Pitbull Tires

[BlackRubi]

I'm just wondering if anyone has used or knows anyone that has used Pitbulls. I'm looking at either the Growler or Rocker. It's not going to be anything that I buy right away, but I just want to do my research. They look pretty good overall. Let me know what you think about them if you have used them or know someone that has used them. Thanks everyone!!!

[Brody]

The only thing bad about them is that they are all bias ply tires. All of the reviews that I have read, people really like them off road and they do well on everything...except on road/highway.

I don't know if you read any of the thread about the 39.5 Swampers for sale for $250, but I talked a lot about radius vs bias ply tires there.

Without repeating everything I said there, simply don't buy a bias ply tire for any highway driving....ever....at all. They work extremely well off road, are super strong and relatively cheap, but are off road tires...

[BlackRubi]

The growlers are also available in a radial. A buddy of mine said that they were going to make radial versions of all of their tires, but I haven't really looked into it yet.

[4wdhunter]

I witnessed a YJ do Carnage BV on a set of 36"-37" Pitbull Rockers. Not sure if they were bias or radials. He had them aired down to ~5psi and the sidewalls still wouldn't flex (still looked like he was running street pressure).

I think you'd need beadlocks and have to air down to 1psi on a light rig or have a really heavy rig to get these tires to flex at all.

[Brody]

good to know about the Pit Bull radials. First that I have heard of it. I just re read an older article about the Pit Bull Growlers on an FJ 40. These were the bias ply and the report was good. California good weather testing, though.

Good point on the bias ply and air pressure. Due to the thickness of the sidewalls of any bias ply, you generally tend to air them down more just so that they flex.

My Nitto Mud Grapplers, although a radial tire, don't even start to flex until you get down past 14 pounds. They really start to flex well below 10. With 16 pounds in them, it looks as though I am running 30, though the trail is softer. The Toyos I had flexed very well at 16 psi. The Toyos were 37x14.50, the Nittos are 38x15.50, so you would actually expect to get a little more flex out of either tire due to the fact that there is a lot of sidewall and 15" rims...thick sidewalls again ...

[Roostercruiser]

my 54 came with bias ply bfgoodrich offroad tires from 1971 on it(still had reciept in dash from Sears and Roebuck Co) it was scary to drive it. it wandered all over the road. i drove on them for around a year. the tires were tall and really narrow.

[Brody]

This site has non biased (Pun intended) reviews all just about all of the off road tires on the market. It is also posted on the tech links section:

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT-Tires/Pitbull_Growler_AT.htm

[porkchop]

wanna know more about bias vs. radial i couldnt find the thread about the 39.5" tires so i looked around cause i wanted to know the difference check out this link
http://www.michelinag.com/agx/en-US/products/advantages/bias_radial/bias_radial.jsp#

[Brody]

History

The first use of pneumatic tires on an automobile was by the Michelin brothers, André and Édouard. in 1895. Their company became a leading producer of auto tires. For the first half of the 20th century, all tires produced for car and truck use were of bias-ply construction. Michelin invented and introduced the radial-ply tire (http://www.ehow.com/about_5421113_bias-tires-vs-radial.html#) in 1948; in the 1950s and 1960s, the use of radial car tires became widespread in Europe and Japan.

U.S. car and tire manufacturers resisted the change to radial tires until the 1970s. The imported cars coming to the U.S. had radial tires, and consumers began to demand the benefits of radial tires on their U.S.-built cars. By the early 1980s, all new cars were fitted with radial tires.
Bias Construction

http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5421113/369254_Thumb.jpg (http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5421113/369254_Full.jpg) Tire diagram showing both bias and radial plys. Source: U.S. Patent Office via commons.wikimedia.org
Tires have belts called plies that give a tire its shape. Plies are layers of polyester, fiberglass or steel cords embedded in the rubber of a tire. A bias-ply tire has the layered belts running at angles to each other and to the body of the tire. Ply numbers 14 and 16 in the diagram are bias plies.
Radial Construction

Radial-ply tires have the belts at a 90-degree angle to the tire, and the belts overlap rather than cross each other. The ply labeled 12 in the diagram is a radial-ply. Radial tires have another belt, usually of steel cord, running around the tire under the tread. Radial construction allows the sidewall of the tire to flex under loads without affecting the contact of the tread with the road.
Considerations

Radial tires have significant performance advantages over bias tires. Radial tires result in lower fuel consumption (http://www.ehow.com/about_5421113_bias-tires-vs-radial.html#) and have longer tread life. They have a larger contact patch or footprint on the road, providing better traction and handling. Radial tires cost more than comparable bias-ply tires, but the extended tire life and fuel savings makes using radials the more cost-effective choice.
Still Biased

Tires used in heavy construction and on agricultural machinery are still mostly bias construction. However, radials are making inroads in these areas.

Classic car owners often want bias tires to keep their cars original. Tire manufacturers exist that produce classic bias tires using the original molds.

[Air Randy]

I have 39x14.50x17 PitBull Maddogs on my FJ40 mounted on beadlocks. I have ran them so far on Holy Cross, Moab and Wheeler Lake. They were pretty slippery on Holy Cross since they were new. Moab broke them in good and they worked excellent on Wheeler.

Before the Pitbulls I had 37" BFG KM2 radials. They were great on the pavement and good off road though I did not like that when they lost traction they bounced like basketballs. Wheel hop is really hard on axles. Plus, I was always worried that the relatively soft and bulging radial sidewall was going to get cut.

Since I only drive my rig on the street to putt around town, on pavement performance was not really a factor for me. So I went with the bias-ply Maddogs. I was tempted to get the Rockers but you could only get them in a 16.50 in 39's (too wide for me). I like the fact that the bias sidewalls are 30-40% more cut resistant than the radials and when they lose traction they just spin without any wheel hop. It's amazing how strong the sidewalls are. Yesterday on Wheeler I ran them with 4.5 psi and sitting level they almost looked normal. But they did squish out very nice going over rocks and such, sure makes for a smooth ride.

[BlackRubi]

I have 39x14.50x17 PitBull Maddogs on my FJ40 mounted on beadlocks. I have ran them so far on Holy Cross, Moab and Wheeler Lake. They were pretty slippery on Holy Cross since they were new. Moab broke them in good and they worked excellent on Wheeler.

Before the Pitbulls I had 37" BFG KM2 radials. They were great on the pavement and good off road though I did not like that when they lost traction they bounced like basketballs. Wheel hop is really hard on axles. Plus, I was always worried that the relatively soft and bulging radial sidewall was going to get cut.

Since I only drive my rig on the street to putt around town, on pavement performance was not really a factor for me. So I went with the bias-ply Maddogs. I was tempted to get the Rockers but you could only get them in a 16.50 in 39's (too wide for me). I like the fact that the bias sidewalls are 30-40% more cut resistant than the radials and when they lose traction they just spin without any wheel hop. It's amazing how strong the sidewalls are. Yesterday on Wheeler I ran them with 4.5 psi and sitting level they almost looked normal. But they did squish out very nice going over rocks and such, sure makes for a smooth ride.

Thanks! That really helps. I'm really liking the look of the growlers. The Jeep is my daily driver, so I need something that would work well for that along with running trails when I get a chance.

[cfr]

Thanks! That really helps. I'm really liking the look of the growlers. The Jeep is my daily driver, so I need something that would work well for that along with running trails when I get a chance.

I have to admit that I'm intrigued by the design of the new Pitbull Radials too. Do they come in a size you're looking for? From what I saw, there's only three sizes available in the radial and they're pretty small.

My "short list" for tires right now is,

- Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac
- Goodyear Wrangler MT/R w/Kevlar
- BFG KM2

First I wanted the KM2s then I heard about a bunch of problems with balancing. Next was the MT/R w/Kevlar which I still like a lot.

However, after seeing the Duratrac in person the practical side of me is leaning heavily towards this aggressive A/T that has the mountain/snowflake symbol indicating excellent winter traction (look at the siping in the pics on the Goodyear site).

[BlackRubi]

I have to admit that I'm intrigued by the design of the new Pitbull Radials too. Do they come in a size you're looking for? From what I saw, there's only three sizes available in the radial and they're pretty small.

My "short list" for tires right now is,

- Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac
- Goodyear Wrangler MT/R w/Kevlar
- BFG KM2

First I wanted the KM2s then I heard about a bunch of problems with balancing. Next was the MT/R w/Kevlar which I still like a lot.

However, after seeing the Duratrac in person the practical side of me is leaning heavily towards this aggressive A/T that has the mountain/snowflake symbol indicating excellent winter traction (look at the siping in the pics on the Goodyear site).

I'm running the old MT/Rs now, but they're only 31's. I do love them but I'm coming up on the time to buy some new tires. Pitbull has a direct size replacement, but I'm looking at going up to 33's. Maybe 35's but most likely not.

[Haku]

Just to play a bit of devils advocate on your tire choice, I have to highly highly recommend the Super Swamper Trxus MT tire. Cheap, Radial, very little road noise, very good in snow conditions, and have great grip. Everyone I know who runs them has nothing but great things to say about their on and offroad characteristics. If I had the money, I'be selling my BFG MT KM's and going with those in a heartbeat. They are a bit softer compound then the BFG's so they'll wear a bit faster, but have better grip offroad. They are pretty cheap as MT offroad tires go too. Check out www.tirepackage.com for the best deals I could find. They are linked to 4wheelparts for distribution, so you can go pick em up at any of their stores (they carry other brands like BFG, Toyo, Mickey Thompson and Pro Crap too).

For an idea of pricing, the 33x12.5x15 versions of the KM2 are $168 and the Trxus are $178. $10 bucks a tire difference for a better tire (in my opinion) is an easy decision.

JH

[cfr]

Just to play a bit of devils advocate on your tire choice, ... For an idea of pricing, the 33x12.5x15 versions of the KM2 are $168 and the Trxus are $178. $10 bucks a tire difference for a better tire (in my opinion) is an easy decision.

Hmm. I don't know much about the TrXus MT. Here's a review,

http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=257808

For my application (probably 35x12.5x17) it looks like it's only Load Range E (stiff ride). I've run into a yellow Xterra twice now that runs them and they look great.

Have any of the people you know that recommend the TrXus MT also run the KM2 (not KM) or new MT/R w/Kevlar (not old MT/R)?

[Haku]

Hmm. I don't know much about the TrXus MT. Here's a review,

http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=257808

For my application (probably 35x12.5x17) it looks like it's only Load Range E (stiff ride). I've run into a yellow Xterra twice now that runs them and they look great.

Have any of the people you know that recommend the TrXus MT also run the KM2 (not KM) or new MT/R w/Kevlar (not old MT/R)?

I don't know anyone who has, but nearly every person I have seen that runs the Trxus tires buys them again, whether its when they wear down, or switch sizes. I know Nay on here has had mutliple sets and swears by them. I had them on my Samurai, and have nothing but good things to say about them too.

Tire Package says they are load range C, so should be quite a bit softer. I know they are a softer compound then my KM's, and were very compliant and not at all stiff, but handled well and were much quieter too.

The one thing I noticed about the Trxus over most other tires, is that the sidewall is quite thick, and has a lot of side lugging on it compared to other tires like the KM2's and MTR's. Despite the Kevlar, I have still heard of people ripping sidewalls on them, so not sure what they are truly worth. I'm sure they are better then they were, but not sure by how much. A lot of the Jeep guys worship the MTR's in general though. Saw a group of MHJ guys (like 6 or 8 rigs) and they were all running them. Not sure if its founded or not, but I do know that they may or may not be worth the price ($195 to $215 for the 33x12.5x15 size I quoted before).

Food for thought. Nearly all the reviews I've seen of those tires so far were from biased sources like Magazines and "sponsored" rigs. I'm sure they are great tires though, and you'd be happy with whatever you choose. All I know is that when ever I see someone running the Trxus tires (they are rather rare actually) the person says they would buy another set in a heartbeat. Oh, and no, I'm not sponsored by Super Swamper or anything, though if they offered I'd certainly say yes:lol:.

JH

Edit: Doh, I only looked at the ones with 15 inch rims. The ones that are 16 and up are indeed E class tires. I still don't think it will be an issue though. Worst case you'd just have to run them with a bit less air then a lower class tire. On the plus side, it just means it can carry heavier loads at higher speeds right? -jh