Finding the right off-road tires: Tips and information

Tires are the only connection between your vehicle and the ground. Choosing the right tires is therefore essential. For all-wheel drive vehicles such as off-roaders or SUVs, which are also driven off-road, the issue is far more complex than for pure road vehicles. Off-road vehicles must not only be equipped with the right tires for summer and winter. The tires must also be suitable for different surfaces.

For beginners, even untrained eyes can tell the difference between off-road and road tires. Off-road tires are characterized by a high tire load capacity, solid grip and high puncture resistance. The tires literally carry your vehicle over the various surfaces and literally bite into the ground on uneven terrain.

The tires of conventional vehicles are made up of summer, winter or all-season tires. Heavier vehicles, which include minibuses, vans or motorhomes (campers), require C (cargo) or CP (camping) tires. Off-road vehicles and SUVs require different tires. Due to their structure and all-wheel drive, they are more or less suitable for off-road driving. Depending on their characteristics, these tires have the abbreviations ST, AT, HT or MT.

If you have ever got stuck in mud or sand, you know that standard tires are not suitable for such situations. The tread of these tires is optimally designed for riding on asphalt roads. It is too shallow to guarantee sufficient grip on soft surfaces. 4x4 off-road vehicles or off-road motorcycles or campers therefore have specially designed tire types with a coarse tread pattern.

Deep and wide grooves form the characteristic coarse tread blocks. They give the off-road tires their unmistakable look. First and foremost, they ensure good grip even on muddy, stony or sandy surfaces. This is supported by a softer and special rubber compound.

The design of off-road vehicles takes into account the high loads encountered when driving off-road. This requires an exceptionally stable carcass. Reinforced sidewalls contribute to high puncture resistance. With off-road tires, you can also tackle challenging surfaces with your vehicle.

Off-road tires differ in their suitability for road and off-road use. If they are approved in accordance with the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations, 4x4 tires are also suitable for driving on paved paths and roads. This is the case with most off-road tires.

If you find the abbreviations ST or HT on your off-road tires, these are car tires with a predominant orientation towards paved roads/paths. The abbreviations stand for "street terrain" or "highway terrain". They have a moderate tread pattern. Their performance is comparable to that of a standard summer tire. ST and HT off-road tires impress on unpaved roads with good driving characteristics. The ideal terrain for these tires is sandy roads with potholes, firm forest and field paths.

Suitable for everyday use and all year round: all-terrain off-road tires

A/T tires offer a good compromise. A/T is the abbreviation for all-terrain tires. This type of tire has an interlocking tread design and is very durable. It copes with dirt and grass tracks without any problems and can also cope with gravel tracks. Thanks to a 50:50 ratio of the application areas, it can also be ridden on the road without difficulty.

Off-road tires such as the BFGoodrich® Trail-Terrain T/A [https://www.bfgoodrich.de/auto/tyres/trail-terrain-t-a] are ideal for vehicles that are often driven on freeways or in city traffic. They are just as often used on light to medium off-road terrain. Compared to a standard road tire, the contact area with the ground is significantly smaller. When driving on asphalt, this results in noticeably less grip (traction).

Robust and a specialist for difficult terrain: M/T off-road tires

Thanks to the right tyres, the off-road capability of a vehicle is significantly increased. The abbreviation M/T stands for mud terrain tires. These coarse-tread tires, such as the BFGoodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 [https://www.bfgoodrich.de/auto/tyres/bfgoodrich-mud-terrain-t-a-km3], are a real secret weapon in difficult terrain. The ratio of on-road to off-road capability for these off-road tires is 20:80. When off-roaders talk about mud terrain, they are referring to terrain with coarse rocks, sandy dunes, deep puddles and/or muddy surfaces.

The tread of these off-road tires is extremely chunky. This reduces the contact surface to the ground to a minimum and therefore has very low grip. You should definitely pay attention to these special properties when driving on paved roads with M/T off-road tires.

In practice, this would mean Every time you leave the road and head off-road, you would have to change the tires. The tires not only cause a lot of rolling noise on the asphalt. The braking distance of a vehicle with M/T tires is significantly longer.

By the way: We only equip our off-road vehicles with off-road tires from BFGOODRICH.

Off-road tires are characterized by a coarse tread that is ideal for off-road use. Does this also make the tires ideal for ice and snow? However, A/T off-road tires are only conditionally approved as winter tires. Conventional off-road tires may only be used until October. After that, the time has come for special winter tires. If you are looking for new off-road tires, it is no longer enough to rely on the lettering for mud and snow.

When making your selection, pay explicit attention to the snowflake symbol. There is a transitional regulation for M + S tires and also for off-road tires: If the tire was manufactured before 2017, it does not have to have a snowflake symbol in winter at the current time. The situation is different for new off-road tires: In the event of an inspection, the absence of the symbol could be interpreted as a violation of road traffic regulations and corresponding penalties could be imposed.

The tire pressure is the most important factor for optimum traction alongside the tread design. If you do not adjust it to the respective terrain, this will have a negative effect on the performance of your vehicle. At the same time, this increases the risk of damaging the off-road tires and causing environmental damage.

It is not always easy to determine the correct tire pressure given the variety of terrain types. There are also variables such as the vehicle weight plus payload, the size of the tires and the tire construction. You should also take into account pressure fluctuations caused by heat, for example.

For loose surfaces such as sand, mud or snow, you should choose a lower tire pressure than is required for hard surfaces such as clay, gravel or stone. Inflating off-road tires is not an exact science. It is much more of an art that you optimize through trial and error.

Without an ABE, i.e. without the general operating license, nothing works in this country. It is relevant for the complete vehicle as well as for all accessories, including off-road tires. Even if an off-road vehicle is not approved for use on public roads, it still requires an ABE. If you use non-approved accessories, the ABE expires, as does the entire vehicle registration and insurance cover.

The approved and standard wheel and tire sizes are always recorded in the vehicle ABE and in supplements after conversions. The conversion of tires can therefore be carried out within these limits without further testing. However, if other tires are to be fitted, this is considered a "conversion" and is therefore subject to registration so that you are allowed to drive the vehicle at all.

Off-road tires play a key role in performance and driving safety off paved roads. The special treads ensure optimum traction on loose surfaces, in mud or on steep climbs. At the same time, their extremely robust carcass and reinforced sidewalls reduce the risk of punctures off-road. The right tires enable better grip and controlled handling. This is crucial in different ground conditions. If you regularly ride off-road, you will noticeably benefit from the safety and stability that adapted off-road tyres allow.