109 tires and Michelin

[PH4]

Would someone please explain the difference to me between Michelin XL, XCL, XZL, and XS tires? Also, will 16.50s fit on 109 Rover rims and what is the difference between 7.50s? I have a spare XCL on the bonnet spare on one of my Rovers. I like the look of it. Are these good all around tires? Any other tires suggested for 109 SW. I like the stock size and do not want wider or taller tires than required. Lot of questions but help would be appreciated before I plunk down my cash for tires. I drive on highway(not interstate), sand, and sometimes mud.

[Leslie]

A) http://www.seriestrek.com/manuals/optionalparts2.pdf
Scroll down to page 59.

B) XL and XS aren't available anymore. The XCL was a respected tire, and you can find some used:
https://www.roversnorth.com/store/pm...16-radial.aspx

C) The XZL is the newer radial version of the XCL. Not cheap.
http://www.roversnorth.com/store/p-1...-750-x-16.aspx

D) You can't use 16.5" tires on 16" rims.

E) A 6.5x16 tire is telling you that the height of the tire from the rim to the treadface is 6.5", so double that and add 16" for the wheel diameter, and you have a 29" tall tire. A 7.5x16" wheel is going to be a 31" tall tire (approximately).

F) For a 109 SW, a 7.5x16 would be good. Or, a 235/85R16 would be really close to a 7.5x16. Some people will run a 8.25x16 or a 9x16 on a 109. A 255/85R16 might work, too, but I'd suggest looking at the 235/85's...

G) Sounds like a BFG AllTerrain T/A-ko or their M/T-km might be a good tire for you to consider. Actually, I really like the Dunlop Radial Rover R/T, it might be a good one to consider, or maybe the Cooper Courser.

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/catalog/off-road/5.html
http://dunloptires.com/dunlop/displa...ea=Light+Truck
http://www.coopertire.com/html/produ...artw=7.5&rd=16


FWIW...

[J!m]

All good info there, but a bit more detail on the various Michelin tire designs...

XL: currently used by the military, and not too expensive if you find the right source. Wear is slightly better than warm butter, more like cold butter. Mike has these on his 101 (11.00-16 size) and is quite happy with them, but did note they are wearing "fast".

XCL: The "end-all be-all" of mud tires. Good for absolutely nothing else (they do look cool!). Same tread design as the XL, but a softer rubber compound. Wears like warm butter, with highway mileage ranging at less than 10K in many cases. Used on Camel Trophy trucks in the mid-eighties, so they are coveted for restorations and "Sham-el" trucks.

XS: EXCELLENT tire! designed for sand and rocky dirt roads. This 7.50-16 runs taller than normal as well, but not quite as tall as a typical 9.00-16. Still available in South Africa (Labeled Africa S quite often there- sometimes with white letters too) good wear and good on-road manners. Sucky in mud...

XZL: Basically a snow tire on steroids. Quite expensive, good performance, moderate wear. Used on later Camel trucks (well, the 110's anyway). They run narrow, but are true height. Sizes other than 7.50-16 are very hard to get, and this may be out of production now as well. I have received conflicting stories on that...

I run the (NLA) Cooper Discoverer STT (tread has been redesigned on the current STT) and I am at about 60K miles (rotating six tires onto the truck, not just four) and they are shot. Good ride and good on and off road manners, but noisy. wear is acceptable for a mud tire. If you can find these old tread ones for your truck, you will see why they are quite popular on rovers as they have the right "look" as well.

I'm in the market for tires now, so I may add to this thread as I get info on current commoly available tires for the Rovers.

[PH4]

Thank you both for your responses. I definitely like the look of the Michelin X series. Would these tires in 6.50 x 16 be acceptable on a 109 SW? Would they look or be too small? Narrow? Also, do the X series tires perform ok on wet roads?

[J!m]

7.50-16 fit well on the 109.

Also, sizes other than 7.50-16 (such as 8.25-16, 9.00-16 and 11.00-16) are much harder to get.

[Leslie]

I concur, a 6.5-16 will be small on a 109, go up to the 7.5-16 size (a 235/85R16 is a close approximation in size).

I've got 7.5-16 XZL's on my 88"; I can't speak as to the actual performance of the others. These aren't quiet (but, neither is a Series); I've got a Subaru for a commuter, so I don't see a lot of mileage either, so I can't testify as to how many miles I'll get out of them either; and while they look tough, they're not the best "mud" tire out there, (but, if it's THAT bad, use something tracked, right?? )

[J!m]

I think I may go with some nice, quiet high-mileage on-road tires, and buy a second set of chains.

I'll put my street tires and chains against any mud tire of the same size and see who gets further in the mud...

I do so many on-road miles, it just makes sense. Even driving to the Arctic Circle and beyond, there wasn't much where the mud/snow tires were needed...

And, I may get a set of XL's...

[fruitpunch]

Michelin "X" the original.... came long before all the other XZL, XCL, XL, XYZ, XS.

Michelin X was stock tire on early 90's & 110's on the continent... an all around tire. I think I got about 90000km on mine a few times around the globe . Compound pretty hard, pretty bad in the rain, good on the road, soso in mud.... was a 7.50 R16. Replaced them the with the NLA BF Track Edge, that was like rails in the snow but wore much faster.

XYZ came on a firetruck I owned, special snow tires wore out within about 2 months when temps went up, never seen another set.

[JimCT]

running 255-85R 16's on our ambulance and 235's on the RR. Surprisingly quiet on the road, siped and excellent in the snow and ice and better than the coopers in the mud. Pretty damn cheap too. Just a thought

[J!m]

I'll give the Truxxus a try... Any preferred vendeor?