If you have a passion for adventures to discover wild places, you need to understand the specialized tires for an off-road vehicle.
The tire is the part that directly connects to the roads and keeps your car running in the right way. And the tire is even more critical on unpaved terrains. Read this article and understand the tires for off-road vehicles and have the best choice for your upcoming adventure.
Why Should You Use Specific Tires for Off-Road Vehicles?
If you have a passion for discovering the new place, you will understand that you can’t always drive on paved roads. Instead, you need to pass through rocks, sand, dirt, mud, boulder, and so many other unpaved surfaces. And that is where the special tires for off-road vehicles show you how helpful they are.
The tire for an off-road vehicle often has tread patterns and unique design of blocks which work better in resisting punctures. That is why these special tires can help you to navigate unpaved terrains and keep you safe.
The off-road tires often have a softer rubber compound than the standard tires. This feature is a strong point and also a weak point of this type of tires. On the bright side, it makes the tires grip better and gets through round terrain easier. On the dark side, it has shorted tread life compared with standard tires.
How Many Types of Tires Available for Off-Road Vehicles?
There are four types of off-road tires:
All-Terrain Tires
All-terrain tires are the most popular tires in recent years. It works well on the roads and can also handle ice and snow in the winter and some other rough terrain. These tires often have an open-tread design that can improve traction on the roads. Also, it usually has reinforced sidewalls for more strength and less damage.
And last, the all-terrain tires often have softer rubber so it can grip better on the road when you are driving. As a result, if you frequently switch between paved and unpaved roads, this one is the best choice.
Mud-Terrain Tires
Mud-terrain tires will help you to maintain better traction when you reach a deep mud area. And to do that, this type of tires must have full tread blocks. And among the treads, it often has a deep abyss so that it can be damaged even if you crash on unseen obstacles.
Although this type of tires works quite well on the mud terrain, it is not very suitable for regular roads. It will be okay if you drive on the highway occasionally. But if you drive more often on roads than unpaved terrains, you will have to face noises and so many other problems.
Rock Tires
As you can see from their name, rock tires are for climbing over rock surfaces. You will always see on these tires the big tread blocks and reinforced features. These features are necessary to prevent puncturing when you jump on sharp rock edges.
So, it is best for rocky terrain or desert. But for any other driving terrain, you should choose another one.
Snow Tires
In winter, snow tires or seasoned tires are as popular as all-terrain tires because you can use them on all types of vehicles. The snow tiers often come with a unique formulation that will not become rigid but very flexible even in cold winter.
So, this one is the best for winter, no matter what type of car you are driving. It is ideal for snow, iced roads. For other weather conditions, it is quite well but not as good as regular tires.
Four Step to Choose Tires for Off-Road Vehicle
Know the Terrain
First and the most crucial part is you need to know where you will drive. Is it a desert, a mountain, or a wild forest? Different areas will have different types of terrains. And as a result, you need to choose different tires for them.
So, before making the purchase, let yourself calm down and ask yourself: where do you want to go and how often will you go there. Then you will understand your demand and make the best decision.
Choose the Size of the Tires
The bigger the tires are, the better it will be. And this fact is actual for every type of terrains. As you may know, the purpose of the tires is to lift the vehicle higher while maintaining traction. As a result, the car can run smoothly on the road without worrying about obstacles like branches or rock.
So, the bigger tire will have a better ability to lift the vehicle off the ground. It also works better in gripping the road because the tire has a large contact area with the road surface.
Choose the Tread
Tread is not for decoration. Instead, it is a vital feature that can determine the benefit of the tire. As mentioned in the first part, each type of tires will come with different tread designs. And once you understood your requirements and chose the right size, you should take a closer look at the treads.
Recheck the Vehicle
After finishing these three steps above, you can take a closer look at your car and recheck it. When installing the tires, please make sure that all the parts are well-combined, mainly when you use extreme-terrain tires.
It is because some sturdy tires can damage the weaker components of your car. Even if the tires are essential, it will be of no help if your car can’t handle them.
Final Words
Above is helpful information about off-road tires, including their benefits, their classification, and buying guides for drivers. I hope that the information in this article will help you to expand your knowledge with the tires. And as a result, you can make the right purchase.
When talking to the car, especially off-road vehicles, please be careful and spend some time studying all the parts to ensure your safety. I hope that with the information in this article, you will have a safe adventure.
