BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM: Review & Rating
The Mud-Terrain T/A KM is another special piece in the wide arsenal of BFGoodrich. The tire maker is not just another ordinary brand; it is ingrained in American history, and its tires have traversed some legendary miles. It was the first American company to offer radial tires. Moreover, in 1903, the first car to across the United States, was fitted with BFGoodrich tires.
The most incredible piece of history, the space program, is also linked with BFGoodrich. In 1977, the space shuttle Columbia was equipped with BFGoodrich tires during its construction. For every important occasion, BFGoodrich tires, have been trusted and have come through. It also had its fair share of competition accolades, with 28 overall victories at the Baja California Competition, and 13 wins of the Paris-Dakar Rally. And last but not the least, it has also been the official tire supplier for the World Rally Championship.
Enter the Mud Terrain T/A KM
The KM stands for Key Benefit Mud traction. While it was necessary to expand that, the most important item right out the door, is that this tire won the accolade of being the only tire named by the JP magazine, as one of the 10 most influential off-road products of all time, for its incredible off-road traction, and proven race performance. It is touted to be a must for all four wheel drive enthusiasts, who want a tire they can rely on for off-road traction.
The Mud Terrain T/A KM takes over from the Radial Mud-Terrain T/A, and goes a mile further. The Mud Terrain T/A KM is engineered to give much greater levels on performance when one goes off-roading and plans to tackle rocks head on, or deal with wet surfaces. The slick surface traction has been greatly improved. When engineering the Mud Terrain T/A KM, it appears BFGoodrich listened to the customer feedback on its Radial Mud Terrain T/A and ensured that this tire is sure to have reduced road noise. It is a given fact, that road noise increases as the tire grows older, however many such tires in this category have a noticeable scream from day one. Customer reviews show that this is not the case with this tire.
Also the tire tread has been designed to ensure that there is an even wear. This even wear improves the smoothness of the ride on paved roads, and gives one consistent tire uniformity, ensuring a comfortable ride throughout the lifespan of the tires. It is very important that the tires give a comfortable ride, off-road, and on road.
The Mud-Terrain T/A KM is designed to look good, and deliver. The tire has good-off road traction, enabling excellent steering control of slippery surfaces, and even in deep mud and loose dirt. The tire has been made with an advanced tread compound, and it has a symmetric tread pattern which is made with interlocking center tread blocks. This gives it the ability to churn out the extra pulling power.
The best thing about these tires are that they perform as well on road, as off-road. When they are brand new the are very silent, and run smoothly on the pavement. As they age, there is a slight noise, however it is not irritating, at least till they reach the worn out stage.
One of the necessary features of a good off-road tire is that it has to be able to climb, and crawl and roll off rocks easily. The T/A Km has big tread blocks, which give it grip at all approach angles. When off-roading they work especially well aired-down tire pressures. When talking about rock climbing, there is a good news. Compared to the previous version, that is the Radial Mud-Terrain T/A, the Mud Terrain T/A has been designed to give the off-roader greater reliability by improving rim and tire protection from the tons of hazards that the tire is exposed to. This is especially true during situations when the tire is aired-down. BFGoodrich has made sure that there is a performance upgrade in aired-down situations. This makes it a good bet during an off-road expedition. Also the tire has been made to bear abuse. Customer reviews and tests suggest that the Mud-Terrain T/A KM has shown exceptional tenacity and bruise resistance under the tread and in the sidewall. This comes in real handy during climbing situations, when the sidewall does see a lot of friction.
The tire is made for mud, so it offers an extreme grip in all sorts of wet conditions. There is up to a five percent improvement in mud traction, from the previous model.
Let us visit the Mud Terrain’s pros and cons, to reach a conclusion regarding the quality of the tire.
Pros
- Great traction on all terrain
- Great looks, combined with greater utility
- Excellent sidewall strength
- Self Clean after being exposed to mud
- Comfortable drive on highways
Cons
- Load range “D”
- Cannot be relied upon in snow and ice conditions
- Some people might find that the range does not have offerings in the large size
- Balancing may be difficult as per customer reviews
Warranty
All BFGoodrich tires are sold with a standard manufacturer’s limited warranty which provides cover against any defects in workmanship and materials for the lifespan of the original usable tread, or 6 years from the date of purchase, whichever comes earlier. However, you should talk to your dealer about warranty and ensure you understand it in detail. Also, make sure you keep proof of purchase safe, just in case you need to claim the warranty. A detailed document of the factory warranty is also available on the BFGoodrich website.
Customer Reviews
The majority of the customer reviews are positive, and they recommend the product. Customer reviews show that the Mud-Terrain T/A KM performs well off-road, be it any terrain and at the same time makes for comfortable riding on paved roads, with less noise and smooth rolling. Most have mentioned that they would not recommend using this tire in icy conditions or deep snow. All in all, we can gauge from the customer reviews that off the road, these beasts can be relied upon due to their build quality.