Thread: Tyres - a slightly different question

Always carry a tube or two in my spares kit. Have done before and after tubeless tyres became popular. Can make an iffy sidewall patch a lot more likely to get you home.

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Originally Posted by Me

I was going to put on more H/T tyres (brand not yet decided) but am wondering whether I should be using A/T due to the unsealed road travel or if I should even be using light truck rated tyres to better cope with the towing.

Nobody has addressed this part of my OP. How resistant to stoney unsealed tracks will H/T tyres be? I would assume (but dont actually know) that H/T tyres will be of a softer compound which although gives better traction, may not handle the off-road stuff well. Having said that, other than cuts and a few minor chucks taken out of the tread surface my H/T have never been damaged yet. Not sure if the out-of-round/scalloping issues I have experienced may have been accelerated by the off-road?

Definitely heading down the H/T path again at this stage...

If you are happy with how the HTs have performed up to now and you aren't going anywhere serious stay with them. If you have concerns get some D697s.

Originally Posted by Mk1_Oz

Nobody has addressed this part of my OP. How resistant to stoney unsealed tracks will H/T tyres be? I would assume (but dont actually know) that H/T tyres will be of a softer compound which although gives better traction, may not handle the off-road stuff well. Having said that, other than cuts and a few minor chucks taken out of the tread surface my H/T have never been damaged yet. Not sure if the out-of-round/scalloping issues I have experienced may have been accelerated by the off-road?

Definitely heading down the H/T path again at this stage...

I think its a bit hard to generalise in these sizes as AT tyres tend to be of a lighter construction than more conventional higher profile sizes. In my opinion the line between AT and HT is becoming increasingly blurred and it has a lot more to do with individual tyres.

In terms of tread wear, an HT is going to fare better than an AT because it has less tread. Smaller grooves and fewer edges means the tyre will skip over a rough surface rather than bite into it. This comes at a price - reduced grip levels and less puncture resistance, as there is usually less rubber between the road and the air inside the tyre. An LT construction will generally fare better regardless of tread style as they are built more robustly.

An AT tyre can still wear well on a rough surface, but tyre pressure is the critical factor. To me, the benefits of increased grip and greater puncture resistance will always outweigh any reduced treadwear. Plus what I gain on the dirt is greater than what I lose on the bitumen. It sounds like this equation is different for you. If the Pirellis are coping with your usage and you are happy with them, there is probably no reason to change.

Cheers,
Jon

HT Tyres are low tread depth, lighter construction.

I wouldn't want to run gibber using them. A nail, stick or stone can easily puncture them.

The heavier (and thicker) cross section of a D697 is far stronger on rock, gibber and potential damage risk surfaces.

They also get better mileage in part due to tread depth / design.

Just to finish this off, I bought a set of General Grabber GT's (ie highway terrain). Nice tread depth, great price ($269ea), hold the road well and quiet.

Will see how they go with durability....