Both the Hankook Dynapro MT2 and the BF Goodrich KM3 are packed with innovative tread compounds that yield a great balance of performance, between on and off-road. They are perfect for heavy trucks and full-sized SUVs. Let’s take a closer look to see which one will bring you a more favorable experience.
As a tire engineer, I can tell that the BF Goodrich KM3 is a better tire to have in comparison, when it comes to wet grip and winter performance. The tire also yield superior grip on muddy and sandy terrains. On the other hand, the Dynapro MT2 comes with slightly better fuel efficiency and comfort, and supplies greater dry grip, as well as rocky terrain traction.
Table of Contents
Tire Sizes
Starting with BF Goodrich KM3, the tire comes with following specs.
- Sizes: 56 (14 to 22″ rims).
- With speed ratings of Q.
- Load Ratings of C, D, E, or F.
- Weight Range: 37 to 83 lbs.
- They have tread depth of 18/32″.
The Hankook Dynapro MT2 comes in 15 to 22 inches wheels, with following specs:
- Speed ratings: Q only.
- Load ratings: C to F.
- Weight range: 45 to 90 lbs.
- Tread depth: 15.5 to 18.5/32″.
Note: Both tires don’t have any treadwear warranty, nor they give out severe winter ratings, though M+S is available on all of their sizes.
Tread Appearance
Looking at the BF Goodrich KM3 first, the tire features a very unique structure.
It shows up 2 main blocks in the middle, “laterally” arranged.
Although they make a lot of interconnected web of grooves, connecting all parts of the tread, their lateral orientation is the most prominent. They look like they are divided off form the shoulder lugs (joining up these shoulders form each sides).
These blocks carry thick siping in them, which provide a lot of functionality. On dry roads, they provide biting as they act as in-groove notches. On wet roads, they suck in water particles, clearing away path. And off-road, they split open the lugs, and provide additional gripping efficacy.
Moving towards shoulders, the lugs don’t carry any features, though they are still serrated on the outer margins, and join to each other to form sidewall lugs.
The Hankook Dynapro MT2 on the other side, produces an average looking “mud-terrain structure”, though it’s having more curves/angles.
Let me start form its middle area too.
Here you get to see two ribs forming L/C shaped lugs, wrapping around the shoulders.
These lugs have sharp off-set edges, and full depth sipes, and with their closed up structure, they form narrower grooves in the middle, compared to outer wider circumferential channels.
This way they render directional gripping capabilities.
And at the same time as they wrap around the shoulder lugs as well, they offer lateral stability with that too.
Towards the outer edges, the tire makes staggered shoulders, and thick sidewall lugs just like seen on the BFG KM3.
Highway Traction
To properly evaluate the dry performance of mud tires, we need to consider grip, steering, and handling (discussed below).
Grip
Dry grip has a lot of variables, including weight, rubber composition, and so on, but the most important ones still include the tire’s section width and overall footprint availability.
And considering both, it makes sense why the Hankook Dynapro MT2 shows up with shorter braking distances (direct measurement of this grip).
Its tread consists of denser lugs arrangement, which generate greater friction with the road, in comparison.
Whereas, on the other hand, the BF Goodrich KM3 lacks with its spacious design.
Handling
Upon testing, it was seen that the overall handling is also seen better on Dynapro MT2 (with a very close margin, I should add).
It although weighs the same and comes with similar tread depth, on average, it still offers a more consistent connection with the surface (its rolling on) thanks to it’s stiffer tread compound, which yields superior steering response.
The BF Goodrich KM3 on the other side has lugs prone to bending, which causes the tire to over and under steering more, relatively, resulting in comparatively shorter handling times.
Wet Performance
Wet traction depends on 3 main things, sipes, grooves and overall tread flexibility. And although both tires are equally bald, the flexible tread seen on the BFG KM3, combined with its more effective siping, brings you appreciable results.
It features greater pliability to it’s sipes, so they tend to stay malleable with tire’s mobility. This is significant as these sipes have to contract/expand, to create suction for the water particles underneath.
In comparison, the Hankook Dynapro MT2 comes with thinner siping slits, and a harder compound, so the sipes aren’t that capable to flex and wipe water off.
Durability
Off-road tires must be able to handle rugged landscapes, making durability a critical aspect. This is why these tires are equipped with powerful internal plies.
Underneath their thick rubber, they both have 2 steel belts, reinforced with a nylon cap ply, and these belts sit on a 3 ply polyester carcass, that protect the sidewalls from all kinds of sharp objects.
Off Road Traction
To handle rugged paths, tires must have a unique set of skills for each terrain type. So I evaluated both tires in all of the following challenging conditions.
Mud Tracks
On mud, an effective traction comes form two things:
- Scooping abilities.
- And self cleaning of the grooves.
And considering both, you would always pick BF Goodrich KM3 over its counterpart. The tire has a very well organized interlocking central structure. It’s blocks form a map of grooves all over the tread.
And where these offer the necessary mud evacuation, it’s thicker sidewall lugs and elongated shoulders provide the paddling abilities, better compared to Dynapro MT2.
Rocky Terrains
On rocks, you need a powerful tire (durable construction), and a tread with numerous biters, particularly on the sides or sidewalls.
In case of durability both tires are same with their 3 ply sides, and high turn up plies, yet still since you get to have a thicker rubber layer on top BF Goodrich KM3, this tire still yields better overall protection.
Moreover, its full depth sipes also split open the blocks, both laterally and longitudinally, providing superior grip and in all directions.
For Your Info: Best tire for rocks in mud-terrain category is Cooper STT Pro (review).
Sandy Dunes
On sand you need a softer tire which is capable of providing ample footprint. You also need mad driving skills as well, as it’s a very tricky terrain.
Nonetheless, mud tires make things quite easier for even newbies.
But still overall, if sand is where you want to spend most of your time, and you need a mud tire, go with BF Goodrich KM3, the tire offers better footprint with it’s pulpy lugs.
Although its slightly heavier compared to Dynapro MT2, it’s sidewall lugs supply greater contact patch with the sand (with lowered air pressure).
Moreover it’s tread design mimics paddle tire a lot, and they scoop the sand backwards with much better efficacy, generating superior forward momentum.
Fuel Efficiency
In case of BF Goodrich KM3, the lugs are more haphazardly placed, and aren’t that streamlined. This although produces greater bite with the surface, it also results in larger rolling resistance values.
Moreover, as already discussed, its softer compound is also susceptible to greater bending, as the tire turns, brakes or accelerates. This basically causes larger energy expenditure overall.
It’s lugs are divided by thick full depth sipes, they flex open the blocks and create a more sticky tread, consuming more fuel comparatively.
Comfort and Noise
Talking about comfort first, with a pliable rubber compound, having greater silica density, the BF Goodrich KM3 supplies a spongier composition to absorb the shocks off the road.
So comfort wise, it takes the upper hand.
The Hankook Dynapro MT2 on the flip side, although can’t soak up the on-road vibrations with as much efficacy, compared to its counterpart, it does offer a quieter ride, no doubt about that.
As (most of the) noise enters through the shoulder voids, the BF Goodrich KM3 forming such wider lateral grooves allow a lot of room to that air to hit around, creating greater noise pollution.
Hankook Dynapro MT2, on the other hand, not only offers closed up lugs there (in comparison), but its interlocking central (C shaped) placed blocks deliver superior pitch sequencing as well.
Winter Performance
For mud tires, ice and hard packed snow is a big NO, though these tires can still work with deeper terrains, which you may also call “off-road snow”.
That’s why they are all only M+S rated and not seen with severe winter grading of 3 peak mountain snowflake.
But still out of both tires you are better off with BF Goodrich KM3. That’s because this tire has a superior thermal adaptive rubber, which keeps its biters soft even with extreme winter temperatures.
Verdict
The BF Goodrich KM3 features very effective siping, providing superior winter and wet traction, in comparison, and off-road the tire yields better sand and mud grip.
In comparison, the Hankook Dynapro MT2 delivers better dry grip, with faster steering response, and the tire also offers relatively better comfort. Moreover, it’s fuel efficiency is also greater compared to its counterpart.
