> Jim wrote:
> > I couldn't care any less about road noise, traction, or tire wear
> > on the street. I am most concerned with off-road performance [..]

For mud, I think that the conventional wisdom is that TSL Boggers
are the best choise. That is, if being street legal is all you
require for your on-road performance. Super Swamper TSL is slightly
worse in mud, but better on-road. Super Swampers are still excellent
mud tires beating the competition handsomly, afaik. Expensive though.

> > They seem to work okay in axle deep mud, and loose rocks uphill, but I
> > think they have very poor performance in snow, tending to float on the
> > top, rather than dig in a bit towards harder snow. Mind you, I don't
> > want a skinny tire to dig all the way in...some of this snow is really
> > deep!

Flotation vs cut through, ie thick vs thin tyre, for snow is a
difficult matter, and the best choise depends on the actual snow
conditions. And these, of course, change all the time. I'm afraid
I don't know how different mud terrain type patterns compare in
snow (eg Bogger vs Swamper in particular).

Tyre height is a much simpler matter - get the tallest ones that
fits the vehicle (in all suspension positions) - and lift the
vehicle for fitting even taller ones. Getting the axles up helps a
lot in snow in particular. Portal axles would be great...

Whatever tyres you choose, serious off-road snow chains help. And
they're useful in mud too. Also, getting the tyres studded helps
on slippery surfaces, especially when not using the chains.

Of course, 100% diff locks fornt and rear, winch, hi-lift and all
the other usual recovery tools are required for serious mud and
snow.

Yet the fact remains that a truck, even with large low pressure
tyres, usually has too high ground pressure for travel on deep
snow. That's why there are snow machines... Real bogs too will
effectively stop about any wheeled vehicle.

Roger Brown >
> BFG AllTerrain or MudTerrain or Goodyear MT/R would be some good
> choices.

AllTerrains are a far cry from mudterrain type tyres. As I understood
it, Jim wasn't looking for an on/off road compromize. BFG Mudterrains
are probably good value tyres, but really aren't in the same league
as the much more expensive Super Swampers or Boggers. Not in grip,
but in particular, the sidewall strenght of BFG M/T's leaves a lot
to be desired.