Baseline 4x4 Outfitters Newsletter


The Truth About Tires

Published 11/10/07
Selecting the correct tire and adjusting for the proper air pressure are two of the most controversial subjects discussed between off-road enthusiasts. We will talk about two of the most common types of tires used in the trails from our part of the country.

The first being the all terrain tire. The all terrain tire is generally the best choice of tire for a vehicle that is driven both as a daily driver and used for occasional off-road uses. This type of tire is characterized by small tread lugs. The voids between the lugs generally tend to be smaller than what you would see on a more aggressive mud terrain style of tire. The all terrain tires use a process design called siping. Siping is a series of small cuts in the individual tread lugs. These cuts are important in snow where every edge is critical to gain additional traction on hard snow covered surfaces. With the denser tread lugs and the smaller voids between them, these tires do not clean out as well and in turn will lose traction. This tire is not the ideal choice for the person that is going to use them in the mud, however this tire works real well in sand and light snow where flotation is more critical than bite. The all terrain tires also are quieter on hard surfaces due to the less aggressive tread pattern. We have used these tires satisfactorily on several different vehicles where they were used as both daily drivers and occasional off-roaders.

The second tire of choice in, our area, is the mud terrain style of tire. These tires generally have large lugs with large voids between them. This design allows for maximum performance in low traction conditions. The large lugs allow for plenty of bite while the large voids allow the tire to clean itself out by throwing the mud out between the lugs as the tire rotates. Mud terrain tires also work well on rock crawlers. The heavy lugs allow the tires to bite on the rocky edges where a smooth tire will just spin. The primary disadvantage to the heavier lugged tires is the noise generated on hard surfaces. This additional noise is created by the large lugs patterns. You will find also that these tires will tend to wear at a greater rate if driven on hard surfaces. This is due to the less dense tread patterns. Again we have used these tire styles in several different vehicle applications with satisfactory performance results.

We have found that by adjusting the air pressure on tires can help dramatically when driving off-road in low traction conditions. The less air in a tire, the greater the foot print will be and therefore you will have an increase in traction. With a lighter vehicle, 16 Psi works well while a heavier vehicle 18 psi to 20 psi would be the minimum you should use. Anything less than these air pressures will put to much strain on the side walls and can cause permanent damage to the tire. It is important to know that these reduced tire pressures are strictly for off-road uses where low traction areas and slower speeds are encountered. For highway driving, use the manufactures recommendations that are printed on the sidewalls. This air pressure will generally fall in the range of 28 to 35 psi depending on the weight of the vehicle and the tire size.

There are many different tire manufacturers out there. They all have something to offer. It is our recommendation to shop around to find the best tire, for your individual application, within the price budget that you are looking for.

This guide is a general recommendation only. You should consult with the tire company that you purchase the tires from to get their recommendations for maximum performance on your investment.