TREAD DEPTH
As far as tyre features go, tr ead depth
is seldomever mentioned as a metric
of comparison –even though itoffers a
fairly conclusiveway to determine the
life expectancyof the tyre, and therefore,
the value.
Howeve r, tread depth also hints to how
well thetyre will gripoff-road (in loose
terrain), aswell as howeffectively it will
stop or brake on gravel surfaces. More
importantly, it tells us how long thetyre
can effectively do these things.
Tread depthcan vary anywhere
between 9 and 15 mm in the all-terrain
market, with most OE (factory-fitted)
all-terrainsfeaturing a depthof just 10
50 LANDROVER MONTHLY
LRM’S GUIDE TO BUYING TYRES
mm or less. By comparison, many
premium aftermarket tyres feature a tread
depthof 12 to 15 mm. If 5 mmof tread lif e
is used on eitherset of tyres, it goes
withoutsaying that the 50 percent loss is
going to significantly affect howwell the
OE tyre performsoff-road in comparison
to an af termarket alternative.
Of course, in most cases, the OEtyre
will cost significantly less than the
aftermarket option, but anycomparison in
price should include acomparison in
value, and therefore, the depthof tread.WEIGHT
Much like tread depth, theweight of a
tyre also hints towards its value offering,
but in manyrespects, it alsotells us
how strongly thetyre is constructed,
the qualityof the steel cords used, as
well as the bulk orgauge of rubber. In
that regard, the carcass strengthof a
tyre directlyrelates to it puncture
resistance, as well as itssteering
response and loadcapacity.
A tyre’s abilityto shoulder a heavy load
is especially important for tho se of us
who tow a caravan, trailer or boat, but it
also appliesto heavily modified 4x4s withaftermarket bumpers, auxiliary fueltanks,
water tanks and drawer systems.
The weight difference between various
all-terrainscan vary by as much as 40 per
cent. Typically speaking, most OE tyres
are designedto be lightweightfor various
budget reasons, aswell as thevehicle
manufacturer’s needto keep fuel
economy and emission figures as lo w
as possible.
It should also besaid that any heavy-
duty tyre that’s madefor supreme
punctureresistance and loadcapacity will
also affect your vehicle’s ride comfort,
fuel consumption, and how muchyour
shock absorbers will have to work. What’s
more, it also determines howeasy it is to
balance thetyre.
My recommendation: Use atyre re tailer
that specialises in 4x4vehicles, and if
possible, where the business owner
happensto be anoff-road enthusiast, too.LOADCAPACITY
Contraryto popular belief, the air insidea
tyre is whatcarries the actual load, while
the tyre itself is merely thevessel tha t
holds the air.The stronger thevessel, the
more air pressure itcan handle, andNo Traction Control?
A decentoff-road tyre
will get you thereThere’s a good
depthof tread
on this rubber