I recently installed a set of new Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 Mud Terrain tires on my FJ Cruiser. I was previously running the Geolandar A/T G015 tires for the last couple of years with outstanding results. While the M/T is a different animal compared to the A/T I've been pleased with the performance they deliver.
When the tires arrived I was off to my friendly Discount Tire store to have them mounted and road force balanced. My first impression looking at this tire was, "holly Cow, these tires are meaty"… They have an aggressive tread pattern and a very bold sidewall!
I was anxious to get these tires on the road to compare them to the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015. This is not really a fair comparison since the G015 is an all-terrain tire and the G003 is a Mud-Terrain, but it’ s still a good chance to see how it measures up with on-road manners.
Leaving the Discount Tire store I hopped on the freeway to see how the noise compared. They are noticeable nosier than the G015 but not loud by any means. According to Yokohama, they are 2.3 decibels quieter than a leading competitor thanks to the variable pitch tread pattern and groove to lug ratio to help reduce road noise. The M/T has a solid feel on the road with no wandering what so ever. They’re not quite as smooth as the G015, but I didn’t expect that from an MT tire. Don’t get me wrong, they ride smooth but have a heavier feel through the steering wheel.
The new Geolandar M/T G003 tires look great and my initial feedback by the seat of my pants is very positive. I can’t wait to get this tire out in the dirt and see how they do in the rocky deserts in Arizona.
At this point, I have made several weekend trips putting the Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 through their paces on some of the local desert trails north of Phoeni,x AZ.
There was one area that had some soft granite sand in a wash that was calling my name. I just had to see if the tires would be able to hold a line in the sand when pushed hard on a turn. To my amazement they cleaned out easily, throwing the sand in grand style as I raced through the wash.
I also had the opportunity to test the toughness of the Geolandar M/T G003 tire on a steep, loose rutted hill climb. To make the test even more impressive I had the PSI set for street use instead of airing down.
The Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 had no trouble even at full pressure clawing it’s way through the rutted terrain on this steep trail thanks to the aggressive flatter tread with high voids for improved traction and thick shoulder lugs.
On another trip, I was able to find some muddy water to go through in the desert since it rained the night before. Although this was not a true mud test I did have a chance to take the tires through some light mud. It did also give me a chance to test the bold 3 ply sidewall as I ricocheted off a few large boulders out of sight under the muddy water.
After many trips testing the toughness of the Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tires on my FJ in rocky desert terrain that likes to eat sidewalls, I am confident these tires will be a hit with the hardcore off-road community. With their Geo-Shield construction that features a 3 ply sidewall on the D & E rated sizes along with steel belts and a full nylon high turn up carcass. This tire is staged to be a winner for Yokohama.
I look forward to many more trips around Arizona for future testing of this outstanding tire.
-Don
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Thanksgiving Deals | Discount Tire Direct
Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 Sizing and Availability | Discount Tire Direct
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