Michelin introduces the BFGoodrich Krawler T/A KX to the aftermarket

Michelin North America Inc.'s BFGoodrich Krawler T/A KX is now available to tire retailers.

The tire was a mainstay in professional rock crawling competitions last year. Teams running the Krawler T/A KX capped a very successful season by sweeping the top three spots in the Unlimited Class at the inaugural running of The SuperCrawl World Championships in Farmington, N.M. The by-invitation-only event attracted a field of 106 competitors.

The tire features a full tread design made up of huge, aggressive lugs for maximized traction and resistance to punctures and bruising, according to the company. It can be run as-is, or "fine tuned" for specific applications.

Other characteristics include:

* a four-ply, race-proven nylon carcass with slightly angled alternate plies for excellent puncture resistance.

* two lightweight-steel belts, which help enhance the tire’s ability to flex over rocks for optimized traction.

* a specially formulated tri-polymer tread compound. It is tuned for exceptional traction and toughness, and helps provide optimized grip and control on rocks and hard-packed dirt.

Initially, the BFG Krawler T/A KX will be offered in two sizes: 35x13.50R15 and 37x12.50R17. The 17-inch size also can be ordered with some 50% of the tread area left blank for custom grooving.

A need for a 39-inch version, as well as some different compounds and constructions, are being examined.

"Just because the Krawler T/A KX is now available to consumers doesn’t mean that we’ve stopped work on it," says Scott Dishman, marketing manager for BFGoodrich light-truck tires.

"We will use a version of the Krawler T/A KX as a development tire to continue exploring new concepts, and we’ll continue to use motorsports as a venue for testing them."