4WD tyres can define destination and destiny. What's yours?
Tyres underpin the 4WD experience. Tyres are often the first modification 4WD owners make to their vehicle.
There are three main tread patterns fitted to Australian 4WDs: Highway Terrain (H/T), All Terrain (A/T) and Mud Terrain (M/T). Each offers a different driving solution and experience.
L to R: Toyo Open Country H/T, Toyo Open Country A/TII, Toyo Open Country M/T
Before choosing your tyres you need to ask yourself a few questions. Where do you go? What do you do there? How much time do you spend on sealed bitumen? How much tackling off-road terrain?
The industry standard is a reasonable guide, but Toyo Tires technical manager (and professional tyre wizard) Steve Burke has seen many H/T owners stray into A/T or M/T territory, only to spend their afternoon wandering the bush, searching for reception to call for a tow.
Graph credit: Isuzu Max*D
“It comes down to what you’re going to do,” he says. “Ten per cent off-road, for example, doesn’t mean you can point your car into any terrain you like.
“Aussie terrain is renowned for sharp surprises and radical changes. A highway tyre might get you through some off-road situations but you need to be mindful of the capabilities of the tyres on your car.”
H/T tyres come as standard on most 4WDs. With small gaps between tread blocks, H/Ts boast greater on-road grip, offering more contact with the bitumen and reduced block flexing.
Their light construction makes them better suited to high speeds. Smaller block gaps reduce heat build-up and prevent blocks from squirming under load. Made primarily for tarmac, H/Ts are less suited to extreme terrain than A/Ts and M/Ts.
Pajero on H/T's at Toyo Tires South Australia Club Day demonstrates the tyres use beyond bitumen
“H/Ts are street performers,” says Burke. “Toyo’s Open Country H/Ts are extremely low noise and offer ride comfort matched with fuel efficiency and a long tread life. I wouldn’t take them to Cape York, but for the commuter who might use their vehicle on sand and for mild off-roading, they will do the job.”
Bruce Garland racing his Isuzu MU-X at Finke 2014 on Toyo Open Country A/TII
A/Ts are the middle ground between on-road and off-road performance. They’re ideal for the commuter who hits the beach or the bush on weekends. These are your all-rounders.
Larger voids between the five rib tread blocks eject debris and provide good on- and off-road performance.
Stadium Super Truck's put Toyo's Open Country A/TII to the test. They passed with flying colours.
“A/Ts are often seen as a compromise with limited performance in certain terrains or poor traction in some street conditions, but that wisdom is limited,” says Burke.
A proper A/T performs in every situation.
“A commitment to A/T tyre innovation, like that in the Toyo Open Country A/T II (OPAT II), has reduced road noise to levels similar to highway tyres, providing class-leading mileage and proven class-leading mid-corner grip and wet and dry braking performance on bitumen.
“Normally, on-road manners can come at the expense of off-road performance, but the OPAT II with its unique aggressive sidewall bites through the toughest ruts or soft sand and is as hard as nails. Exceptional case strength makes them ideal for motorsport, like the Australasian Safari or Finke Desert Race where unexpected punctures cost races”
At the most rugged end of the spectrum are the M/Ts. Burly, purposeful looks give away their intention. The wide, deep tread pattern is designed for situations where other tyres run out of grip.
Tackling snow, sand, rocks, gravel and, of course, mud, Toyo Open Country M/Ts are built for the path less travelled.
“As with the A/T II, modern compounds and tread design have really made the Open Country M/T a street friendly option. We have a lot of reports of our Open Country M/T on daily drivers that see plenty of road use”,” says Burke.
“Most people who drive on M/Ts daily know the headache of ‘highway hum’, especially on tour. The Toyo OPMT are designed to be much quieter, after all, there is bitumen between every adventure.”
Off-road racers rely on Toyo's Open Country M/T-R to challenge some of the worlds toughest race conditions
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Toyo’s technical team to get the info that’s right for your car.
