GY Duratrac issues
- Thread starter huntsonora
- Start date
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
or Cooper ST Maxx.
REDrum
Aventurero de la Selva
I'm on my 2nd set of DTs on my UZJ100, they are great tires but, despite attempts to be all things to all people, they do have limits.
FWIW....
That wonderful squishy feel being discussed here, like the feel from wearing a Sorrel boot, comes from the pliable sidewalls required to meet the coveted "snowflake" rating/approval. Soft/squishy sidewalls are a characterization of snow tires, designed to reduce trammeling in snow. Load range and number of sidewall belts is not always a direct correlation to tire sidewal stiffness, as the DTs prove. GY has developed a very dynamic compound for DTs and the AT market, but if one is used to BFG KMs or Interco anything, then the DTs will feel squishy. Honestly don't worry it.
On tarmac from April to Nov, I run 40PSI all around for normal driving, when towing I run 50PSI in the rear. For snow from Nov to April I'm not a big fan of DTs, they do not meet my expectations and think they are over valued; so I run FS Winterforce. For mud/off road DO NOT air down below 18PSI or you will risk punctures and tears. Here the soft sidewall is benificial, you get great grip at higher than normal air-down pressure. Every time I wheel with someone who airs down <18 it turns into a fiasco on the trail. One guy aired down to 8psi and rolled the beads off on 2 tires 300 yards into the trail...
FWIW....
That wonderful squishy feel being discussed here, like the feel from wearing a Sorrel boot, comes from the pliable sidewalls required to meet the coveted "snowflake" rating/approval. Soft/squishy sidewalls are a characterization of snow tires, designed to reduce trammeling in snow. Load range and number of sidewall belts is not always a direct correlation to tire sidewal stiffness, as the DTs prove. GY has developed a very dynamic compound for DTs and the AT market, but if one is used to BFG KMs or Interco anything, then the DTs will feel squishy. Honestly don't worry it.
On tarmac from April to Nov, I run 40PSI all around for normal driving, when towing I run 50PSI in the rear. For snow from Nov to April I'm not a big fan of DTs, they do not meet my expectations and think they are over valued; so I run FS Winterforce. For mud/off road DO NOT air down below 18PSI or you will risk punctures and tears. Here the soft sidewall is benificial, you get great grip at higher than normal air-down pressure. Every time I wheel with someone who airs down <18 it turns into a fiasco on the trail. One guy aired down to 8psi and rolled the beads off on 2 tires 300 yards into the trail...
jeffjeeptj
Adventurer
I've had BFG AT KO on numerous vehicles. Very satisfied. Most recently got 80K miles from a set on wife's Sequoia. I have a set of 33x12.50 15 on my LJ Rubi. I pulled them almost new from my old TJ, about 40K ago, total on tires about 50K. I decided to put the original Moab 16" wheels back on. Decided to get 265 75 16 this time. More DD road miles. Guy at the tire store told me to try GY Duratrac. He said he had a lot of repeat customers. So I said, show me a tire. None in stock. How long to get a set? 1 week. This could mean a very popular tire, or MGR knows they are slow movers, or many other explanations. Many posts I see say, xxx tire is as good as a BFG AT. I decided to buy the BFG ATs. Known history for me, similar price, in stock, satisifed. What's not to like. Got them tonight. No squirm. They have the snow flake. Supposed to rain a lot tomorrow.
Jr_Explorer
Explorer
I have some doubt about this theory. First... The de facto standard (BFG AT's) have the "coveted snowflake rating" and have sidewalls stiff as a board on the "E" rated tires. So soft sidewalls are NOT a key for the snowflake rating (at least BFG knows how to do it without soft sidewalls).
And "squishyness" is not something one just lives with. If you are cruising down the highway at 65 and need to dodge some *#&@ with an emergency lane change maneuver you need tires that respond and soft sidewalls are NOT going to be what you want. Fortunately it seems many people report that the "squishiness" (or tread squirm) is a function of heat cycles and the tires seem to firm up. Otherwise they'd be unacceptable to me (just my personal opinion).
verdesardog
Explorer
Get a copy of the tire pressure/load tables..run your tires at the recomended pressure for the load on them.....of course to do that you have to get your axle loads weighed.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
My Duratracs are noticeably firmer top the touch now. I'll bet that them "drying out" to normal and wearing off the mold release is all people are feeling.
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The less aggressive Silent Armors do the exact same thing. Truck will feel loose in a slalom. Like a well balanced Mustang. You kinda loose your stomach a little as the rear comes around perfectly following the front (if you back off on the steering in time). But it'll wander all over the place and feel wiggly. M trucks back to rock solid and massive understeer like any other tire on the market.
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At proper inflation, sidewall stiffness has never had a noticeable effect on any of my trucks. BFG, Cooper STT, GY DT etc. etc. At 70/88 psi with 3000 pounds plus capacity per tire, it just deson't seem to matter like it deos at low psi offroad.
David Harris
Expedition Leader
Erik N
Adventurer
You have posted a few times about these tires firming up after use, and heat cycling.
I sold my Duratracs a month after buying my Suburban. It is a Texas truck, and here is the best place to thoroughly heat a tire. They were 1/2 worn, and still were squishy, vague, and loud IMO.
Also, RE the Michelin LTX- I put about 200 miles a day on them, 5 days a week, working in the back of ambulance. I trust them a LOT. I would run them on every rig if I could.
PS a Mustang has never been a particularly well balanced car.
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