The new off road tire for vans and SUVs by Loder Tires
Since the introduction of the EU tire label, the number of off-road tires that can be approved has been falling steadily and is now approaching zero for some formats. Because the big tire manufacturers only “label” tire types and dimensions for Europe that promise correspondingly high sales figures in the EU countries. Especially hit by these restrictions are niche sizes for Pickups and 4×4 Camping Vans.
Their rough profile tires have to comply with the EU Tire Label’s exacting criteria; the biggest hurdle here is often the noise emission limit. Developing a tire that conforms to the stringent regulations and offers the features needed by SUVs and Vans, that seek to travel the world proved to be quite the challenge. Hoever that’s where the old adage “where there’s a will there’s a way” comes in. It’s one that delta4x4, the Bavarian off road tuning specialist, firmly believes in. SUV off road tires are delta4x4’s forte.
The tire size 33×12,5R18 or 305/60R18 in metric measurements is of great use for lifted trucks and other off-roaders, however Vans and SUVs meant for international exploration put the emphasis not on the rugged profile or the large sidewall but on the load the tire is rated for. After all, carrying an entire household plus supplies, water and certain comforts does add up quite quickly. Since no tire could offer these features delta4x4 themselves stepped in. Their development team created its own tailor made off road tire for European operating conditions.
The southern German off road specialist delta4x4 presents the world premiere of its first multi-terrain tire: the Loder AT#1! The Loder AT#1 is classed as a C2 – a light truck tire – not only bridging the gap between the traditional mud and the all terrain tire but also offering much higher load ratings than typically seen on off road tires on these dimensions. The development team achieved this by extending the tread blocks into the tire shoulder, thus ensuring excellent grip not only on loose dry sand but also in muddy passages.
Additionally a side profile provides protection against damage from sharp stones and other obstacles. The new LoderAT#1 in the dimension 255/55R18 118T has the style of an all terrain tire with relatively small tread blocks that allow well balanced handling and low rolling noise. Furthermore horizontal negative space aids the tires performance in rainy or snowy conditions practically giving the tire the ability to “bite” the corresponding surface.
As of 2019 the dimension 33×12,5R18 is available. In spring 2022 the Loder Tire AT#1 with the dimensions 255/55R18 hit european markets. Its load index is 118 (1,320kg payload) and it has a speed marking of T (190km/h). Seemingly ensuring that no supplies or other appliances have to sacrificied to satisfy the tires load rating. It is also marked with the snowflake symbol “Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake”, which identifies it as a fully fledged winter tire in accordance with European guidelines. Its EU tire label values are: Rolling resistance “C”, wet grip “D” and noise emission 73 dB.
The LoderTire AT#1 has been specially designed and developed in Germany to meet european on- and off road requirements. It’s being produced by renowned Chinese tire manufacturers which partnered with delta4x4 to uphold the high standards in production as well. Other tire dimensions will follow.
An interesting blog post on the subject of off-road rims / tires can be found at our trade partner felgenshop.de
