Hankook Dynapro MT - Tire Test

Tire testing can be a tedious process—especially if you are trying to determine wear ratios, lateral grip, etc. on a specialized track with very expensive testing equipment.

But the truth of the matter is that it all comes down to driver confidence and driver feel, and terrific test numbers mean very little if the tire just doesn’t suit the consumer. With that in mind, RV magazine enlisted Steve Raney, a truck owner who does a tremendous amount of daily towing on his ranch.   |   Steve Raney checks out his new set of Hankook Dynapro MTs. Here’s Steve’s review of the new Hankook Dynapro MT tires (LT265/75 R16) in his own words:

“I am a professional dog trainer who lives and works in the mountains of San Diego, California. Six days a week I tow an 8,000-pound dog trailer behind a 2004 Duramax Chevy diesel truck with 18 Labrador retrievers on board. I absolutely have to trust my tires, because the lives of my dogs and my business ride on it.

“All of our roads on our 150-acre training facility are dirt or loose gravel. In the winter months we receive an average of 30 inches of rain. Our ranch has a lot of steep terrain, ranging in elevation from 3,000 feet to 4,000 feet, making it almost impossible to drive up hill with a truck and trailer during wet conditions.

“I lived with the Hankook Dynapro MT Tires for nearly six months, and I think I’ve walked away with some surprising results. They cleaned out the mud between the tire lugs allowing my truck to drive up steep mountain dirt roads with minimal effort. I have never been able to drive up our roads so easily with the other tires.

“I have put about 10,000 miles on this set of tires. So far the tread wear is very good. I have never had a set of tires on my truck last more than 35,000 miles, and I’m pretty confident that this new MT is going to go the distance. I have tested these tires on highway road trips too, and while they have a little more road noise and perhaps are even stiffer than the all-terrains I used, I think they are the ideal design for a working ranch like mine.

“Ideally, I would recommend an MT and an AT, and then switch them out during the year. This is probably not an option for most people, so if most of your time is spent in wet climates, then the MT will work regardless of the on-road ride. The only thing I am missing now is a set of truck mud flaps because these tires really kick out the mud.” Last Minute Upgrade

To accurately determine the effectiveness of the Hankook tires we tested, we outfitted Steve’s rig with a set of Bilstein’s 4600 factory replacement shocks. These new monotube gas-charged shocks offer better-than-stock dampening and overall durability. In the confines of Steve’s ranch work, he discovered that by simply replacing the old shocks, his ride quality improved significantly. He was able to tackle some of the steep dirt trails much better, as the shocks did their job to keep the tires’ contact patches planted firmly on the ground at all times.   |   The wide-open grooves help to release dirt and mud. Long-Term Review of the Hankook Dynapro MT

• Key Tire Features
• Zigzag shoulder pattern delivers greater off-road traction
• Wide open grooves to release dirt and mud
• Nylon-reinforced belts for greater strength
• A large contact patch area for optimum grip
• Large availability of sizes