It’s January in Southern California, so we’re getting an extra dose of the life-giving liquid in the form of rain. Most recently, we’ve had about three or four days of solid downpour, and it’s times like these when getting new off-road wheels and tires from Mickey Thompson feels especially appropriate.

Case in point – we recently took delivery of a set of Baja MTZP3 tires and MM-164M wheels, which we plan to install on a killer 2006 Dodge Ram 2500. This truck is driven around Phelan, California, up past the San Gabriel Mountains north of San Bernardino. It’s part of a region known as the High Desert, where there is plenty of room to play in the dirt.

And playing in the dirt is something these MTZP3 tires were meant for. At 37 inches in diameter, they’re in the upper echelon of sizes offered by Mickey Thompson for your average truck, and they’ve got plenty of “meat” to put to use in off-highway terrain.

They have a silica-reinforced tread compound that offers longer wear, better cut and chip resistance, and enhanced wet weather capability. These also feature Mickey Thompson famous sidewall technology – SideBiters – that can really dig in and offer extra traction when it’s needed most. What’s more, a decoupling groove was molded into the tread for better grip on irregular terrain, along with reduced heat buildup.

The wheels, meanwhile, are more than just the center that the tires attach to. These 20-inch MM-164Ms are some of the coolest of the Metal Series offered by Mickey Thompson, and feature a diamond-cut face and accents, a corrosion-resistant hubcap, and a clearcoat finish over Piano Black paint. They’re every bit as much style as they are substance, making it possible for the Cummins to run big tires while looking great, too.

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