Perry Mack
The new DuraTrac RT has an aggressive look to match its performance.
Words by Perry Mack
Our Silverado 3500HD gets worked like a Swiss army knife in a survival training camp. It needs to perform multiple roles on the farm, in the bush, towing our fifth wheel and then clean up and behave well enough to take us out for dinner.
This kind of multifaceted performance falls to the responsibility of the tires. Traction in mud, sand, water and snow; tough enough to protect against rocks and stumps; good road manners for long drives and durability for long life. Are we asking too much?
It was time to put new shoes on the old girl (our truck) and after some research, we decided on the new Wrangler Duratrac RT in LT285/65R18. It has proven, yet enhanced design features that will help meet our criteria.
The shoulder lugs alternate between a stepped lug, short scalloped lug and long scalloped lug. The alternating block design provides biting traction right to the edge of the footprint while at the same time discarding mud and snow from the tread.
It’s also quieter than the original Duratrac, the set of Amp A/T P we just removed and the Toyo A/T III we had before that. I don’t have the science to back it up, but my gut tells me the fact that there are three types of shoulder lugs to help stop a resonance that builds more loudly when there are only two types.
Perry Mack
The siping varies across three different lugs, separated by deep tread-clearing voids.
The shoulder lugs wrap over the sidewall. This provides an aggressive look but more importantly, it backs up the 3-ply sidewall with solid protection against rubbing rocks and stumps on remote roads as well as unforeseen obstacles in rustic campgrounds.
Additionally, its irregular blocky tread pattern has deep 18/32 canyons with what looks like tiny bear claws. Anything but smooth is preferred to prevent mud and snow from sticking and fouling the grooves.
There is a healthy helping of siping in the tire as well, which is proven to improve traction in wet, snow and icy conditions. Siping also helps dissipate heat, which prolongs tire life.
The tire has two key ratings, M+S (mud and snow) and the 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake). The 3PMSF designation was a deal-maker for us and a deal-breaker if a tire doesn’t have it.
Perry Mack
The lugs wrap over the shoulder, protecting the sidewall when navigating by braille.
Extreme winter conditions where we reside in British Columbia’s interior are as common as morning coffee but a lot less predictable. Snow and ice aren’t so much a question of the season as they are at a higher elevation. A one-hour drive in April has us leaving from home on dry paved roads, passing through wet-with-runoff pavement and gravel, to 15 - 30 cm (6 to 12 in) of snow. November, like April, is one of those shoulder months that is perfect for testing tires.
As mentioned previously, the tires are the quietest all terrain we’ve owned. We noticed it right away after they were mounted. This is as close to a side-by-side test as we’ll get. Window down, 60 kph, 80 and 100 kph with the wind in our hair. That’s not to say they are quiet tires. They are just quieter than other A/T tires. Visit suncruisermedia.com for real-world reviews on the most significant off-road tires in the last 17 years.
Driving around our farm was the usual mess of rough dirt and mud, hauling equipment from A to B. I confess I wasn’t thinking about the tires. It wasn’t until I started to write this review that I remembered there were no issues.
Unlike much of Canada, flat land is rare here. So, farms (vineyards and orchards) are almost always on a slope and straight roads are a surprise. Like the rest of the country though, potholes and road construction are not rare at all.
Perry Mack
Micro bear-like claws floor the voids to help clear material.
On another day, the fog, clouds and rain rolled in and we tested braking, cornering and acceleration on wet roads. These tires are good. There’s always some caution and concern required when driving a one-ton diesel pick-up truck like a compact SUV, but the Wrangler’s didn’t let us down. The tire traction and handling are secure and confident.
Finally, we drove up into the mountains in search of snow, which was easy. With temperatures around -10°C (14℉) and the local ski resort set to open, there was more than 3 m (1 ft) of snow everywhere within a short drive.
Once again, the Duratracs didn’t disappoint. We confidently drove the main forest service roads and some wider side roads. Snow traction is difficult to compare between tires since snow is rarely consistent. This will take further ‘testing’ as we go through the winter.
What we can’t comment on is the tire’s lifespan. We can tell you that we have been disappointed with previous tires we owned. If the warranty is a reflection of longevity, we can count on the Wranglers as Goodyear supports them with an 80,000 km (50,000 mi) tread life warranty. They also pledge the 60-day satisfaction guarantee. Then there’s the Highway Auto and Light Truck Tire Replacement Limited warranty. Read the fine print at www.goodyear.ca and search for Wrangler Duratrac RT LT.