radial claws

[YankeeDave]

sorry to go back to the tyre debate, but i need some need road/summer 4wd tyres

currently running 35 STT coopers,
and was thinking about radial claws as they are the same price as a standard mud,

so has anybody got radial claws and can comment about thier performance on the road,sand,mud,etc

[Link]

On road they are good, even in the wet.. They are noisy though and wear fast. In sand they can bury themselves very quickly given half a chance.. In mud they are great..

[Eddy]

Never apologise for asking a question dude ;D
I was about to ask that very same question, price looks OK, just wondering about on road performance & wear.

[YankeeDave]

wear quickly ehh? what sort of milage am i looking at.

and what about the procomp xterrain. they look slightly less agressive and cost more

i think about 350 for a 35

[cuttin loose]

how much did you pay for the coopers??

looking at getting a set of 35's for meself...
would you recommend them to others??

[Link]

wear quickly ehh? what sort of milage am i looking at.
Not sure exactly.. I've done around 6K on mine and they are showing signs of wear, although it's been pretty hard yards and I've turned the rubber blue a few times on the rocks.. I don't think you'd get more than 30-40K on them though, and I doubt I'll make 30K.. If you look around for comments on claws, you can ignore pretty much all that is said as it usually relates only to the bias ply version.. They are very different from each other..

The claw is a better mud tyre, but to flash on gravel IMHO, the pro comp xterrain is a nice tyre on and off road, rock etc, but not quite an exclusive mud tyre, but still better than a BF mud or MTR also IMHO.

The xterrain also seems to wear better than the claw.

http://www.offroader.com.au/reviews/tyres/procomp/procomp-xterrain-10000-km.cfm

http://www.offroader.com.au/reviews/tyres/procomp/procomp-xterrain.cfm

[warda]

wear quickly ehh? what sort of milage am i looking at.
Not sure exactly.. I've done around 6K on mine and they are showing signs of wear, although it's been pretty hard yards and I've turned the rubber blue a few times on the rocks.. I don't think you'd get more than 30-40K on them though, and I doubt I'll make 30K.. If you look around for comments on claws, you can ignore pretty much all that is said as it usually relates only to the bias ply version.. They are very different from each other..
HI link are they any good .iam trying to fine a set of rubber thats a bit more than the stanard bfg muddie sort of in between com rubber and touring rubber of got two sets now one for summer and bfg muddies for winter so there not going to be on the car all that often they might do 5000k a year let me know what you think

[cuttin loose]

what are these pro comps like compared to the STT's

just interested to know - as i'm still checkin out the scene for some better bigger rubber..

has anyone tried/tested the two of these?? what did you think of each??

The xterrain was a better tyre for the intended purpose than the STT IMHO, and the claw a bit better for its intended purpose, but the xterrain was also that bit better than the other 2 as an all round tyre.

The claw just isnt as nice as the other 2 on faster gravel stuff, as it tends to skate over, rather than bite into gravel surfaces.

[cuttin loose]

oh ok...yeah ...

coz i'm sorta looking for something that's gonna be pretty good in the scrub plus something that drives ok on the black top...

i probably do 65% blacktop work and 35% scrub work.( more if i can..) but yeah.. want something that's gonna last the distance and still be good off road...

any other ideas???

still - have bin thinking about getting a second set of rubber specifically for the scrub.. i love the claws.. just a matter of finding the moolah.. ;D ;D ;D

buy 2nd hand standard tyres off later cars for like $50 ea and wear those out on road, and buy a good set of TSL swampers for bush work.

You wont regret going total bush tyre, or getting swampers ;)

[cuttin loose]

yeah coz i've got 32in ATKO's at the moment that still have approx. 80% - 90% tread.. (only 6 months old and haven't bin driven on for 4 months..)

looking to ditch them and go the 35's.. but like the idea of some decent muck around tyres too... ;D ;D ;D

[YankeeDave]

well i bought my STT 35's two years ago, they retailed then for 300

They go well, but i dont reckon any better than any other mud terrain. I have done about 40,000 and they still have half the tread left ( willing to sell these if any are in need of some 35's)


They arnt the best on wet bitumen, but then again no mud tyre is the best then.

So if radial claws only get 30,000-40,000 before they are buggered, i might stick to the xterrains.


I had a chat to a bloke who just upgraded from STT;s to radial claws and said the claws are actually better on the road and only slightly better in the bush than the STTs. but seeing as they were pretty new he couldnt comment on wear

[BLU-125]

It's nice to see that no commercial interests ever enter these posts. The ProComp & Radial Claw are essentially the same tyre. The cases they use are a generation newer than the STT. A 315/75R16 (35" mould) PC or MT is good, current technology. Cooper owns M/T but manufactures ProComp as a private tyre brand. I think that we often see comparisons made that can't be technically quantified.

I have never made a secret of the fact that I am a tyre dealer who specialises in Off Road tyres & that I have been dealing with Cooper & GoodYear for a long time.

I would be delighted to hear what retail affiliations any contributor to this forum has, especially regarding tyres & CO2 kits.

I'm am always amused that the arrogant accuse those around them of arrogance, the liars accuse of lying, the thieves of theft, and the wealthy of being poor.........

[baby_troupe]

I can quite happily tell you that I have no affilliation with any 4wd outlets of any kind.
The company I work for is a major discount department retailer which sells more Toys, Games & DVDs than it does Camping Gear.

[BLU-125]

BT, why the comment?

You hadn't made a post on this thread had you?

Or were you feeling guilty about some of your other posts?

[baby_troupe]

Nope.
I have been questioned by others thru PM before though, so as I was reading this thread (I read every thread) thought I had better answer more publicly than I have in the past.

It's nice to see that no commercial interests ever enter these posts. The ProComp & Radial Claw are essentially the same tyre. The cases they use are a generation newer than the STT. A 315/75R16 (35" mould) PC or MT is good, current technology. Cooper owns M/T but manufactures ProComp as a private tyre brand. I think that we often see comparisons made that can't be technically quantified.

I have never made a secret of the fact that I am a tyre dealer who specialises in Off Road tyres & that I have been dealing with Cooper & GoodYear for a long time.

I would be delighted to hear what retail affiliations any contributor to this forum has, especially regarding tyres & CO2 kits.

I'm am always amused that the arrogant accuse those around them of arrogance, the liars accuse of lying, the thieves of theft, and the wealthy of being poor.........



pooooooeeeeeeeyyyyy that bait smells awful, I think its off, might wish to try something else blu?

You asked a question to a specific member obviously, without realising others would reply to your post, where as if you were really concerned about what your question asks, you would of PM'ed me instead......

Now go peddle a tyre you dont stock, and get some glasses, if the claw and pro comp are essentially the same tyre ::)

Same carcass, maybe, same factory , yes, same tyre...? those tread patterns look awful different to me between the claw and xterrain, but hey, I wasnt born in to a family tyre business, so what would I know....

[Hooligan]

Why in the world would any dumb homo consider MT/R's or the frilly Coops's?

Any self respecting real man would throw some manly Swampers on there.

Putting MT/R's on your truck is like taking a shower in anthrax.

Don't be a wuss, get some swampers.

[lovemud]

Hi there mate ;D

I got a set of radial claws is my 2nd set only usem for off road 8). driving them on road they are a bit noise but for bogholes ,vertical climbs,mud &snow awsome tyre ;D
also they got a good price tag,compere to mt/r's,bfg,coopers etc
i had $295 a tyre 33/12.5/15 but the only problem i had was the calipers in the 4.8l they are bigger so i had to get 16'' tyre price at $349 for 305/70/16

Q78 swampers have only been $325 ea, if wanting a pure offroad tyre, much stronger sidewalla nd tread section on the bias ply, sure they dont drive as well on road, but that isnt why you buy them. ;D

That is what i was thinking shed dude..... if you buy off-road tyres you are buying for off-road...... it's often hard to get a really good off-road tyre thats gonna do the job on the tar.... and vice versa

[lovemud]

The claw just isnt as nice as the other 2 on faster gravel stuff, as it tends to skate over, rather than bite into gravel surfaces.

have you ever driven on these tyre's before or are you just making an educated guess ???


I have taken my radial claw's offroad and I have never had any skating problems with them on gravel surface in 2WD in patrol. I have driven BF's muddies and I prefere claw's I think they handle better than BF's.

P.S. what size were the swampers?

[luxute]

Hey Bruce, I have got a set of MT/Rs on my hilux and I am very happy with their performance all round from wet bitumen to deep thick mud. We all buy what we can afford and $300+ per tyre is way out of my price range. Best not to bag anyone elses tyre choice without knowing the situation >:(

The claw just isnt as nice as the other 2 on faster gravel stuff, as it tends to skate over, rather than bite into gravel surfaces.

have you ever driven on these tyre's before or are you just making an educated guess ???

P.S. what size were the swampers?


Im not in the habit of reviewing stuff i havent used...but now that you have mentioned it, have you tried reversing with them?, we have had cars in all sorts of trouble while in the high country when ahving to turn around, back up, drive into something, cant drive out, cant back up either, and in snow etc they seem to work better witht he fronts on backward, and the reas on the right way.

And other people I know who have them apart from you, and one other think the same thing, especially on nissans, lifted, once the front end and suspension arm geometery goes out the window.

And if you wish to test its gravel capabilities, just jump on the picks from 100 aprox on a gravel road, lock em up, and see if the tyre stops, follows the camber of the road, skates all over the place, pulls up straight etc.

[lovemud]

O.K. so we are not going to agree on the tyre issue, although I haven't had any problems going in reverse, so do you think that MTR's perform better than Claw's offroad?Vertical climbs/ sand/mud /snow etc...

especially on nissans

you wouldn't have something agains nissans would you? ;D ;D ;D



Bloody Toyo driver! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Sorry, didnt know it was a claw MTR debate, thought it was a claw-Xterrain debate.

But Ill keep my MTR's for the general use tyre, as the small short fall in extreme mud sint worth the extremely poor performance of the claw in reverse, or the relatively poor performance on the gravel roads to get there.

And the MTR has certainly outperformed the claw on the snow trips I have run to date.

For some one elses view of what they saw of directional tyres in the high country, see here

http://www.lcool.org/trips/snow_2003/snow_2003_pics.html

Ill just put the chains on the rear for the odd time the MTR wont get me there, but in tose cases the claw is no swamper, and probably wouldnt of got me there either.

[lovemud]

Mate, you gotta go offroad with me and see how far claws will get ya, but even if they don't getting bogged is the best part of 4wding. What fun would it be if we could get through everything. I would prefer super swammpers tsl boggers for bogholes, but I will stick with my claws for now.
Love the way you sent me into enemy teritorry with that websit :D, although I did notice you needed a nissan to show you how to get things done(get stuck or bogged) ;D ;D ;D.

[Hooligan]

... by the way, I am clueless so please show me the way to enlightenment

Not to worry. So long as you chose them because you could not afford better that is fine. I have made a similiar choice by buying nissan when I could not afford the obviously superior Toyota. And I suppose just like your wife could not do any better so she had to settle for you.

It is just that if you want a real tire, then it would say Interco on the side.

These boards are supposed to be discuss things in a civilised manner... NOT to insult and degrade people. This thread started with somebody wanting a bit of help with tyres.... and it's ended up turning into a slanging match and getting personal over tyres!! come on guys... we are more civilised than that! Everybody has their preference when it comes to tyres..... ask 10 people what they prefer and you will get 10 different responses. Personally, i have driven on BFG mud terrains and i like them because they suit the type of off-roading i do. I'm sure if i was into bogs and rock climbing i'd buy something different.
btw...... the muddies were on a land cruiser troopie..... with a 3" lift kit.....not on my rodeo.
Let's keep these boards in perspective here and continue to enjoy reading them :)

Mate, you gotta go offroad with me and see how far claws will get ya, ;D ;D ;D.


I have done enough comps, trips with nissans, and claws as well as having owned them both previously to know what they like, dislike.

And swampers arent just for bogholes.... ;)

[lovemud]

These boards are supposed to be discuss things in a civilised manner... NOT to insult and degrade people. This thread started with somebody wanting a bit of help with tyres.... and it's ended up turning into a slanging match and getting personal over tyres!! come on guys... we are more civilised than that!

Hey shed guy sorry if I have insulted ya ;D, it was all for a bit of fun.Don't these little guys mean nothing D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.PS I know swampers are not just for bogholes but that's where I'd like to take them. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

No one insulted this end, if its fun, and can be informative, wheres the harm I say.http://forum.ih8mud.com/smilies/thefinger.gif

If we all liked the same things for the same reasons, what fun would that be.

[lovemud]

swampers have only been $325 ea

were did you get your price for swampers and what size did you look at

because when i was getting mine these were
the prices that i got for cash price.for 5 tyres
s/swampers tsl sx
33/15.5/16.5 $600
s/swampers tsl
33/13/16 $480
s/swampers tsl boggers
33/14.5/16.5 $630
baja claws
33/13.5/16 $485

Matt at ARB Southern I ussually get my swampers from, Matt is a top bloke, and hooked in with Terrry Smith.

Because of Pro Comp running out a containe rof swampers and pro comps, Swamper prices were low in Vic for a while.

Matt had a set of 38/13's for $395 last time I was there I looked at afew months ago.

[lovemud]

38/13's for $395

you recon you can hook me up for a set of tsl BOGGERS 33/14.5/16.5 for that price. ;D
38/13/16 here in sydney S/SWAMPERS TSL.SX they around $690 to $740 a tyre ::)

lft it, cut it, re gear it, anf fit the 38's.... ;D

[BLU-125]

Am intrigued by your photographs, Darren, of your trip into the snow. As someone who has always lived in sub tropical areas and never experienced this challenge I would genuinely be interested in hearing about the difficulties in snow driving.

Deep snow driving requires low gearing, flat tyres, and very dilligent use of the throttle to stay up on the snow as best as possible.

Quite often as you tick along at idle in first low, you need to hold the brakes on to slow the idle down, so the car can climb up onto the snow again and stop digging. Sometimes edging forward, making a ramp, backing up, going forward, backing up, edging forward till the car digs, stopping backing up, and going a bit further again. And sometimes backing up, hitting it hard, till it stops, back up, hit it hard again, works just as well.

It is something that, when done well, makes something very difficult actually look quite simple.

http://www.offroader.com.au/video/theshed/WoodspointSnowDriving-low.wmv

In this pic, the snow is about 4' deep, the white posts are well below the surface, and we are trying to push a track through, driving, stopping, shovelling in the ruts, driving, till we stop, backing up, filling in the ruts, as we go.

http://www.lcool.org/trips/snow_2003/daz_stuck.jpg

[YankeeDave]

just reminding you guys i started this tread for a road/summer 4wd or a tyre for the bush when i'm too lazy to put my swampers on

[Eddy]

just reminding you guys i started this tread for a road/summer 4wd or a tyre for the bush when i'm too lazy to put my swampers on


We know that dude ;)but nothing ever stays the same ::)
At least everyone's still preety much on the original topic - thats a bonus ;D

well they were on the same topic, till someone mentioned topics, so now the thread has a whole new topic, seperate to the topic it started with..... ;D

ACK!! shed guy!! now i am confused *goes to look for the valium* ???

[cuttin loose]

hey guys...

just wanna see if this sparks any interest..

this is off the topic - but still to do with tyres...
i'm thinking about getting a set of boggers from the states as a set only for off road.. 35 x 14.5 x 15's..

i can get them for $210 USD a tyre.. i'll get one of our containers from the states to bring'em over..

if anyone's interested in doin like wise lemmie know coz i might be able to get the tyres cheaper if there's a few of us..like a bulk order kinda thing..

can get just about any tyre up to a 38in from $350usd down..

just figure if i can get em cheap, why not help you guys out that can't afford to hand out cash for the expensive stuff like myself.. ;D ;D ;D

[YankeeDave]

lachie can you check out some 36x12.5 swamper TSL's for me, mine are all worn out


and i'm in melb, where are you?

[cuttin loose]

36 x 12.5 x 15/8 looking at $158usd - $225.80aud

i'm in Sydney, but i can just chuck em on one of our trucks that's heading to either brissie or Melbourne..

i got that part of the transport covered.. ;D ;D

[Eddy]

Nah Sheddy - the topic of the thread is still tyres not topics; The topic topic was just a note suggesting that the topic was still basically tyres - not topics, and you'll notice that the topic of the most recent post following the topic of topics was in fact the topic of tyres not the topic of topics!
8)Fear not! all is not lost ;D

[YankeeDave]

lachie you little rippa, that is soooo cheap.

let me see how my funds are doing and i'll get back to you.
how long is this little offer available, and whats ur email?

[cuttin loose]

well considering our lil ozzie dollar seems to be getting better an better... things can only get cheaper.. ;D ;D ;D

if anyone else is interested - drop me a line.

my email is: ltaylor@asiaworld.com.au

[BLU-125]

Am amazed by the snow video - apologise for going off thread. After a very mild intro to the Victorian mountains earlier in the year, without snow, I have difficulty in comprehending what local knowledge and memory of terrain it takes to safely drive in these areas in the snow season.

Do clubs, or special interest groups like the hut restorers, get access when the tracks are closed?

If so, doesn't that give us another reason to join a club.

The areas we go in the snow dont have any closures.

Have also worked on huts in the area to ensure they stay there for shelter, and camping when the snow is around.

I do know the high country reasonably well, and although knowlwdge does help, the terrain is reasonably easy to read when snow covered.

http://www.offroader.com.au/features/crowes-hut-rebuild-dec-02.cfm

[alki]

I don't agree about terrain being easy to read when snow covered.
Everything looks stright forward but snow hides all bogholes,potholes and even sideslopes are sometimes harder to notice.
It's very easy to run off the road thinking that road is wider than it is.

Nah Sheddy - the topic of the thread is still tyres not topics; The topic topic was just a note suggesting that the topic was still basically tyres - not topics, and you'll notice that the topic of the most recent post following the topic of topics was in fact the topic of tyres not the topic of topics!
8)Fear not! all is not lost ;D


??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? now i NEED that valium sandwich....... *goes looking*

I don't agree about terrain being easy to read when snow covered.
Everything looks stright forward but snow hides all bogholes,potholes and even sideslopes are sometimes harder to notice.
It's very easy to run off the road thinking that road is wider than it is.


I guess these things are more of a concern in a ni$$an.......http://forum.ih8mud.com/smilies/thefinger.gif

[alki]

I don't agree about terrain being easy to read when snow covered.
Everything looks stright forward but snow hides all bogholes,potholes and even sideslopes are sometimes harder to notice.
It's very easy to run off the road thinking that road is wider than it is.


I guess these things are more of a concern in a ni$$an.......http://forum.ih8mud.com/smilies/thefinger.gif



LOL,
I wasn't even talking about any car, but about visibility under snow :-*

[lovemud]

;D ;D ;D So now that we all agree that radial claws are great tyres and nissans are the best trucks around we can clearly say that if it wasn't for this one bloody toyota driver ::) we'd have this subject settled long ago :D
cheers guys 8)

Yes, ni$$ans go well with claws, speedy rims, magnum winches, Tjm bullbars, OME nitrocharger shocks, red desert drawers, thomas compressors, and weaco fridges..... ::) :P ;D

[Eddy]

:oSheddy!!!......Is there just the tiniest hint of bias starting to show through there????? :o :o


Hey lovemud, any discussion on tyres will NEVER be settled - just not natural, can't happen ;D ;D ;D

[YankeeDave]

after reading the posts again, i'd say the consensus is against claws, and more for Xterrains

[lovemud]

Yes, ni$$ans go well with claws, speedy rims, magnum winches, Tjm bullbars, OME nitrocharger shocks, red desert drawers, thomas compressors, and weaco fridges.....

Better then toyotas you pushem hard there runing gear starts falling apart :o because i was a ex toyota driver ,and Nissans go better on claws then toyota as standard with out the diff locks. i had to put a locker at rear so i got 3 wheels spining insted of 2 like toyos LSD it is hopeless ::)
so dont tell me something that you havent driven like a 4.8 patrol on claws for my driving they are awsome they just keep digging thru deep mud ,vertical assult,perfect value for money ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

:oSheddy!!!......Is there just the tiniest hint of bias starting to show through there????? :o :o


???where ???

[tojoh]

I'd really like to P$ss some people off here.

I liked my MTR's so much that I SOLD, yes you read it SOLD my Cross Ply CLAWS.
Now I don't have to worry about changing wheels every time I go out bush, and believe it or not, they rival the Claws in most situations for grip.
They're also much less noisy, handle wet roads far better than a mud tyre should, offer a soft tread and still are wearing very well. A mate of mine has a 255ci V8 in his Patrol. He has a very heavy right boot, and has done soome 16 odd second quarter mile runs (including burnouts) on the MTR and they're wearing better than his old BFGMT's which he pampered due to their alarming rate of wear.

Sounds to me like some people may be shooting blind here, come on fess up. Makes for good entertasinment though.






I fitted my mates 35 Procomps a few weekends ago to test them. They offer amazing grip on dry dirt, have good lateral grip (i.e don't want to slide sideways when turning on loose gravel/dirt. Lateral grip in my mind was the claws biggest weakness off-road), and are very well behaved on road. They seem to clear mud okay, not as well as a claw natch, but don't grip super well in it.

That said, I was at a Cruiser Park winch challenge a few years ago and Alan McMullen in his TJ jeep wrangler, blew both his front axle uni's on the first night. He continued on and was able to drive further in some tracks in two wheel drive, than other cars were able to get in 4 wheel drive, on his Pro comps.



So there is some information that I know and have gathered through actual experience, which may be of use to you.

Good Luck deciding. If I were in your shoes, I'd ghet the Procomps, as they are an excellent all round tyre, with that competition look. While I haven't driven on a set of M/Thompson RADIAL Claws, I would be surprised if they were nicer to drive on road, especially in the wet, and sand, than the Procomps. I stand open for correcting on this point though.

The expected tyre life from a Procomp is well above 50,000 kays, I can't rememebr the exact figure, but driving them on the road and hearing how quiet they were (which means they're not beating themselves up to turn) I would expect a much better wear rate than that of the RADIAL claw, which is still a bit noisy according to you blokes elsewhere on trhis thread.

[Link]

after reading the posts again, i'd say the consensus is against claws, and more for Xterrains

I think you'll find opinions vary depending on where you live.. Up in QLD many have had probs Xterrains (also MTR's) and hence dislike them.. Down south they seem to think they are great.. Claws are also the type of tyre you either love or hate..

[lovemud]

;D ;D ;D I'd really like to P$ss some people off here. :P :P :-*

I haven't driven on a set of M/Thompson RADIAL Claws

If you haven't tried them how do you know that they are no good? ???

[Link]

;D ;D ;D I'd really like to P$ss some people off here. :P :P :-*

I haven't driven on a set of M/Thompson RADIAL Claws

If you haven't tried them how do you know that they are no good? ???


This would probably explain it..
Sounds to me like some people may be shooting blind here, come on fess up. Makes for good entertasinment though.

I think he was talking about himself :P ;D

[lovemud]

;D ;D ;D ;D ;DI think he was talking about himself

Perfect explanation, Link ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[tojoh]

If you re-read the thread.....

I stand open for correction. Which you've not done, just pointed fingers.

You'll also see I never claimed the radial claws were $hit, just said I'd be surprised if they would handle wet roads. This comment came from owning a set of Cross ply claws, which have basically the same tread pattern as the radial claw, in contact with the road. The same can be said for my opinion on lateral stability, sand ability, etc. Because I've driven on the same tread (in the cross ply claw) through these terrains.

Now untie your knickers, and accept that I've offered a VALUABLE opinion on the topic at hand. Answering a question honestly, now when was that a crime???

[lovemud]

I just don't know what are you going on about IMHO i find them good on wet road's they handle allright so far and about sand driving DID you ever deflate you tyre's i found them very good when deflated down to 15psi i had no problem what so ever maybe you should've changed your way of driving ,instead of your baja claws :o :o :o

Who is pointing fingers, you wanted to pi$$ of some people you have succeeded you've pi$$ed of your self :-* ;D

accept that I've offered a VALUABLE opinion on the topic at hand.

Nevvvvvvvvvvvver! >:( >:( ;) :D

[baby_troupe]

OK guys, lets settle this down b4 it gets out of hand.
I have not run these tyres myself & I am not about to, as IMO they do not suite what I do.
As for one guys finds them to be good & the other not so.
We all have our preferences & driving styles, so what we do is what we do.
Just because someone else has a differring opinion, doesn't make them wrong, it is just their opinion, so lets leave it at that.

Yeah!! what BT said ::)

[tojoh]

I just don't know what are you going on about IMHO i find them good on wet road's they handle allright so far and about sand driving DID you ever deflate you tyre's i found them very good when deflated down to 15psi i had no problem what so ever maybe you should've changed your way of driving ,instead of your baja claws :o :o :o

Who is pointing fingers, you wanted to pi$$ of some people you have succeeded you've pi$$ed of your self :-* ;D

accept that I've offered a VALUABLE opinion on the topic at hand.

Nevvvvvvvvvvvver! >:( >:( ;) :D




Hehehehehe. Hook, line and..............

Wouldn't this make a great campfire discussion after a few beers.

Lovemud, yes I let my claws down in the sand, at times to 10psi, and yes, they work much better in the sand than I expected them to. Problem is they're very heavy for the engine to turn, and take that bit extra puff out of the TD42 Deisel, so when it comes time to cross a dune, sometimes I was forced to use low range first, or second, depending on how steep. This extra torque made it easier to bog in, and the lack of engine power meant I couldn't use a higher gear. Your 185kilowatts should solve that though.

In the end, I found the claw works better on sand, when you fit them in the opposite direction than indicated. The V shape tread pulls sand under the tyre, helping it stay on top. If you have them the right way, the tread, as it is designed to do in mud, pulls sand out from under the tyre, causing it to dig in. That's a tip I'll give you for free, if you do any SERIOUS sand driving. Just joking, I wouldn't know where you drive ;D.

As for handling in the wet, try an emergency stop on wet bitumen with your claws, then with a normal tyre. Also try getting a good run from the lights in the wet with the claws on. If my puss bucket gutless deisel can get out of shape under acceleration around a corner on claws, imagine what your petrol power demon is going to do. Be carefull, and warn the wife, they can be dangerous if you're not expecting it, and downright fun if you are 8).

As for using my car off-road.................. See below. ;)

[Link]

Tojoh.. It's a bit difficult to compare a radial to a bias ply tyre.. Onroad the radial will always win hands down..

As for their wet weather handling, the rims for my claws are being repaired so I had BFG A/T's on today for a quick trip during the downpour.. Strangely enough I was wishing I had the claws on as they seem to perform a bit better in the wet than the A/T's.. Then we headed offroad and that was just funny ;D

Other differences between the radial and bias claws include the amount of lateral traction.. To get the same grip laterally on a bias ply you need to drop to single figures to match a 25psi radial..

Taking claws on sand is bizarre.. I took mine up to the top of Fraser as I didn't get a chance to change rims before we left.. Had another guy slow down in front of me which brought me to a halt in the soft stuff.. Gave it a little boot and sunk 1/2 foot in about a second.. I made it through eventually but that was double locked, full noise, and steering out of the wheel tracks.. Couldn't move any other way.. There's many a tyre I'd take on sand before the Claws..

Biggest problem with the radial claws hasn't even been mentioned on this thread yet ;D

[DIRTY]

And just what is that problem? ???

[lovemud]

And just what is that problem?

problem is the noise for some but i don't mind ;D ;D ;D

[Link]

And just what is that problem? ???


Rim damage seems to be a problem with them.. I've damaged them twice, and Alben from Cruiser Park had done 5 or 6 rims with the radials on..

[MUDRIG]

I just wish i could afford bloody tyres like that? :'(

[cuttin loose]

i'm working on it... ;D ;D

[lovemud]

I went through a boghole a little bit to fast i hit a rock and i got a side puncher on my claws and it look's like it can't be patched the hole is to big :-[ :-[ :-[

[FUN-TOY]

We all have our preferences & driving styles, so what we do is what we do.
Just because someone else has a differring opinion, doesn't make them wrong, it is just their opinion, so lets leave it at that.

Is that why us 4WDers divided to two major opposition? Toyota and Nissan drivers? ;)

[cuttin loose]

but we all know which one's better....

NISSAN!!!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[lovemud]

We all have our preferences & driving styles, so what we do is what we do.
Just because someone else has a differring opinion, doesn't make them wrong, it is just their opinion, so lets leave it at that.

Is that why us 4WDers divided to two major opposition? Toyota and Nissan drivers? ;)


I was a Ex-Toyota driver while snapping the crownies front&back that's why i moved to something more solid like Nissan ;D Imagine a l/cruiser going thru the boghole were i got only a puncher.He would leave his front diff there and maybe even the spare :-[

[OzJeeper]

Prob gonna get jumped on here.
TSL Boggers - not speed rated in Australia. Had 'em, piffed 'em. Not impressed with wear rate - specialist tyre.

Coopers - both ST's and STT's good all round tyre with the accent on reasonable traction in off-road conditions. Wear fairly well.

Claws are a bother. Directional tread only and need continual swapping from front to back to keep wear even. Beware the bias ply tyre on a lighter vehicle. "Pig" comes to mind. Radial up to 35 'and after that is all bias ply.
Good traction of-road and good all rounder except for uneven wear on bitumen. Quieter on road then the Cooper STT. Running on a Wrangler TJ.

So I run two sets of rims on my truck that I use off-road alot. Summer treads are the Cooper STT's 35/12.5/15 and the winter treads are - Simex Trecker MT's 32/9.5/16

And when the 16" Simex wear out, I will get a wider set but only 10.5". I am of the old school. Skinny tyres in mud = easy racking of the wheel to grip the ruts and "claw" out. not run on the sidewalls as all others do. Use the tread rather than the sidebiter effect. Tread is stronger than the sidewall....

nuff from me...

Cooper ST's on the Grand Cherokee.
Cooper STT 33's & Simex 32's on the Jeep J10
MTR 35's on son's TJ Wrangler (wants new Simex 35/11.5/15)
Rancho Racer 31's on the Full Size Cherokee.
Goodyear M/T's on the Cherokee Limited. (shopping basket)

[cuttin loose]

hey OzJeeper...

what do you think of the Simex MT's??

was looking at these the other day coz i'm looking at swapping my ATKO's for a set..

[Link]

I got to test out a set of silverstone mt-117 sports on the weekend.. These are the new aus standards approved ones (legal) and have tread similar to claws and x-terrains.. They were pretty good, and probably crawl slightly better than my claws.. I think they are going to be selling these for somewhere around $260 or so for a 33" in a 16..

We all have our preferences & driving styles, so what we do is what we do.
Just because someone else has a differring opinion, doesn't make them wrong, it is just their opinion, so lets leave it at that.

Is that why us 4WDers divided to two major opposition? Toyota and Nissan drivers? ;)


I was a Ex-Toyota driver while snapping the crownies front&back that's why i moved to something more solid like Nissan ;D Imagine a l/cruiser going thru the boghole were i got only a puncher.He would leave his front diff there and maybe even the spare :-[


Well my cruisers have had alot more grunt than a pootrol, with larger tyres than your running, and I never left a diff or a spare behind anywhere?

Alot of breakage is driver more than vehicle.

[alki]

Well my cruisers have had alot more grunt than a pootrol, with larger tyres than your running, and I never left a diff or a spare behind anywhere?

Alot of breakage is driver more than vehicle.

Why the question mark?Is there something questionable there? :P :P

nope, just no defining anywhere? ;D

[lovemud]

You see for my type of driving toyota's can't handle the punishment that i put them thru :-[

[308LUX]

im very happy with my 35" radial claws!!!
handle fine onroad & awesome offroad!!...look the part '8)'... i got mine for $300 a corner fitted & balanced...IMO much better than Xterrains as ive found they are much better offroad ';)'

[Ryano]

This comment came from owning a set of Cross ply claws, which have basically the same tread pattern as the radial claw, in contact with the road. The same can be said for my opinion on lateral stability, sand ability, etc. Because I've driven on the same tread (in the cross ply claw) through these terrains.



Sorry to drag back up a beaten subject ;D.... Just thought that I should mention that there is no true comparison between a radial and a bias tyre. The on road performance of a bias tyre will never be as good as a radial. The construction of the tyres are greatly different. So although the tread pattern are similar, the case constructions are vastly different and can't be compared.
The Mickey Thompson Bias Claw is a road legal tyre. However it is still a bias tyre. They attempt to make it a bit more higher speed friendly by putting in kevlar / fibreglass belts, however the basics of the tyre is still bias.
I'm also curious to know of any other competition style BIAS tyres that are street legal?
Radial Claws are a more aggressive Mud Tyre, so if you're spending a lot of time off road, They're worth going for. Tyres ARE a personal thing... Different tyres suit different people and the way they drive... I don't think any one is wrong... Yes my opinion differs from others, but that is my personal preference. :)

[Mick&Nikki]

i run radials on my rig, this is my second set of claws, not sure of milage as my first set were 2nd hand, just travelled to cape york, best tyres i've ever run

[Slunnie]

I'm also curious to know of any other competition style BIAS tyres that are street legal?
Simex ET, ET2, JT and JT2 are street legal bias ply tyres.

[bad_religion_au]

I'm also curious to know of any other competition style BIAS tyres that are street legal?
Simex ET, ET2, JT and JT2 are street legal bias ply tyres.


but only if the axle your fitting them to is placarded to take bias ply tires...

[Slunnie]

Dunno. The engineer has approved both the JT2 and the MTR specifically for my 4WD. That said, it'll be the same for Simex tyres as it is the Bias Claws

I have not seen that written in the NSW regulations at all. The only thing it says in relation to this is that each axle should not have a mix of tyre sizes or constructions on it, except when using space saver spare tyres.