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by Bryan Irons
The TTC is the latest reincarnation of the classic Baja Claw by Mickey Thompson. A tougher sidewall, more siping, and scooped outer lugs were welcome additions when we bolted up a set on 315/70/17’s to our rig. After being saddled to our trail battered beadlocks, it was a welcome relief to have them roll smooth on the highway with only minimal shake, and this without being balanced. We’ve had much worse in the past with lesser tires. Although the large lugs didn’t “slap” on the road, they did offer a good hum once up to speed. Probably a little noisier then some of the others we have tested in the Mud-Terrain category.
The scooped lugs and imposing sidewall tread made tromps through soft sand and soupy mud a breeze. We actually had a hard time finding any gloop to clog up the large lug voids. As with most directional tires, traction was a little harder to find in reverse, but not lost. Once aired down the TTC’s formed nicely over the rocks and kept their grasp to the hard stuff. If we got them spinning violently, they would start to cut and chunk up a bit in the soft rubber. Try as we may, we couldn’t get any sidewall damage on these either.
Winter wheeling proved a great time and we see why the Baja Claw is a hit with the snow-wheeling crowd. The ice on the way to the trail can be a little sketchy as the large tread blocks just ride on top.
So, who should have a set of Mickey Thompson Baja Claw TTC’s? If you’re concerned about mileage and road noise, you may want to pass. The tires come from the mould very round making them a great choice for the guy who wants to drive to the trail and the odd trip to the mall. Overall, Great traction in almost every terrain we threw at the Claws will make us repeat users for sure!