Okay, here’s the point: off road wheels are not intended for highway use.
Sure, off-road tires (most of which are mud tires in any case) are a must-have when you are traversing unpaved, rough, and tricky surfaces.
Without the right set of tires, your off-roading experience will hardly be memorable.
But unless you are a professional racer who spends most days taming the wild off-road conditions, you won’t be requiring tires and rims for off-roading every day!
On the contrary, you will almost certainly be spending more time driving on city roads or highways, and occasionally find yourself in the suburbia.
Are you using those mud tires for intra-city driving too? If you are, you need to stop doing so immediately!
The next time you visit your favorite retailer to get a look at the latest styles and wheels for sale, buy a set of all-terrain or A/T tires.
These are the worthiest tires for highways; you will get superior ROI if you can locate a set of branded A/T tubes!
Let’s tackle some of the common confusions many commuters have when it comes to off-road wheels and their use on city roads.
A brief overview of off-road tires
These are very frequently referred to as mud tires.
Such models are built to conquer off-road terrain and can handle almost everything you can throw at them! Some of the best off-road models have an extremely aggressive tread block design with lots of space between 2 neighboring blocks.
These are composed of heavy-duty composite rubber and have reinforced sidewalls that are remarkably resistant to punctures. In fact, they come very close to run-flat technologies that are used by major manufacturers like Michelin and Continental.
When you purchase heavy-duty off-road tires and rims to match, you can easily overcome rocky and muddy surfaces.
Are these tires street-legal?
Most models are indeed street-legal. You can choose to outfit your 4-WD vehicle with a set of high-end off-road wheels and no one will stop you.
But the legal aspect doesn’t matter too much; it is whether it makes sense using these models that does.
The short answer is that using mud tires on highways and paved roads is a waste of money and will usually have a negative impact on the models!
The solution: All-Terrain tires
These are what will serve you the best when it comes to highways and everyday city driving.
Let’s have a quick look at A/T tires. Their primary characteristics include:
- Visibly smaller tread blocks where intra-block spaces are pretty narrow. These models are designed to fly over highways and are pretty capable at handling wet and snowed-out surfaces.
- These tires are a lot lighter than their off-road siblings. This brings down the overall weight of the vehicle and helps increase mileage. You can also buy appropriate aftermarket wheels for sale to decrease your expenses on fuel even further.
- These are perfect for all passenger and heavy-load vehicles that ply in the cities. Do not expect them to work like magic when you turn on the ‘Traction Control’ because they are not meant to work like mud tires.
That said, their load and speed ratings are still as competent as any other tire type.
These are not ideal for serious off-roaders. But they strike a fine balance between performance and longevity.
Why are they better than off-road models?
Off-road tires have the following disadvantages when they are used on city roads:
- Too noisy for cities: Most heavyweight mud or off-road models emanate a terribly harsh and screeching sound when they are used on city roads. The tread blocks are asymmetrical and they create a ruckus while navigating city roads. Their handling of sleet, snow, or rain will not be too great either.
Did you know that in many European countries, tires are rated on a decibel scale? The higher the noise emitted, the lower the ratings. What’s more, off-road models aren’t even considered for the test because they are known for being loud!
- Decreased fuel economy: Using mud tires on highways means you can chuck out your plans for increased fuel efficiency. They are so heavy and the tread blocks so wide that it will take your vehicle a lot more fuel to move them forward. The famous grip that these tires provide when on rough surfaces will be of no use here.
Your carbon footprint will be even more adversely impacted if you are using aftermarket off-road wheels for your rig!
- Terrible ride quality: Using these tires on any ordinary road ensures that you will not have a comfortable ride! The famous abrasion resistance of off-road tires will come to naught on the highways. The suspension might possibly sustain damage. These tires do not wear similar to a highway model, which is the A/T tire.
Take everything into consideration and you will realize that using mud tires on city roads makes zero sense!
In parting
There are several famous A/T tires currently available throughout the country. Always buy them from reputable and established retail outlets the next time you go to seek out all-new wheels for sale!
