What To Look For When Buying 4x4 Tires

Of course you want them tough, long-lasting, with good off-road traction and durability.

But don’t forget that in order to get to wherever you’ve going to be off-road, you probably have to do some highway driving first. You’ll want a set of 4x4 tires that can also offer strong on-road comfort and excellent handling. And you might want to check and see how quiet these tires will be on the highway. Some brands are substantially quieter than others.

Aggressive, deep treads will give you more traction off-road, and again, different brands offer different tread depth. Consider how far up the sides of the tire the tread goes and how thick and strong the sidewalls are. The better the sidewalls, the smaller the risk of punctures. Anti-chip compounds now used by most manufacturers will help provide traction when you’re traveling rocky terrain or gravel.

Do you want an off-road all season tire, or an off-road winter tire? That depends on what you’re planning to do. If you plan on being out in inclement weather, you want tires with the best traction and braking performance available. An advanced silica compound is now used by several tire manufacturers to enhance traction and braking.

While strong side construction improves dry road performance, tread construction has a great influence on how much snow and rain the tires shed, minimizing aquaplaning.

Ask your Shumaker Tire tech to help you select the best 4x4 tire for your vehicle and your driving needs.