4X4
About 4X4 Tires
4X4 is a specialised version of tires for off-roading, slippery roads, and rough terrains. These types of tires can conveniently lead you through unfavourable situations. Although there are also other tires available for the said purpose, 4X4 is the most common.
If you are curious about the difference between a general tire and a 4X4, then it is the torque that the engine transmits. To clarify the process, you should know that engine transmits torque to transmission, and then the transmission transmits torque to different tires. Here, the thing to consider is that not all tires are driven by the transmission. If the tires come with a tag of 4×2, which means only two tires either front-wheel or rear wheels are powered. Similarly, if the tire has a tag of 4X4 tires, all four tires get powered up, thereby delivering more traction and control. We hope you now know and understand the difference. But that’s not it! There are more factors and even more types available under 4X4 to get you the best product for your kind of terrain. Know all of this to grab the best buy.
Before purchasing SUV tires
First thing first, your vehicle’s performance is mostly dependent on the quality of tires and wheels. And there are different versions of quality available in the market. The quality that is best for you living in an extremely cold condition could be different for someone living in an extremely hot condition. Apart from the local climate, other factors that influence the purchase of the tires include terrains, vehicle’s size & type, and speed rating under which the vehicle falls. You can check the speed rating of your vehicle in the owner’s manual. Amongst these factors, the type of terrain you face on a daily basis can tell you the type of tire best fitted. If you are looking for 4X4 tires to buy online in the UAE, then it is mostly off-roading terrain you are looking for. However, there are two major segregations of these tires you should know.
AWD & 4X4 top-rated SUV tires
AWD is All Wheels Driven, and 4X4 or 4WD is four wheels driven. These two types differ in terms of the mechanism of power distribution. If you are looking for the best 4X4 tires all-terrain, you must understand the power transfer case. In the case of 4WD, the power that is distributed from the transmission is equally distributed to all four wheels. On the contrary, All Wheels Driven (AWD) allows for varying wheel speeds. And AWD also include options to lock the front, rear, or centre differential based on traction requirement. It is up to you if you want these varying speeds to be automatic or manual. But this is not the only factor to consider before buying a tire. Read on and know more.
Let’s contemplate more about your choice
There is more to your purchase than just choosing between 4WD and AWD. You have to look at the tire size, tread, speed rating, metric, and other big or small characteristics. Let’s take an example here. One of the top-notch brands in the making of quality tires “Kumho” enlists a specially designed tire – MT KL71. This product’s tread has a directional pattern with cut and chip resistant compounds. Also, strength and durability are tried and tested with high-tensile steel belts in their internal structure. You may get tempted by the information you read. So, it is important that you dig out more about the product and compare it with others to make an informed decision. And, if you have focussed all on pros, let’s take a look at some cons as well.
Disadvantages of 4X4 truck tires
The extra cost and extra fuel consumption are two major disadvantages you should know if thinking of SUV tires to buy. Extra cost because of added equipment, such as transfer case or differentials depending on whether you choose 4WD or AWD, respectively. Therefore, the added power and weight requires fuel equivalent to make things run smoothly. No doubt that added weight provides more traction and control but also increases the braking distance. You need to apply brakes much before how you apply brakes on 2WD vehicles. In worse situations, heavier vehicles cannot avoid collisions, making them slip out at the last moment. Well, the overconfidence of drivers can lead to major accidents and injuries. So, you should keep all this in mind before buying.
Tips on how to buy 4X4 Tires
No matter how advanced a vehicle you own, the tires and wheels have their separate identity. Especially when you usually choose the road less travelled, it becomes imperative for you to emphasise more on tires’ quality. Brands, durability, terrain compatibility, and some other factors come into influence when you are upgrading the tires to 4X4. Therefore, you should explore products and contemplate based on your requirements. Some of the points below may help you with that.
- Maximum load check – Every tire’s specification contains a service description listing many factors, including load capacity. You may want your vehicle to load and unload heavy things, or even yours will be serving as a family sedan; you must check this feature.
- Choose the equipment – Center differentials and transfer case – which equipment do you think you need? The basic difference is that the transfer case distributes its power equally to four wheels. And centre differential distributes its power on a varying basis. This distribution can be automatic or manual.
- Type of commute – 4X4 tires are designed to perform well on all terrains but are specialised for off-roading. They differ in size, shape, tread, sidewall, and even interior structure, which makes the tires durable and more compatible, if you choose the right one.
- Check for treads – Different production of tread designs give tires more control and grip with the road. But if you are replacing your tires, different tread depth or inflation pressure can lead to mismatching and underperformance. Therefore, either you can go to the same manufacturer or check the manual to match the specifications.
- Brand and model – Not just the tire, but you need to consider the brand and model of your vehicle as well. Check the owner’s manual and read the information associated with tire specifications. If you are replacing your tires, the new tires must be of higher value or the same.
You may now understand how critical it is to measure the compatibility of 4WD tires when buying one. Maxxis, Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Kumho, Goodride, and Goodyear, are a few brands you can explore for a quality-driven purchase. You can find all these brands or even more on our shopping search engine.
Question & Answer
Why are SUV tires so expensive?
The price of any product depends on three-factor – the price of its raw components, its purpose, and lastly the demand. The tires made up of rubber is not an expensive item, but their purpose and demand have been high lately. Speaking of SUV tires, their tread design, depth, and size are comparatively stronger and more durable to confront rough terrains. Thus, you will see higher price tags. Plus, more specifications like adding extra equipment like transfer case increases the budget even more. When you compare these features of SUV tires with general tires, you will understand the difference in pricing.
Can you put SUV tires on a truck?
Everything depends on the metric of the tire. “P” indicates passenger, and “LT” indicates “Lighter Truck”. SUV vehicles can come as both – passenger and light trucks. If you are considering replacing your truck tires with SUVs, make sure they are sturdy enough. However, no expert recommend this replacement out of the blue. You should see the specifications first and make sure they match the vehicle’s demands. SUV tires functionality can be aggressive, wider in size, have taller sidewalls, and have well-built treads. See if your vehicle can adjust these features and then make an informed decision.
How much do SUV tires weigh?
Let us divide the weight with the metrics of the tires. For passenger metrics, the average weight is 22 pounds, and for light-truck metrics, the average weight is 35 pounds. Then, there are semi-truck tires also that can weigh up to 110 pounds. You can see the weight is adding up with the weight of the vehicle. More weightage adds more traction and control to the vehicle. Therefore, if yours is a pickup vehicle, then you might need more weight. Load capacity is also mentioned in the owner’s manual that you should check before the purchase.
How long do SUV tires last?
Mostly, SUV tires last 3-5 tires because they face rough terrains and extra load as well. Otherwise, an average tire can last up to 10 years, with the first five years as a smooth ride and the last five years depending on good maintenance. This is how SUV tires work as well. To make them last longer, regular checking and maintenance are necessary, especially when it has taken a big toll during the ride. Also, when you replace or upgrade any or all of your tires, you must investigate the rims’ functioning as well. Their low potential can eventually subtract more years from the tire’s life.
No doubt, choosing tires is one of the important decisions and a daunting task as well. You got to research and explore as much as you can. To begin with, our shopping platform can be quite convenient with multiple brands, shops, genuine reviews, and whatnot. So, hop on to our car supplies section and see what all we have got.