Shopping for new tires and stumbled across Hercules? You’re probably wondering who’s actually making these surprisingly affordable tires. The answer’s more interesting than you’d think—and it might just change how you feel about buying them.
The Corporate Family Tree: Who Really Owns Hercules?
Here’s the deal: Hercules Tires is owned by American Tire Distributors (ATD), one of North America’s biggest independent tire suppliers. ATD bought the Hercules Tire and Rubber Company back in 2014, but the brand’s been around since 1952.
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Hercules doesn’t actually manufacture tires—they design them. The physical production? That’s handled by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, and this partnership’s been going strong for over 60 years.
But wait, there’s more. In 2021, Goodyear acquired Cooper Tire. So when you’re buying Hercules tires today, you’re getting designs from ATD’s team, manufactured in facilities now owned and operated by Goodyear—one of the “Big 3” tire makers globally.
Think of it this way: Hercules is the designer, Cooper/Goodyear is the factory, and ATD is the distributor selling to independent tire shops across the country.
Why This Manufacturing Partnership Actually Matters
You might be thinking, “So what?” Here’s why this matters to your wallet and your safety.
Hercules operates what industry insiders call a “fabless” model. They handle all the research, development, and design work. They own the molds and decide what materials go into each tire. Then they hand everything over to Cooper’s factories—which now operate under Goodyear’s quality standards.
This isn’t some random factory slapping a Hercules label on leftover tires. According to tire dealers who’ve worked with the brand, “all molds, materials, and R&D is owned by Hercules. Cooper is the subcontractor that builds them”.
You’re getting Hercules-specific engineering with Tier-1 manufacturing quality. That’s a pretty sweet combo for a value-priced tire.
The Goodyear Connection: What Changed in 2021
When Goodyear bought Cooper, they didn’t make a big deal about Hercules. But here’s what changed behind the scenes:
Manufacturing gets even stronger. Your Hercules tires now benefit from Goodyear’s massive quality control systems and technological expertise.
Supply chain gets more stable. A global giant like Goodyear means fewer production hiccups and better availability.
Future tech access. It’s likely that newer Hercules models will tap into advanced rubber compounds and technologies developed by Goodyear’s R&D teams.
Where Are Hercules Tires Actually Made?
This question pops up a lot, and the honest answer is: it depends on the model.
Some Hercules tires roll off the production line in Findlay, Ohio—genuine “Made in the USA” rubber. This is especially true for many of their light truck tires, which is a solid selling point if you prefer domestic manufacturing.
But Cooper (and now Goodyear) runs a global operation. They’ve got factories in Mississippi, Arkansas, England, Serbia, and yes, China. Some Hercules models are manufactured overseas, but here’s the key detail: they’re made “under Cooper supervision” with American quality standards.
| Manufacturing Location | What’s Made There | Quality Oversight |
|---|---|---|
| Findlay, Ohio | Light truck tires, select passenger models | Cooper/Goodyear direct |
| International facilities | Various passenger and commercial models | Cooper/Goodyear standards |
| China | Select budget-friendly models | American parent company supervision |
The manufacturing location matters less than the oversight. You’re not buying mystery tires from an unknown factory—you’re buying Cooper/Goodyear-manufactured products sold under the Hercules brand.
The Hercules Lineup: What They Actually Offer
Hercules doesn’t mess around with a half-baked product line. They’ve got options for pretty much every vehicle type.
Terra Trac: The Heavy Hitter
This is their bread and butter for trucks, SUVs, and crossovers. The lineup includes highway, all-terrain, and even commercial options.
The standout? The Terra Trac Cross-V AW. It’s their first all-weather tire with the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification, meaning it’s tested and approved for severe snow. You get 70,000 miles of warranty, genuine winter capability, and you don’t need to swap tires twice a year. That’s a win for anyone driving a Highlander, F-150, or Telluride through real winters.
The Terra Trac AT X-Venture brings aggressive all-terrain capability with 60,000-mile coverage. It’s built for weekend warriors who need something that works on highway commutes and dirt roads alike.
TIS by Hercules: For the Truck Enthusiasts
Hercules partnered with TIS Offroad (a wheel manufacturer) to create co-branded tires that actually look the part. The TIS TT1 is their max-traction mud-terrain tire, and it’s got the aggressive sidewalls and chunky tread that truck guys want.
Dealer reviews praise it for being “very quiet on pavement despite its aggressive look”. That’s rare for mud-terrains. YouTube reviewers testing it off-road found it “impressively grippy” in mud and rocks while staying civilized on asphalt.
Roadtour: The Daily Driver
This is Hercules’s touring line for sedans, minivans, and crossovers. They’re currently updating the lineup—the new Roadtour Connect PCV is designed specifically for hybrid vehicles and the booming CUV market.
Expect a quiet ride, decent fuel efficiency, and warranties in the 55,000-mile range. Nothing flashy, just solid commuter rubber.
The Specialty Players
Raptis handles the ultra-high performance crowd—think sport sedans and coupes that need grippy all-season performance. You’re looking at 45,000 to 50,000-mile warranties here.
Avalanche is their dedicated winter line. Reddit users call them “decent winter tires” that are “good for the price”—a massive safety upgrade over all-seasons when the snow flies.
The Warranty That Changes Everything
Here’s where Hercules gets really interesting. Their “Performance Promise” warranty isn’t typical tire-industry fine print. It’s actually a major selling point.
Free Road Hazard Protection (Yes, Actually Free)
Most tire companies make you pay extra for road hazard coverage. Hercules includes it for free—and it’s not some watered-down version.
If you hit a pothole, nail, glass, or any other road hazard that ruins your tire, Hercules replaces it completely free for two years or the first 50% of tread life. That’s not prorated. That’s a straight-up replacement.
Premium brands don’t typically offer this. You’re usually buying that protection separately from the tire shop. Hercules bakes it right in.
The 45-Day “Trust Our Ride” Trial
Not sure about switching to a brand you’ve never heard of? Hercules gives you 45 days to try them out. Don’t like the ride quality or road noise? Swap them for a different Hercules model.
This removes basically all the risk from trying the brand. You can’t say that about many tire purchases.
Tread Life Warranties That Make Sense
The mileage warranties are solid and realistic:
- Terra Trac Cross-V AW: 70,000 miles
- Terra Trac AT X-Venture: 60,000 miles
- Roadtour Connect AS: 55,000 miles
- Raptis R-T6: 50,000 miles
These aren’t inflated numbers designed to look good on paper. They’re achievable if you maintain your tires properly.
What People Actually Say About Hercules Tires
Let’s cut through the marketing and look at real feedback from dealers, experts, and actual owners.
The Dealer Perspective
Independent tire shops love Hercules because it gives them a proprietary product that national chains can’t undercut on price. But they also genuinely believe in the quality.
One dealer with over a decade of Hercules experience flat-out said, “They are great tires”. Dealers consistently mention good traction, quiet ride, and modern designs that compete with pricier options.
What Owners Are Saying
The Cooper manufacturing connection is huge for consumer confidence. A typical owner comment: “Considering they’re made by Cooper… they are an amazing more affordable option”.
That manufacturing pedigree separates Hercules from bottom-tier budget brands. People trust Cooper’s reputation, and by extension, they trust Hercules.
The consistent praise? Good traction in varied conditions, surprisingly quiet ride, attractive tread designs, and genuinely affordable pricing.
The Honest Trade-Off
Here’s the real talk: expert reviews and owner experiences point to one consistent compromise—tread life might be shorter than premium competitors.
Industry analysis identifies “relatively short tread life” as the biggest shortcoming. One owner of the aggressive TIS TT1 mud tire noted, “Tread is def wearing faster than normal. I’ll be lucky to get two years out of ’em”.
But here’s the thing: the free road hazard warranty and lower upfront cost often offset this. You might replace them a bit sooner, but you’re still spending less overall than you would on Michelins.
How Hercules Stacks Up Against the Competition
Here’s what matters: consumers aren’t comparing Hercules to cheap Chinese brands. They’re cross-shopping against established mid-tier names like General Tire (owned by Continental) and Falken (owned by Sumitomo).
That positioning tells you everything. Hercules has successfully moved beyond “budget tire” territory into legitimate mid-tier competition. The Cooper/Goodyear manufacturing foundation makes that credible.
Reddit threads show people actively debating Falken Wildpeak vs Hercules AT X-Journey—these are apples-to-apples comparisons with respected brands, not bottom-barrel alternatives.
The Business Model That Makes It Work
Understanding who makes Hercules tires means understanding the business strategy. ATD owns the brand and sells exclusively through independent tire dealers—roughly 80,000 shops across North America.
This creates a win-win setup. Independent dealers get a high-margin, quality product that big-box retailers can’t touch. Consumers get Tier-1 manufacturing quality at mid-tier prices from their trusted local shop.
It’s why you won’t find Hercules at Costco or Walmart. The brand exists to give independent dealers a competitive weapon against the chains.
Should You Actually Buy Hercules Tires?
If you’re value-conscious but still want quality, Hercules deserves serious consideration. You’re getting Cooper/Goodyear manufacturing, strong warranties, and pricing that’s genuinely competitive.
The brand makes the most sense if:
- You drive a truck, SUV, or crossover (their strongest product segment)
- You want all-weather capability without buying dedicated winter tires
- You value warranty protection and want free road hazard coverage
- You’re okay with potentially replacing tires a bit sooner to save upfront money
They’re less ideal if you’re chasing maximum tread life or want the prestige of a premium brand name on your sidewalls.
The bottom line? Hercules isn’t pretending to be Michelin. They’re offering 80-85% of the performance at 60-70% of the price, backed by warranties that actually protect you. For most drivers, that’s a smart trade-off.
The Cooper/Goodyear manufacturing partnership means you’re not gambling on unknown quality. You’re buying from a distributor-owned brand with serious engineering chops and Tier-1 production standards. That’s worth considering next time you need rubber.
