Review of the Bridgestone Dueler MT Mud Terrain Tire
The Bridgestone Dueler MT
is one of several "Dueler" branded tires produced by Bridgestone.
Of the Duelers there are several names including dueler HT
( highway ) tires, Dueler
AT ( all-terrain ) tires, Dueler REVO tires, and dueler MT
( Maximum Traction ) tires. The Dueler MT, is a Mud
Terrain tire and Bridgestone's tire model geared towards
more severe offroad conditions that demand aggressive
tread design and stronger tread, bead and sidewall
protection. Performance in all categories is above average
when compared to other MT tires with the exception of
sound levels on paved surfaces where the Dueler MT has
been reported to be a much quieter Mud Terrain class tire
and more like an All Terrain as far as road noise.
Beyond that the Dueler MT departs from All Terrains. In the
mud the Dueler MT has been reported to do well with a block-to-void ratio is similar to that of
many competition Mud Terrain tires. With a tread depth for 32" and 33" Duelers
at 5/8", the Dueler MT is able to move mud.
Tread blocks of alternating scallops on the outer lugs
work well for finding traction.
Bridgestone Dueler MT is at
home on the rocks, thanks to the
UNI-T®.
What is the
UNI-T®?
UNI-T® is a combination of several elements including: the aggressive sidewall tread blocks extend down the
sidewall, increasing the tire's grip and protecting its
shoulder. The Dueler MT's have more vertical sidewalls, with
less 'radial bulge' than normal kind of like a
tall pair of hiking boots. There's raised rubber
ridges near the rim and at the convex of the
sidewall. The rubber compound is a special blend
lending durability and grip. All these things together
are Bridgestone's UNI-T®
(Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire) technologies:
CO-CS®, Rim Guard, O-Bead®, Spiral Wrap®, and L.L.Carbon®.
The sidewall protector rib gives added protection against
off-road hazards.
Typically when a tire does
well in mud and on the rock, that usually translates into
good performance on the forest logging
trails and with the Dueler MT, that is no exception and
the Dueler MT does well in these offroad conditions
especially when aired down into the teens for a softer
ride and better traction. As always when airing down
for offroad, be sure to air up to recommended pressures
before driving on the paved surfaces and at higher speeds.
With snow, we have seen
mixed reports mainly related to hard packed snow, which is
very close to ice as far as conditions. With the
Dueler MT (and just about any other tire without sipes),
there is a lack of traction as where a tire with generous
sipes will find better traction. Large lugs of a Mud
Terrain type tires usually require something to bite into
and the Dueler MT needs something to hook it's lugs around
to find traction.
In the sand, the Dueler MT
does about average and again will perform better if aired
down into the teens for better flotation and better
traction.
On the Street we have
seen the Dueler M/T's perform better than expected for
a MT tire. Thanks in part to the 5 Degree Noise
Reduction®, the street manners are reported to be surprising
good with positive handling, a quiet ride that is more
attuned to what would be expected from an AT tire, decent
braking and cornering characteristics have all been
attributed to the Dueler MT.
Aesthetically speaking, the Bridgestone Dueler MT
has a mildly aggressive appearance and comes in a choice of raised outline white letters or serrated black
letters. The Dueler M/T also carries Bridgestone's 30-Day Buy &
Try Guarantee.
Bridgestone Dueler Tires
Bridgestone Dueler HT
- Geared towards highway use, these tires are also known for
their aesthetic appeal as well as their enhanced
performance. SUVs and light trucks often come equipped
with the dueler ht tires, as these tires offer superior
traction in slippery and wet conditions and guarantee a
ride that is quiet despite its practical tread. These
dueler tires are mainly used for on-road driving, but are
rugged enough to be used in some off-road conditions.
Bridgestone
Dueler AT - Designed as an all-terrain tire, these tires are geared toward the SUV
or light truck driver who anticipates driving through both
the most optimal and negative of conditions and any kind
of weather and terrain in between. The dueler revo tire is
simply one kind of all-terrain tire and like any at tire,
executes peak performance when driving on-road or
off-road. Its high-quality traction is ensured by its
high-tech composition comprised of dual-layer tread,
reinforced rubber, round design, and spiral wrap (allowing
the tire to maintain as much of its original shape for as
long as possible).
Bridgestone
Dueler MT - Designed to provide "maximum traction",
these tires are
considered among the highest quality tires for vehicles
that insist on driving through the grittiest terrain in
the toughest weather conditions. Tread on this kind of
tire is deep and wide, a great asset to gripping any
surface. However, these dueler tires are not only
functional, but easy on the eyes and ears as well.
Smooth finishing features stylish brand name lettering,
and the tread blocks minimize noise for a quieter ride.
Of the Dueler tires, the Dueler MT tires are generally best for vehicles that
encounter quite a bit of off-road driving.
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Manufacturer
Info:
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Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., through its
subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer
with 55 production facilities throughout the
Americas. The Nashville Tennessee-based company
is the largest subsidiary of Bridgestone
Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan.
Bridgestone Americas sells tires for passenger,
light truck, truck, bus, construction, mining,
agricultural, motorcycle and kart applications
through more than 12,000 outlets.
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Consumer Affairs Dept.
P. O. Box 7988
Chicago, IL 60680-9534
800-367-3872
www.bridgestonetire.com |
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