Super Swamper TSL Bogger

By: Shawn Spickler
 

If you're looking for the most aggressive tire for your rig, the TSL Bogger is the one. These tires from hell are made primarily made for professional mud bogger. The tires are approved by DOT and street legal... barely. The Boggers are easy to cut and modify which mud racers sometimes do. These tires are meant to do business in the mud since that is what they were designed for. The Boggers are have a patented "three stage lug", (hence TSL) and large voids between the lugs to quickly self clean the tread during high speed mud bogging. Before you start calling for prices on these bad boys, be sure you really want them. Concerns such as price, noise, ride, control, and other qualities should be considered.

We thought we would give the Boggers a try so they were installed on project "Potent Rodent". The Bogger size purchased was 35x16x16.5 which is pretty wide for a 35" tire. First impression of the Boggers is awesome. The looks alone made our project Blazer look like a beast.

The Boggers are very aggressive and not ideal for a daily driver. Click image for tire view

First thing you notice is the huge lugs. These lugs look like they could go through just about anything. The paddle like tread curves a little so that it "cups" the mud. The large lugs and soft rubber compound also help grab the rocks like fingers. It's no wonder you'll see this tire on many rock crawlers. Mud is no match for the Boggers. This is what they were designed for. This is not saying, you'll never get stuck with the Boggers. There are limits to all tires. Some care must be taken when crossing deep mud with these tires. The tend to dig which will get you to China in no time flat. Sand is another quality these tires posses. With a paddle like tread, you can definitely make some wicked roosters. Over all, these tires are the king when it comes to needing serious off-road traction.

Unfortunately, there are several drawbacks for the Boggers. Even though the off-road characteristics are good, the street side is a different story. These tires are not for a daily driver. If you want the car-like qualities (like the BFG), forget the Boggers. These tires are extremely loud to begin with. You might as well sell your Pioneer. It's very difficult to hold a conversation at highway speeds unless you're screaming. Flat spots are another nuisance these tires give off. Doesn't matter if it's summer or winter. The first 5 miles will give a bumpy ride until they warm up a little. This is common characteristic in most bias ply tires. Most people always assumed there was something wrong when they rode inside and I would have to explain the flat spots. Controlling the Boggers on the road is terrible. Came close a few times to eating some Honda's during rush hour on narrow streets (not sure why it likes Hondas). The ride is like a tank. Being a bias ply tire, they just don't give like a radial. Another annoying (yet small) thing was they always left a footprint when it was parked. Just be sure not to park your fathers new cement driveway.

After having some bad experiences on the street, a decision was made to sell the Boggers in favor for some TSL Radials. Our project Blazer has to be driven on the street half the time so the TSL Radials made more sense.

At first sight, the TSL Radials didn't look as aggressive and the K5 seemed to lose some of its scary looks. But after the first ride with the TSL Radials on the street, I could tell instantly that the radials are more forgiving and smoother. No flat spots in the morning. Now drinking coffee means no more hot laps! You can barely hear the hum of the TSL Radials which was nice for a change. Now, the tunes can be heard! Though not as aggressive as the Boggers, the radials still offer great off-road traction.

TSL Radials are great for off-road and a good choice if you drive on the street. Click image for tire view

The truth is, these tires are seen today on many trails throughout the United States. TSL Super Swampers were originally designed by Interco to be a "True Mud-Terrain tire". Super Swamper Radials are also designed with a patented "three stage lug", (TSL) and large voids between the lugs to quickly self clean the tread during high speed mud bogging. The soft rubber compound makes these tires stick to slick rock, and the large lugs help climb the rocks. Another great feature is the sidewalls are one third thicker than a B.F. Goodrich Mud-Terrain's to help resist sidewall punctures. Off-road, these tires rock! We haven't got stuck yet(knock on wood). The K5 seemed to do just as good as with the Boggers. The only complaint is the tread depth was less compared to the Boggers (5/32).

To sum it up- the Bogger is a great off-road/mud tire but that's it. If you plan on driving the Boggers on the street, make sure you really want them and have good insurance if you drive on narrow streets. The Swamper Radials aren't as aggressive but still do well off-road and are well street mannered. For the best of both worlds, the TSL Radial is the one. If you trailer your off-road machine then get the Boggers!
 
 
 
 
 

TSL Bogger Specs: 

TSL Radial Specs: