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Swamper 101- Let class begin

odoa3

odoa3

1/2 ton status
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Looking at Swampers- trying to figure out which ones I should get. Was going to get Boggers- but decided I wanted a little more lateral stability. I will be mostly in mud with a few rocks. Kind of want tough sidewalls as well. What are the differences between the SSR, TSL, and the TSL-SX?
 
The SSR is a radial tire, so it is quieter on the street, it's lugs are spaced together to keep the noise down. Being a radial, the sidewalls will be thinner.
TSL's are one of the most common tires on this site, they have agrresive lugs for cleaning.
the TSL-SX I beilive are steel belted. I can't remember.

I'd suggest the TSL if your going to be running mostly mud /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Look at the website www.intercotire.com you will see that most of the tire sizes in 15 inch rims that pertain to what people here would run ALL start at 6 ply rating . So its not a matter of stronger, its a matter of if you want noise and less street , or quieter and more street ( they wil still be noisy ) /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
Thanks guys. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Sounds like TSL's are the tire for me. The K5 will see very little street so noise isn't an issue. I just was not sure what each tire aimed at.
 
I think for mud you would be happy with the SXs. They are tough as nails and have sweet a$$ lugs on the side walls. /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
SXs are very rough riding but strong and come only in certain sizes. If you're going to be running somewhere that a tire might get cut up, SX's are stronger than anything else and I'd go that route.

TSLs come in damn near any size of your choosing. I love my TSLs, and when I get new tires, I'm definitely going to seriously consider another set (only bigger).

IROKs are looking good too. They run narrow though so that is kinda turning me off to the idea of IROKs.
 
If you want a good mud tire with a strong sidewall you want SX's. They clean very well and they sidewalls are super tough. An AZ guy (FWP) runs SX's and you wouldn't believe the gashes in his sidewalls from rocks. They still hold air and wheel just fine.
 
Sounds good, please don't put any radials on your
K5 they have very week sidwalls by design, I do mean
that they are designed to be week, because all ply's are
thin, and laid up in the same direction(hense radial).


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Thanks guys. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Sounds like TSL's are the tire for me. The K5 will see very little street so noise isn't an issue. I just was not sure what each tire aimed at.

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So how would the TSL's or the SX's wear on the street?? How many miles could you get out of a set??
 
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So how would the TSL's or the SX's wear on the street?? How many miles could you get out of a set??


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That is a very hard question to answer. It all depends on weight, alignment, driving style, air pressure, lots of things to consider with wear. I have had a set of BFG M/Ts for about 10 years on my truck (OK off and on the truck) I still have about 40-50% tread left. I only drive the truck, when daily driven about 7-10,000mi. a year. I always checked air pressure and kept them rotated. Swampers on the other hand you have to run at a very low (compared to radials) pressure and you can only rotate them a certain way.
 
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So how would the TSL's or the SX's wear on the street?? How many miles could you get out of a set??

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If you have to ask then you don't want them. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Boggers, TSL's, Sx's, IROK, any of the bias tires wear about the same speed from what I have seen. SX's give a terrible ride and wobble and I here TSL's are almost as bad but I have never ran either of those tires on my K5.
Boggers ride really nice at higher speeds for the most part but as soon as they start to cup and the little lug wears down further than the big lug they act like a tractor tire at slow speeds. I get that slap, slap, slap at about 5mph and it is annoying driving in traffic or through parking lots. They are all extremely loud but boggers are the worst, they hum like crazy. They will also find anything on the truck that will make a squeek or noise because boggers make everything rattle. I have about 50-60% tread left on my boggers and I have maybe 8-9K on them.
 
Well you won't get the same as a radial, but I have seen
some get close. The secert is proper inflation(psi), rotation , balance(if you can).......ect.
I had a have had a set of SS tsl 36x12.5x15, that lasted
over 13 years, and there was one or two that still had usable tread life. This is just one exsample but I have seen
more.
As you know bais ply tires have been around a very long time
and to compare then to radials for milage is a lost art.
So if a BFG gets 60K miles a bais SS will get 10-20 % less
say 54k-48k .
 
For a vehicle that sees mostly trail I'd go with the SX, they are made especially heavy for trail use but keep in mind....they ride rough on the street. Mine are very cut up from the rocks and still hold air, the extra side lugs really grip rocks well and protects the tire too. For trail/street use I'd go with the regular TSL /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
I have a set of 36" SX's and as mentioned above they ride horrible on the street but do very well in the mud.

Just curious, what size are you look for?
 
What size are you aiming for? I run 39.5"s... Boggers in the rear TSL's in the front, and i love it.... There were 1 or 2 places i could go in 2wd with the boggers in the rear, That i couldnt go with the TSL's in the rear. if your gonna run something smaller then maybe consider putting the SX's in front and boggers in the rear...
 
if your thinking of going with the tsl's go with the iroks instead they are way better /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I have 36x12.50R16 TSL radials and they kick ass. They ride well on the street, make a shitload of noise and kick royal ass in the mud. The have a 10 ply tread and 4 or 6 ply sidewall, as well as a load range of E. They are crazy heavy duty, I'd deffinately recomend them. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
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