Another important aspect when looking at truck tires for sale is the specific type of tread that is on a tire. It’s hard to believe that such a small design and pattern could make a difference to a vehicle that weighs so much but if you were to test drive certain tread types on the same vehicle in certain conditions you would realize just how important it is.
Deciding which tire tread type is right for your vehicle comes down to the geographic location that you use your vehicle and the types of terrain that you will typically be driving it on. If you live in northern regions like Canada then you would be better off getting a tire that sports tread which will increase your traction in snow and ice conditions but at the same time can drive water away from the tire. If you don’t purchase tires specifically for this you could find yourself decreasing your miles per gallon by significant amounts, losing power and towing ability and working your engine harder than it needs to or in some cases even stranded.
The following are some of the major tire tread types for you to consider when looking at truck tires for sale:
- Typical Tread (Regular Tread) Tires:
This is the type of tire that you will typically find sold on most commercial vehicles. If you live in the city and drive a car to and from work on city roads you most likely have regular treaded tires . These tires are designed for basic road conditions in typical climate like dry weather and rainy weather. The tread on these tires have small spaces in-between the lugs on the tires to give you a smooth ride so that you don’t feel micro-bumps while driving. The spacing on these also force water away from the tire to prevent you from hydroplaning. When looking at truck tires for sale it’s important to remember that just because it says “regular tread” doesn’t mean that they are all the same. Notice that there are different designs which can provide superior protection from hydroplaning but typically this is only a small amount of improvement and not something that will be too obvious as long as you purchase a decent tire. There are however some tires that carry regular tread that simply do not do a good enough job and can be dangerous. Try to stay away from very cheap tires with tread that is not sufficient for protecting you when the road is wet.
- Snow (Direction Tires) Tires
If you live in climates where there is often snow or extremely heavy rainfall (which creates puddles of water that have to drive through) then you will most likely be needing some type of directional tire. You can tell a directional tire because there is more space left between the lugs in the tire. You will also see a v-shaped formation on the tire that helps to shift snow and other elements out of the tire at a much greater rate than what you would see with regular tread tires. You might be wondering why not just get these tires for your regular car so that you’re covered in all areas. The cost on these can be higher than your regular tread tires so this is definitely something you want to consider. These also will not ride as smoothly as regular tread tires will on a road, so you will notice them more as you’re driving. It’s also possible that these tires may wear out faster when they are on smooth ground so you will end up costing a significant more amount of money. It’s best to get directional tires for the correct climate and stick to regular tread tires if you’re in the city.
- Non Directional Tires
If you look at the tread on these tires you will see that they are very similar to directional tires but they have the same grooves and tread running in both direction. This helps the truck tires gain traction going in either direction forwards and backwards. This can be helpful depending on what you use your truck for. Many jobs require that you back in to places so that you can load up as well as back in to places so that you can unload. Many people don’t consider this and you will notice a considerable difference if you are carrying a large load in conditions with heavy snow or mud.
- Cross Country Tread Tires
When looking at truck tires for sale on your cross country vehicle you will definitely want to invest in these types of tires. They offer the protection of directional tires but additionally have rounded edges so that you can contain your traction when making turns at higher speeds. The difference you will feel in these tires is noticeable especially the higher speed you go. These are typically more costly than most any other truck tires for sale but are worth the investment if you are into cross country riding.
- Rock Tread Tires
If you are looking at truck tires for sale and use your truck around places that have a lot of gravel or smaller rocks then this will be a good tire for you. Rock Tread Tires have extremely narrow grooves in them so they are not as good at keeping water away from the tire but do not allow rocks to get wedged between the grooves which can take away from the tread in the long run. If you use your truck in small rocky areas then in the long run you will have better traction with rock tread tires over directional tires as they will lose their traction once the rocks get lodged into them.
These are the basic types of tread that you will find on tires when looking at truck tires for sale. You will also find new treads coming out frequently that claim to do different things for your vehicle. These sometimes are true to their claim but more often than not are marketing schemes to get you to pay money for improvements that are only minute and probably not noticeable unless you are using charts and graphs to measure micro differences. For the most part it’s best to stick to the traditional tread tire types so you know what you are getting.