Special Tracks

[dxmedia]

Or am I just being too hyper sensitive. It seems that all of the lanes around here have the tell tail sign of special tracks, whilst other tyres, whilst leaving an imprint don't seem to claw away the sides of the ruts / banks anything like as much.

[mass199]

Trouble is every man and his dog are using them. When i go out in a group and see people using them i cringe.

[lambert]

i love special traks as the look on their users faces when i drive past on my at's is priceless, same as lifts and lockers and winches, there really is next to no need for such stuff on a byway and if there were the need why are you driving there?

[hairyasswelder]

bit of a strange one  8-[

I think its probably better to leave recognisable tyre treads than a great long wheelspinning skid mark but if you 'NEED' insa's for laning you are either a poo driver or going down lanes that are probably best left for better weather

I do feel they are slightly OTT for laning but I have them on mine as I also like the odd 'pay and get stuck and laughed at'

[muddy90]

so what you sayin is that we need 2 sets of tyres one for play days and one for lanes , i have seen people with them stupid ats stuck on lanes wheel spining digging the lanes up makin big ruts and useing winches damaging trees , the special tracks dont wheel spin cause no damage just leave a nice tread pattern so no need for winching and pulling trees down if you go laneing you need to go equiped not to get stuck , i have seen 3 4x4s tied together  trieing to pull the numpty out who wanted to use tires that cause no damage , resulting in more damage caused than sending a tractor down the lane

[dxmedia]

I've just sold on my simex which I used only for P&P sites...

 :lol: :lol:

[kizz81]

i agree with chris and steve here,

[M6GKX]

Ok, I've no idea what tread pattern these 'special tracks' look like. Obviously I've not been paying attention  :oops:  :oops: However on the choice of tyres and treads, I can only afford the one set and they will stay with the vehicle until the need replacing.

I'm guessing that the next time I have to buy tyres it will be more M&S than AT but we'll cross that burning bridge when we get there in a few years time ;)

I do agree that 'agressive' tyres on green lanes can cause more than just physical damage, there is also the image to greenlaners by others who see them in use. However, straight road tyres can also cause as much damage by inexperienced users or just using lanes for 'play' sites.

[dxmedia]

Here's a picture. OK they are extream trekker coppied, but I guess a few more people have bought the special tracks / Lions....

[dxmedia]

The most aggressive mud terrian tyre which the MSA rule book will alow is the Simex Jungle Trekker 2's, they concider the Extream Trekker too aggressive for mud terrain classification and move them into the 'aggressive' catagory.

This catagory also includes Insa Turbo Special Tracks

First hit on google for MSA mud tyres

http://awdc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=134:msa-tyre-list&catid=47:technical-updates&Itemid=72

So, motor sport concider these tyres too aggressive for the classification of 'mud tyre', and people still think that they are ok on green lanes, where there's a strong argument that mud tyres are too aggressive and only all terrains should be used (Im in the MT camp of not causing spin)?

[mass199]

I've got kl71's on my 90 and Bfg muds on the disco and they never run out of traction if you lower the pressures to around 18psi.
If i get stuck it's because the axles have bottomed out, remember if you can reverse your not stuck.

 Don't get me wrong Simex, Boggers and Special tracks etc will give you more grip in deep bottomless bogs and will allow you to cover the ground quicker and be more in control in challenge events etc, but you are in a competition so to be competitive you will need them, but you don't need them on green lanes, it's not a competition.

[doda456]

As i run marix lions heres by contribution:

They are way overkill for most 99% of all situations,   but when u need a bit of extra grip they will give it to u.


They do have phenomal amounts of grip, driving around pay and plays they will get you all over the place with ease.


On pay and plays they usually get u a few more feet before u get stuck and have to use a winch.

Oh and the road noise is horrendous above 40mph

[V8MoneyPit]

Oh and the road noise is horrendous above 40mph

And on the road grip is likely to be poor, particularly in the wet. Am I right? In fact, all proper MT's compromise grip on wet tarmac due to the lack of water dispersal sipes. The blocks are like a series of slick tyres and you would never consider using slicks in the wet.

But back to the OP....
I too feel that very aggressive tyres are overkill for lanes. If they are needed, the lane is likely to be in a state that means it shouldn't be driven in the first place.
However, I can fully appreciate the cost of owning two sets of wheels and tyres. So if the Special Tracks, etc are "needed" for use elsewhere, then they are a perfectly good choice. But.... if they are being used for challenge events, it is quite likely you can afford two sets of wheels and tyres since it cost you

[glaggs]

OK - currently running Special Tracks - not by choice, my latest truck had a set of nearly new fitted when I bought it. When I can afford it I'll be replacing with BFGs as they offer a better all round performance ie Road/Lane/P&P. As for the arguement; well I've seen AT's make a mess because the driver decided to spin his way along a track and Simex type treads leave only a small imprint as they grip and progress. I have also seen the reverse, and for that matter lanes messed up by horses, walkers etc. Its an endless aguement which current Global warming, tree hugging PC propaganda   means that no matter how responsibly we behave we're still going to loose.

Its also an arguement that has already been decided for us. Simex Trekkers and similar extreme MT patters don't comply with the new noise regs for tyres and so can no longer be sold for road use. Because the Insa Turbo Special Tracks are remoulds they currently don't have to conform - but its only a matter of time.

[paul_humphreys]

I will ad my little bit.

It is not the tyres that the problem when laneing, it is the DRIVER.

I know someone who lanes with 36" Simex ET2s and leaves very little signs of where has been. I have also come across people on road tyres who have made lots of mes and needed towing to the end of the lane.

Paul

[M6GKX]

Yes Paul, I can see your point, but it's one of those things. Everyone wants to do it their own way and most don't like being told what to do. Human Nature, alas :(

[McGuire]

 I find the BFG tread pattern is about the best to go for. Does a good job in most circumstances. And I can ALWAYS tell when those on more aggressive tyres have gone before on the lanes!

[disco2 td5]

I run bfg at on mine and on the lanes there pritty good only been stuck a handful of times because the diffs have hit or I've cross axled it
Now on pay n play days if it's really muddy I'm stuck every 5 mins

As for walkers they use the lanes that we can use because we keep the grass short. The lanes only walkers can use nobody uses because the grass is that long it's like walkin in a jungle

Now Laning if you do it on a motobike or in a landrover your the most hated person in the country 

Rant over

[Disco Matt]

I don't like them outside competitions.

Why do you need them? I've yet to find a sensible lane which can't be tackled on a good set of M/Ts (BFG or Kumho KL71 rather than Simex copies). The road noise and lack of wet weather grip would really annoy me, and we've already seen what can happen if a modded 4x4 gets out of hand on the road when pushed into a situation by another road user.

Fit some less aggressive M/Ts and make up the difference with driving skill. I only changed from my old BFG A/Ts because they were down to 5mm of tread and a pain in mud.

[muddy90]

well i use my car on lanes with road tyres if you have to use a landrover with mud tyres on then the lane must be in such a state that it should not be used

[Disco Matt]

I think it depends on the lane in that scenario. I enjoy going out in the snow, where road tyres wouldn't cut it. We had enough trouble with assorted A/T and M/T patterns (nothing more aggressive than a BFG M/T) on snow-covered smooth rock last year!

[M6GKX]

Yes, aggressive treads in snow are better as you say. The scenario is where it counts.  A friend in our club has a decent set of road wheels and a another set for laning. They are not aggressive but they also double up as his 'winter' tyre. But then, he has the storage facilities and I do not

[Disco Matt]

I have the space, but lack the funds or inclination to fiddle around swapping wheels in the cold. I'd rather buy one decent set of tyres which aren't horrible on road and which I know will cope with 95% of sensible off-tarmac use. Next time I'm after 245/75 R16 Kumho KL71s, as I know they'll fit with only a little bit of cutting, will give a bit more clearance, and the tread pattern seems to get rave reviews for people who want good all rounders.

If there's a big mud hole on a P&P which people on 33" Simex are getting stuck in then I won't go near it (well, no nearer than I need to get to throw them a rope and tow them out from solid ground)!

[muddy90]

you all sound like ramblers you know you should not do this on a forum you are giveing more fodder to the antis to get us band from lanes at the end of the day its not 4x4s that do all the damage its the tractors and crop sprayers with 100 foot wheels  , if you going to drive on mud you need mud tyres thats why it says mud tyres on the side , there is no point getting half way down and thinking o no theres a hole with water in it what do i do now , how many of you turn round not many most drive thruw if some one gets stuck the first thing that happens is every one gets out with the camera taking pictures and laughing , . if you use ats then walk down the lane first to see if you can drive it safely with out haveing to call on some one with mud tyres to tow you out

[squaddie_fox]

I just got some traction tracks, done about ten miles so don't know what they are like to drive in the mud, but I have seen some on a P&P site do really well. They are an aggressive tread pattern but are an AT, lugs almost as deep as my old special tracks. I used to use the special tracks on my daily driver, Which was a V8 two door, only time it lost traction was on ice when i wanted it to.

[john656]

I will ad my little bit.

It is not the tyres that the problem when laneing, it is the DRIVER.


Paul

Totally agree. I run Insa Saharas and if i wanted to i could stop on the green lanes around here, open centre diff and dig holes untill i was bored. Theres no doubting that MT's will tear up and move more earth than others BUT surely at some point that the drivers common sense should come into play.

[disco2 td5]

Yea common sense should be used on lanes feel like your getting stuck get out have a look n evaluate the situation  not sit there with your foot welded to the flood digging great big holes

[Chris Putt]

At the offroad centre i work at both of our offroaders run Special track, and we drive a mixture of a designated 'tuition' area and the forestry tracks rouns and about. The ground in the tuition area is a mixture of rock and bottomless peat. Previously, the company ran one vehicle on A/Ts (BFG I think from memory) and a set of Grizzly claws. The special tracks do make a bit of a mess on the Really claggy peat but else where- where you can just take advantage of the grip and drive more slowly, I would say that they seem to make less mess that the previous two sets of tyres as they maintain grip rather than spinning. On the road, the only time I find you have to be a bit more careful and really notice a major difference is when roads are drying out and you get wet sections and dry sections where the difference in grip, say mid corner varies dramatically.

We use the tracks more or less every day and on our greenlane type routes around the forestry I have not noticed a difference, however our quads do make a right mess!

[Ja1983]

I've just gonr for some insa saharas, special tracks just seem justified if theres 2 foot of snow, and your planning on driving over a clay pit..

think this thread is boardering into "whats the best tyre" debate..

tyres are the most important part of any vehicle, they are the only part in contact with the road surface. I chose my tyres based on what i presently do, and intend on doing. not what everyone else is doing.

I think special tracks are overkill for most green lanes, but agree that road biased tyres can cause short term damage through spinning.. howver, spinning a deep aggressive tread will ripp up far more material than a road tyre.

[jay2578]

I do everything on my synchro 4x4 road tyres, little slip now and again but that just adds to the fun on the really muddy corners!