Among ATV/UTV tires, different types offer better performance in different situations. These types include all-terrain tires, mud tires, racing tires and sand tires. While there are crossover performance qualities between some of these, you will find that the best results come from using the appropriate tire for its intended purpose.
In some cases, using specialized tires outside of their intended environment can be damaging to the tires. This is more true for sand tires which not only provide little traction outside of sandy conditions but are also not accustomed to harder surfaces and will contract more damage. For the safest and most ideal performance, choose tires based on the types of surfaces you drive on most often.
ATV/UTV All-Terrain Tires
Like passenger or recreational vehicle all-terrain tires, all-terrain ATV/UTV tires are designed to perform in a variety of terrain. They are meant for tough "off-road" conditions such as soft-packed trails, water, light mud, gravel, rocks and really anything other than heavy mud or sand. Tread patterns can vary quite a bit but are fairly aggressive looking, though not as aggressive as mud tires. Their tread depth is shallower than a mud tire, too. All ATV/UTV tires are good for a variety of mild to moderate terrains.
If you do a lot of extreme terrain driving like heavy sand or deep mud, a specialized tire is a better choice. All-terrain ATV/UTV tires are the most popular type of tire because they are great for casual exploration of most terrains.
ATV/UTV Mud Tires
Mud tires are designed for optimal performance in mud. They typically feature very aggressive tread patterns, and large individual lugs with large void spaces between them. Mud tires are designed to be self-cleaning; they actively push mud out and away from the contact patch of the tire. They often use a directional tread pattern designed to provide efficient self-cleaning which allows for better traction in the mud.
ATV/UTV Racing Tires
Do you like trail racing? Then you absolutely must have a tire with strong grip and a sharp steering response. ATV racing tires are designed for just that. They have a more regulated tread pattern with sharp edges for delivering excellent grip and constant contact on harder, compact trails often used with trail racing. Racing tires are designed for hard-packed surfaces and therefore do not do well in loose surfaces like sand or mud.
ATV/UTV Sand Tires
While other ATV/UTV tires can provide some small use in other applications, sand tires are designed exclusively for sand. Their tread patterns are so particular that not only will they work inefficiently in hard-packed mud or gravel but they are easily damaged when used outside of sand.
Sand tires typically have staggered tread patterns, meaning the front tires have a different tread pattern than the rear tires. These rear tires are known as "drive tires" and their tread pattern features extreme amounts of void with large scoop-like tread lugs. Front tires usually feature a smooth tread without any individual lugs. Some front axle sand tires will feature a raised ridge that wraps around the circumference of the tire. This is to provide steering control and lateral stability.
America's Tire carries a large selection of the best brands of ATV and UTV tires, including tires for quads and side-by-sides. Ready to install new tires? Give us a call, make an appointment online (save some time!) or drop by and we'll get you taken care of.