Hercules Terra Trac AT2 Review: Hercules has been dealing in tires since 1952 and now with 70 years of service the company is well familiar for making a variety of high-quality tires. In 2013, Hercules raised in the market by inventing Terra Trac AT2 as the descendent of the older version, Terra Trac AT.
The former was provided with several additions and sturdier composition which placed it among the top-rated tires of 2013.
Examine the treads on these tires closely. They hold the key to knowing which to choose. In fact if you visit my "tread design" page, picking the right tire would never bother you.
Terra Trac AT2, as represented by the name is a versatile all-terrain tire.
Whether experiencing bumpy off-road surfaces or paved highways this tire sustains its efficacy. It is ranked as a 3-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) tire.
Mainly designed for trucks, trailers and SUVs it is available in various sizes varying from 15 to 20 inches.
It offers 46 different SUV and LT sizes.
Table of Contents
Let’s take a Closer Look
Hercules Terra Trac A/T2
| Tire Type | All-Terrain |
| 3PMSF Rated | Yes |
| Tested Size | 225/70R16 |
| Tread Depth | 13/32” |
| Tread Width | 8.9” |
| Overall Diameter | 28.62” |
| Overall Width | 9” |
| Max. Rim Width | 7.5” |
| Tire Weight | 31.94 pounds |
| Max. Load | 2469 |
| Load Range | STD |
| Load Index | 103 |
| Speed Rating | T |
| Inflation Pressure | 44 psi |
| UTQG Rating | 500 A.B |
| Price | 120$ – 220$ per tire 480$ – 580$ per set |
Off-Road Performance
The off-road efficiency of Terra Trac AT2 is about 82% which is determined by analysing its efficacy on the following surfaces:
On Muddy Surface:
This tire is equipped with highly promising deep tusk grooves in between the central tread blocks which act as biting edges.
They bite the mud and thrash it backwards to promote the forward movement of the tire.
The open shoulder design of this tire with bold shoulder blocks and broad grooves between them bolsters the handling and stability provided by the tire while cornering.
The alternating scallops on the shoulders also stimulate its resilience in mud.
| Mud Traction | Performance |
| Mud Grip | 83% |
| Mud Handling | 84.5% |
| Overall Traction | 83.75% |
Hence, this tire is categorized as one of the well-ranked all-terrain tires which are much more profitable on muddy surfaces.
On Icy Surface:
This tire is provided with an aggressive flat tread design having tread blocks placed at equal height.
This allows maximum contact with the icy paths and promotes the grip of the tire.
Moreover, its precisely distributed sipes evacuate the unnecessary water while navigating through icy surfaces.
All of its shoulder blocks are also aligned at the same level which allows maximum tread contact while taking turns thus retaining the stability of the tire.
Also, the sipes residing on the shoulder blocks allow smooth steering supervision on ice topped surfaces.
| Ice Traction | Performance |
| Ice Grip | 78% |
| Ice Handling | 84% |
| Overall Traction | 81% |
However, this tire can withstand icy conditions but in extreme ice, it can lose its effectiveness and become skiddy.
On Snow
Being rated as a 3PMSF tire, it can effectively deal with soft as well as heavy snow.
It has deep and broad central channels which make a strong grip and are capable of grabbing snow and tossing it back to assist the movement of the tire.
The lateral grooves of this tire are also broad enough to steer it effortlessly through snowy paths.
They grab and throw back the snow in the same way as the central grooves.
Furthermore, your vehicle can be cornered handily with the aid of alternating scallops on the shoulders.
| Snow Traction | Performance |
| Snow Grip | 82.5% |
| Snow Handling | 83.5% |
| Overall Traction | 83% |
This tire with a 3PMSF rating is much favourable, reliable and profitable even in extremely snowy conditions. Its stability is impressive on such surfaces.
On Rocks
The broad and deep tusk grooves of this tire with bold pebble ejectors strengthen its grip and enable it to perform competently on rocks.
Also, the aggressive buttress design gives it an edge to climb rocky hills.
Its bold shoulder blocks separated by deep and broad channels allow you to steer your vehicle effortlessly on rocks.
The shoulders are also provided with pebble ejectors and alternating scallops which maintain its stability while cornering over such rugged paths.
| Rock Traction | Performance |
| Rock Grip | 80% |
| Rock Handling | 83% |
| Overall Traction | 81.5% |
This tire lacks rock climbing technology which, however, reduces its potency on rocks but still it is a reliable option and guarantees your safety on such surfaces.
On-Road Performance
The on-road efficiency of Terra Trac AT2 is up to 83% which is the average of its performance on wet and dry surfaces:
On Dry Roads
The patented and flat tread design of this tire allows it to make enough contact patch with the ground to have a strong grip with the paved paths.
Also, its central and lateral tread blocks are equally levelled which results in a smooth and quiet voyage on paved highways.
The shoulder tread blocks of this tire are also precisely arranged and equally levelled which allows maximum contact of the tread with the ground while cornering and sudden braking.
So that it offers hassle-free steering management and decent stability on highways.
| Dry Traction | Performance |
| Dry Grip | 88% |
| Dry Handling | 79.5% |
| Overall Traction | 83.75% |
This tire is remarkably smooth, comfortable, profitable and preferable on paved paths, especially for long routes. However, it can become noisy and lose its comfort with time.
On Wet Roads
This tire offers enough contact patch to facilitate its navigation on wet surfaces.
Its optimized and flat tread design makes a sturdy grip on wet roads.
Furthermore, its central tread blocks are abundant with sipes which evacuate water from the tread as the tire rolls.
Its shoulder contact patch is also sufficient to sustain its stability on wet surfaces. While taking turns, the sipes present on shoulder blocks wipe away water and boost its hydroplaning resistance.
| Wet Traction | Performance |
| Dry Grip | 82% |
| Dry Stability | 83% |
| Overall Traction | 82.5% |
This tire is reliable and won’t slip while cornering or braking on wet surfaces but when its tread is near to wear it can become skiddy.
Noise and Comfort
This tire is much comfortable and quieter on paved roads.
Thanks to its highly optimised tread pitch with silica-induced AT-C tread compound which significantly reduces the unpleasant noise and grants a cosy ride on smooth surfaces.
Moreover, all of its tread blocks are equally levelled to maintain stability and comfort even at high speeds.
This tire is structured to roll smoothly on rugged surfaces as well.
Its grooves are broad and deep to promote its traction and minimize the noise and jerky effects on mud, snow and uneven paths.
The stone ejectors also function well in maintaining its comfort on rocks.
| Noise | Comfort | |
| On-Road | 26% | 79% |
| Off-Road | 26.8% | 78.2% |
| Overall | 26.4% | 78.6% |
Being much quieter and comfortable on paved and rugged paths it still lags behind many other brands with the same price range.
Tread Compound and Structure
Terra Trac AT2 is empowered with silica immersed AT-C tread compound with an assertive buttress asymmetrical tread design.
Unlike the previous AT variant, its lateral and centre tread blocks are equally levelled and are merged with tie-in bars which grant it a constant look and promote its stability.
In comparison with its ancestors, it is provided with 19% more siping and 12% more lateral grooves for impressive off-road traction.
Furthermore, the wave-like sipes are abundantly distributed over the tread, residing over each tread block.
| Tread Compound | Silica Immersed AT-C |
| Tread Design | Asymmetrical |
| Piles in Tread | 1Ply Nylon, 2 Ply Steel, 2 Ply Polyester |
| Piles in Sidewall | 2 Ply Polyester |
Treadwear and Durability
Silica immersed AT-C tread compound in this tire promotes its treadwear resistance.
Due to equally levelled central and shoulder tread blocks, the treadwear is always uniform which does not affect its efficiency. Its tread depth is enough that it can easily run 60,000 miles without wearing but further usage can result in treadwear.
This tire is provided with the industry crucial “Road Hazard Protection Programme” which offers a cost-free replacement for your tires after about two years or 50% of its tread life.
Also, it is provided with a 45-day free “Trust Our Ride Test” which allows you to replace the complete set of four within 45 days if you are not satisfied with its performance.
| Warranties | Duration |
| Mileage Warranty | 60,000 miles |
| Uniformity Warranty | 1 year first 2/32” |
| Workmanship Warranty | 2 years / After half of its tread life |
| “Trust Our Ride” Test | 45 days |
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Gives excellent traction and stability on wet and dry surfaces. | Tread life is shorter than expected. |
| Is much tractive and stable on mud, snow, ice and rocks. | Tire tread is bulky which increases about 10% of your vehicle’s overall weight. |
| 3PMSF rated | Slightly noisy on even and a bit bumpy on uneven paths. |
| Provided with the “Road Hazard Protection Programme”. | |
| Offers a 45-day “Trust Our Ride Test”. |
Final Words
Terra Trac AT2 makes no compromise on its performance whether its about stability and comfort on highways or efficient traction on rugged surfaces.
However, its tread life is shorter than it is expected to be and has a bulky composition which adds to the overall weight of the vehicle.
