Off-road routes require special tires with the right capacities, overcoming those that suit paved roads. This article is dedicated to used off-road tires: our expert explores the category and finds out whether it’s worth it to buy them or not.
Off-road tires are specially designed for driving on any terrain that is not a paved road or a highway. They offer good traction in off-road conditions and aren’t so effective on the streets (unlike all-terrain tires which do a good job both on pavement and off-road).
Car manufacturers are aware that most people that are buying SUVs are driving them mostly on the streets and just occasionally — off-road. So by default, new SUVs are factory equipped with all-terrain tires. In case you really want to explore rough terrains and do this more often, you need to get yourself a set of new or used off-road tires.
There are 3 types of tires that are designed for the off-road performance:
All-Terrain |
Mud Terrain |
Rugged Terrain |
|
Extreme off-road |
❌ |
✔️ |
✔️ |
Road comfort |
✔️ |
❌ |
✔️ |
The most popular brands of off-road tires and also the most demanded models in our online store are by Goodyear, Pirelli, Continental, BFGoodrich, Michelin, and Bridgestone. You can’t go wrong by choosing a model from any of these brands, whether it is new or used. And it makes total sense to buy used off-road tires manufactured by a top brand than to get a new one from an unknown company. The price might be the same, but the used tire from a reputable brand will last for longer.
Off-road tires are usually more expensive in comparison to all-terrain tires and they wear faster. It makes total sense to buy used off-road tires from a reputable offline or online store. Here at Utires.com we have a good stock of models that have been driven only once as well as other options with good tread left — for much lower prices than the new off-road tires. Prices range from $71 to $447 per one tire.
All tires sold at Utires.com undergo a thorough 3-stage inspection: an air-pressure test and a manual check-up by a technician after arriving at our warehouse and one more manual inspection before being shipped. We guarantee that each of the tires that you see in our catalogue meets all the safety standards.
Technically you can and most off-road tires are legal for driving on the streets. But just because you can it doesn’t mean that you should. Off-road tires were not made for the streets, so they won’t be very efficient. They make more noise, increase fuel consumption and also make the ride less comfortable.
If you drive off-road tires on asphalt or concrete, yes they are noisier than other types of tires. This is because of the way the air passes through the tread patterns with big void areas that are making them efficient off-road.
Yes, they do, and this is because of their composition. They are made of softer rubber compounds which makes them efficient on difficult terrains but doesn’t give them a long life. They wear faster and are also more expensive than all-terrain tires.
In case of no other damage or problem, a tire should be replaced when the tread depth is less than 2/32”. The easiest way to find this is with the help of a penny. Insert the penny into the tread with the head of Lincoln facing you and being upside down. If you can see all of his head, then it means that the tread is under the legal limit and the tire should be replaced.