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Home > Wheels & Tyres > Goodyear Wrangler MT/R - TOO NOISY!!

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ForbesOverland

Member Since: 20 Nov 2023
Location: Whisky Country - Scottish Highlands
Posts: 16

2012 Defender 130 Puma 2.2 HCPU Indus Silver

Goodyear Wrangler MT/R - TOO NOISY!!

I dont know if I am just getting less tolerant in my middle age, but I think I might be going slightly mad.

I recently purchased a full set of genuine wolf wheels with practically brand new Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 235/85 R16 tyres on them from a really great chap from this forum.

A few weeks later, I'd refinished them from Gold to Satin Black and swapped them onto my 130 (removing my tired looking alloy's and BFG AT's in the process to refurb over winter)

Drove down the road, and was absolutely shocked by the noise! Having never driven a Defender on steel wheels before the noise was what I can only describe as very loud wheel bearings that were due a change.

I knew at least one bearing was on its way out as I had heard it a little whilst on the alloys and the BFG AT's. Perhaps naively I thought that perhaps the steel wheels exaggerated the bearings sound so I booked it in and had all 4 replaced.

Excited to pick it up and have some quieter motoring, I was incredibly disappointed to realise that it had made little difference to the sound.

Whilst I was expecting them to be slightly noisier than the AT's they are unbearably loud. I've read reviews on line saying that the Wrangler MT/R are brilliant and quiet and I cant help but wonder if all the reviewers are just being very sarcastic when describing the noise levels!!

They're obviously not directional so it cant be that, I mean, they're so loud that I am at the point of considering just replacing them with something else!

Perhaps some sound deadening/insulation and some carpetting might be the answer - I just cannot get my head around how noisy these tyres are!!

I am running them at 34psi all round. Are they just that loud, or am i missing something??

Any advice will be gratefully received!

16th Feb 2024 5:35pm

kenzle8a

Member Since: 12 Feb 2020
Location: None
Posts: 1074

Whats the date marker on them, most MT/Rs must be getting on a bit now if they were second hand. They are also known to be loud as well.

Steel wheels have nothing to do with it, my 110 had no sound insulation bar the roof covered with closed cell foam and on BFG KO2's and Wolf Steels it wasn't that loud.

16th Feb 2024 7:31pm

Clemmo

Member Since: 03 Aug 2012
Location: Mile Oak
Posts: 1191

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey

I’ve ran MTRs on a 110 SW with Sawtooth alloys.
Went fron new to 40k miles and never bothered me in the slightest

Clemmo Make today a little better than yesterday but not so good as tomorrow....
Defender 90 HT............Pangea Green
BMW X3 Msport............Carbon Black
Mini Electric................Grey. (wow!)
MGB Roadster……..........Vermillion
Honda Benly CD200....Maroon ------------- Chausson 98.........7.5m of fun

16th Feb 2024 7:49pm

JOW240725

Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7873

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey

I don't imagine the steel rims have anything to do with it. It's likely just the difference between muds and all terrains. Muds will always be more noisy.

James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html
MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641
MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557
Instagram @suffolk_rovers

16th Feb 2024 7:58pm

Jerry

Member Since: 13 Nov 2015
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 169

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 Adventure Phoenix Orange

I have these tyres and only find them noisy above about 50mph - they sound like a flying saucer then!

16th Feb 2024 8:39pm

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 542

Re: Goodyear Wrangler MT/R - TOO NOISY!!

ForbesOverland wrote:
I dont know if I am just getting less tolerant in my middle age, but I think I might be going slightly mad.

I recently purchased a full set of genuine wolf wheels with practically brand new Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 235/85 R16 tyres on them from a really great chap from this forum.

A few weeks later, I'd refinished them from Gold to Satin Black and swapped them onto my 130 (removing my tired looking alloy's and BFG AT's in the process to refurb over winter)

Drove down the road, and was absolutely shocked by the noise! Having never driven a Defender on steel wheels before the noise was what I can only describe as very loud wheel bearings that were due a change.

I knew at least one bearing was on its way out as I had heard it a little whilst on the alloys and the BFG AT's. Perhaps naively I thought that perhaps the steel wheels exaggerated the bearings sound so I booked it in and had all 4 replaced.

Excited to pick it up and have some quieter motoring, I was incredibly disappointed to realise that it had made little difference to the sound.

Whilst I was expecting them to be slightly noisier than the AT's they are unbearably loud. I've read reviews on line saying that the Wrangler MT/R are brilliant and quiet and I cant help but wonder if all the reviewers are just being very sarcastic when describing the noise levels!!

They're obviously not directional so it cant be that, I mean, they're so loud that I am at the point of considering just replacing them with something else!

Perhaps some sound deadening/insulation and some carpetting might be the answer - I just cannot get my head around how noisy these tyres are!!

I am running them at 34psi all round. Are they just that loud, or am i missing something??

Any advice will be gratefully received!

Steel wheels should make no more noise than alloys.....

MT/R's however are noisey tyres. Always thought they were an odd choice as a factory tyre. Shocking in the snow, totoally rubbish in the mud and loud on the road.

They drive ok in the wet to be fair and I used some in Wales laning last year and on rocky lanes they worked way better than expected. But they are not a tyre I'd recommend.

To give some context my Uncle has .... let me see... 7, yes seven 90's of various ages and specs from a V8 to a 65 plate last of the. Also had Discos/RR's and between myself and my brother we have at least another 7 Land Rover products including 2 more 90s.

Out of this lot there is a 12 plate and a 65 plate, both delivered new with MT/Rs, which they are still wearing (sometimes). The tyres are noticeably louder than almost any other tyre we have. Incidentally we have shed with 20, maybe 25 sets of Land Rover tyres, from remoulds, to extreme MTs, to new XZLs and everything inbetween.

16th Feb 2024 10:46pm

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 542

JOW240725 wrote:
I don't imagine the steel rims have anything to do with it. It's likely just the difference between muds and all terrains. Muds will always be more noisy.

Just as a side note, an MT/R means Maximum Traction Radial, I don't believe Goodyear have ever actually marketed it as a Mud Terrain.

16th Feb 2024 10:50pm

TexasRover

Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 794

2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White

So what is the date code?

Age and wear pattern is s huge factor in tire road noise.

17th Feb 2024 5:21am

StressedComa

Member Since: 23 Jul 2022
Location: Wakefield
Posts: 54

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Sumatra Black

Four of them were manufactured 2019 but I got them from black circles brand new March ‘23. The 5th tyre I got from Camskil and that was manufactured ‘23. Can’t remember what weeks they were though.

17th Feb 2024 9:22am

Lodelaner

Member Since: 04 Feb 2010
Location: Lambourn
Posts: 621

1988 Defender 90 V8 Petrol ST Shire Blue

I agree about these tyres. They tyres howl, they're directionally vague and I could really feel the rolling resistance.

I sold my wheels with Wrangler MTRs very quickly and after a stint on BFG ATs ended up with GG AT3s. JB

@Lodelaner Instagram

Youtube greenlaning and other LR related content

17th Feb 2024 5:52pm

CarMan

Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1777

Maybe I need to get my hearing checked

but I've not had any noise issues with mine. I like them for the OE look

Rob

1993 200tdi 90 hard-top
1998 300tdi 90 soft-top
2016 2.2 XS 90 hard-top

17th Feb 2024 6:50pm

diesel_jim

Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6037

Re: Goodyear Wrangler MT/R - TOO NOISY!!

Chicken Drumstick wrote:

MT/R's however are noisey tyres. Always thought they were an odd choice as a factory tyre. Shocking in the snow, totoally rubbish in the mud and loud on the road.
.

I found the opposite.... I thought they were really good in snow and (Wiltshire) mud. but yes, very noisy.

17th Feb 2024 8:55pm

Jabberwocky

Member Since: 27 Oct 2021
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 195

I had a set on my 130 when I bought it, noisiest things ever, couldn’t get rid of them quick enough.

17th Feb 2024 9:50pm

Chicken Drumstick

Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 542

Re: Goodyear Wrangler MT/R - TOO NOISY!!

diesel_jim wrote:
Chicken Drumstick wrote:

MT/R's however are noisey tyres. Always thought they were an odd choice as a factory tyre. Shocking in the snow, totoally rubbish in the mud and loud on the road.
.

I found the opposite.... I thought they were really good in snow and (Wiltshire) mud. but yes, very noisy.

I recall an RTV trials event a good number of years back. Most people on more aggressive MT’s did well driving all or most of the course. It was wet slippery chalky clay. Two vehicles on MT/R’s. Both failed to be make it to the start gate. I’m not saying they are terrible off road and probably better than many mild All Terrains. But it was an eye opener seeing how little traction they had in those conditions compared to mostly remould MT’s used by others.

That said, I was impressed last year laning with the MT/R given I didn’t think much of them off road. To be fair the lanes were mostly high grip and easy to navigate. But reckon they did as well or better than the Toyo MT’s someone else was running. But probably no better than the BFG KO2 on another vehicle.

18th Feb 2024 9:59am

Devon-Rover

Member Since: 22 Jan 2015
Location: South Devon
Posts: 906

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Aintree Green

I had the MT/R's as the factory tyre when I got the 110.

Early initial mileage was fine but they soon started to become noisy. It was subtle so in hindsight it's an easy thing for the brain to tune out and you don't notice till it was gone, If you get what I mean.

From a performance perspective they were OK as grippy tyre although it felt as they just fell short of a full bodied mud tyre, For my experience of what the STT Pro feels like off road then it's another couple of rungs up the ladder compared to the MT/R. Yet for the road work then once they wore out I changed to the ST/Maxx and as a more road friendly tyre the cooper still gave decent off road ability on a par to the MT/R and so IMO as a whole meant it is a better tyre.

Tyre Tech has moved on with more CAD being involved and greater thought given to tread design and the MT/R to me is just one of those that is the old product cycle and time has moved on. I wouldn't say no to a free set but they are not on my shortlist as a choice for the next set to go on.

Every tyre is not a goldilocks for everyone and as an Aggressive AT the MT/R isn't as good as some of the others out there in that category unless you are looking for a not a full mud but need a more open than an AT or RT tyre and that is quite a niche to fill. Also can be found on Fb, Ytube, Insta & Twitter @4WDSouthwest

18th Feb 2024 11:08am

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