Perhaps the most important safety feature of an SUV is the tires. Without the right tires your SUV will not perform at its best. The tire rating system for SUV’s is based on many features such as: emergency and corner managing, performance in braking, ability to avoid hydroplaning and dry road traction to name but a few. One of the most popular tires that are used on SUV’s is the all season tires. The difference between standard passenger car tires and SUV tires is that the SUV tires are designed to handle larger impacts which is a plus when traveling with children. The downfall is that they do not last nearly as long as standard car tires. They also generally come with better off road traction as SUV’s are used in all sorts of situations and areas, making tires as these a necessity.

Choosing Tires
There area many type of tires on the market so knowing what type you want is very important. A good way to decide on what tires you will need would be to access what and how you will be using your SUV for. Such as if you will be using it mainly for around town for errands and going to and from work then you will want to go with all season tires where as, the all terrain tires are meant for use in many different elements such as rain and snow. When choosing the right tire for your SUV you want to be sure that you go with the tire that fits your lifestyle, so if you like to be outdoors and go on do off road excursions then the all terrain is the right tire for you. The right tires in place will last much longer as you will have the right tool for the job. You don’t want to use all season tires when you are off road on camping trips all the time as this will wear them out prematurely.

Carrying the Load
The most important aspect to consider when picking the right tire for your SUV is the “load index” which is what indicates the maximum weight the tire can handle. Always be sure to go with tires that match the load index of the tires that the vehicle was originally equipped with. If you are not sure as to what the proper load index is then you can check the tire itself or check in the owner’s manual that came with the vehicle. Choosing the right size tires with the correct load index will ensure that you are not overloading the vehicles tires. You can cause damage to the SUV if you put too much unneeded pressure on the tires. If you are still unsure as to what it the best choice you can check with the manufacture as to what they recommended to be the best choice.

Lawrence Terry operates a website dedicated to all things 4×4, http://www.ilove4×4.com Here you will find articles, car reviews, and features on ATVs, SUVs, and a section on Trips & Touring.