Heavy truck tires are designed to bring you a more favorable off-road driving experience, and the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 delivers just that. It’s a budget pick, yet it really surprises you with it’s on/off road performance.
In my professional opinion as a tire engineer, the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 is a great budget pick of a mud-terrain tire, that offers decent on-road grip in both wet and dry environments, where it can improve its under and oversteering balance. Moreover, the tire features superb snow grip, and supplies you with a above average combination of durability and grip off-road.
Tire Sizes
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 comes in 35 total sizes in 15 to 22 inches rims, and they have the following specs.
- Speed Ratings: Only Q.
- Load Range: C to F.
- Weight Range: 55 to 99 lbs.
- Tread depth: 18/32″ to 21/32″.
All sizes have black sidewalls, and section width ranging from 9.3 to 13.6 inches.
Moreover, they have no tread wear warranty, and 3PMSFR. Though they do have M+S.
Tread Design
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 looks like an average mud-terrain tire.
Let me start off from its central area.
Here you see two main ribs, formed with relatively smaller blocks (compared to shoulders).
They have sharp notches facing the shoulders, edges (chamfered), and interlocking sipes (with full depth structure).
Together these lugs form a web of interconnected grooves, joining all lateral and longitudinal pathways.
Though the shoulder voids make the widest of all, where robust stone ejectors are also seen.
These shoulder lugs are elongated, have full depth siping, and form thick mud scoops towards their outer edges.
They also form decent biters on the sidewalls as well, as you may see form the image above.
Comfort and Noise
A comfortable tire should absorb road imperfections, and stay quiet on pavements. And although the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 is a very loud tire, you’d be surprised at its cushioning abilities.
It’s spongy tread offers decent settling of the bumps, and vibrations both on and off road.
Though with such wider tread extremities, the tire can’t dampen down the noise levels in an effective way.
Noise basically gets generated when air particles strike around on the tread walls, and Nexen with such voided structure can’t help it even with its variable pitch generating technology.
On-Road Performance
When evaluating on-road performance, there are 3 key considerations: grip on a straight surface, steering efficacy, and handling (which is a major aspect of traction, as minimal slippage is needed on corners).
Let’s check them out, individually.
Straight Grip
Straight grip is highly dependent on the tire’s central contact capability with the surface, and the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 falls short in this regard.
Most of it’s grip comes from its numerous biters, having a pliable rubber composition, which try to grab the surface, yet it’s still not enough compared to other tires in its category, as lugs are too spaced apart.
It’s limited grip is mainly noticeable during braking, as it shows longer stopping distances on average, compared to other popular M/Ts. (Braking efficacy is the direct measure of straight grip).
Dry Highway Handling
Handling is a mixture of two things, shoulder’s footprint offering, and tread stiffness.
As the tire corners, the weight on it gets transferred on its sides, and so shoulders and sidewalls are the ones making the most contact with the surface.
So it makes sense why the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 struggles in this area as well, due to its extremely wide lateral grooves, not having stable supports.
And this gets coupled with its significant weight (of up to 100 lbs), which puts pressure on the blocks, causing them to flex more, creating a high tendency to oversteer.
Wet Traction
With mad beefy lugs, forming a highly voided structure, the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 has no problem in the hydroplaning department, as water gets easily gushed out through multiple pathways (and out of the tire).
Though what’s really making a difference for this budget pick is the remaining/left-over water particles, which have to cleared off, or should I say, soaked up with siping slits.
And relatively, comparing others in the market, Nexen MTX does great here. It’s tread not only features a lot more siping, than traditionally seen, but you also get a softer tread compound on its rubber as well.
This supplies these sipes with the flexibility needed to effectively suck water particles in, and provide traction.
Tread Wear
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7’s tread wear comes at below average when comparing to other famous options in its category.
Like mentioned in the handling section, the tire weighs a lot, and so it pressurizes its lugs to rub with greater force (when against the road).
And since it’s tread compound comes with a relatively softer composition, it wears off quickly.
Snow Performance
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 might not be 3PMSF rated but could still perform adequately in deep snow due to its malleable lugs.
These lugs basically do two things, one they stay pliable even with freezing temperatures, and two, they provide scooping and paddling on fluffy snow.
Though don’t expect too much out of these tires on packed up snow and icy terrains, as they can’t maintain proper traction over there.
Off-Road Traction
I tested out this tire in the following popular terrains. Let’s check them out one by one.
Mud Performance
When it comes to mud traction, you’d not find too much of a difference comparing this tire to other MT options, even premium ones.
Though on paper, the tire provides above average traction values, I have to admit.
It features relatively larger tread voids both inner and outer (towards shoulders), which provide straight-away path for the thick mud to leave, while its multiple sharp off-set edges work together to break up the mud particles down (adding to overall evacuation).
Though, despite having decent paddling efficacy with its staggered shoulders, its sidewalls could use some more rubber. Meaning, it’s not as capable of getting itself out of a “tough” situation, in knee deep mud, for example, compared to other mud tires.
Rock Traction
On rocks I’ve no complaints with the Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 as it supplies both the durability and biting edges, highly needed while climbing (from all angles).
It’s bigger groove mouth bite in to the surface in all directions, while its spongier compound helps in flexing its lugs over all types of rocky surfaces.
Though durability is average compared to other MTs, as it carries similar 3 ply polyester carcass, you mostly see on a majority of mud tires.
Sand Traction
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 can handle sand reasonably well, with its side biters providing traction on sandy dunes when aired down.
Moreover the tire also comes with reasonably well built rim locks, so its able to go really low when it comes to reducing the air pressure PSI, which is highly crucial on this terrain, as it allows the tire to expand its thick sidewall lugs and enhance floating abilities.
To Conclude
The Nexen Roadian MTX RM7 tires have proven themselves to be a compelling option for off-road enthusiasts and adventurers seeking an affordable yet reliable tire solution.
With features such as an aggressive tread design, optimized block positions, and a thick sidewall lugs, these tires confidently deliver a great combination of performance, and durability across various terrains, including mud, rocks, and snow.
Though comparing other mud-terrain tires, the Nexen could use a little more on-road traction, and tread life.
