Right Tire, Wrong Application: Off-Road Edition

They’re round, black, and made of rubber. This does not mean all tires are created for the same intended purpose. Yes, we know that technically they are meant to be the contact between your truck and the ground, but there is a lot more below the surface. For instance you wouldn’t want to be running Extreme Mud Terrain tires if your truck never leaves the highway. That would be like wearing flip flops to a 5k. Yes, they serve the same purpose (to protect your feet from the ground), but they are optimized for different conditions.

Today we are going to talk about common applications for off-road vehicles, and why you should use the right tire for each.

Work Truck/ Commuter Truck

Armstrong Tru-Trac HT

We know that many if not most of you use your trucks to drive to work, or for work daily. For many of you this truck could be your baby, and you want it to look as badass as possible for your drive around town. It could be tempting to find the most intense looking tire and mounting it to your wheels. In most cases that would be a Mud Terrain tire or an Extreme Mud Terrain tire. These tires are look like the monster from your childhood nightmares, and for good reason. They weren’t meant to be gentle, in fact they are meant to tear up the earth blow them to give you the most grip in extreme conditions.

If you were to put these beasts on your truck, and start driving it on the highway it will definitely look cool, and people will definitely hear you coming. Because they aren’t designed to handle the high speeds and the firmness of the road, they will create a lot of road noise and may not handle the best as you whip down the highway.

Alternatively, a Highway-Terrain (HT) tire may be a better bet for you. These tires are designed to handle the high speeds and the roads construction. The highway-terrain tire is the best at this, however if you do plan on taking your truck off the beaten path the all-terrain tire is route you may want to take.

Off-Roading/ Extreme Off-Roading

Accelera BADAK X-TREME

We know that one of the biggest thrills about owning a 4x4 vehicles that you can take it where most other vehicles could only dream of. Steep hill-climbs, trenches, creeks, deep mud; you name it you can it there. This sounds great, but before you go taking your truck out into the woods, you may want to think about the boots you got on it. If you’re driving around with highway-terrain tires on, you’re going to be in for a tough time. Getting towed out of the mud can be fun, but we know you don’t always want to be the guy asking for help. If you’re running the wrong tires, that is certain to be you.

HT tires and even some AT tires are not designed to handle the extreme conditions that you want to put them through, and your performance in the mud will show it. To run with the big boys, you’ll want to throw some MT or even some Extreme MT’s on your wheels to put on a real show. These tires are meant tear it up, wreaking havoc in their wake. This is meant to give you the best traction possible when attempting to tackle whatever obstacle your wheels finds next.

If you’re looking for insane off-road performance, we recommend the Accelera BADAK X-Treme. This tough tire knows no limits, and is designed with that in mind. Its aggressive tread blocking will tear through whatever terrain your you’re trying to tackle. Whether you’re looking at a shale covered hill-climb, or knee-deep mud this tire has what it takes to get you there.

Light Off-Roading/ Everyday Driving

Armstrong Tru-Trac AT

So basically, covered to extremes and left out, arguably most of you reading this. Until this point. We know that most of you will most likely be driving your truck on your regular commute but may take it out in the dirt on the weekends. Driving the MT daily seems like a hassle to get the performance you need off-road, but driving an HT will get you stuck when you hit the mud. Before you panic, thinking you have to choose between one extreme or another, there is a tire made for you. The All-Terrain, or AT tire is designed to give you the best of both worlds.

This is a tire that is designed to optimize your drive on the highway by giving you high-speed stabilization and reduced road-noise, while being reinforced with staggered tread blocks to give you the grip you need off-road. This “Jack of All Trades” may not be the best performance in either category, but it will get the job done where you need it the most.

We recommend checking out the Armstrong Tru-Trac AT. This tire is backed by Armstrong’s Tuff 360 Warranty and has years of trusted history behind it. This tire is engineered to truly handle whatever you throw at it, whether that be high-speeds or the occasional spin in the dirt.  

The Conclusion

We know there is a lot of information to sift through, and that’s why we’re here to help de-muddy the waters. Here at Tire Streets we believe that a better educated driver is a better driver. Now that you have a better idea about how each kind of truck works in different applications, you can pick out the best option for you. If you still have questions, don’t worry we’re here for you. Feel free to DM us on Instagram or Facebook. If you’re feeling old school, you can reach us here too.