"Strong and silent" were the buzzwords at Goodyear's recent press launch for the company's new Wrangler and Fortera lines of light-truck tires. The Texas-style press launch, held at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas and at the tire company's San Angelo test facility, came on strong and was anything but silent. Everything is supersized in Texas, and as such, we were treated to Texas-sized meals, limos, entertainment, and a private plane ride, which took us from Dallas to the 7,250-acre San Angelo facility some 200 miles southwest.
There, the supersizing didn't stop as we got to ride with superdriver Walker Evans on an off-road course, and had a chance to drive one of those big yellow Caterpillar earthmover dump trucks with 12-foot-tall tires!
Dog and pony shows aside, though, the main reason for our visit was to drive and compare Goodyear's latest light-truck tire offerings against their competition. A fleet of brand-new GM fullsize trucks was provided, shod with both the new Goodyears and competitor tires. We were asked to drive and compare each tire over several road courses, including various patches of different pavement surfaces, an autocross-type cone course, a wet skid pad, and some dirt roads. Unfortunately, the "off-road" course that had been set up for us had been flooded by heavy rains, and we were told it was "impassable." Of course, that's the last thing a Four Wheeler scribe wants to hear as we were mainly there to report on the new Wrangler's 'wheeling capabilities. Oh well, the plane ride and the dump truck were cool. All kidding aside, during all the pavement tests we drove, the new Goodyears really did handle better and were noticeably quieter than the provided competition.
 This is what the new Wrangler...  This is what the new Wrangler looks like. Being an all-terrain-type tire, it doesn't have the aggressive look of Goodyear's popular MT/R mud tire. But don't let looks fool you. Featuring Goodyear's SilentArmor technology, this new all-terrain is one tough piece of rubber. For starters, Wranglers feature the same Durawall-reinforced sidewalls that have made the MT/Rs famous for their resistance to sidewall cuts and punctures-a fact proven in tough rock-racing competitions. Next, the new Wranglers have a layer of Kevlar, along with two steel belts that make up their tough carcass. Kevlar is a fiber that is, pound for pound, five times stronger than steel. While not only greatly increasing the strength of the tire, Kevlar also soaks up road noise and helps deliver a smoother, quieter ride. The tires also feature a molded-in Rim Guard that protects wheel rims from rock or curb damage. |  This is Goodyear's wet skid...  This is Goodyear's wet skid pad at San Angelo. We were allowed to flog new GM SUVs through the cones to feel the grip the new Goodyears provide in the wet. The Wrangler is certified for "severe snow" use and carries the industry standard mountain/-snowflake symbol molded into its sidewall. This symbol is becoming increasingly valuable as chain control stops become more stringent on stormy mountain passes. Both the Wrangler and the Fortera utilize a tread compound that features a silica blend that maximizes wet traction but doesn't sacrifice treadwear. |  These are some of the severe...  These are some of the severe pavement-type surfaces available at San Angelo to test the durability of tires. We enjoyed flogging both the Goodyears and their competition around these proving grounds and came away feeling these latest Goodyear offerings are top notch-truly state-of-the-art in light-truck tire development. |