A decade after its debut, off-roading authority Jimmy Nylund's original assessment of the Interco VorTrac A/T remains remarkably relevant. Surprisingly, many still aren't aware that Interco offers a capable all-terrain radial tire.
Originally featured on The FourWheeler Network on September 1, 2007, this review highlighted a departure from Interco's traditional offerings. While subtle nods to the TrXus M/T's deep 16/32-inch tread and a hint of TSL are present, the VorTrac distinguishes itself. It's an all-terrain tire with an aggressive edge – some might even categorize it as a mud 
tire – yet it presents as the most road-friendly light truck tire ever to emerge from Interco's molds. Notably, it's a radial tire, foregoing the trendy three-ply sidewalls for a classic two-ply polyester construction, reminiscent of earlier radial trail tires.
The VorTrac clearly targets a broader audience than Interco's renowned Super Swamper line. It's designed for those who clock significant highway miles but still demand reliable off-road performance. In essence, it embodies the very definition of an all-terrain tire.
Imagine being blindfolded, the 35x12.50R17 VorTracs mounted on your vehicle, and then being asked to identify their size, type, and brand. You'd likely get two out of three wrong. The surprisingly comfortable ride and handling characteristics suggest a modern radial construction, perhaps a 33-inch tire. This illusion is partly due to the stylish 17x9 Pro Comp 6005 wheels, which create a similar sidewall height and stability to a 33-inch tire on a 15-inch rim. Furthermore, the tread pattern, while relatively aggressive, feels much milder than expected, leading to an incorrect guess.
Most surprisingly, you'd never suspect it was an Interco tire. Even now, many are unaware of its existence. It's almost a paradigm shift to consider Interco producing a true all-terrain. With its continuous center rib promoting stability, absence of tracking, excellent load transfer, and quiet, smooth ride, the VorTrac is undeniably well-suited for highway use – a design priority evident in both its construction and tread.
However, don't expect the VorTrac to conquer obstacles like a TSL, evacuate mud like a Bogger, or grip dirt with the tenacity of an IROK. As a radial all-terrain with a relatively flat tread, it will naturally exhibit some slippage in loose dirt due to lower contact pressure. The squared shoulders do enhance cornering in loose terrain and provide lateral stability on side slopes. While perhaps not ideal for soft sand due to its minimal tread arch, the VorTrac would likely excel in environments like the Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari. On steeper, loose trails, engaging four-wheel drive might be necessary where more aggressive tires could manage in two-wheel drive.
Yet, on hard-packed inclines where two-wheel drive might lead to slippage with other tires, the VorTracs climbed without issue, suggesting that the earlier traction loss was indeed due to contact pressure. While it might not conform to obstacles like a bias-ply tire, the VorTrac, like most all-terrains, offered commendable grip on rocks, enhanced by numerous biting edges and generous siping.
Overall, Interco's foray into the competitive all-terrain market with the VorTrac appears to be a strategic success. If you've associated Interco solely with hardcore off-road tires, it's time to reconsider. We certainly did.
Tire Specifications: Interco VorTrac Size: 35x12.50R17LT Type: Radial Load Range: E Max Load: 3,640 lbs @ 65 psi Sidewall: 2-ply polyester Tread: 2-ply polyester, 2-ply steel, 2-ply nylon Approved Rim Width: 8.5-11 inches (10 inches recommended) Tread Depth: 16/32 inch Tread Width: 9.9 inches Section Width: 13.00 inches Overall Diameter: 35.00 inches Static Loaded Radius: 15.7 inches Revolutions Per Mile: 625 Weight: 70 lbs
Tire: Interco VorTrac Size: 35x12.50R17LT Type: Radial Load range: E Max load (lb@ psi): 3,640 @ 65 Sidewall: 2-ply polyester Tread: 2-ply polyester, 2-ply steel, 2-ply nylon Approved rim width (in): 8.5-11 (10) Tread depth (in): 16/32 Tread width (in): 9.9 Section width (in): 13.00 Overall diameter (in): 35.00 Static loaded radius (in): 15.7 Revolutions per mile: 625 Weight (lb): 70
Source: Interco Tire Rayne, LA 70578 337-334-3814 www.intercotire.com:
Original Article: By Jimmy Nylund. A Decade and a half after the Introduction of the Interco VorTrac A/T, the original review written by off-roading legend Jimmy Nylund still holds true... and many people still don't know that Interco offers an all-terrain radial tire.