The trouble with 4WD is that tyres designed for serious off-road use do not usually perform well when braking on wet roads, and will also wear out more quickly if regularly driven on hard surfaces. Given the cost of 4WD tyres - $200 to over $500 - it's well worth thinking about.
Tyre companies offer a compromise: 4WD tyres designed for the road. They don't have the macho tractor-tread look and won't be so useful in the mud, but they'll last longer and give better braking on wet tarseal.
However, if you drive a 4WD that never leaves the road, you still need tyres that are designed for the vehicle. That's usually because of the extra weight involved.
When buying, it's useful to know 4WD tyres frequently have their sizes measured in old fashioned inches. The alternative is metric - the same way as car tyres.Yes, it just adds to the confusion!
Reading a 4WD tyre sidewall
Our photo (above) shows a 4WD tyre marked 31 x 10.50 R15 LT M/S 109Q.
Here's what this means ...
| Symbol | What it means |
| 31 | The overall diameter (31 inches). Not always shown. |
| 10.50 | The tyre width (across the tyre). 4WD tyres often show this in inches (10.5) when fitted to the correct rim and inflated. A larger number means a wider tyre. It could also be metric, and include the profile (eg, 265/70). |
| R | Radial construction. |
| 15 | Rim diameter (inches). |
| LT | Light truck, includes 4WD. Not always shown. |
| M/S | Mud and snow. Can be M+S. |
| 109 | The load index. 109 means this tyre can support a maximum load of 950kg. |
| Q | The speed rating, in this case 160km/h. |
| 10PR | The ply rating. Shown as an alternative to load index and speed rating on older designs. |
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