A warranty of any sort is only as strong as the company standing behind the promise and, when it comes to vehicle tires, Hankook is one of the best. The fifth largest tire producer in the world, this 70+ year old South Korean manufacturer sells an estimated 50 million vehicle tires annually, including original equipment for:
- Audi
- Chevrolet
- Ford
- Hyundai
- KIA
- Land Rover
- Mini
- Mitsubishi
- Opel
- Renault
- Volkswagen
Hankook tires have earned the reputation of being high quality at an economical price, often beating more expensive tires in head-to-head comparisons conducted by trusted rating organizations.
As tire warranties go, Hankook has some of the best in the industry. Their top tire, the Optimo H727, carries a treadwear mileage warranty of 100,000 miles, while their more modestly priced Optimo H724 and H426 are covered for 70,000 and 60,000 miles, respectively. In each tire category, Hankook Tire offers a strong, competitive warranty.
Three Coverages - General, Tread Wear Mileage and Road Hazard
While many inexpensive, lower-end tires, as well as most Mud Terrain and 'LT'-rated tires on the market, may be sold with no warranty whatsoever, most Hankook Tires come with three warranties: one for materials and workmanship, one for tread wear mileage and one for road hazards (on qualifying models). These warranties are limited to certain conditions which are clearly spelled out in the warranty documents. They also require the performance of certain obligations on the part of an owner making a claim.
General Terms and Conditions
New Hankook tires are warranted against defects in material and workmanship, provided they are used on the vehicle on which they were originally installed and bear a tire ID number as prescribed by the US DOT. They must have been purchased after 1/1/2012 and be of a size, speed and load rating equal to or greater than that recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
If a tire becomes unusable during the first year after purchase and with no more than 2/32 inches of the original tread worn away, it will be replaced with a comparable Hankook-produced tire. Owners are responsible for absorbing the service costs and any applicable taxes.
After the first year or the first 2/32" of tread is worn down, whichever comes first, credit towards the purchase of a new Hankook tire will be factored, as a percentage, according to the amount of original tread still remaining. Certain conditions are not covered, such as premature wear as a result of continual over- or under-inflation, mechanical problems with the vehicle on which the tires are installed, willful abuse, collision or fire. This warranty is only valid in the continental United States.
Road Hazard Coverage
The following Hankook tires carry an additional road hazard warranty, limited to those with road damage claimed within one year of the purchase date and still showing a minimum of 2/32" of original tread remaining:
- Optimo: H725, H426 and H727
- Ventus: AS, V4ES, V12 evo and V2 Concept
- Dynapro: ATM (P-Metric) and HT (P-Metric)
- Mileage Plus II
- Enfren Eco
Eligible tires made unserviceable through suffering unrepairable road hazard damage will be replaced at no cost, minus applicable taxes and service costs.
Tread Wear Mileage Warranty
Hankook tires are warranted to last a stated number of miles, depending on the particular model, before the final 2/32" of useable tread is reached.
Stated mileage figures run from 40,000 miles for the Dynapro AS and HT to 100,000 miles for the Optimo H747. Other tires in the line carry warranties of 50, 60, 65, 70 and 80 thousand miles, depending on the model. Full details can be found at the Hankook website. Any tire wearing out before the expected mileage will receive a prorated credit for unused miles toward the purchase of a replacement tire of the same size and model.
Since the 1880s, when Scottish veterinarian John Dunlop first taped rubber to his son's bicycle wheels in an attempt to prevent the headaches the boy was getting from riding his bike over rough roads, rubber tires have become an integral part of daily life. 1889 saw Dunlop receiving the first patent for the pneumatic tire, later invalidated in favor of fellow Scottish inventor Robert Thompson, and by 1904, Michelin, Firestone and Goodyear were all involved in tire development, first for bicycles and then for the fledgling automotive industry. Today, it is estimated that more than a billion tires are produced annually, with more than 400 manufacturing plants currently in operation.
Tire Development, From Balloons to Radials
The years 1892 through 1908 saw fast-moving development in tire manufacturing, keeping pace with the rapidly developing auto industry. The first balloon tire was introduced in 1894, along with beaded edges and cotton reinforced cords a year earlier. Michelin came out with the first pneumatic tires for race cars in 1895 and they soon became the standard for racing machines. Cord reinforced tires and experimentation using leather, wood and steel to add durability continued to produce a better product and the introduction of the mountable rim allowed drivers to fix their own flats while on the road.
The two aspects of a tire's construction, the inner carcass (or foundation) and the outer tire tread, received equal attention as manufacturers vied to make a stronger, longer lasting product that would also offer improved traction, handling, comfort and safety. Prior to commercialization of the radial tire by Michelin in 1946, standard tire construction followed a design known as bias-ply or cross-ply. Although initially patented in 1915 by American inventor Arthur Savage, the radial tire wasn't widely accepted until the 1960s. Today, radial tire construction is the standard in the industry and radials are installed on nearly every vehicle, with few exceptions such as low-end trailer tires, tires for rock-crawling jeeps or antique cars requiring original looking tires.
Bias-Ply vs. Radial Tires
Bias-ply tires are so named because the plies that make up the carcass of the tire are laid on a diagonal, or bias, relative to tire's direction of travel.
The plies, made of rubber and various other materials such as nylon, polyester or even Kevlar, are layered alternately, usually at a 30-40 degree angle to the tire's center line, onto which the tire tread is finally applied. These plies run from one tire bead to the other, each layer criss-crossing the layers above and beneath it.
A radial tire has plies running from one bead to the other, perpendicular to the tire's direction of travel, with each ply parallel to the next, rather than criss-crossing as in the bias-ply design. 
Additional reinforcing belts, usually made of steel, are then applied on top of the plies, at a 90 degree angle, to add strength and stability. The tire tread is then mounted atop these reinforcing belts.
A radial tire offers numerous benefits over the old bias-ply technology, which is why it is used almost exclusively on today's motor vehicles. Because of the single-layer, steel reinforced design, the sidewall and the tread of a radial tire act independently of one another, while in bias-ply tires the sidewall and tread act as an integral unit. When the sidewall of a bias-ply tire flexes, the tread is squeezed in and distorted, thereby decreasing traction and cornering capability while increasing wear.
Radial tires offer better handling, greater longevity, cooler running and better fuel efficiency. The DOT tire code on a radial tire's sidewall will have the letter R preceding the wheel diameter size, as in: P215/65R15.
The automobile tire industry has made significant advancements in the past half century, with new designs, materials and manufacturing techniques continuing to improve tires' capabilities in the areas of durability, handling, comfort, fuel efficiency and safety. These improvements, however, have given consumers many more options to consider when choosing which particular set of tires will best suit his or her particular driving needs.
Since first commercialized by Michelin in the late 1940s, radial tires soon overtook traditional bias-ply tires for automotive use. By the 1960s, they became the standard for many car manufacturers and today, radial tires dominate the market and are installed on essentially every automobile on the road. The term 'radial' refers to the direction that the individual plies run along the carcass of the tire. The carcass is the foundation on which the tire tread is affixed and, while most radial tire design is similar beneath the tread, individual tread design varies widely from one tire to the next. Tread design may be symmetrical or asymmetrical, directional or non-directional.
Directional Tread Tires
Directional tire treads, also known as unidirectional treads, are made to roll in one direction only. They typically incorporate grooves cut laterally on either side of the tire's center line, forming a series of Vs in the tread block. 
This V-shaped pattern offers resistance to a tire's tendency to hydroplane when operating on wet roads, as surface water is able to be pumped through and back away from the tread grooves. They also provide more traction when driving over sand or gravel.
Directional tread tires have an arrow on the sidewall indicating the proper direction of rotation. If installed incorrectly, so as to rotate in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow, the anti-hydroplaning effect will not be as intended and, in fact, this will create a dangerous condition as the tire's natural tendency to want to 'float' on road surface water will be increased.
Wheels fitted with directional tread tires can only be correctly used on one side of a vehicle once mounted, which means that when performing a tire rotation one simply switches the front and rear wheels on either side. In order to rotate to the opposite side of the vehicle, a unidirectional tire would have to be remounted in order for it to spin in accordance with its indicating directional arrow. Non-directional tires, designed to rotate in either direction, do not share this limitation.
If a car has different size tires installed on the front and rear axles, performing a tire rotation of the directional tread tires on the same axle must include dismounting and remounting both tires.
Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical Tires
Symmetrical tires are ones whose tread pattern is the same on either side of the tread's center line. 
They are commonly used on most passenger vehicles and have the advantage of offering the most ways in which they can be rotated on the vehicle. They are usually known to be quiet and durable and are able to last even more miles if rotated regularly from one axle to the other and one side of the car to the other.
Asymmetrical tires incorporate a tread pattern that differs from the inside tread to the outside tread. This design is often used on sports or other high-performance cars. 
They typically incorporate the use of large tread blocks on the outside of the tire's center line, which adds to the car's stability when cornering. On the inside half of the center line they will have smaller tread blocks designed to aid in wet weather or wintery driving conditions. Symmetrical and asymmetrical tires should not be mixed on the same vehicle.
When the time comes to choose replacement tires for a car, van, SUV or light truck, one of the most important considerations is to ensure that the new tires are rated for a load carrying capacity equal to or greater than the original ones installed on the vehicle at the factory. The recommended load range can typically be found in the vehicle's owners manual and also on the identification placard normally affixed to the driver's side door pillar. While it is acceptable to go to a tire with a higher load range, it is never advisable to use one with a lower load rating.
What is Load Range?
Load range, previously known as ply rating when tires were bias ply rather than radial, is a designation of how much load a tire is able to safely carry when inflated to its recommended air pressure. For passenger car tires (including those for vans and SUVs) the range is represented by a name, abbreviated as follows:
- LL - light load
- SL - standard load
- XL - extra load. Euro-metric tires may, instead, be designated 'RF', which stands for 'reinforced'
The load designation may be branded on the tire's sidewall, usually at the end of the tire's identification code.. Since most passenger vehicles call for standard load tires, they may or may not carry a load designation, indicating that the tire is of standard load capacity. Light load or extra load tires will, however, carry the appropriate 'LL' or 'XL.' Currently, only P-metric tires with an aspect ratio of 45 or less (low-profile tires) may be made with a light load rating. Recommended air pressure for inflating standard and light load tires is 35-36 psi and 41-42 psi for XL and RF. The lower pressure is for P-metric tires and the higher for Euro-metric, although there is movement in the industry to standardize the two types at the higher inflation pressure.
Light Truck Tires
Load ranges for light truck tires are designated by a letter of the alphabet, running from A-N, omitting the letters I and K. While at one time these letters actually stood for the number of bias plies in a tire, in today's ratings they indicate a tire's strength to withstand vertical pressure (weight) to the same degree as a tire with a specific number of plies. In reality, most truck tires have only four or six plies but their individual load range, also called ply rating, is comparable to the older, multiple-ply tires where additional strength was achieved by adding more plies.
Most light truck tires today fall in the range of C, D or E, which is equivalent to six, eight or ten plies in terms of carrying capacity. For a rule of thumb in figuring out the designations, take the position of the rating letter in the alphabet and double it to determine the ply rating. E, which is the fifth letter in the alphabet, therefore carries a 10-ply rating, meaning it has a carrying capacity equal to a 10-ply tire. For an individual tire to achieve its maximum rated carrying capacity, it must be inflated to the recommended pressure, as outlined below.
- Load range B (4-ply rating) - 35 psi
- C (6-ply rating) - 50 psi
- D (8-ply rating) - 65 psi
- E (10-ply rating) - 80 psi
- F (12-ply rating) - 95 psi
A reason for electing to go to a replacement tire with a higher load range is for a vehicle carrying a great deal of heavy cargo or for being used to pull a trailer. It is acceptable, though not recommended, to have tires with different load ranges on the same vehicle but tires on the same axle must not be mixed.
Passenger car, van and SUV drivers looking for the versatility of an all-season tire capable of providing good year-round traction coupled with a smooth, quiet ride and stable, confident handling have a wide variety of tire manufacturers from which to choose when it comes time for replacements. Dozens of models of available standard touring all-season radials will do the job, but when it comes to performance versus cost, not many can beat the new Yokohama AVID Touring-S tire. This unit, designed and manufactured by one of the oldest tire companies in the world, offers an exceptional ride and sturdy performance for a price that one might expect to pay for a much lesser quality alternative.
Yokohama Rubber Company, established in Tokyo, Japan, in 1917 as a joint venture with B.F. Goodrich, America's first tire manufacturer, continues to lead the way in the development of technologically advanced vehicle tires, especially in the area of fuel saving tire design. Their proprietary tread compound, dubbed 'nano Blend,' minimizes rolling resistance while maximizing grip and handling performance. The Yokohama AVID Touring-S tire exemplifies the manufacturer's desire to produce an affordable tire for the family car that, from all appearances may look like a high performance tire, but with with an emphasis on ride comfort and long tread life. A patented, advanced inner liner, designed to reduce liner thickness and weight, also minimizes air seepage and, because of being lighter in weight, increases the fuel economy of any vehicle onto which it is installed.
Particulars of the Yokohama AVID Touring-S model include:
- A twin, central stability rib designed to minimize tread pattern noise and provide enhanced maneuverability and on-center feel
- A 'Silent Shoulder,' using variable tread block sizes and extra siping to further reduce road noise
- A Luxury Sidewall that uses hard, tapered rubber inserts double the height of normal inserts, to better absorb road vibration and bumps
- Circumferential grooves, tapered channels and cross-traction sipes to improve handling in wet or wintery weather
- Two nylon reinforced steel belts over polyester body plies
In addition to proving exceptional riding comfort and low road noise, the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tire is known for outstanding, high-mileage durability, often capable of performing well for 60,000 miles or more. As an all-season tire, it is designed to grip any road surface and handles well on roads that are dry, wet and even covered in light, snowy conditions. The AVID Touring-S is a perfect choice for cars, vans and SUVs driving on roads that experience regular seasonal weather changes. Available in sizes to fit wheel rims from 14" through 17", it is an ideal option for the 'family car,' giving a driver exceptionally smooth handling while providing a noticeable level of driver confidence in regards to both safety and performance.
Best of all, this tire is available at a cost that beats most of the competition in the same class hands down. This is a tire that looks good, handles well, wears well, saves fuel and is economically priced. For most drivers, it delivers the entire package.
Buying replacement tires for a motor vehicle requires attention to a variety of details to ensure that the new tires are appropriate for that vehicle. While safety should be of paramount importance, some consumers are willing to opt for 'adequate' in an effort to save money on the purchase price. On the other hand, some drivers will insist on replacements that are the same brand and model as those installed as original equipment. Still another group of tire buyers is looking for nothing but the very best available replacement rubber and don't mind paying top dollar for what they consider top quality. These are personal decisions each consumer must make when the time comes for new tires.
Tire Code Information
The various characteristics of a car or truck tire can be understood by translating the tire code imprinted on the sidewall. This code, using P215/65R15 89H as an example, tells a great deal about the tire, including width, sidewall height, construction type, required wheel size,
load index and tire speed rating. Using the above code example, it can be learned that this particular tire is meant for a passenger car (P), is 215 millimeters wide from sidewall to sidewall, has a sidewall height, or aspect ratio, of 65% of the width (or 139.75 mm), is of radial construction (R), has a load index of 89 (1,300 lb) and a tire speed rating of H (130 MPH maximum safe speed).
Recommended tire specifications for a particular car or truck should be detailed in the owner's manual, plus the information should be available on a placard affixed to the driver's side door pillar. The information will also include recommended tire inflation pressures.
The Importance of the Tire Speed Rating
While it is perfectly acceptable to choose new tires of a different width or aspect ratio (profile) than the originals, tire and car manufacturers both generally agree and recommend that all four tires on a vehicle have the same specifications. There are certain exceptions, when front and rear tires may be slightly different, but this is uncommon.
Tires installed on the same axle, however, should always be the same in every characteristic.Tire speed rating is a system where the maximum safe traveling speed of a properly inflated tire is determined after that model tire has been tested. Each letter in the rating system indicates a specific maximum safe speed, with the most common rating being 'H', which translates to 130 MPH (210 kph). While there is a speed rating assigned to most every letter of the alphabet, car and truck tires generally fall between the letters Q and Z. Specific designations are listed below, followed by maximum speeds in MPH and kph.
As may seem obvious when looking at the above numbers, this is a system originally set up in Europe for speeds in kilometers per hour. With automobiles commonly traveling at triple-digit speeds on roads like the German Autobahn, the government there needed to devise a system to ensure that tires fitted on high-powered cars were capable of withstanding these types of speeds.
A higher tire speed rating equates to better heat resistance, increased stability and traction and enhanced braking, acceleration and cornering. It also typically means higher cost and a shorter life expectancy. It is not recommended to install tires of a lower tire speed rating, although the family sedan that came with 'H' rated tires will probably never see 130 MPH, under-inflated or overloaded tires may require the extra cushion of safety and stability.
Tires are one of the most critical components on any motor vehicle and play a vital role in safety, handling and performance alike. The saying, "where the rubber meets the road," has even crept into idiomatic usage in the English language to denote a critical time or moment of truth in a situation. This can be traced back to an old TV and radio advertising slogan used by one of the big tire companies 50 years ago. The fact remains that where the rubber meets the road, a car or truck's tires, is an important function and having the proper tires for a specific vehicle, in good shape and correctly inflated should be every driver's priority.
The Biography of a Tire
Tires are required to display certain information regarding their characteristics, called a tire code, which is usually molded into the outer sidewall. This alphanumeric series is descriptive of a variety of characteristics of that particular tire, including:
- Intended use (optional), such as P-passenger car, LT-light truck, ST-special trailer or T-temporary
- Width
- Sidewall height or profile, expressed as a percentage of width, formally known as aspect ratio
- Type of tire, such as radial or bias-ply
- Wheel diameter on which this tire can be installed
- Tire load index
- Speed rating
- Indication of whether this tire is designed for use in mud and/or snow (optional)
As an example, the tire code P215/65R15 95H M+S indicates a passenger car radial tire that is 215 millimeters wide, has an aspect ratio of 65% and is made to fit on a 15" rim. The tire load index is 95 (690 kg or 1500 lb) and the speed rating is H (up to 130 MPH or 210 km/h). The M+S indicates mud and snow use, or an all-season tire.
Tire Load Index
The tire load index indicates the maximum amount of weight that a specific tire is designed to carry. It is an industry standard expressed in a number from 0 to 279, although most passenger vehicle tires have a tire load index of somewhere between 62 and 126.
Consulting a chart that lists the various tire load index numbers and the corresponding weight limits for each will give the appropriate information needed to determine if a particular tire is suitable for use on a specific vehicle. A new car owner's manual will give the recommended load index for that vehicle and, while it is acceptable to go to a higher load index tire, one should never opt for a tire with a lower index number. If it is decided to replace an original tire with one bearing a higher tire load index, both tires on an axle must be swapped out at the same time, as it is not recommended to have two tires of differing load capacities on the same axle. While it is generally recommended that all four tires on a vehicle carry the same rating, changing out both front tires or both rear tires is acceptable in this instance.
A vehicle tire must be able to safely support the weight of the vehicle itself plus the weight of all passengers and additional cargo. For a car with a gross vehicle weight of 4,000 pounds, carrying four adult passengers of 200 pounds each and no cargo, the minimum load rating for each tire should be 4000+800/4 or 1200 for each of the four tires, which is a load index of 87. It is important to realize that, in order for these load capacities to be accurate, tire inflation pressure must be as recommended, usually 35 lb front and rear. Tires carrying an 'XL' designation allow for higher inflation pressures and greater load capacities.
Low profile tires, though introduced by the automotive industry decades ago, have recently become a quite trendy option for which vehicle owners are opting. For many, the appearance factor is the clincher in the decision to go low profile, although there are other advantages as well. More and more cars are now being manufactured and sold with low profile tires as original equipment, however, aftermarket purchase of these tires is also strong as more drivers are choosing to replace the rubber that came standard on their cars, trucks and SUVs with a low-profile alternative. As with most aftermarket add-ons there is a trade-off associated with going low profile and, at the end of the day, the decision to do so is simply a personal choice.
How Are Low Profile Tires Different?
'Low profile' is descriptive of a tire's sidewall height, also known as the aspect ratio. Simply stated, this is the amount of rubber between the surface of the ground on which the tire sits and the outer edge of the wheel rim on which the tire is mounted. Tires have a size code molded into the sidewall and this code contains information specific to the tire. In the example size code P225/50R16, the first three-digit number, 225, denotes the tire as being 225 millimeters wide, from the inner to the outer sidewall, at its widest point, when mounted. The two-digit number following the slash (/) denotes the tire's aspect ratio or 'profile.' It is expressed as a percentage of the first number, the width. In the above example, where the aspect ratio is 50, the sidewall height would be 50% of the tire width, or 112.5 millimeters. Tires are generally considered low profile if their aspect ratio is 50 or less.
Yokohama S.drive 225/35R17 Vs. Yokohama AVID P225/60R17
S.drive has a 23.1" diameter and weighs 20.5 pounds.
AVID has a 27.7" diameter and weighs 28 pounds.
Advantages To Low Profile Tires
The two advantages most often cited for going low profile are performance and appearance. When vehicle owners want to graduate to bigger wheels on their rigs it may be necessary to install low profile tires in order for the wheels to fit into the wheel wells. Putting low profile rubber on a car's stock wheels will bring it lower to the ground, providing a racier look that some desire. Low profile tires are generally smaller in diameter than their high profile counterparts, which means they must make more revolutions to travel the same distance as a bigger tire. This causes the engine to work harder and will have a negative impact on fuel economy. However, owners rarely simply switch to low profile tires on stock wheels because of the reduced overall diameter. Instead, they upgrade using a Plus 1, Plus 2 or Plus 3 system that the tire and wheel industry has adopted to install larger wheels with wider tires, yet maintain the same overall tire diameter.
Lower profile tires definitely add to handling performance on dry roads, although they don't behave nearly as well in snow due to the fact that many low profile tires are not all season rated and lack the compounding, tread design and sipping required for snow driving. On dry roads the shorter sidewalls have less sidewall flex and cornering is easier and smoother, handling is crisper and there is more feedback from the road to the steering wheel, which many drivers like. Other advantages include:
- Better stability and traction afforded by a bigger, wider footprint
- Less rubber used in manufacturing equals less weight
- Higher speed ratings and heat buildup under severe use
The Other Side of the Coin
Disadvantages to running on low profile tires also exist, besides the fact that they are not very good when the roads get snowy or icy. Because a tire's sidewall helps eliminate road noise, tires with shorter sidewalls are typically noisier and the ride is harsher when being driven over bumpy roads. Traditional high profile tires are also able to absorb impacts from potholes and curbs. The smaller sidewalls of low profile tires are less forgiving with impacts and many times result in damaged sidewalls seen as bulges or actual ruptures and very often bent wheel rims. In addition, high-performance low profile tires are often manufactured with a softer rubber material to give them a better grip on the road, which means their tread life may be significantly shorter than other tires.
The best strategy when selecting a lower profile tire is moderation. Don't go for the lowest profile possible, especially if you use your vehicle for everyday transportation. Select a Plus 1 fitment that will give you the looks and performance you are looking for, without the expense and headaches of ultra-low profile tires.
Owners of SUVs, light trucks and vans have lots of choices when it comes to selecting tires for their vehicles, but when it comes to the ideal combination of style, performance and affordability, not much can touch the Hankook Dynapro Atm RF10. Hankook Tire, based in Seoul, South Korea, with its American division located in Wayne, NJ, has succeeded in producing a premium all-terrain tire that has been rated at the top of its class by enthusiasts and rating organizations alike. With Hankook tires now being installed as original equipment (OEM) for the likes of Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, GM and International, the general public is becoming more aware of the high quality tires produced by the world's eighth largest tire manufacturer.
Hankook Dynapro ATm RF10 Premium All-Terrain Tires
While the company produces approximately 50 million high performance and ultra-high performance tires per year for use on passenger cars, light and medium trucks, SUVs, vans and buses, the innovative Dynapro line designed and manufactured by this market-driven, technology-focused company has really been making waves. Four Wheeler Magazine says it performs 'very, very well,' on both roads and trails. They go on to say the tire is 'very capable – more so than we had expected.'
Motor Trend Magazine's 'Truck Trend' tested the Hankook Dynapro Atm RF10 against two of the industry's leading competitors on the trails and twisting highways near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, CA, and came away declaring the Hankook 'the clear winner.' This is a tire that performs well both on- and off-road, compromising performance in neither area.
This premium all-terrain tire, originally developed for high high-powered pick-up trucks, simply delivers the very best acceleration and grip both on the highway and off -- at a price that is more affordable than most of its lesser competitors. The manufacturer's use of proprietary innovations and leading-edge technology have enabled them to produce a great quality tire at a great price, and experts agree that the Hankook Dynapro Atm RF10 is the perfect choice for consumers looking for maximum performance at minimum cost. Here are some of the model's unique and beneficial character traits:
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Wraparound Tread -provides excellent traction, especially in mud and snow, and protects against cuts, punctures and impact breaks.
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Rim Cushion - protects the wheels from rock and curb damage and also protects the sidewall from separation that could occur when low tire pressures are used.
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Wide Tread Design - wider footprint than most conventional all-terrain tires, a tiger-tooth tread pattern incorporates deep sipes in a two-step configuration (wave kerf) which helps improve cornering, enhances performance in wet, dry and icy conditions and also extends tread life.
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Scallop Grooves - patent-pending design, these grooves between the tread blocks increase traction in off-road driving. Additional angled side grooves on the outer tread blocks provide a self-cleaning capability to push away mud and other debris. Center and shoulder grooves incorporate stone ejectors which help prevent damage and enhance handling capabilities.
Sizes and Prices
Because of extremely high demand, far out-pacing manufacturer forecasts, 24 additional sizes of the Hankook Dynapro Atm RF10 have recently been brought to market, bringing the total number of sizes now available to 59. Whether tires are being considered for a pick-up, SUV or van, there is most likely a Dynapro ATm RF10 to fit the bill. Tires are available to fit wheels between 15- 22 inches. Although prices vary considerably, depending on the outlet, average cost per tire seems to be in the $150 range, although TreadSource.com is selling the RF10s for as low as $102.
The folks at General Tire certainly have something to shout about with the way their General Grabber HTS tires have been received by reviewers and the public alike. Everywhere one looks, accolades issue forth regarding this 'wonder tire', so aptly dubbed by Four Wheeler Magazine. Consumer Reports rates the General Grabber HTS #1 after its stringent testing and, amazingly, what looks to be the very best tire for SUVs, full-size vans, crossovers and light trucks is also one of the most affordable to buy. The Grabber beat out every tire in its class, many of which are priced significantly higher.
Another well-known, independent rating organization put the General Grabber HTS through a series of 22 tests, head-to-head against comparable models from Bridgestone and Pirelli and the HTS came out number one in every single trial. It was rated:
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Best in handling
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Best in ride comfort
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Lowest noise level
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Best performance, best steering response, best braking and best handling predictability on both wet and dry surfaces
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Best overall track rating
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Shortest stopping distance, best lap time and best slalom time on both wet and dry surfaces
General Tire, a subsidiary of Continental AG, the fourth largest tire maker in the world, has used cutting edge technology to produce an all-season tire
that exhibits uncompromising performance qualities whether being driven on dry roads, wet roads or even on snow and ice. Four of these key performance technologies include:
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Duragen - General Tire's term for the ultra-strong steel belts, microfiber three-ply intra-mesh corded casing and broad casing contour that puts more tire on the ground surface and makes Grabber the toughest tire on the road.
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Eco-ride - Advanced tread compound molded into a symmetric tread design to help improve fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.
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Adaptive Performance - This includes a specially designed system of connecting bars (called Stabilink) for improved cornering, braking and acceleration. Response grooves improve steering. Hydro channels eject water from between treads and minimize hydroplaning. Three different types of siping improve traction on wet, dry or snow-covered roads.
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Comfort Balance - An internal tread cushioning system provides isolation from road vibration, promoting a smoother, quieter and more comfortable riding experience.
The General Grabber HTS is manufactured from a unique compound that remains extremely flexible even at sub-freezing temperatures. This, in conjunction with the thousands of sipes cut into each tire, give it a grabbing ability that is unequaled by any other all-season tire and even by some tires made specifically for snow driving. Reading through some of the many online testimonials from consumers who have had the opportunity to drive on these tires it becomes apparent that, of the many options available for use on SUVs, trucks and vans, the Grabber HTS is a top choice to consider.
These tires come in virtually all of the popular sizes and have a 60,000 mile limited tread wear warranty for specific speed ratings (T and below) and a 45,000 mile limited warranty for others (H and above). The company even includes a 45-day free trial period, so sure are they that once a driver has experienced the quiet, comfortable and agile ride these tires provide they would not think about trading them in for another brand. Add to this the fact that a new set of Continental Grabber HTS tires can be purchased at a substantial savings when compared to some of the name-brand competition that lost out in the head-to-head comparison testing and the buyer has what is known as a best-case scenario -- top quality for the best price. Here's one instance where the old adage, "you get what you pay for," may need to be reconsidered!