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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
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Bryan Irons
Story & photos by Bryan Irons @bryanirons
Getting to travel and see new products coming to market is one of the perks of being an editor at 4WDrive. The joy and excitement of a new widget, game changing invention, or in this case, tires that fill a void can make us giddy. A day like this played out for us a while ago when we got to try a set of new Toyo rubber… the R/T or “Rugged Terrain”. The elation was short lived after we were unceremoniously whipped back to reality after hearing “Not yet available in Canada”. So, we made like any other good Canuck and sat on our hands politely waiting for them to migrate north… and now the wait is over.
The 35X12.5X17 R/T’s we snagged were mounted on a mildly modded JKU, as it seemed the perfect rig for a true test. This truck sees a lot of time in the oil patch of Alberta, traversing hard kilometres on rough roads, mud and asphalt.
The R/T was destined to sit between the all-terrain (A/T II) and Toyo’s amazing mud terrain (M/T) in the Open Country tire line, as they are more aggressive than the A/T II but not as noisy as the M/T. We never found the M/T to be particularly loud, but we’re used to tires that would be just at home on a John Deere as any of our trail rigs. However, we admit that the smooth ride and quiet street manners are a definite “tick” in the R/T’s favour.
We always try and get a few hundred kilometers or more on a fresh set of tires before taking them to the dirt. This allows the carcass to break in and soften up; permitting the normally stiff new tire to envelope rocks once they are aired down. After an uneventful mount, balance and break in, the pressure in the E load tires were dropped to an off-road friendly 15-PSI before we ventured out into an abandoned rock quarry.
The varied siping and angular biting edges of the tire maintained our forward momentum as we foraged through the rock and dirt fields. Despite only having a Limited Slip in the rear of the Jeep, we always found a way up a bolder path unless we managed to lift a tire. Some spitting and spewing of loose geology would occur, but never damage to the tire - be it carcass or sidewall. We also picked up very few rocks in the tire lugs proving that Toyo’s engineers had done their work with the stone ejectors.
We hear a lot of grumblings that the Open Country M/T is “heavy”, and truth be told, it sits at the higher end of its weight class, but not exactly “heavy” as we see it. What surprised us with the R/T’s was that the engineers have managed to shed some poundage over its brethren. While still retaining a 3 ply sidewall, and a healthy 18.9mm tread depth, the Rugged Terrain was a full four kg lighter then its M/T counterpart in a 35X12.5X17. Granted, the MT does have a 21mm deep tread, but four kilograms of rotating mass, especially in an underpowered rig, can be huge for fuel savings and braking distances.
After running around the hillsides and flatlands of Western Canada, we’re glad to see that Toyo will be unleashing the Open Country Rugged Terrain to the rest of our great nation. With a 75,000 km warranty on a tire equally at home driving the kids to the mall, or slogging through the nastiest trails the north has to offer, we’d gladly select the R/T, as the wait has certainly been worth it.
Check out 4WDrive's video to see the Toyo Open Country Rugged Terrain tire in action.
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