It's not often we see a proper off road tyre test, but this one by the South African Magazine "Drive Out" seems to tick all the boxes. It takes ten mud terrain (M/T) tyres in 265/75 R16, sticks them on a 4x4 Ford Ranger pickup truck, and puts them through wet, gravel, rock and endurance tests to find out which tyre will be the most useful for hardcore off road use. In order to test the tyres in their most common conditions, the magazine chose to focus on off road performance. Instead of testing dry and wet road performance, only wet braking and wet handling were tested, as the variance in dry performance was small. The off road tests were far more thorough. The Ford Ranger was put through braking tests on gravel, traction on rocky surfaces and traction in mud, and the tyre was even tested on a  rig to see how strong the sidewalls are. Braking down from 50 mph on wet roads proved close, with the gap between the best and worst on test just 4.9 meters. The Dunlop narrowly beat the Hankook to first place, with the Goodyear finishing third.

Under wet handling tests the Goodyear moved to the top spot, with Hankook holding second place. The wet braking winning Dunlop, could only manage fifth place, with Bridgestone rounding out the top three. For the gravel braking test, again from 50 mph, the pressure was reduced from 2.4 bar to 1.8 bar. This time the Hankook was the winning tyre, with the BF Goodrich and Goodyear rounding out the top three. For rock traction, the tyres had to get the Ford up a solid 30 degree incline. The magazine attempted three runs, one at 1.8 bar, then at 2 bar, then 2.2 bar and finally 2.4 bar. As the tyre pressure increases, the ability on rock decreases, and top marks are awarded for the tyres which can make it up at every pressure. Seven of the ten tyres made it up at the full 2.4 bar. Yokohama finished eighth, managing the 2.2 bar run but failing at 2.4 bar, Kumho finish ninth and failed at 2.2 bar, and Nankang finished in last place, failing to make it up at 1.8 bar. With punctures a very real part of offroading, and usually a major inconvenience, the magazine tested each tyre at 2.4 bar with a special machine that measures how much pressure is needed to puncture the shoulder area, between the tread and the sidewall.

The three ply sidewall tyres (BF Goodrich, Achilles, Nankang and Goodyear) tyres generally did better than the 2 layer tyres, though Kumho and Yokohama scored well for a twin ply construction. The mud test proved to be a real problem for the magazine, and even though they knew repeatability of the test would be an issue, they didn't realise just how hard it would be!American Curl Kittens For Sale Pa In the end, even using a specialist mud bath, the testers couldn't get any meaningful data from driving the truck in and out of the mud area, so decided to omit the results from the test.Shorkie Puppies For Sale In Tn Select up to 4 tires to compare:Hotel Furniture Las Vegas Liquidators To keep your tires sleek and responsive, Dunlop experts at Tire & Service Network locations can provide helpful tire-care tips.

Browse by section below, or To give your car a high-end look and feel, consult this list of tire-care suggestions. For a professional evaluation, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location. Inspecting your tires can help you reveal punctures or other visible signs of damage that could necessitate replacement. It's crucial to know when a tire should be repaired and when it should be replaced. If a tire loses air pressure, it should be removed for an internal inspection. Even driving short distances on a flat tire can ruin it. Most punctures, nail holes, or cuts up to 1/4 inch can be repaired if the damage is confined to the tread. Never repair any sidewall punctures. Never repair any tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, and DO NOT repair tires worn below 1/16 inch. Having your tires balanced and your vehicle properly aligned is important for tire longevity and vehicle performance. As tires wear, their mass can get unevenly distributed, and the original rim/tire balance may be affected.

Some things to keep in mind: Unbalanced tires cause road vibration, which can lead to driver fatigue, premature tire wear (also known as cupping or dipping), and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension Tires should be balanced whenever they're mounted on wheels They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and once a year Having the necessary items will help you change a flat as soon as the need arises, minimizing potential damage to your tires. Review the list below for what to keep in your vehicle. For professional assistance, visit Dunlop experts at a Tire & Service Network location. Make sure you always have: Your vehicle's owner's manual An inflated spare tire Bracing material, such as a small piece of wood or a brick It's recommended that you check your tire tread every 3,000 miles. Below are two simple tests to see if your tires need to be replaced. Take the Penny Test: Insert a penny into your tire's tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you.

If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires. Check the Tread Wear Check the indicator bar located at the bottoms of the tread grooves in several locations around the tire. When a tire is so worn that these bars become visibly flush with the adjacent tread ribs, replace it. To avoid potential problems, have your tires checked at a Tire & Service Network location if you notice any of these common wear patterns: Wear on both edges: UNDERINFLATIONUnderinflation increases the tread wear on a tire's outside edges and generates excessive heat, reducing the tire's toughness. Soft tires also increase rolling resistance, reducing fuel economy. Wear in center: OVERINFLATIONOverinflation increases wear on the center tread. Cups or dips in the tread: WORN PARTSCupping or dipping is most common on front tires, but rear tires can cup as well. Sawtooth edges: MISALIGNMENTMisalignment causes erratic scrubbing against the road, giving the tire's edges a sawtooth-like appearance.

Find out why maintaining proper air pressure, and knowing how much air to put in tires, is so important by reading the points below. Checking Your Tire Inflation Pressure Always maintain inflation pressure at the level recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. For safety and vehicle performance, Dunlop recommends that tire inflation pressure be checked at least monthly and as often as possible when tires are cold (ideally, the vehicle should not been driven for several hours). Repeat or excessive inflation loss (more than 2 psi), or visible damage like knots, bulges, punctures, cuts, or cracks, along with irregular wear, experiencing impacts, vibration, and pulling all require expert inspection of the tire and rim to determine reparability, or replacement. Inflation pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change, so higher temperatures mean increased pressure. Why Pressure and Inflation Are so Important for Your Tires

Underinflation increases tread wear on the outer edges, and generates excessive heat, which can age tires faster. Fuel economy is reduced as rolling resistance increases - soft tires make your vehicle work harder. Too much air pressure causes the center tread to carry most of the car's weight, leading to faster deterioration and uneven wear. Underinflation is the most common cause of failures in any type of tire, which can result in severe cracking, component separation, or a "blowout." When operating a vehicle equipped with radial tires, it's difficult to notice when a tire has gone flat or near flat since the "feel" of the vehicle does not change significantly. Inflation pressure in tires supplies a clamping force, which creates friction, enabling it to act as a proper spring between the rim and the road. Driving on damaged tires should be avoided, as they can fail suddenly or burst upon re-inflation, resulting in serious injury. To help you conserve money and resources, review this quick reference about saving fuel.

For professional assistance, visit a Tire & Service Network location. Improve My Gas Mileage Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a vehicle's gas mileage by 10 percent.2 Using the grade of motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer can improve gas mileage by 1% to 2%.3 Regular vehicle maintenance can improve gas mileage by 4.1%.4 The recommendations and suggestions regarding product application and use that are offered on this Site are a guide in the use of this product and are not a guarantee to their performance. All listed products are or have been manufactured by Dunlop or one of its affiliate companies. This Site in no way constitutes an offer to sell any products. Dunlop makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the product information contained on this Site is correct. Product specifications and all other information shown on this Site are for information purposes only, are subject to change at any time without obligation, may vary from region to region, and may not be completely up to date or accurate.

Help My Tires Last Longer Check your tire pressure (including your spare) monthly - follow the recommendations on your vehicle door sticker or vehicle's owner's manual. Inspect your tires once a month for uneven tread wear, cuts, cracks, bulges, foreign objects, or other wear or damage. Have your tires rotated and the balance checked every 6,000 miles. (Check your vehicle's owner's manual for specifics.) Save Money at the Gas Pump Excess weight can reduce gas mileage by 1-2% for every 100 pounds, so travel light. Close the cap - 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from vehicles without gas caps. Avoid fast starts - aggressive acceleration can reduce gas mileage by 33%.4 To help maintain even tread wear and prolong tire life, review this quick reference about alignment, rotation, and visual inspections. Misalignment of the front or rear wheels can cause rapid or uneven wear. Front-wheel-drive vehicles and those with independent rear suspension require alignment of all four wheels, instead of two.