What are highway tires? Why does the industry put them into a separate category, and why do some people call them the “most practical” choice of the tire? Can you go off-road on highway tires? And what kind of performance should you expect if purchasing used highway tires? In this article, experts from Utires.com — one of the biggest retailers of best used tires in the US — answer these questions and more.
Highway tires are versatile, durable and cost-effective. Let’s see why
New or used highway tires are perfect for highway driving on light trucks or crossovers. Solid tire shoulders, stiff sidewalls, and a “reinforced” tread compound allow highway tires to handle vehicles with heavy loads.
These qualities make highway tires a popular choice with small business owners, who often have to transport goods or heavy equipment around. Highway tires are also popular with large families that love hitting the road with a car full of equipment. If you fall into any of these groups or have similar driving needs, then highway tires might be just the right choice for you.
The treadwear pattern of new or used highway tires features independent tread blocks and multiple sipes. This makes them more flexible for better road traction in light snow, wet or slippery conditions. This type of tread pattern helps to channel water to the sides of the tire and provides a better grip on snowy or icy surfaces. All of these characteristics add up to make highway tires a very practical choice if you live in a moderate climate.
Highway tires are all-season tires — they are capable of handling all kinds of different weather conditions, except those found during heavy winters. What’s more, on some highway tires you will find the code “M+S” next to the size code on the tire sidewall, meaning they can be used in non-extreme winter conditions too. However, if the roads you drive on are prone to become snowy, slushy or icy, you might want to consider shopping for winter tires instead.
Most of the used highway tires in the Utires.com catalog have a speed rating of S, which means that their maximum speed capacity is 112 mph. This should be quite adequate for family cars or light commercial vehicles that often carry heavy loads.
On top of all the benefits mentioned above, highway tires also offer good gas mileage if you drive long distances. Add this fuel economy to the long tread life that a highway tire provides and you have the perfect recipe to save money. What’s more, many of the highway tires listed on our site have been only driven once, giving you the chance to make substantial cost savings compared to forking out for a brand new set of tires.
Before all-terrain highway tires were available, drivers in rural areas often opted to buy off-road tires to tackle rough terrain. However, this meant they had to compromise with reduced traction and comfort when on the highway.
To fill this gap, manufacturers have developed high-durability tires that can handle off-road surfaces but also deliver excellent traction and handling when on the highway. The emergence of this new generation of the tough three-ply tire has been a real breakthrough for the industry. Now, all-terrain highway tires have become the tire of choice for many drivers seeking performance, safety, and comfort on almost any kind of surface.
When striving for the right balance between off-road capabilities and performance and stability for highway driving in various road conditions, manufacturers always seek to align their tire design with customer preferences and priorities.
When choosing a set of tires, it pays to study each model description carefully to find the right rubber for your driving needs. Check out the wide range of options and tire sizes available in Utires.com catalog of used highway tires.
Tire wear is a key factor to consider when buying used highway tires. It is important to remember that tire wear depends not only on how much a tire has been used, but also on the materials the tire is made from.
Quality highway tires are made from a high-quality rubber compound, so as long as you buy used tires with an acceptable degree of tread wear, they will be perfectly safe to drive on. Remember that according to road traffic regulations, the tread depth should be no less than 4/32” deep.
You also need to pay attention to how even the tread wear is. The tread should be the same depth in the center and along the outer edges along the entire circumference of the tire. To gauge tire wear patterns, tread depth is measured in multiple locations around the circumferential tire grooves.
At Utires.com our specialists use a special automatic device to accurately measure tire quality, including its wear, and then carefully check each tire manually for any sign of damage. Only tires of a high-quality Grade A are being sold in our online store.
But if you own a light truck or a crossover, drive long distances with heavy loads, and live in a mild climate — highway tires might well be the perfect choice for you. Explore our selection of new or used highway tires today, where you can read customer reviews and shop for some of the best-priced tires in the US — complete with free shipping for every order.
Classic highway tires are designed for long trips on paved roads, the tread of these tires is more smooth for quiet and comfortable driving. While all-terrain tires have a more aggressive tread allowing them to handle offroad adventures. If your lifeways connect with a not perfect countryside as well as a highway, it is better to choose all-terrain tires which are also good for paved roads, like the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure Kevlar. But if you are driving just on paved roads, the best choice will be classic highway tires. It will provide a quieter ride and rolling resistance, hence — better gas mileage.
Top 5: Utires customers’ choice of used highway tires
It is better to buy used highway tires from big reliable online stores like Utires.com. We offer high-quality used tires with 60-99% tread life and 1-year money back guarantee at very affordable prices. Each of our used tires is checked both manually and mechanically, so you can be sure that your highway ride is going to be safe. Plus free shipping with every order!