off road tires depot

February 19, 2009

Off road Mud tires

Considering off road travelling and can’t decide on which type of off road tires to use? why not equip your vehicle with mud tires. Off road mud tires are very practical for a rough terrain. Its often said that driving in mud is like a cross between ice skating and walking through quicksand. The type of mud across the world will vary however.  Mud driving usually invovles off road journeys as well as off road racing. Among the obstacles that the driver has to put up with are pebbles and stone. Also one needs to consider the type of mud that he or she is dealing with. Hence the need to address specific mud conditions.

For example  slick mud with a hard bottom layer is best approached with narrow mud tires since a narrow mud terrain tire can cut through the top layer to find traction on the hard surface below.  When a wide mud terrain tire encounters the same mud in this situation, it tends to float or “hydroplane” on the slick top layer without reaching the hard surface below. The best mud tires are those that offer maximum clearance and traction.

Some mud tires produce noise, in part because of how they were treaded. However the given the nature of the terrain on which such tires are used it comes to nothing more than a minor pain in the back.  One distinct advantage of mud tires is that they perform well, not just on mud terrains, but also on rocky or deeply snowy tracks. Conversely there are a poor choice for a rainy track and can be quite hazardous. It is important to note that tread designs, apart from possible noise pollution, are what make or break a mud tire. These treads can vary widely from one manufacturer to the next. If a tire is poorly designed for mud it will not self-clean and eventually get clogged up and packed with mud in voids, making it a tire with zero traction.

A very useful tip when encountering mud for the first time is to check it out on foot first and get a closer look at the mud type to try and find a solid base. This can be done by inserting a long object. If  vehicles have driven though the mud before it would be a good idea to check out any tire ruts. The aim of this to establish a solid base, because that base will allow to get traction on it. There are various reputable manufacturers of mud tires. Mickey Thompson produces top-notch brands.

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