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Technical Mud tyres for Panda 4x4?
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You'll be lucky to find aggressive "off road" tyres that fit the normal profile, they just don't make them as they don't really work the way you think.
Mud tyres have a very "tall" profile to help deflection (along with lower pressures) and quite a lot wider to sit on the mud and spread the weight than the Panda can cope with without modification or really needs, it's so light it can do without for most usage.
They need to be bigger to account for the open tread as well.
The bigger the tyre, the bigger the open thread blocks on it, so smaller equals smaller tread.
Most 4x4's need "lifted" suspension to fit these taller profile sorts of tyres under the arches, quite often smaller rims are needed, but with a much larger overall tyre profile to give the desired "lifted" effect.
They also ruin the ride on road, you'll be cursing it after just a few minutes on a dual carriageway, the vibration and noise will be unbearable on anything but a quick spin to the local shop.
You'll upset the steering, without spacers most lose a lot of steering lock due to them fouling bodywork or suspension parts (but spacers make the track wider and give wheel arch cover problems)
You'll upset the handling and braking (they grip mud well, but turn wet tramac to ice) making it almost undrivable, you'll also undoubtedly invalidate your warranty and likely your insurance as well.
Mud tyres have a very "tall" profile to help deflection (along with lower pressures) and quite a lot wider to sit on the mud and spread the weight than the Panda can cope with without modification or really needs, it's so light it can do without for most usage.
They need to be bigger to account for the open tread as well.
The bigger the tyre, the bigger the open thread blocks on it, so smaller equals smaller tread.
Most 4x4's need "lifted" suspension to fit these taller profile sorts of tyres under the arches, quite often smaller rims are needed, but with a much larger overall tyre profile to give the desired "lifted" effect.
They also ruin the ride on road, you'll be cursing it after just a few minutes on a dual carriageway, the vibration and noise will be unbearable on anything but a quick spin to the local shop.
You'll upset the steering, without spacers most lose a lot of steering lock due to them fouling bodywork or suspension parts (but spacers make the track wider and give wheel arch cover problems)
You'll upset the handling and braking (they grip mud well, but turn wet tramac to ice) making it almost undrivable, you'll also undoubtedly invalidate your warranty and likely your insurance as well.
Good advice Goudrons - Panda just needs All Seasons or Winters to tackle pretty much anything you can throw at it.
Goudrons thank you for your answer.
I am aware of the problems that a lift can cause, as an ex-owner of an LR Defender heavily modified.
I will disagree with you, that mud tyres have to be "a lot wider to sit in the mud". You can see the specifications of the Camel Trophy Defenders which were wearing the magnificinet Michelin XZL 16x9 (which is narrower than the 235/85/16 of stock Defenders). It is all down the type of mud you want to cross, but generaly narrower is better for most types of mud.
On the other hand I will agree with you on the fact that tyres have to be bigger for the bigger tread, sure.
Not so sure that panda can cope with lots of mud cause its lightweight though.. I've been stuck once, thats why I am looking for mud tyres
I am aware of the problems that a lift can cause, as an ex-owner of an LR Defender heavily modified.
I will disagree with you, that mud tyres have to be "a lot wider to sit in the mud". You can see the specifications of the Camel Trophy Defenders which were wearing the magnificinet Michelin XZL 16x9 (which is narrower than the 235/85/16 of stock Defenders). It is all down the type of mud you want to cross, but generaly narrower is better for most types of mud.
On the other hand I will agree with you on the fact that tyres have to be bigger for the bigger tread, sure.
Not so sure that panda can cope with lots of mud cause its lightweight though.. I've been stuck once, thats why I am looking for mud tyres
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I regularly get mine "dirty", nearly once every Sunday it ventures off road, lately the conditions have been pretty mean.
There's more Sussex in the footwells than in Sussex!
I do a lot of off road motorcycle events and pull a bike trailer over some pretty filthy farm tracks, fields, farmyards, woods and boggy meadows without any trouble.
The last event I went to saw an XC90, New Rangie and a Defender (Defender was shod in some mean Cooper STT's) bog down and need a tractor to pull them clear, while I did a lap waving goodbye to everyone!
The car is so light, it's not digging in and sinking, ripping up the ground. Once or twice after it's been left parked up all day it's sank enough to require a bit of gentle throttle and a rock to climb out, but otherwise it's hardly bruised the surface and managed to grip pretty much anything needed.
I've found it's limits and it's not been grip, but rather approach angle.
The front bumper/splitter underneath is far too low, so much so I'm considering cutting the splitter lip off.
There's more Sussex in the footwells than in Sussex!
I do a lot of off road motorcycle events and pull a bike trailer over some pretty filthy farm tracks, fields, farmyards, woods and boggy meadows without any trouble.
The last event I went to saw an XC90, New Rangie and a Defender (Defender was shod in some mean Cooper STT's) bog down and need a tractor to pull them clear, while I did a lap waving goodbye to everyone!
The car is so light, it's not digging in and sinking, ripping up the ground. Once or twice after it's been left parked up all day it's sank enough to require a bit of gentle throttle and a rock to climb out, but otherwise it's hardly bruised the surface and managed to grip pretty much anything needed.
I've found it's limits and it's not been grip, but rather approach angle.
The front bumper/splitter underneath is far too low, so much so I'm considering cutting the splitter lip off.
