DON'T GET STUCK: pickup tire choice is critical for contractors who venture off road

摘要

If you never leave the dependable surfaces of a paved road, pickup truck tire selection is easy. Just go with what the OEMs recommend. But for contractors who crawl over roots, rock, debris and sometimes rebar and who may have to drive through deep, soft dirt or push a snowplow on icy roads, tire selection is more of a challenge. The argument can be made that you need two sets of tires, especially if one set will be used in snowplowing. We asked two truck tire experts to weigh in on the best tires for the many different conditions contractors face with their pickup trucks. Here's what they said. For rocks, roots, rebar and rubble. A tire with a tread stock formulated to resist abrasion, cutting and chipping is ideal, says Ken Reuille, advanced engineer for Cooper Tire. Typically this involves higher levels of natural rubber in the tread stock, as it has higher rupture strength. Three-ply sidewall construction affords greater puncture resistance than a traditional 2-ply tire, especially in the upper sidewall area that is more vulnerable to off-road impacts, says Reuille. In addition, choosing a tire with added sidewall rubber gauge above the plies can decrease the possibility of tire rupture when driving on rocky terrain. Curb bars, or raised pads of rubber in the buttress area, can also give you this type of added protection, he says.