DuratTrac RT Tires mounted on Cybertruck -- first looks & review

[BornToFly]

I got the RTs for winter. I feel like they are a lot louder than stock, and they don't corner nearly as well because of the taller blocks that aren't connected as much. Range also seems a lot worse, but it is hard to know for sure because it also got colder. For the first 6200 miles I average 378Wh/mi with almost all highway driving between 70-80 mph (and they are wearing great, with 1/32 lost in the front, and 3/32 in the rear). Today I drove 70 mph on the new RTs and average 440Wh/mi., temp around 40. I'll try to report back after more miles. If they weren't basically free with Foundation store credit, I would have gotten Blizzak tires with slightly different size. When these wear out, I will switch. Dual Motor FS.

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[ABILISK]

How do you think these will hold up to a launch ; P (the important questions, right?)

I'm probably going to keep the stock wheels and tire for general road use and pick up a set of beadlocks with some aggressive tires for playing. You can basically lift the truck to extraction, put 12" blocks under the 4 jack points and drop it back down to entry to swap the tires over. Overall very little effort.

Does that work? Wouldn’t the truck stop lowering once a wheel leaves the ground?

But yes, the launch question is the most important.

 

[smg]

Any update on how they hold up in a launch?

 

[HaulingAss]

Any update on how they hold up in a launch?

Launches on dry pavement with the RT's are noticable slower on my Dual Motor (compared to the Foundation Series standard issue AT tires). I think it's mostly that the tread blocks are overwhelmed by all the torque (the probably distort a bit and make less efficient contact with the pavement) but the additional weight probably plays a role too. All of this is to be expected. It's still fast, I can just feel that a bit of the edge has been taken off launches.

On soft, damp ground it launches harder than with the standard AT tires. They really bite hard on surfaces that work well with a deeper lug tread.

As to tread damage from hard launches, I haven't noticed any issues. If there was to be any tearing or chunking, I think we would hear it from Beast owners first. Most of the time I try to preserve tire life by not being too wild.

 

[smg]

@HaulingAss Thanks for the response!

Is your Wh/mi still holding or have you started to notice a difference in efficiency?

Every time I'm notified that the tire set comes back in stock I keep passing it up because I really want to get a feel for the stock tires in the snow and I haven't had a chance to do that yet. I did have a chance to test them off-road recently and they were ok—a little better than I had expected having just come from 35" KO2's on an F-150.

 

[BornToFly]

@HaulingAss Thanks for the response!

Is your Wh/mi still holding or have you started to notice a difference in efficiency?

Every time I'm notified that the tire set comes back in stock I keep passing it up because I really want to get a feel for the stock tires in the snow and I haven't had a chance to do that yet. I did have a chance to test them off-road recently and they were ok—a little better than I had expected having just come from 35" KO2's on an F-150.

Stopping distance is going to be bad on stock tires in snow. It takes very little extra snow grip to earn the 3 peak rating, and the stock ATs don't even have that. True winter tires are on all whole different level. I don't understand knowingly accepting much longer stopping distance in winter conditions.

 

[SentinelOne]

Happy with them in the snow, but dont plan on launching with them, save that for the AT's and better traction times (not cold AF). Did a few donuts in the snow today at work parking lot...that worked well! ;-). Also, on dry / warmer day - no issue with Mustang GT 25-110mph...slower than IT's for sure as expected but still a beast!

 

[HaulingAss]

@HaulingAss Thanks for the response!

Is your Wh/mi still holding or have you started to notice a difference in efficiency?

Every time I'm notified that the tire set comes back in stock I keep passing it up because I really want to get a feel for the stock tires in the snow and I haven't had a chance to do that yet. I did have a chance to test them off-road recently and they were ok—a little better than I had expected having just come from 35" KO2's on an F-150.

The efficiency dropped pretty hard, down to where I would have expected it to drop to. I think the first drive after getting them installed the odometer hadn't calibrated to the new diameter yet, it thought we were going further than we were.

Due to colder weather setting in, it's impossible to quantify accurately, but seat of the pants I would say it went from around 393 Wh/mile to 425 Wh/mile, if I try to back the colder weather out of the equation.

The OEM AT tires that come with the Foundation Series are just really good all-purpose tires. You don't pay much price for their versatility. Whereas with the "Winter" setup, you pay for their bite in soft surfaces and snow with reduced efficiency and on-road feel and grip. No one tire can excel at everythiing, unfortunately.

 

[HaulingAss]

Stopping distance is going to be bad on stock tires in snow. It takes very little extra snow grip to earn the 3 peak rating, and the stock ATs don't even have that. True winter tires are on all whole different level. I don't understand knowingly accepting much longer stopping distance in winter conditions.

It's important for you to know that manufacturers often chose to not apply for the 3-peak snow rating, even on tires that could pass the minimal traction requirements. Tire makers probably do this for reasons of marketing other tires in their lineup harder.

A lot of high-quality tires without the 3-Peak designation are better in the snow and ice than some tires with the 3-Peak designation. I know this seems confusing and wrong, but that's just the way it is.

 

[BornToFly]

It's important for you to know that manufacturers often chose to not apply for the 3-peak snow rating, even on tires that could pass the minimal traction requirements. Tire makers probably do this for reasons of marketing other tires in their lineup harder.

A lot of high-quality tires without the 3-Peak designation are better in the snow and ice than some tires with the 3-Peak designation. I know this seems confusing and wrong, but that's just the way it is.

That may be true, but we know from snow videos last winter that the stock Goodyear tires suck in the snow.

 

[HaulingAss]

That may be true, but we know from snow videos last winter that the stock Goodyear tires suck in the snow.

I wasn't speaking to the actual traction of the tires, only your reasoning why they must not be very good in the snow. You cannot deduce the relative snow performance of different tires based on the fact that one has the 3 Peak icon and the other lacks it.

I know it seems like you should be able to base it on that, but that's not how it works. Even some tires with the 3 Peak icon are pretty crappy in the snow compared to some tires that the manufacturer decided not to certify. It's a scam, really.

The same kind of scams that DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) ratings and ESG (environmental, social and governance) ratings are. Shameless scams. They are there to benefit the people who grant the ratings, and the people who sell you things based on the ratings can use them for their own benefit, but they are not useful for their presumptive purposes. Quite the opposite, actually.

 

[smg]

Just bit the bullet and plunked down the voucher on the Duratrac set in the Tesla Shop for my upcoming snow trips. I really wanted to compare snow performance to the stock AT tires, but safety is more important.

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