With number of different brands of off road tires changing so fast, if I was to publish a review on the specific products available right now, by tomorrow it would already be out of date. So rather than do that, I thought I’d share some more generic insight into what you should look for in an off road tire, so at the time of purchase, you can make an informed choice.

The various types of off-road tires

I personally classify 4X4 tires into 4 main categories. No matter what marketing spin they put on it, generally you’ll be able to slot them into one of these.

• A road tire

  
  In most cases this is what will be shod on your 4X4 when it rolls off the factory floor. These style tires are not good for anything more challenging than a dirt driveway. As the name suggests, these tires are designed for driving on the road. So that means you’ll have good traction and a solid shelf life on bitumen – that’s it. They do have their uses though. Perfect you need a secondary set for your daily drive, or if you never intend to get off-road in the first place (towing etc). This road going rubber will be the cheapest too. How do you spot a road tire? Well they will look just like a larger car tire. The tread depth will be minimal, and the gaps between the tread will be fairly thin.

• An all terrain tire

  
  An all terrain tire, sits nicely in the middle between a mud tire and a road tire in terms of benefits. They are the all true rounders of the 4×4 tire world. They will be grippy and pretty quite on the tarmac, and give some pretty impressive results off road. These all terrain tires are also designed to be quite long wearing. The type of tire I recommend to most off-roaders who don’t want the hassle of having to change rubber every time they what to go off road. You’ll discover a large price variance amongst different brands of all terrain rubber, but, as in most cases you’ll get what you pay for. How do you spot an all terrain tire? In most cases it will be written on the side of th tire, making it pretty easy however, the tread depth will be deeper than a round tire and you’ll notice lots of small individual lugs.

• An mud terrain tire

  
  Unless you live life on the extreme (see next tire), for the 4X4 enthusiast, this is the pick of the group. As they are designed specifically for use off road, these mud terrains, will give great traction in the mud, still have a solid surface coverage for grip on rocks, super strong sidewalls, terrific puncture resistance, and of late, some of the premium brands have finally got their act together and made them a harder waring tire. Whilst improvements have been made, these tires have not been made with the bitumen in mind so they won’t performed well on road – good, but not great. Mud terrain tires, look similar to all terrains, except they have deeper tread and much larger lugs.

• An extreme mud terrain tire

  
  These bad boys of the tire world are basically a tractor tire trapped in a 4X4’s body. This extreme mud terrain’s stand out easily and will have big deep lugs. Don’t try to drive these puppies on the road, as they disintegrate quickly and on a wet surface, will be like ice skates. Whilst these tires look the coolest there is miss understanding that these are the best tires for off-road. They will outperform all others when it comes to muddy terrain, but if you spend more time on rocks, the reduced surface coverage of the big spaced lugs, won’t perform as well as the others.

Longevity and Wear

Whatever your circumstance you need to determine what percentage of your tires life will be spent on road. Be realistic about this as you’ll be forking for the wrong tires if you drive on the black top too often. Mud tires will wear a lot quicker on the bitumen than an all terrain and road tire.

• Road 100-80% of the time = Road Tire
• Road 80%-50% of the time = All terrain Tire
• Road 50% – 20% of the time = Mud Terrain Tire
• Road 20% – 0% of the time = Extreme Mud Terrain Tire

Rubber v’s Rim Size

When sizing up your new rubber, make sure you understand the difference between tire size and rim size. 1010 tires as a great article to help you understand what all the size and markings on tires actually mean, so I won’t repeat is here. Aside from the classifications you want to ensure that the tires you buy won’t rub against your guards when they are flexed. As a general rule of thumb, a 2 inch (50mm) lifted truck, you’ll get away with 33 inch rubber, you’ll need a 5 inch lift to fit 35’s (although it would be close) and so on. You’ll very quickly destroy your new rubber if they rub on wheel well/

Likely hood of a puncture

This is what separates the men from the boys when it comes to tires. Cheaper tires will have a greater tendency to puncture, and for those of you who 4X4 often, you will know how much of a pain in the butt it is to change a tire off road. As I’ve said so many times before, this is where you get what you pay for, and for the sake of $20 extra per tire, it’s worth it.

Consider a 2nd Spare

If the budget allows for it, consider having a second spare, particularly if your attempting to travel long distances off road. Nothing puts a dampener on your trip quicker than having to perform a puncture repair on a tire on a hot summers day. That is of course unless you love manual labour. The budget might not allow it, but if it does, then it’s money well spent.

New V’s Second Hand

Without suggesting you take advantage of others misfortune, there a lot of people who buy the wrong size rubber for their car, or have never found the time to get off-road, that create a bargain hunters dream and some huge cash can be found. When looking at a second had set of rubber look for signs of abuse in the forum of gauges, tears, and inconsistent wear. Also grab the manufactures specs on the tread depth and check all 4 tires.

Balancing and Alignment

Mud terrains are especially hard to balance as the deep lugs are near impossible to get perfect. You’re advised to get both your balance done by an off-road specialist. This is even more essential if you truck is lifted. If you’re not sure, ask your local 4X4 store for a recommendation.

Speak to independent experts

Go to any tire shop and they’re going to tell you the stuff they’ve got is the best. Why? Because they want your business. Speak to as many off-road enthusiast as you can before choosing a brand and make sure the advice you get is independant.

Share your thoughts

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with on off road tires in the comments below

2 Responses to “Buyers Guide: Off Road Tires”

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