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TOPEKA, Kan., March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a dramatic move into ``extreme'' vehicle niches, Goodyear announced today that its Wrangler MT/R sizing is expanding into 37-inch tire sizes in 15-inch-wheel diameters.

Company officials said the much-anticipated 37x12.50R15 LT tire will be available at retailers nationwide in April.

Manufacturing such a large tire in Topeka, the most ``extreme'' U.S. Goodyear plant, was part of the plan when the Wrangler MT/R was first introduced two years ago. The Topeka plant began manufacturing large earthmover tires, known as OTR tires, in the 1980s.

These massive OTR tires -- some approaching 10 to 12 feet high -- are used on dump trucks, mobile cranes, scrapers, dozers, loaders and motor graders and in mine service and port container handling.

Topeka also produces medium radial truck tires for use on tractor-trailer rigs.

The most requested size from off-road enthusiasts is the 37x12.50R15 LT Wrangler MT/R tire, which helped win the championship at the Goodyear/Skyjacker Extreme Rock Crawling Nationals last year, according to Mark Cherveny, product manager for light-truck tires.

A pre-production 37-inch size for the rock-crawling series was made at Goodyear's Technical Center in Akron, Ohio. The 2002 series begins March 15 in Farmington, N.M.

``As the sport of off-roading grows and evolves, enthusiasts are asking for larger tires. Not long ago, the 31x10.50R15 LT and 33x12.50R15 LT tires were considered large. Now the 35- and 37-inch tires are in demand.

``The Wrangler MT/R tire is perfect for ultra-sizing, given its puncture- resistant Durawall sidewall technology and its ultra-durability on the rocks,'' Cherveny said.

The Wrangler MT/R (maximum traction/reinforced) all-season off-road tire features the breakthrough patented Durawall sidewall construction that contains a high-tech silica compound and three polyester plies for outstanding cut-, tear- and puncture-resistance.

Topeka plant officials credited teamwork with getting the new Wrangler MT/R size into production. One of the first issues to tackle, according to Eugene Cooke, radial truck tire business center manager, was to find equipment to build a 15-inch tire -- small by Topeka standards.

Twenty Wrangler MT/R tire sizes now are available in 15-, 16- and 17-inch wheel diameters. While the bulk of the sizes are made at the company's facility in Fayetteville, N.C., the largest Wrangler MT/R 37x12.50R17 LT size is made in Topeka for Hummer military and civilian vehicles.

SOURCE: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020304/clm009_1.html

Dang it.....4 minutes....I deleted my post....

I wonder what they are going to cost?

later :jeep:

Wow, that is :smokin: !! Wounder how much they will cost?? :confused: Hope not too much.........

oh baby, they will sell those suckers like crazy if the price is even remotely decent.

It all depends on your view of "decent." I sure as hell won't pay $500 a tire for them. Well. Maybe. :D

Great news! If the price is reasonable i.e. comparable to similar sized tires from other makes, they will sell well. Say, at $250 a pop? I would *definitely* pay that.

Sucks to be the people that bought them recently at the previous (outrageous) prices! :flipoff2:

I'm gonna guess that one will be able to find these for under 200 a tire by the end of the year.

Once supply catches demand and they are sitting in warehouses as inventory the margins will drop and I cant see them being more than 40 a tire more than a 35x12.50.

... but I've been wrong before ;)

Originally posted by Dan-H
I'm gonna guess that one will be able to find these for under 200 a tire by the end of the year.

Once supply catches demand and they are sitting in warehouses as inventory the margins will drop and I cant see them being more than 40 a tire more than a 35x12.50.

... but I've been wrong before ;)

if they are over $200 i would consider them a huge rip off, unless they are making them with the same rubber as the ARCA tires. The 35's are only $150, about the same as 33's. No reason for 2" of tire to add a rediculus amount of cost. Unfortunatly I see Goodyear playing off the ARCA success and i bet these tires will be rather pricy, just because every one thinks they will have the same tires as the curries or who ever.

grrrr they should be in 16.5" rims at least something bigger than a 15"

Originally posted by ONETUFF76
grrrr they should be in 16.5" rims at least something bigger than a 15"

Actually, I think it's about time someone other than Interco makes a 37ish size tire on a 15 inch rim.

EDIT: 4wpw has 37x125x17 for $515ea right now. Wahoo! :rolleyes:

the 35/12.5r15 mtr's sell for $190 so they will surely be over $200. im guessing at least $225, and for that much id rather have a bogger

Originally posted by yjtj
the 35/12.5r15 mtr's sell for $190 so they will surely be over $200. im guessing at least $225, and for that much id rather have a bogger

FYI- they're $155.00 at Discount Tire, + $17.00 road hazard, and $12.00 for balance/mount/free rotation- at least here in AZ :D

i went to good year yesterday and asked them what they got get a set of 37's for,.........$560/a tire!!:eek: :eek:

but he said if i would order thenm in like the next week he would give them to me for $400/ a tire

he said these were load E tires, are all MTR's E-range?

Brent

$190 was just the first price i saw, not interested in them, maybe id put them on my daily driver :flipoff2: for wheeling ill stick to the boggers :smokin:

$560 A TIRE!!!!Are they gold plated!!!!I think I will stick with my Swampers.I paid $500 for 4 Q78/15s.Blazin:rasta:

The Hummer tires have always been that price, these should be way less, but I'm real curious to see what they charge.

Originally posted by Dan-H
I'm gonna guess that one will be able to find these for under 200 a tire by the end of the year.

Once supply catches demand and they are sitting in warehouses as inventory the margins will drop and I cant see them being more than 40 a tire more than a 35x12.50.

... but I've been wrong before ;)

Yep, exactly what I was thinking. You can buy 35x12.50x15 from TireRack for 156. I'd say about $190 a pop is the magic number. Dammit, I really need to get rid of my D30 up front.

SeanP