14

http://www.kumhousa.com/Products/PtnDetails.asp?mainCatID=2&PtnID=834

 

and the

Super Swamper SSR 27 x 9.5 - 14

http://www.intercotire.com/site34.php

 

any comments apriciated and I would like to go for a ride on the freeway with both types to get a idea what they our like thank you Scott

[Sweet82]

Scott,

 

I think either one would drive you nuts on a long trip.

Quiet and rain are not what they were designed for?

It seems what your asking the tire to do is kinda tough.

 

However, given those choices, I'd do the Swampers as I don't think you'd ever hurt them.

 

Which ever ones you do, you could have them siped.

That may quiet them down and give you the rain traction closer to a street tire?

 

Good Luck,

Glenn

[ezapar]

Here's my input.

 

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=198832&posted=1#post198832

[MorganM]

Sounds like you want an AT not an MT. Good AT's are better than M+S offroad and wont have the negative aspects you stated that an MT will have.

[soobmater]

hey scott, why would you want to go with a even smaller tire? 215/75/15 are even a little bit bigger than 28's. its hard to believe, but the 215's are 27.7 and 28s are 27.4 . i think morgan is rite, you should go with a good all terrain, like the bf goodrich. the khumo mudders shouldnt be as bad as the swammpers on the highway. i have a friend that runs khumo mudders on his lifted wagon. he is very pleased with them.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

The kumho will be a MUCH better tire for the road. Im running Discoverer STT's in 26", and they share the same tread pattern as the kumho's. Road noise is apparent, but you can only hear it opposed to the swampers which you will probably feel and hear and get sick of.

 

For off-road use, the swampers will beat the kumho's hands down. But my Discoverer's have never let me down, and ive put over 6000 highway miles on them. (2 round trips from Sacramento to Medford and one from Sacramento to Seattle).

 

-Brian

[Free Range]

I've run the kumho MT's, killed one on a log crossing in my lifted t-wagon, puncture through the sidewall, they went anywhere I could point them, except sliding sideways into sharp branches. My local tire factory repaced it for free. I'm going for more sidewall plies next time,

 

MT's are not going to be quiet, but the SSR's arn't much worse than running studded snows on dry pavement for a contrast. The ssr's come factory siped and the kumho's don't, if you aftermarket sipe a tire you usually void the warranty, would have screwed me. If you have ice and snow, be aware that mt's are designed for mud, not ice, so the more little edges of rubber you have, the better.

 

No mud tire will be a street racer, but you kinda get used to that slip and slide, squishy, humming, gnarly piece of rubber as you pull up to the milkshake stand, wink at the girls and think to yourself "these are the best drivin' round town tires ever!"

[NoahDL88]

I'd reccomend the SSR's, with the added extra, they should be siped. they're pretty quiet because they are radials.

 

Either way i'd get the tires siped, the bigger lugs with no grooves will suck in the rain, so get them siped and you'll get the best of both worlds, and excellent traction on wet rocks.

 

I don't own any stock in the siping company.

[carfreak85]

I have Kunhos on my lifted rig and they are just fine, but when they wear out or if I end up selling them, they will be replaced by Swampers, period.

[Scott in Bellingham]

OK if I wanted to buy a set of SSR Swampers wheres the best deal, for price and shipping and mounting, I would like to go with the swampers , I can get the kumohs at a local dealer for 100 each mounted , the swampers seem a bit higher thanks Scott

[Rooinater]

i've ran the ssr's and i've ran the kumho's. the ssr's are far superior in all rights. the ssr's are fairly soft and are 10 times quieter than the bias ply's of the other swampers. traction and durability have to go to the swampers also. i've had rock gouges in both. and the kumho's side wall gave in. definately like the tread patterns of the swamper better. better traction all around.

[Shadyirishmen]

I concur. The swampers are down right the Shizzle. You can't go wrong with them especially if you are going to promote your lift kits. You need all the right stuff and the Swampers just down right kick A*%.