continental mpt81 feedback?
- Thread starter Letsgomoreplaces
- Start date
coastal616
Adventurer
It's not perfect, I wouldn't take it anywhere serious offroad just yet as it does rub in a few positions. As I get time I will remedy all that, it might be easier to do a 1 or 2" coil spacer.
My first choice for an all round expedition tire is the Michelin XZL (not XL or XCL) but they are pricey and I'm not really sure they are worth the extra cost. I've run the 365/80 and 335/80 MPT81 on a U1300L in Africa and in the Northeast USA under most conditions. I've found them to be an excellent all round tire. They do well on road, excellent on rough roads, tracks and loose ground. They are also surprisingly good in sand; aired down a bit, I was able to cruise through pretty deep and soft sand without issues. In mud they are good but not great, I've noticed they do load up easier than the profile suggests. I have also found they are not great on packed snow or ice. Not terrible but not excellent either. These tires have a pretty soft side wall (relative to their size weight classification) so they excel where floatation and a flexy tire is a bonus. Not as good where you need bite.
I found the 335/80 are better in snow and mud on a U1300L then the 365/80 because you get a little more psi on the foot print which really help them bite as opposed to float. Obviously you loose the benefit of a larger radius with the 335/80 but if that is not a concern the 335 are better in snow and mud than the 365 for a U1300L. The 335 are also easier to balance and a bit quieter on road.
I've never found the MPT 81 seriously lacking. At times other tires would have been better in mud or snow but overall the MPT81 did good. I was impressed with them in sand and general dirt/loose gravel road. I drove on some pretty rough tarmac roads with really bad potholes so the tires took a serious beating, regularly hitting 8-16 inch deep potholes at 40-50 mph. After a few thousand kms of that one of the tires did suffer carcass damage and got severely out of balance. Also had the outside lugs loose some chunks. However, that says more about how bad the roads were, not the tires.
These are my first choice as an everyday or expedition tire. No tire can be awesome at all things but the MPT81 strike a pretty good balance if you are on-road a lot and use your vehicle in diverse off-road conditions. I am now playing around with some Pirelli PS22 which look promising and a bit more affordable than the Conti's. Haven't really had a chance to run the PS22 much but so far they seem really good. As good on road and better in the mud.
For Unimog owners - inflate and rotate! Unimogs cup front tires even when they are set up totally correctly. The only way to reduce this is to frequently rotate your tires and make sure they are not under inflated. Also make sure they are properly balanced (not just with balancing beads) - it will significantly add to their life. Like Scott said, these tires do not like heat and are speed rated for 62mph. They will tolerate higher speeds but I wouldn't recommend towing or hauling at 75+ mph for extended trips, a moot point with Unimogs but perhaps an issue with full sized pick-ups.
I found the 335/80 are better in snow and mud on a U1300L then the 365/80 because you get a little more psi on the foot print which really help them bite as opposed to float. Obviously you loose the benefit of a larger radius with the 335/80 but if that is not a concern the 335 are better in snow and mud than the 365 for a U1300L. The 335 are also easier to balance and a bit quieter on road.
I've never found the MPT 81 seriously lacking. At times other tires would have been better in mud or snow but overall the MPT81 did good. I was impressed with them in sand and general dirt/loose gravel road. I drove on some pretty rough tarmac roads with really bad potholes so the tires took a serious beating, regularly hitting 8-16 inch deep potholes at 40-50 mph. After a few thousand kms of that one of the tires did suffer carcass damage and got severely out of balance. Also had the outside lugs loose some chunks. However, that says more about how bad the roads were, not the tires.
These are my first choice as an everyday or expedition tire. No tire can be awesome at all things but the MPT81 strike a pretty good balance if you are on-road a lot and use your vehicle in diverse off-road conditions. I am now playing around with some Pirelli PS22 which look promising and a bit more affordable than the Conti's. Haven't really had a chance to run the PS22 much but so far they seem really good. As good on road and better in the mud.
For Unimog owners - inflate and rotate! Unimogs cup front tires even when they are set up totally correctly. The only way to reduce this is to frequently rotate your tires and make sure they are not under inflated. Also make sure they are properly balanced (not just with balancing beads) - it will significantly add to their life. Like Scott said, these tires do not like heat and are speed rated for 62mph. They will tolerate higher speeds but I wouldn't recommend towing or hauling at 75+ mph for extended trips, a moot point with Unimogs but perhaps an issue with full sized pick-ups.
charlieaarons
Explorer
Look on Ebay.
You can usually find good ones that are new and stored indorrs for about $400 each.
Charlie
You can usually find good ones that are new and stored indorrs for about $400 each.
Charlie
adventurebuddies
Adventurer
Digging up this thread from a few years ago. Can anybody who is using the Continental MPT-81 report on how they are wearing? Assuming you are rotating regularly, how many miles are you getting out of a set?
trailsurfer
Explorer
The tire lasts 15,000-20,000miles with rotation every 5000 miles.
lucilius
Active member
Any input much appreciated regarding use of MPT81 335/80R20 in a 4x4 camper in the 19-20k lbs GVWR:
I have been looking at the MPT81 for a couple of years now and getting close to pulling the trigger on a set with hutchinson wheel. I've gotten some great info from various owners but one alternative that seems to be popping up is the Goodyear MSA G275, which [i think] is the standard issue on the GXV Adv Trucks. The two tires actually seem to be similar load/pressure-wise. The G275 is a lot more expensive but maybe it will last longer.
Comparing these tires, the ply rating vs load/inflation is confusing. If my conversions are correct and charts I'm looking at are up to date, it looks like this:
G275 12-ply max 6395lbs @ 80PSI, 6100lbs @ 75PSI, max speed 81mph
MPT81 22-ply max 6779lbs @ 94PSI, 5974lbs @ 76PSI, max speed 68 mph
Ply rating seems erroneous or irrelevant but I could be wrong and wonder if the sidewall on the G275 would be prone to overheating? On the charts I would imagine similar (safe) load capability running either tire at 80PSI but the G275 despite lower ply rating somehow better at a lower operating pressure and apparently has the ability to travel at higher speeds, is this possible? I am inclined to believe that GY, in selling these to USDOD, has a lot of miles of use on these tires and that the low ply rating doesn't mean they're not ready for abuse.
I am on snow and ice a good portion of the year and the reports of MPT81 being sketchy on ice are a concern. My hwy/dirt road driving time percentage is about 70/30%. I am on snow/ice 6-months out of the year and do as much winter travel/camping to ski and climb as i have time for. I dont need to go fast, 65-70mph is plenty. I am primarily concerned about load capability not being maxed out, performance on long stretches of dirt, washboard road and handling ice and snow. Anyone out there feel strongly that one tire is preferable to the other for any reasons mentioned above. Again, thanks for info as I research these tires.
I have been looking at the MPT81 for a couple of years now and getting close to pulling the trigger on a set with hutchinson wheel. I've gotten some great info from various owners but one alternative that seems to be popping up is the Goodyear MSA G275, which [i think] is the standard issue on the GXV Adv Trucks. The two tires actually seem to be similar load/pressure-wise. The G275 is a lot more expensive but maybe it will last longer.
Comparing these tires, the ply rating vs load/inflation is confusing. If my conversions are correct and charts I'm looking at are up to date, it looks like this:
G275 12-ply max 6395lbs @ 80PSI, 6100lbs @ 75PSI, max speed 81mph
MPT81 22-ply max 6779lbs @ 94PSI, 5974lbs @ 76PSI, max speed 68 mph
Ply rating seems erroneous or irrelevant but I could be wrong and wonder if the sidewall on the G275 would be prone to overheating? On the charts I would imagine similar (safe) load capability running either tire at 80PSI but the G275 despite lower ply rating somehow better at a lower operating pressure and apparently has the ability to travel at higher speeds, is this possible? I am inclined to believe that GY, in selling these to USDOD, has a lot of miles of use on these tires and that the low ply rating doesn't mean they're not ready for abuse.
I am on snow and ice a good portion of the year and the reports of MPT81 being sketchy on ice are a concern. My hwy/dirt road driving time percentage is about 70/30%. I am on snow/ice 6-months out of the year and do as much winter travel/camping to ski and climb as i have time for. I dont need to go fast, 65-70mph is plenty. I am primarily concerned about load capability not being maxed out, performance on long stretches of dirt, washboard road and handling ice and snow. Anyone out there feel strongly that one tire is preferable to the other for any reasons mentioned above. Again, thanks for info as I research these tires.
lucilius
Active member
Good info. If you don't mind me asking, what vehicle/weight are you driving, what type of roads/offroad and, what size MPT 81?
762X39
Explorer
Yep, Rotate the tires, cupping happens...
lucilius
Active member
+1
I would also appreciate hearing anyone's experience siping the MPT81. Would it diminish the already short lifespan of this tire much? I am considering MPT81 335/80R20 for year round use. I don't go offroad all that much but spend plenty of time on dirt roads and winter driving.
I've heard mixed opinions about MPT81 performance on icy roads, I've heard several owners say they're not so good on ice but are ok in snow, basically similar to a standard offroad/mud tire. If I am driving through more than a foot of snow and it's still falling, I assume it's going to get worse and I'm going to be that motivated guy in goretex for a 1/2 hour doing the roadside chaining-up dance. The problem I encounter more often is 1-6" of snow over a variable slick hardpack/ice where all is easy until it's not: you're on that downhill grade and you get that unique feeling when your wheels are turned but you're sliding straight and then downshifting and knowing hitting the brakes will only lead to more drama.
I am comparing MPT81 on a 20" versus swapping a 22.5 wheel/tire that is studded (there are few tires for winter that I've found in 20"). Or versus the one main competitor to the MPT81 I've found that is available in the US, the Goodyear MSA G275, which is expensive but I've heard from one experienced source is actually pretty decent on ice and snow. I am curious about that tire's strength with only a 12-ply rating.
Additionally, does anyone know a North America supplier for the new Michelin X Force ZL MPT? It is 150K rated (7385lbs/68mph) and M+S vs the 147K (6779lbs/68mph) rating of the mpt81. I know plenty of folks sell used/old XZL but have not seen new 150K model for sale anywhere. As many know, all of these tires are expensive, can be difficult to find, and heavy/expensive to ship (~600lbs pallet) so "testing out a set" is not as feasible so any input from experienced users is much appreciated.
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I have a 2008 F550 based Earthroamer and have put 50,000 miles on it since we got it (used). It has the air-ride suspension and hutchinson beadlocks. I'm on (I'm pretty sure) my third set of MPT81's. I'm fairly scrupulous about inflation and adhering to the speed rating (which can be annoying). I've been pretty happy with how these tires have worked, both on-road and off. I'm not a fan of driving in packed snow and ice with them, not too different than most M/T type tires. They DO pack up with mud, which was a surprise. I've gotten all of my tires (after the originals) from Expedition Imports and have found the prices to be fair and the service excellent. Finding someone who can mount/balance them can take some homework, the ER owners forum has a few nightmarish stories. I know a handful of ER owners who have experienced failure of one (or more) tires. I suspect prolonged driving at speeds higher than rated may have been a contributing factor. ER's aren't light (mine is about 16,000 pounds, and the newer bigger ones are even chubbier)..I have to remind myself that, as much as I'd like to keep up with traffic, not much that happens quickly in an 8 ton vehicle is good. Periodically I look at tire charts for something different/new; but I've been pretty happy with these. I expect I'll be getting another set later this year.
According to a molded-in statement on the tire, they are grooveable, and I imagine siping can't hurt, although I have no idea what it would do to the wear.
According to a molded-in statement on the tire, they are grooveable, and I imagine siping can't hurt, although I have no idea what it would do to the wear.