Buying The Right UTV Tires

A UTV, also called a side-by-side, is an excellent small vehicle for folks who need a compact workhorse or anyone looking for adrenaline highs, both. They’re designed to handle just about any terrain there is, and the standard tires do most of what you’ll need—but there are specialty tires for those with specific needs. We here at Sky Powersports Sanford want to help you get the most out of your vehicle, so we’ve put together some tips for buying the right UTV tires. To learn more, or to see the UTVs and UTV parts and accessories we have for sale, contact our store in Sanford, Florida, today!

All-Terrain/Trail Tires

The default tire your UTV probably came with is an all-terrain tire, also called a trail tire. These have closely-aligned treads to enhance traction and a number of patterns to handle various terrain types. These are great for general-purpose riding like on trails or off-roading parks, but they have their limits.

Mud Tires

Like the name suggests, these are tires specifically designed for riding through mud. These tires are larger than the average UTV tire, helping to keep your UTV from sinking into mud that’s too deep or thick. The tall luds that stud the tire also vastly improve traction, gripping the mud and preventing slippage. Some mud tires even clear mud off themselves with shoulder lugs! 

These tires may require some upgrades to your UTV, however, since the larger size will be a tight fit in average wheel-wells. The heavier weight and greater power requirements might also have an adverse effect on your fuel efficiency. These tires also shouldn’t be used on hard surfaces like packed dirt or pavement, which can damage the lugs.

Sand Tires

If you ever get the urge to ride the dunes or beaches, you might want to consider sand tires. These are relatively delicate and so should never be used on any other terrain, thanks to the special paddle-like protrusions. These shovel sand away from beneath your tire to enhance traction. The front tires have their own pattern, with slicker treads that help you steer.

Pavement Tires

Also called “turf savers,” pavement tires are designed to allow a UTV maximum performance on hard-packed dirt, lawns, turf, and pavement. These have shallow, tightly-spaced treads that give you the traction you need without tearing up the surface beneath you. These are great for UTVs used for lawn work or around campuses, but will have too little traction on most other surfaces to be useful.

Ready to make your UTV work better for you? Contact us at Sky Powersports Sanford to see our selection of UTVs and UTV tires, or to ask for more information. We proudly serve the people of Daytona Beach and Deltona, Florida—let us serve you today!