So I've found a set of Maxxis Big Horn 245/75 tires for ridiculously cheap. $45 for the set. Tread is about 25%, but so is the tread on my stock tires right now. I think ColoDisco just put this size on his rig with no lift, so I feel okay about the potential rubbing issue.
Anybody ever used/heard of these tires, have anything to say about them good or bad? I figure for the price, at the very least I can just slap them on for winter, and if I don't like them it's no big deal to ditch them.

 

They wont be any good in the snow, but the size is fine.
Add the 2 together and you have 50% tread left!

 

Why no good in the snow? Would regular stock type tires do better?

 

They are a mud tire so they are a harder rubber to prevent punctures.
Rubber gets hard when it gets cold, hard rubber getting harder is not going to flex or grip.
Bottom line mud tires look cool but they suck in the snow, the truck will be like driving on slicks.
And if I remember right those are bias ply tires not radials.

 

That's the kind of input I was looking for. So maybe not really a good move after all, huh?

 

You bought somebody's elses junk, for the price did you expect much? They would do ok in the mud for a while.

Or, they would make real nice planters, you split the top half like scallops and paint them white, look really nice in the front yard.

Or dig them partially in standing upright for the kids to play on, cheaper than a gym set and last a lot longer.

 

I haven't bought anything yet. That's why I'm asking questions here. I'm a student/homeowner/parent-to-be, so if I want to replace the aging, boring tires on my truck (and I do), I have to look into every cheap lead I can find. But at the same time, I have no desire to put something on my truck that's going to be a waste of time/effort, no matter how cheap it is.

So seriously, gardening purposes aside, a mud terrain tire is not really suitable for use on wintery roads, even if it is radial ply?

 

Well save yourself 45 dollars then and avoid buying those. A mud tire is like it says primarily for mud, the wide sipes / spaces between treads / are for allowing mud to pass thru and not clog up the tire, the big teeth push you thru the mud.

For snow and ice, you want something that will bite in somewhat and like Spike talked about, remain pliable/flexible at cold temps so you maintain traction. Lots of littler teeth rather than those big ones on the mud tires.

Althought you will see tires rated as M/S which means mud/snow. Avoid the mudders with the big grips for snow.

 

Sweet, I'll save myself the trouble then. Thanks again, guys. Good info as always.

 

They would do ok next summer, though. MT's will make noise, but for dry pavement, they will do fine.

Think of it this way, would you rather have 4 small feet in the snow, or one big one? That would be the tread difference from MT to AT. MT's kinda suck on wet pavement too. That said, you are looking at $500 woth of tires if they were new. Offer less and save them in the shed until summer and you need them...