Fred Williams
Brand Manager, Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road
Contributors:
Rick Péwé
Photographers:
The 4-Wheel & Off-Road Staff
The Pit Bull Maddogs are mud-terrain tires, and so we headed straight to the slop to test a set. These bias-ply trail tires are offered with a 2,725-pound load D rating, and a ton of nifty marketing terms such as Tear It Up technology, also known as a puncture-, cut-, and heat-resistant carcass; Fang technology which has something to do with how the tread bites into the terrain; and All Bite No Bark technology that supposedly keeps the tires quiet on road while still offering great off-road performance. We found them capable off road, especially at low pressure, and, yes, they could take severe abuse, but maybe our ears have canine ability because we definitely heard them howling on the street. The Tear It Up technology seems to work great, but also requires a few good trail rides to get the sturdy sidewalls broken in for optimum flexibility. We found them to clean out fairly well in mud nonetheless. Other valuable aspects of the Maddogs are the rim protector, sidewall protector, and tread sipes. In the end we felt these tires offer up a great performance for a dedicated trail rig, but street use would become annoying after high miles.
Mud
In the mud the tires grabbed well, but delivered a bone-jarring ride that seemed a bit uncontrollable in the sloppy rutted stuff. While the lugs seemed to clean out to an extent, the slow progress made for an uncomfortable feeling that we'd have to get yanked out, and we often did. Without a mud-chomping bite in the goo, this dog is just that, a bit of a dog.
Rocks
Rocks and dirt were not the Bulls' best effort, but they clawed admirably better when lowered from the test standard pressure of 10 psi to 5, and the ride actually became enjoyable. Being as wide as they are offered more surface area to grab, and they somewhat conformed to obstacles at the lower pressure. As stiff as these were, they would probably ride better and perform better once they had been broken in.
Highway
To put it bluntly these dogs are happier in the dirt than on the blacktop. Their bias-ply construction means they aren't happy unless they are warmed up after about 20 miles. Plus our first street test had them at 10-15 psi and they felt a bit squirrely, though bumping up to 20 psi under the light Jeep resulted in a much better ride. However, a crowned tread could result in central tread wear. Also, above 40 miles per hour the noise was reminiscent of a window seat in a double prop plane-loud and high-pitched.
Overall Impressions
The Pit Bull Maddogs take a great idea for a tire and get it to the ground with all sorts of cute images and concepts on the tread. However, it seems all that extra sidewall armor makes this one stiff tire. Testing at 15 pounds seemed like a 50-psi truck tire, and the cushioning effect on all surfaces was nonexistent. We're sure they will flex better after a few good beatings at low psi to get the sidewalls broken in, but be cautious about keeping them on the rims or find some bead locks-double bead locks even better. Only then after some loosening up should these make for a desirable trail tread.
Make and Model: Pit Bull Maddog
Size on Sidewall: 35x14.50-15LT
Load Range: C or D
Tire Hardness: 68 on tire durometer
Tread Depth (in): 21/32
Number of Plies in Sidewall: Four (nylon)
Number of Plies in Tread: Four (nylon)
Weight of Tire (lb): N/A
Measured Dia. Unloaded (in): 35 1/2
Measured Width Unloaded (in): 15 1/2
Measured Tread Width (in): 12
Mounted On: Beadlock Specialties 15x10 .625 HD Rocklocks wheels
Available Tire Heights (in): 31-39.5
Available Wheel Fitments : 15-, 16-, 16.5-, 17-, 20-inch-diameter wheels
