All-terrain vehicle tires, more commonly known as ATV tires are scientifically developed to face all types of off-road conditions which include muddy areas and hilly regions. They are created for ATVs, four-wheeled motorcycles and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). These tires are fitted in vehicles to ensure excellent ground leveling especially in such areas with tough terrain.
The tires have been made to fulfill a number of problems including mud, sand and snow. The ATV tires are an advanced solution to better grip which general purpose tires are unable to provide. They have a large, chunky design. Their wide profile allows them to perform well in off-road conditions.
The ATV tires are of two types; ATV mud tires and ATV snow tires. ATV mud tires have large irregular-treads with wide gaps for maximum grip on all sorts of muddy conditions. The wide flat gaps between the treads enable the tire to sink into the top most layer of the surface for a better grip. The tires also aid to the stability of the car by giving the car more traction.
Mud tires can be easily distinguished by their large tread pattern. It is one of their most obvious characteristics. The tread on the tire is similar to a caterpillar track. It does not allow the tire to loose grip on the soft mud. The design of the treads consists of straight or jagged lines which get a deep grip on the ground. On a mud tire, these treads are much thicker than standard tires which help to bore the ground. This allows them to hold more mud for a tight grip. The big chunky motif sinks easily into the mud and clears away quickly, thus maintaining the stability of the car.
These high profile mud tires are usually seen fitted on four wheel drive trucks and specialized vehicles such as buggies, carts etc. They are more common in racing and off-road vehicles and also come as a special characteristic in military vehicles. A disadvantage of their large size is that due to limited the small size of the fender they can't be used in standard sedan-sized vehicles.
Mud flaps are must for mud tires. They are flexible pieces of plastic or rubber that are fitted behind the tires. They stop the mud coming from the tires, keeping the rest of the car neat and clean including the inside of the wheels.
The disadvantage of using mud tires is that they do not perform well on carpeted or cemented roads. They do not deliver the quality of balance and stability necessary for high speed driving on stable roads because of the large, square openings in their treads. As a result of limited surface area which touches the ground, there is less traction between the tires and the road. They are also noise producing because of the whistling of air through the irregular treads.