Choosing the Right Tire for your UTV/ATV
Whether your machine is for work, play, street use, off-road or a mix of these, the right tire makes a big difference in machine handling and longevity of your tires. There are four areas to consider when choosing the right tire for your machine: size, ply, tread and -- all of these will come down to our first factor -- how you use your machine. Let’s start there.
1. Machine use: On-road vs. off-road
First things first, how do you use your machine? A major consideration when choosing tires will be if you will be driving on roads or not. Some states require U.S DOT approved tires when used on roads that offer more layers of protection against punctures for safety. The best tires for on-road use typically have shallower treads better suited to pavement and hard-packed trails. Off-road tires will wear down more quickly on hard road surfaces than on-road tires so if you are mostly a paved road rider – make sure to look into shallow tread tires (our recommendations are below). On-road tires typically require more pressure than an off-road tires for stability, so make sure to pay attention to the requirements from the tire manufacturer.
If you are more of an off-roader, you’ll want something lighter than an on-road tire with deeper treads to help dig into trails and mud. Off-road tires typically weigh less due to less layers in the tire which helps improve performance and speed. You’ll also want to run your off-road tires at a lower pressure to help avoid punctures. The type of terrain will be a major factor to what tire you'll want to run, so read on for our recommendations for different terrains at the end of the blog.
2. What size tires do I need?
If looking at increasing or decreasing your tire size, it is important to review your machine manufacturers stipulations, as changing tire size can void or alter warranties. Tire sizes are written in terms of height, width and rim diameter. Generally, avoid increasing or decreasing width and height 1” from factory recommendation.
Increasing tire size can help aid with traction in challenging environments, such as sand, mud or snow. Increasing height will increase your ground clearance, or the space between your machine and the ground. However, increasing height impacts your center of gravity, making your machine more likely to tip. It is also important to note that increasing tire size too much can increase wear and tear on your machine.
Decreasing the tire size can improve turning ability, and allow for faster acceleration, however, ground clearance is reduced.
3. How to pick a ply
Tire ply is the number of layers that make up a tire. The more layers your tire has, the more puncture resistant it will be. Ply also refers to load-carrying capacity. When choosing ply, we’ll need to revisit our first consideration – how you use your machine. For most off-road tires, four- or six-ply is standard but eight-ply tires are great for tough, rocky terrain.
Additionally, if you want to get real technical, there are two types of ply: bias and radial.
- Bias means that plies overlap in a crisscross pattern on the tire and continue down the sidewall.
- Radial plies are stacked across the middle of the tire and do not extend down the sidewall, allowing for the sidewalls to flex and move independently of the center. In turn, this improves the handling of the machine. Radial plies are the most common.
4. How to choose a tread pattern, depth and compound
The tread depth is one of the most common and obvious differences for tires built for different types of riding. On-road tires feature shallower treads, which are better suited for pavement, or hard-packed trails. For off-road use, you will want a tire that has a deeper tread design, allowing for versatile terrain and less chance of puncture. A deeper tread is preferred to cut through terrain and dig.
Additionally, tire manufacturers use a number of different components in their rubber to help their products perform. The rubber compounds can affect how a tread reacts in different terrain and environments. Softer tire compounds provide better grip, and are heavier than harder compounds. Harder compounds may provide more durability and have better rolling resistance. Keep in mind, a soft compound tire does not often work well with deep tread tires and may result in a “squishy” feeling. A dual-compound tire may have firm rubber on the inside of the knobs and a softer rubber on the outside, to aid in both support and grip. Dual-compounded tires can minimize rolling resistance and help improve cornering ability.
So, what are my options?
With all these factors in mind, below are the tire category options for different uses and terrains along with their features. We’ve also compiled our tire recommendations in each category.
- Mud Tires –
- Generally built for cutting through soft material
- Have a tread of at least 1” with a maximum of 2”
- Will not drive smoothly on dry land, hard-packed trails, roads or rocks
- Appear “more aggressive”
- May require wheel spacers or offsets
- Can be heavier, affecting performance
- Can add stress to mechanical components (axels, differentials and wheel bearings)
- Our mud tire recommendations: AMS Swampfox, STI Outback, ITP Cryptid, ITP Mayhem, ITP Mud Lite II, Maxxis Mudzilla or Carnivore
- Rock Tires –
- More resistive to punctures
- Jagged edges help maintain tractions, especially on slick surfaces
- Tread is comparable to those on truck tires
- Our rock tire recommendations: Pro Armor Crawler, STI Roctane XR or XD, Maxxis Roxxilla
- Snow Tires –
- Similar to mud tires, help clear out sand and slush
- Shallower than mud tires
- Extra siping to increase traction on slippery surfaces
- Contain special compounds allowing the tires to be softer in colder temperatures and therefore more puncture resistant
- Our snow tire recommendations: Maxxis Big Horn, Maxxis 4 Snow, AMS M1 Evil, Carlisle Versa Trail, Kenda Bearclaw Evo K592 and Camso Track Systems
- General/All Terrain Tires –
- Better quality and versatility compared to stock tires
- Increased puncture resistance
- Havier than stock tires
- Do not heavily alter machine performance
- Our all terrain tire recommendations: AMS M1 Evil, Radio Pro or Swamp Fox; BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3; Moose Insurgent; Carlisle Versa Trail; and Sedona Coyote. Stock tires are also typically good for all-terrain, multi-purpose use as well
Regardless of the terrain and adventure you choose, we are here to help you pick a tire that meets your needs.