What/Which Tyres?

[Angha]

I still have my tyres that came with my Toyota Prado but it is not that good in the sand. It most probably wont be any good in wet dirt either.
My tyres are still in very good condition but I want to change it to a more offroad friendly tyres. I was even thinking of getting five new offroad friendly tyres with wheels and use it when needed. However we go offroad only once every quarter.
What do you guys think, what would you do.

What tyres would you suggest. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Angha

[revs57]

Mate the BFG All Terrain are probably the benchmark for an off road tyre...extra ply in the side wall...can make them a little stiff for good floatation in sand, but still see plenty of 4x's wearing them on the beach.

I went the Goodyear Wrangler A/T R...still get good side wall strength with a little more floatation benefit than the BFG...have been very happy with them...we have 90,000klm on them...obviously nearly shot at those klms so we are ready to change them over (on a Holden Frontera) will replace them with another set of wrangler A/T R's about $225ish each...there are plenty cheaper but I'm pretty sure because we got such a good run out of this set, we'll go another

Cheers

rhys

[revs57]

Your call if you want to have a set separate for off road use, but I couldn't afford to have a set of wheels and tyres sitting around being used only every now and then, and you'd probably need to chat to a tyre expert about the perish factor after a few years...I know all the Jap imports cars have to change their tyres for aussie compliance and I think it has something to do with tyres being over 5 years old? Someone may have clearer info on this aspect of your post.

But for me...I'd go with a medium tread like the A/T R or BFG all terrains and be done with it...you may even be able to trade your current tyres in...in the deal...

cheers

rhys

[Angha]

Thanks guys.

What do you think of Coopers all terran, any thought on them.

How good are they on the sand/ mud etc?

[cooky]

http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1134937565/30

check the link above to a thread I recently blabbed on about my new tyres. To be honest with you, unless you'd like a beefier LOOKING 4x4 and plan to do some more challenging 4x4ing, I would be suggesting you aim for the AT tread. BFG AT's are good and I'd definitely have a look at the NEW Coopers ATRs.
Don't look into the 60% road / 40% offroad bullsh*t that they go on about - just think about how challenging the 4x4ing will be (traction) when you actually do go (even once per quarter) and support available (other cars). I do 98% of driving on bitumen, but wanted to go for a mud / aggressive tyre because the trips I do do offroad in sand, etc I don't want to get stuck and I now like the ride comfort of the muds.
One of our regular spots is on beach and I noticed how well the STTs bagged out and floated on the sand (in bro-inlaws 4x4) compared to my ATs which slipped and sunk into the sand more.
I of course also like the look of the more aggressive tread.

[Elysium]

I dont care what anyone says...but tyres do carry sex appeal! ;D ;D

I run a set of 35" x 12.5" Wrangler MTR's on my HJ60...they have brilliant manners on road and off they are exceptional. Not quite up to the swampers and claws...but they hold their own.

I would rate them higher than the centipedes on wet rock though.

But at $350 ish a tyre they aint cheap. But you dont really need to run 35"s so a set of 31"s would be a lot cheaper.

[Blackened]

G'day
As soe of you may allready know I have a dual cab hilux...this is an '82 model, with a diesel. I run 35x15x11.5 BFG a/t and thair pretty damn good in all conditions. I've only been caught a couple of times when the mud i was in turned them into slicks, but with saying that... a set of diff locks would have pulled me out of that anyway. BFG gets my vote... tough, great wear rate and decent tread.
Dave

[muzz30]

I run BFG All Terrains and honestly they have proved to be great tyres especially in the sand.

[cooky]

in a prado you'd prob max out at 31 inch anyway. I have in the hilux. I wouldn't go any bigger anyway with fuel consumption and lagging performance. Diesels deal with the increase in tyre size much better - particularly the turbo models.

Oh I couldn't without a lift kit either - I've got milimetres spare on lock.

I agree with the statement about tyres looking sexy. I'm much happier with the look of the lux with muds on than the ATs, but BFG ATs have a more aggressive look than the coopers, so still look the goods

[BrandonH]

I had a 60 diesel with 31"x15 BFG ATs and they were great, good handling on road although a little noisy when they weared down to around 10% (may be the rust buckets fault though ::)) Anyways only thing i would say is to make sure the presure on them is done right!! I had 4 different people do a 90sec count letting them down b4 i got a presure gauge and had lots of problems getting stuck:( was bad conditions though as it was xmas at Di.. When i pulled in at hte servo i had 20 in the tyre i did, 32 in the other front, 35 in one of hte backs and 28 in the other back tyre!!!! I now don't let anyone do them without me checking them after with a gauge. 20psi did me fine on the beach also but most prefer 15psi i think..
cheers
Brandon..

[snakecatcher]

Go for BF Goodrich All Terrains - great on the sand and everywhere else for that matter. Had mine on for 40000ks and still going strong - reckon they are good for at least another 25000.

[Angha]

Thanks everyone for your input .... a bit to think about.

The next question is where do you usually shop for tyres in Brisbane ?

[Big_Kev]

I am running Cooper Discoverer ST's. Great around town and still realy good off the road with an agressive style tread.
In the wet on the bitumen it is as if they are glued to the road.
Very slight hum on the highway with the window down but nothing bad like an MTR.

[cooky]

whoops - forgot about the STs - go them. They are mid way between AT and MUD - nice tyres. never had them, but they get great wraps

[JewseeTHAT]

Don't put Goodyear Wrangler AT/R's on if you're going anywhere near rocky roads. Mine had done less than 3000 k's before they started losing chunks out of them and taking cuts between the blocks. I'll be lucky to get 20,000 k's out of them. The sidewalls are thin and allow too much lateral movement too.

[grayson]

I am running Cooper ST's on an 80 series cruiser and have done around 20,000kms now. I have to sya I do like them. They are noisier than the previous Kelly Safari AT's I had but it's not enough to anoy or bother me. I really have to say that I can't pick any difference in perfromance in sand compared to the Kelly's but they do the job well and are awesome on Gravel, wet bitumen and those wet dirt roads that get a coating of greasy mud a couple inches deep on them after the rain.

I like to run my tyres fairly low in pressuer around town but have had to pump them up to correct pressure due to a feathering at the edges. I have had no punctures and at the rate they are wearing I hope to get 50,000kms out of them.

I would recomend also trying to get a larger daimeter tyre than the std. This has an effect on spedo and low down power but is a great way to get a little more ground clearnace at the same time.

[SEC]

larger tyres also make for better fuel economy at cruise/highway driving

[Needmorerum]

Don't stress about longevity of tyres sitting around. I have a set of 38" Boggers that only get used twice or three times a year, they're nearly prehistoric now, about 3.5yrs old and they're fine. I also don't rotate the 5 tyres on my 80, and hav just put the spare, that has been there for two years onto the rims with the 4 new 33x12.5x16 BFG Muds that are now about 1500klms old.
When I used to run BFG AT's, I'd average around 100k klms out of them, the muds I am averaging around 75k klms.
I can't agree with Wranglers rating better then Centipedes on wet rock, but I can't agree that Muds are better in the sand then AT's either. I have contemplated getting another set of AT's just for sand work, as the muds dig a 4" hole every rotation, the AT's used to take a bit to dig in.
The whole idea of a mudder is to be able to throw the material out, whether it be mud or sand, to gain traction, of course if it throws it out, it has to get it from somewhere.
As much as I haven't tried them, don't rule out the Toyo OPEC either. My old man just put a set on his new Hilux after I chased down some info on some of the 4WD forums and the feedback from those that actually use them was positive.

My thoughts, hope they help,
Corry

[tonyp]

Well I just ordered a set of Cooper ATR' 265/70/R15 for my new SR5 hilux, was between Cooper and BFG's both have got a good following and the shop next to the car yard sells Cooper so that made it a easier choice ;D

These are one size up but only 14mm larger diamiter than the origanal off the Dualcab. The 255/70/R15 coopers were not the same load rating which by therory made them ilegal,what the diff between the SR & the SR5 beats me. But he has sold plenty of these to the new hilux owners and they are happy. I am sure i will be as well as all who have posted here.

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

I still have my tyres that came with my Toyota Prado but it is not that good in the sand. It most probably wont be any good in wet dirt either.



What's does "not that good in the sand" mean ?


I do only sand work (& road).

on the usual good advice from the boys at Tyreworks Slacks Creek I run Coopers H/T. They go well on the beaches without deflation & have never looked like digging a hole for themselves.
Interestingly, after changing over from Goodyear A/T tread I haven't picked up a nail/screw in 2years.



I'd say the problem with the Prado in the sand is clearance. I see a lot of prados bogged on the beach with underslung tyres etc. They start to drag, the driver applies to much power, spins the wheels & digs them in. To have an reasonable offroad Prado requires a few options to be selected when purchasing I believe, or a bit of aftermarket work.

It may be premature to invest in new rubber unless you really are going mud-larking.

chris

[Alymar]

Try Discount Tyres at Moorooka or Quickfit at Bowen Hills.
You could also talk to the guys at ARB Southside in Coopers Plains.

[cooky]

I have contemplated getting another set of AT's just for sand work, as the muds dig a 4" hole every rotation, the AT's used to take a bit to dig in

i understand this in theory - makes complete sense, but one of the reasons I went STT after my ATs was for sand work. The STTs of my bro-inlaw floated (bagged) better and weren't digging in at all (at cruising speeds) - while my ATs dug trenches and I seemed to have to use more power to keep speed up. Now I have the STTs - they seem to 'tractor' through the sand at low speed and I don't require the same amount of power. If you do apply lots of power they will dig in faster than ATs of course. In deep dry soft sand they both made it similar distances.

While camping with the family the bro-in law and I would take both cars out for some entertainment and would try and get them bogged. With the STTs he could drive the beach in 2 wheel drive and when I tried as soon as it got soft I would have to throw in 4x4 - I would be 50+km/h in 2 wheel drive and rears woudl just start slipping and I could do nothing while I slowed to a stop (digging rears in) - engage 4x4 and off we go again.

Of course the ATs are probably more fun for circle work ;D ;)