Crosswind M / T
In this review, we will tell you about the mud tires that are in the range of the Chinese brand Crosswind M / T. It is clear that mud tires are not the most demanded category of automobile rubber. And that is why a quality mud tire is expensive. But the tires we are going to tell you about are relatively inexpensive.
So the Crosswind M / T are affordable mud tires designed for light trucks and SUVs. But, before proceeding with the review of this model, let's decide what should be the mud tires.
About mud tires in general
There are many varieties of off-road tires, but M / T (Mud Terrain) tires stand out. In a few words, the mud tire is most prepared for off-road conditions, as it effectively passes not only on dry soil but also on dirt, that is, on soil softened from moisture.
It is not difficult to recognize a mud tire, since it is equipped with the most pronounced lugs, which bite into low-density surfaces and pull the car along with them. Of course, lugs that protrude strongly above the surface of the tire are good on soft or generally liquefied soils.
But on hard road surfaces, the pronounced tread prevents rolling.
But let's not forget that mud tires are not a universal solution, but an excellent choice for operating a car in the off-season, when, for example, snow has melted from rough terrain and an ordinary off-road tire simply slips when overcoming hills.
Among the main requirements for mud tires, we note the following:
- High tread profile. The lugs must protrude from the surface of the tire to engage in low-density soil.
- Effective tread pattern. There are many varieties of lug locations. However, to this day, the best option is diagonally beveled blocks that form a "herringbone".
- Tread strength. Considering the high lug height for mud tires, particularly durable rubber is selected. The tread is especially durable, which does not wear off for a long time even when driving on dense ground with low air pressure in the cylinders.
How well does Crosswind M / T meet these requirements?
Specifications
- Brand / Model: Crosswind M / T
- Manufacturer: Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd.
- Country: China
- Type of tires: mud / off-road.
- Purpose: light trucks, SUVs, other four-wheel-drive vehicles.
- Seasonality: all-season.
- Tread height: 14.7-16mm
- Tire Aspect Ratio: 75
- Design features radial frame, reinforced sidewalls, reinforcement of the central rib with metal belts.
Transport compatibility
Crosswind M / T tires are specially designed to unleash the potential of 4WD vehicles. These tires are guaranteed to fit compact SUVs, full-size SUVs, and light trucks that operate primarily on rough terrain.
The only thing you should pay attention to when buying these tires is the standard sizes since the choice of standard sizes in the model line is wide.
Driving performance
As already mentioned, the Crosswind M / T allows you to maximize the potential of an all-wheel-drive vehicle. But even with a single axle drive, a car equipped with these tires will go off-road much better.
The tires provide excellent handling on gravel embankments and even sand. Crosswind M / T is suitable for overcoming fords, for driving on washed-out dirt roads and other equally problematic surfaces.
These tires are not the best choice for driving on asphalt, but they perform just as well on public roads as any other all-season off-road rubber. Otherwise, the Crosswind M / T, despite its pronounced tread, is a very balanced tire that provides optimal directional stability on flat road surfaces. In other words, moving along the road in a straight line, you do not have to constantly steer, so as not to lead to the side. However, this characteristic of tires is relevant if everything is in order with the chassis of the car.
Construction and production materials
As already mentioned, increased demands are placed on the strength and reliability of mud tires. Therefore, the Crosswind M / T design uses a radial frame with a particularly dense weave of belts. This solution makes the tire heavier, but at the same time provides the highest possible strength and reliability.
In addition to a dense and reliable carcass, the tires are reinforced with metal belts running along the central rib. This technology is a standard Linglong Tire solution. This manufacturer reinforces most of its tires in this way, assuming that the metal belts provide even tread pressure to the road. On the ground, this advantage is not particularly important. But if the car is used on asphalt, the uniform adherence of the tread to the road over the entire contact area ensures that the tread wears off much longer, which will have a positive effect on the duration of the tire's life.
An important advantage of the tires in the Crosswind range is the self-cleaning function. In short, when driving on open ground, stones are packed into the tread. Debris in the tread clearances destroys the tire. The self-cleaning function helps to remove stones from the tread grooves if the car is traveling at a speed of at least 40 mi / h.
Crosswind M / T is a tubeless tire, and therefore the most rigid bead rings are used here, which provide the tightest tire pressure to the rim. Moreover, the inner surface of these tires is covered with a thin, but quite dense layer of latex. As a result, the wheel retains its original air pressure much longer than with other tires.
When molding the tread, a rubber compound of 2 dozen ingredients is used, including high-quality synthetic rubber, silicon dioxide, sulfur, resins. Observance of certain proportions ensures the strength of the fastening of the lugs to the tire and the resistance of the lugs to abrasion. Thus, the longevity of the tread is largely determined by the type and composition of the production materials.
Combination of price and quality
When choosing mud tires in any specialty store, you will notice that their price is at least half the price of similar tires from other brands. Why is this happening and how is affordable price combined with quality and reliability?
The affordable price is due to the lack of awareness and popularity of the brand in the western market. Linglong Tire is well known in Southeast Asia. Moreover, this company is today considered one of the largest Chinese car tire manufacturers. Until recently, practically nothing was known about this company in the west. To attract Western buyers, Linglong Tire sells its products at very attractive prices. We do not know how long this situation will last, but as long as there is such an opportunity, we use this advantage and buy good tires inexpensively.
Now, briefly about the quality of budget tires. Despite the affordable price, the tires presented in the Crosswind model line are manufactured using the most modern equipment using advanced technologies. The materials used to make Crosswind tires are the same as those used by the world's leading tire brands. Moreover, Linglong Tire has implemented a multi-stage quality control of finished products at its factories. So why can't Crosswind M / T tires be of good quality?
By the way, the manufacturer's warranty for these tires is 40 thousand miles, which is another proof of the high quality.