Making the right Tire Choice for your Truck

Don’t know why your truck, jeep, or four-wheeler is not performing up to the mark? We have the answer for you. Tires effect your truck’s performance. Their quality will decide how well your vehicle will drive on roads, on mud, on dirt, and even on snow. These are unconventional driving conditions, which require trucks to have special tires.

Nowadays, the abundance of choices makes it difficult to decide which tire to choose for your truck. To decide, we will have to consider different factors.

First and foremost, you need to evaluate your driving preferences. Do you usually drive your truck on the roads or go off-track? If you do a little bit of both, you will have to understand how tires and wheels are momentously different. Since the two are completely unlike, you will have to carry both, tires’ and wheels’ sets for different purposes. Let’s move on to the various types of each of the two and their unique purposes.

Types of Wheels

There are a variety of wheels you can choose from for your truck. The three basic types are steel, cast alloy, and forged alloy wheels.

Each of them have their own function to perform and have different prices.

Steel

If you are looking for a cheap option, then wheels made of steel might be your best choice. These easy-going wheels perform powerfully and are not damaged easily. Even if they are damaged, replacing them is not a difficult task. Since these wheels weigh more than the usual ones, your truck gains ‘up sprung weight’. On the downside, you will have to compromise on quickness and strength due to the increased weight of these wheels.

You might be wondering what we mean by ‘up sprung weight’? This is the weight that your truck’s suspension does not need to carry as it is transferred to the steel wheels instead. If you are driving on the street, this may not be an exciting aspect of your truck. However, if you are driving off the road, this will be of use to you as your truck will be pushed through obstacles such as snow and mud, which would otherwise slow down your vehicle.

Cost-effective and heavy, these steel wheels are considered to be ideal by experts.

Cast Alloy

The cast alloy wheels are prepared by mixing together aluminum and one other component, which gives them their strength. These wheels are second to steel wheels when it comes to cost-effectiveness. The way these wheels are built makes them light weight but also less strong compared to steel wheels. If you plan on driving your truck on the street, these wheels are built for you. Cast alloy wheels push through with speed and give the passengers a smooth drive on the road.

An important point to consider is that these wheels lack strength and so are prone to get easily damaged. For this reason, they might not be a viable option for off-road truck drivers. Getting them fixed means spending a lot of cash. Even though these limitations do not encourage off-road drivers to buy these tires for their trucks, the attractive price makes them a second option to carry with you in your truck.

Forged Alloy

Forged alloy wheels are made by the usage of pressure and heat. Their build makes them a great option; they have considerable strength but weigh less.

While these wheels offer the best balance, their cost is what makes them a less desirable option for truck drivers. Although alloy wheels have a high price and no offering of ‘up sprung weight’ like steel wheels, they are a good investment if you want the best of both worlds for your truck.

Once you have selected your wheels; you have completed your first step. The next one is to choose tires. To do that, here is what you need to know:

Types of Tires

When purchasing tires for your truck, you may want to consider some important factors. These tires have to be selected based on their build- how their treads are designed, the depth of these treads, ply quality, and the ratings of the tires’ pressure. All-terrain tires are a popular tire option for off-road truck drivers.

All-Terrain Tires

As the name suggests, these are tires that are used for trucks that need to go off the road and on difficult terrains. The standard tires are not equipped with the features that will keep your vehicle stable while on rugged terrains since they are made with 4-ply. These 4-ply tires can get easily damaged if they come across harsh rocks or other hazards that you will not find on proper roads.

If you are planning to drive your truck on these non-standard routes, off-road tires will help you keep your vehicle’s grip. Proper grip is essential to avoid slipping on wet surfaces and ending up in unfortunate accidents. Off-road tires for trucks are resistant to punctures and are known to have positive vehicle load ratings. These tires have a low resistance to rolling and compared to normal tires, are not too noisy on the road.

Off-road tires for trucks will help you with your adventurous journeys over rugged terrains like sand, dirt, rocks and boulders, and even snow and mud. What sets these tires apart from regular road tires is that they are built differently. With special tread patterns that are designed for these tires and unusually broad grooves placed between tread blocks, these off-road tires for trucks are built for ruggedness. Punctures can be a major problem with tires and unforeseen ones can cause delays in your journey. Secure sidewalls on these tires prevent these untimely punctures and provide you with a continuous, smooth drive.

Conclusion

The type of tire you choose for your truck depends greatly on your driving preference. Like we just discussed, if your plan is to stick to the roads, your choice will go towards standard tires that do not require grip qualities. On the other hand, if you want to drive off-road on extreme surfaces, you might want to go for something that will give you the right grip. Be mindful of the choice you make, the wrong one might just end you up with not just a mismatched tire, but also an accident.