Goodyear DuraTrac
The Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac is the number 1 rated tire in its category according to user surveys at a major tire retailer. And that’s against 8 other contenders.
This tire has a molded rim protector to protect your wheels. It’s also pinned to accept #16 studs if you live in snow country. And has bead locks built in.
Specifications and Load Range
Available in load ranges C, D and E, this tire is designed to be a workhorse. They come with 18/32′s of tread so make sure you air them up to 70 in the front and 55 in the rear if you’re running a 3/4 or 1 ton truck otherwise they may tend to feel kinda squirmy. At maximum pressure users report they ride good and handle a lot better than at lower pressures. If you’re running a 31×10.50 x 15 I’d run them at 50psi.
What Kind of Mileage Will I Get Out of Them?
What kind of mileage can you expect out of the DuraTracs? My guess is you can expect to get about 40,000 miles out of them for sure, maybe more if you’re easy on them. Keep them rotated every other oil change. Check the air pressure every month and check the alignment and balance once a year and you’ll get the most miles possible out of them.
Snow Performance
The DuraTrac has the mountain/snowflake symbol and is an excellent tire in snow country according to many users. A lot of people really rave about this tires winter performance.
I will say that the snow performance feedback I’ve heard is so positive I don’t think you can go wrong running this tire in serious snow country. Or anywhere else for that matter.
How This Tire Rates Against 8 Others In Its Class
There’s a reason the DuraTrac is the #1 rated tire in it’s category against 8 other tires. Here are the reasons why:
Only one other tire equals the DuraTrac when it comes to hydroplaning resistance. Same goes for wet road traction.
- In the dry traction comparison, the DuraTrac is number 1.
- Light snow traction number 1.
- Deep snow traction number 1.
- Ride comfort number 1
- Noise comfort number 1
Page after page of positive feed back at Tirerack is full of comments from guys who bought DuraTracs and pretty much agree with the above survey results. It’s nice to see the top rated product is still made in America. When it comes to pickup trucks, mom, apple pie and Goodyear DuraTracs, how can you go wrong? Que-in Lee Greenwood song “I’m proud to be an America” OK, sorry I got a little carried away there for a minute.
Mud & Snow
I think one of the reasons this tire does so well in both mud and snow is the siping that is built-in to the tread and the base of the tire which is something unique to the DuraTrac. Plus, the shoulder blocks are designed to be self cleaning. And because the tread depth is so deep, it can’t help but have a nice soft ride. Users also report they are surprised at how quiet they are considering the style of tread.
Final Thoughts
If your needs are such that you want to be prepared with a great all around tire, but you don’t need the extreme off road capabilities of the Wrangler MTR but you need something more serious than just a plain Jane hi-way tire, then you should seriously consider the DuraTrac, it’s a perfect fit for most folks day to day needs when it comes to both on road and off. And don’t forget it’s the #1 rated tire in its category and is an excellent winter tire to boot.
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Hi,
what survey are you referencing when you state it is #1 out of 8 tires in its class? who are the others?
There’s a reason the DuraTrac is the #1 rated tire in it’s category against 8 other tires.
Hi Bill,
Read Tire Rack’s survey results
Click the on-off road commercial traction link in the lower right side of the page under Light truck surveys.
Mr. Trent,
I had a set of these on a Silverado 1500 and they lasted over 90k. I now have a 2011 F-350 diesel, which sports 20″ rims. My current tires are LT275/65R20. I’ve read a lot of reviews and may people state that the tires are squirrely on the heavier trucks. What do you think? Is it an air pressure problem? I loved these tires and want to put them on, but am hesitant to spend over $1200 if they are going to handle poorly. My owner’s manual states the rear tires should be inflated to 80psi and fronts to 65psi for heavy hauling, and 65 psi for all tires for normal driving conditions. Your tire pressure discussion at the top of the article shows a lower pressure on the rears than the fronts for the larger trucks. What would be the reason for this? I was thinking that if i end up getting these tires, I would just ensure all tires are inflated to 65-70psi. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Kyle,
I’ve driven a F250 with Duratracs at the air pressure setting I posted above and the truck handles perfectly. That’s why I use those numbers. Oops, time to go back to work… I’ll finish my reply tonight.
Kyle, part 2 of my answer… I’m really stumped by the people who say the Duratracs are squirrely. I don’t doubt them, I’ve just never seen first hand experience. Having said that, I’m only a sample of one. It’s entirely possible that there is a batch of those tires that did have some kind of structural problem. I don’t know for sure. But, the raving fans of this tire out number the small sample that have had problems.
I got to tell you, older F250′s never really drove that good when they were new, and the one I drove that had Duratracs on it was one of the best driving Ford trucks I’ve ever tested. I was really surprised when I saw it had Duratracs on it. Having said that, you should be able to install the average tire on any 1 ton pickup and set the air pressure in the 65PSI range and have satisfactory handling. So no, I don’t think it’s an air pressure problem. To answer your other question about the pressure differential, I run more air upfront because obviously there’s a lot more weight up front because of the engine.
I would talk with whom ever you plan on buying them from and just ask them if they are willing to replace them with something else at no charge if you’re not happy.
How are the Dura Trac tires on the Hwy and in the rain? I have a 2010 F150 and i not sure which tire to get i.e. BF Rugged Trail or the DuraTrac
The proper tire pressure depends on your vehicle and its load. For a fully-loaded trailer-towing work truck, crank the pressure up to near maximum. As tire size increases, tire PSI should go down. As load decreases, tire PSI should go down. I run about 30 psi on my Jeep Wrangler, which is pretty ideal for the tire size and light weight of the vehicle. Your first guess at tire pressure should be the pressure listed on the driver’s door.