| When purchasing off road tires you need to | | | | that they work best with heavier vehicles there |
| make your decision based on the tire design. Most | | | | are many brands of off road tires that suit the |
| individuals chose tires specifically for the look and | | | | lighter vehicle just fine. A quick test for trail usage |
| price but they may not be getting the best tire | | | | is if the tire gives in the tread area when pushed, |
| for their needs. Ultimately you want a tire that will | | | | using an unmounted tire, then this flexibility will |
| perform well off road but one that also won't | | | | respond well for trails. |
| break the bank. Many factors will contribute to | | | | When choosing a tire size you want to try to get |
| the performance of the tire and these include | | | | the correct weight per square inch or contact |
| how the vehicle is driven, where it is used, the | | | | pressure. This is generally measured as the tread |
| type of vehicle being used, and how much the | | | | void ration and refers to the open space between |
| vehicle weighs. | | | | the tread blocks. A higher ration means that there |
| To help you make a good off road tire choice | | | | is more weight going on a smaller amount of tire. |
| you should have some understanding of how tires | | | | This corresponds to an increase in contact |
| work and the different components of the tire | | | | pressure. Having a larger tire with the same tread |
| design. There are three types of casings that can | | | | will have the same void ration but will have less |
| be used for tires, radial ply, bias-belted and bias | | | | contact pressure. |
| ply. | | | | Driving off road will mean that you are driving |
| Radial casings are mainly good for highway driving, | | | | over obstacles and uneven surfaces. It is |
| smooth driving, directional stability and float very | | | | necessary for your tire tread to be flexible and |
| well. Radials work so well because of the steel | | | | conform to the terrain. In this case tires that |
| belts that are used to keep the tread flat. A bias | | | | smaller tread blocks will be more flexible when |
| ply tire is very strong and can quickly conform. | | | | driving over rough terrain. |
| The tread itself is much more flexible and best | | | | There are special tires that work best on sand |
| used on trails. These types of tires are not good | | | | and others that are better in mud. You can also |
| for highway driving. | | | | purchase a general off road tire. When driving on |
| Bias ply have a fiberglass or steel belt and they | | | | sand the larger the tire the better. The tire will |
| are very difficult to cut. These tires work well on | | | | have better floatation to stay on top of the sand |
| trails but only when used on very heavy vehicles. | | | | and having almost no treads works the best. For |
| Radial or bias belted tires should really be used for | | | | driving in mud you want a self-cleaning tread and |
| lightweight vehicles, as this will give you the best | | | | wide tires. It is all about finding traction when |
| off road performance. While it is generally thought | | | | driving in mud. |