The majority of road tyres that are built for speed, economy, and a smoother driving experience. However, 4×4 tyres also offer additional grip, toughness, and stability. Knowing your tyres is extremely important. 4×4 tyres provide additional accuracy in steering on difficult terrain owing to their rugged tread pattern, deeper tread depth, high rubber ratio and reinforced sidewalls.
The 4×4, or four-wheel drive, is designed to handle difficult, off-road terrain. However, because of how the front and rear wheel axles interlock, a 4-wheel drive’s handling and manoeuvrability is limited when driven on dry tarmac. Which is why the majority of 4-wheel vehicles enable the driver to switch between 2 and 4-wheel as required, either manually or automatically.
All-wheel vehicles are permanently in ‘all-wheel drive’ as each of the four wheels is handled by its own axle. The amount of power being delivered to the front or rear axles is determined by the vehicle’s on-board computer. Not all all-wheel vehicles are designed for off-road driving.
Simply put, no. It is more important to choose your tyres according to whether you will drive your vehicle off road or not. If your driving is purely on regular roads, whatever your vehicle types, you can choose from the same range of tyres as any other vehicle owner. However, if you own an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and you drive off-road, on mud, turf, in fields or in snow, you’re more likely to need off-road tyres.
For farmers and other drivers spending more time off-road, a rugged 4×4 tyre is going to offer the best in traction, control, and off-road performance. However, these tyres respond poorly on roads and wear quickly.
So, if you only drive off-road occasionally there are tyres that are designed to perform well on the highway but that also have off road capability.
As with all vehicles, it is not recommended to fit different types of tyres to the same axle, but for 4x4s it is also important to match front and rears. This is the case as a 4×4 has a ‘transfer box’ to separate the power between front and rear axles and using different tread patterns can result in different rotational speeds, resulting in strain on this vital transmission component. In some instances, this can cause transfer box failure.
You will need to fit your vehicle with extra load (XL) tyres if you tow a trailer, or if your vehicle is particularly heavy. There will be guidance on this in your manufacturer’s handbook.
All Terrain tyres offer a balance between driving on tarmac and venturing off road with an appropriate tread pattern that can handle tricky terrain but that can also withstand mileage on regular roads. They are great all-rounders for any 4×4 owner who doesn’t want to change their tyres between standard and recreational activities.
Mud tyres have a more aggressive tread that wears more quickly but handles extreme mud and snow. They also have tougher sidewalls designed to absorb the impact of rocks and other hazards encountered off the beaten track.