New tire questions

[Rosie]

I have read all the previous threads on which tires to choose. Still want to ask a few questions.
If I am not doing serious off road driving, but once in a while must drive through pasture and mud, what can you all suggest for good tires?
I live in NY, so if I do take the truck out on the salty icy road, would like the tires to stand up to it. May have to pull my husband out of a ditch once in a while!!!
But mostly will be driving on paved county roads, and very rarely on a major highway.
I now have 15" wheels, and will change to 16". Got any suggestions for type of wheel and type of tire?

[greenmeanie]

I'm probably not the best person to give advice as I still like the big old military bar grips on my gun tractor but here goes.

You have given a good description of your needs that sounds very honest in that you are not just shooting to put the biggest ugliest mud tyre on there. You needs are, however, somewhat conflicting.

Driving on wet grass with some mud really requires a mud tyre if there is any kind of slope as these provide a suprisingly slippy slope. You could, however, go with the military mentality that says that if you really need the traction put a set of chains on and you'll be unstoppable.

The other option is that if you have 15's and are getting a second set of wheels you could run a fairly mild, road biased tyre on the 16's and then get a cheap set of mudders for the 15's for those days you'll be out in the rough.

With that out the way it opens up the door to a wider range of choices. I would personally shoot for an all terrain, the most famous of which is the BF Goodrich AT KO. Nice tyre but expensive. Others have had good success with Cooper Discoverer and Dunlop Radial Rovers. Check your whels for riveted or welded construction. If they are welded I would run a tubeless radial tyre as it will handle better.

Then again I've had good luck with some old Kirkland light truck tyres that came on my 88 9 years ago and are only now needing replaced. My next set of tyres on that truck will largely be dictated by what is on sale.

What is more important to you; cost or peformance?

Cheers
Gregor

[scott]

i'm using the cooper discovery, really like 'em. i've used bfg a/t ko and like them.

some say aggressive treads are to noisey and vibraty on the hwy but i found that the loud, rough riding swb is so bad that i don't notice the difference

so i use traction needs/desires to guide me. skinny tall tires, with an open tread. open tread self cleans better so mud/snow don't turn tires into slicks, skinny cause they sink down to hopefully more solid terra instead of floating/slipping on top. tall so when you find youself on the beach you can air down so that you get the wider tire for riding in the sand

good speakers to drown out the tire whine on the hwy

[KevinNY]

Cooper ST in 235/85-16, perfect for you and just look right on a series as well.

[Blueboy]

for wheels check out our host -
ROAD WHEEL - 5.5" X 16" 1 7/8" OFFSETSKU:RNC880

for tires, you probably want something with a M/S (mud and snow) designation vs just Mud as there will be sipes or grooves which helps in snow and rain.

currently have BFG TracEdges on mine and they have been great - only problem is they are no longer available so I'm also looking.

have been checking Cooper Discoverer STT and Dunlop Radial Rover RT.

BFG A/T KOs are also on my list.

size is 235/85-16 which is not too wide and works well.

good luck.


Jaime

[Leslie]

Have to admit, I loved the Dunlop R/T that I had on my first Disco, good tire. But, I've been happy w/ BFG A/T-ko's on the wife's Disco that don't get off the road as much as the Series. (BTW: did NOT like BFG's Commerical T/A... it was a replacement for the great TracEdge, but not worthy....)

But, you might want to consider staying w/ the 15" wheels, as you have a selection of tire sizes there.... you could do either a 30x9.5 in the A/T if you want something conventional, closer in size to the original, or a 33x9.5 if you want some additional ground clearance.....

Something to consider before buyin new wheels.....

[Paul Rossmann]

Cooper also makes tires under other names for folks like Pep Boys. I replaced a set of Coopers with a set of "Discovery" (I think thats the Pep Boy brand) and I love 'em. I do about the same kind of driving, although there is rarely snow here, and the tires run great. I concur with the chain idea if yo aare only occasionally going to be in mud and snow.

[Jim-ME]

I have been very happy with BF Goodrich AT tires. I have had them on several vehicles now and they last well if you keep them properly inflated, rotated and in our case keep the toe-in set correctly. I don't want to get into the 15" vs 16" wheel arguement but I will say that Tire Rack has BFG AT's in 33X9.50X15 at $106.00 per tire. I don't think you will find many tires in that price range. I am not sure what you have for springs but these fit very well with the Rocky Mountain Parabolics that came on my Rover. I will run this tire until they aren't available anymore in the 33" size and then switch to 16" wheels. You may be able to save yourself the expense of 16" wheels right now and still get a good sized tire if that is what you want.
Jim

[Rineheitzgabot]

Just bought 9.50 30 R15's a couple of months ago (15" wheels). They are Dunlop Mud Rovers. I love them. They have a fairly aggressive tread, but I don't think they are that noisy. On a smoothly paved road, one can hear a hint of a whine, which anyone who drives an 88 knows that there is alot more sound being produced to drown out that whine. Fairly inexpensive as well.

I pondered the switchout to 16's, but as someone stated above, 15's have a better tire selection; and of course, when there is a better selection of something, that usually means that the price will stay under control (supply/demand).

Incidentally, I have a set of four (4) 15-inch rims AND tires for sale right now.:) I can email you pics if you want. They are wide and offset for decreased turning radius (this is what I was told). I changed them, because I didn't like the way they looked. The tires are M+S, but aren't too aggressive. Shipping might be a pain in the arse, unless you are coming through Fort Waynem IN sometime soon. PM me, if you are interested.

[Rosie]

This is great info!!
Now, before I buy any tires, I should ask you all, why do I want to change my wheels from 15" to 16"?
Better fuel economy? Better steering? Able to go faster?
Any of this true?
Will the truck look better with 16" wheels?

[Leslie]

This is great info!!
Now, before I buy any tires, I should ask you all, why do I want to change my wheels from 15" to 16"?
Better fuel economy? Better steering? Able to go faster?
Any of this true?
Will the truck look better with 16" wheels?


Rosie, there's a bit of a trade-off here......


The whole reason why Rover went from 16" down to 15" wheels was to help acceleration... the taller wheel took longer to get up-to-speed than the shorter one. However, for each revolution, more distance is covered with the taller tire.

Wider tires are 'more stable' and provide more traction, but skinny ones are easier to turn w/o power steering.

Thing is, a 33x9.5/R15 will be a little taller than a 7.5R16. You can, with either 15" or 16", have different widths or heights, all through tire selection.

Personally, I like the 16" wheel better, but wouldn't necessarily avoid the 15"....

[Leslie]

To clarify a bit:

A taller tire would go faster than a shorter tire at the same engine RPM.

But the taller tire would take longer to get up to speed.

The shorter tire is quicker, the taller is faster. (Make sense?)

[Moose]

I love the Dunlop Radial Rover R/T's and have been running them on my 88 for over 10 years now. Great in the snow and mud with a mildly aggressive tread. Quite on the road and very good on wet roads. I just bought some new ones recently from TireRack.com. Price was $134 per tire. Something like these I think would suit you needs just right Rose.

Personally, I think the 16 inch rim is the way to go. Certainly looks better and my 88 accelerates just fine.

Brett

[LaneRover]

I have always heard that the big reason Rover went with 15" rims in the US was tire availability at the time. There just weren't a big selection of 16" tires here.

[thixon]

Hi Rosie. Congrats on the new truck!

At some point, you say you'll be driving in mud and snow. If you buy a tire that won't perform in mud and snow, then when that time comes, you're hosed.

Using that as a guidline, you have two ways to approach this. 1) buy less aggressive road type tires, and slap on chains when you're in the slop. 2) Go ahead and buy an aggresive mud/snow type tire.

A tire with a less aggressive tread will usually be cheaper than a mud tire, and you say you'll be doing a lot of pavement driving, so factor that into your decision.

The only other thing I'll say is that I personally don't like the look of full blown road tires on a truck. For that reason, I am willing to pay a little extra for AT or MT tires. Shallow?...Yes, Superficial?...Yes, but I like what I like.

I have owned almost all of the tires recommended thus far, and have not had a problem with any. In particular, I liked a set of Dunlop radial rovers I had, and I'm also a big fan of BFG MT's and AT's. I owned a jeep for a short while with a set of Cooper mud tires (forgot the model), and was very happy with them as well. My favorite truck tire of all time though has to be the BFG MT's. They look good, are very tough (sidewalls are darn near indestructable), and do very well in the red georgia clay. Sadly though, they are not cheap.

Good luck!

[Eric W S]

This is great info!!
Now, before I buy any tires, I should ask you all, why do I want to change my wheels from 15" to 16"?
Better fuel economy? Better steering? Able to go faster?
Any of this true?
Will the truck look better with 16" wheels?

15" wheels are no longer available new. So bust a wheel and you will either have to buy 16" all around or source another 15"

Tires will impact fuel econmy if you don't maintain them at the Mfg. suggested inflation. Anything else is hearsay IMO

750R16 tires may make highway driving more bearable. Tires will not increase most speed related attributes like top end or acceleration times.

Depends how your steering is set up. If it is solid, then a similiar or slightly taller tire should not impact it. Significantly larger and wider tires will degrade it.

If your not going to do much off roading, go with the 600R16, 650R16 or even a 700R16 tire or equivolent. OEM tires in the day were small and very skinny.

29" to 30" or metric equivolents in an AT.

Here is what your truck most likely had originally. http://www.dunsfold.com/Sales/Specials/Specials_files/Avon%20Traction%20Mileage%202007.pdf

That's 28.4 inch diameter and 6" wide!

Personally, I'd splurge and get a high quality Michelin XPS Traction in 215 or 235/85/R16. If your using it for business you could deduct some of the expense and it is retreadable and extremely durable. Never filed a farm or related return so I do not know what the IRS regs are.

EwS

[greenmeanie]

I should point out that wheel size does not affect acceleration or top speed. Tyre size does as this is what dictates the rolling diameter. The weight difference between a 15" or a 16" tyre running a 32" tyre will not be noticeable in a series truck. The difference in rim size to rolling diameter size has an effect on the amount of side wall available to flex but this also varies with each tyre.

I think Leslie was referring to the wheel sizes with OEM tyre sizes for his comparison.

If you live somewhere flat then go with the bigger tyre size. If you live somewhere hilly ten go with the 30's as she'll bog less on the hills.

Given all the factors that contribute to the series driving experience and the comparitively local driving you'll be doing I think you'll find yourself happy with any of the tyres mentioned. Now go and see what's available locally at a good price and you've got your choice.

Cheers
Gregor

[Leslie]

lol....

If you don't mind a loud tire, and have a lot of money to blow....

;)

[Blueboy]

and have a lot of money to blow

yes, we just visited RN last week and saw a stack of these (XZLs, yes??) in the shop.

something like $370.00 a pop and that was the 7.50 size.

they are available in Brasil and I almost brought a set back with me.

now knowing what I know, I should have!!

might be worth the miles to fly down and bring them back.


Jaime

[Leslie]

something like $370.00 a pop and that was the 7.50 size.

:eek:

Last I priced them, a year or two ago, it was closer to $200 a pop through a local 4x4 shop, which I thought was outrageous.... I'd heard they were more elsewhere.

But $370? wow.

Glad I got mine at $80/each for five (take-offs off of an imported Series, four were *very* lightly used, and the 5th is still unused...) Very nice for the Series, but, I can't say that I wouldn't suggest to most people to just go with BFG M/T-km's instead.....

[Blueboy]

I can't say that I wouldn't suggest to most people to just go with BFG M/T-km's instead....

exactly unless of course one really needed the steel sidewall and then I can see it.

my problem though with a true mud tire is the lack of sipes and back East where I am, there aren't any shops (or at least that I have found) that will sipe tires.

Blueboy sees it all including rain slick highways so I want the sipes. It helps in the snow as well although here in NY, the Rover will not travel on the liquid salt covered roads during the Winter months.


Jaime

[Eric W S]

:eek:

Last I priced them, a year or two ago, it was closer to $200 a pop through a local 4x4 shop, which I thought was outrageous.... I'd heard they were more elsewhere.

But $370? wow.

Glad I got mine at $80/each for five (take-offs off of an imported Series, four were *very* lightly used, and the 5th is still unused...) Very nice for the Series, but, I can't say that I wouldn't suggest to most people to just go with BFG M/T-km's instead.....

Tire prices have skyrocketed in the last few years.

XPS Tractions are going for $225-50 per tire.

The Avon Traction Mileage tires are going for $339 a pop.

Hell even a decent set of AT are running close to $175 a tire.

EwS

[Rosie]

If changing from 15" to 16" wheel size, will that mess up the speedometer reading, as it is probably timed with the size of the wheel, right?

[Moose]

Those XZL's may look the part, but no way are they worth that kind of money. In deep snow they are great, but on ice or lightly snow covered roads they are horrible. I have a set that came on my Ex-Mod 110 and they were down right scary at times last winter up here in the Great White North.

Brett

[Jim-ME]

The size of the wheel doesn't affect the speedometer reading. It is the diameter of the tire that will affect the speedometer. My 33" tires cause the speedo to indicate about 10% low. You can send a speedo to Nisonger Instruments in NY and they can recalibrate it. Don't know what the cost would be but it can be done.
Jim

[yorker]

:thumb-up: If you can still get 33 9.50 15 BFG ATs then they are a good tire choice, I used them for years, they were good in the snow and you got the same overall diameter as a 7.50 16 but did not have to buy any new rims. If your 15" rims are in good shape then there is no real reason to change them. Rover went to 15" rims here because it was easier to get 15" tires in the appropriate diameter and load range here in the USA.

If you still feel compelled to get 16" rims you should consider the tires Treadwright sells. http://treadwright.com/

[Rosie]

Does either size, 15" or 16" wheel/tire have an advantage with regard to steering tightness?
My steering seems rather loose.
Right now the rover has very old, possibly original, G78-15 Suburbanites tires.

[greenmeanie]

If changing from 15" to 16" wheel size, will that mess up the speedometer reading, as it is probably timed with the size of the wheel, right?

Choose a tyre with the same OD and, as stated before, the wheel has no effect.
Edit. Meh, I need to read more posts before replying.

[Donnie]

I have read all the previous threads on which tires to choose. Still want to ask a few questions.
If I am not doing serious off road driving, but once in a while must drive through pasture and mud, what can you all suggest for good tires?
I live in NY, so if I do take the truck out on the salty icy road, would like the tires to stand up to it. May have to pull my husband out of a ditch once in a while!!!
But mostly will be driving on paved county roads, and very rarely on a major highway.
I now have 15" wheels, and will change to 16". Got any suggestions for type of wheel and type of tire?
Something that has not been mentioned is the durometer of the "rubber": that is a measurement of the "material that the tire is made of. I.E. soft--hard . Hi mileage tires are hard an do not do well on wet roads, while soft tire compounds hang on to the road surface better, but do not wear as long. Since most of us are not concerned about getting 60,000 miles from a set of gums, my concern is more directed to a softer tire, which I feel a little safer while driving on a wet road.....just my opinion..........Donnie

[adkrover]

16 steel wheels. Lots of River vendors carry them. The best thing for the roads in your area are "sipes" for ice traction. For the occasional mud, make sure they have some larger lugs that angle back on the tire for self clearing. Too much lug and it will be too noisy.

[JimCT]

Truxus, 235 or 255 85x16 siped amazing in snow and off road and pretty quiet too. Jim

[Rosie]

I gotta do my tire homework.
What do all these numbers refer to?
I can google it up and find out, but if you don't mind me being lazy, and you have the info quick, I would like to know tire measurement basics.
I'm thinking to keep the 15" tires and just get the very best roadworthy tires that can also deal with mud, ice and snow.
I have looked at the reviews for all the tires mentioned here. The reviews seem the best for the Coopers.
I like the soft vs. hard rubber concept. That makes sense.
How do you know if a tire is hard or soft, by the stuff it is made of, or the way it is made?
So many questions!!!
Since I won't be putting more than 8,000 miles on the vehicle in one year, probably way less, I may have these tires for a good long time! Want to get it right the first time. Thanks so much, this is great stuff!!!!

[Blueboy]

Truxus, 235 or 255 85x16 siped amazing in snow and off road and pretty quiet too

I had a set of the 235s on my last Rangie and yes, they were like you described.

my problem with them was I couldn't keep them in balance for any length of time.

not sure if it were just this set or a common problem with them.

Rosie,

this link is pretty good for calculating outside diameter for differnet tire size configurations http://www.moparregister.com/articles/calc/


Jaime

[Eric W S]

Does either size, 15" or 16" wheel/tire have an advantage with regard to steering tightness?
My steering seems rather loose.
Right now the rover has very old, possibly original, G78-15 Suburbanites tires.

Steering issues run the gamut. Could be float in the box, loose bolts on the relay, bad tie rod ends on and on.

Get the factory manual and start reading.

EwS

[LaneRover]

I agree that if your rims are in good shape then it makes sense to stick with the 15's. I would go for a taller 15 personally.

I find that the best way to check for looseness in the steering components is to have someone sit in the truck moving the steering through its 'loose area' while you look and see what is moving. I have had both the big nut that holds the arm onto the steering box was loose as well as the arm attached to the bottom of the steering relay. Just methodically look from the steering box on down the line. If something is moving and the thing it is attached to isn't (or isn't as much) then you have found the spot! (There may be a few spots that are a bit loose) You will be surprised at how quickly you can get your steering tightened up.

Brent

[yorker]

Does either size, 15" or 16" wheel/tire have an advantage with regard to steering tightness?
My steering seems rather loose.
Right now the rover has very old, possibly original, G78-15 Suburbanites tires.


G78-15 dia:28.0" width:8.4" load rating:1,620 lbs @ 32 psi


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=45
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/45_conversionchart.html

http://www.turbinecar.com/misc/Tire_Chart.jpg

I think I usually see H78 15s on 88s which have 30 year old tires on them. Most people used to replace them with 235 75 15 modern tires. Those are still small by today's style standards though. Most people now seem to prefer something around a 32" diameter tire rather than the original ~28" tires (original for an 88" 109s had ~32" tires stock, 7.50 16s)

[Leslie]

Rosie,

Ok, all the numbers.....

You've got a handle on 15" or 16" wheels, that's the diameter of the wheel itself.

Used to, when most tires were bias-ply, you can think of them as having something more-or-less of a balloon cross-section, so a 6.0x16 versus a 7.5x16, would be a 6" diameter versus a 7.5" diameter for a cross-section of one side of the tire... so, for a ballpark, 7.5+7.5 (twice, for each side of the tire), +16 (for the wheel), is 31" tall versus 28" for the 6" one.

But, they don't measure them like that now, since they're mostly radials.. instead of having a round cross-section, you have a width, and a certain amount of height, for the tire section.

If you have a 235/85R16, you have a tire for a 16" wheel, the tire is 235mm wide (I've always thought it funny that we're mixing metric and english units), and then the height of the section is, 85% of the width. If you have a 235/70R16, again, you have a 16" wheel, and a tire that's 235mm wide, but the height of the section is 70% of the width.

If you go to a 215/85R16, you have a narrower tire than a 235/85R16. And, while both are 85% on 16" wheels, 85% of 235mm is a little taller than 85% of 215mm.

Hope that helps..... makes it clear as mud, eh?

[Rosie]

Man, you guys are smart!!
So now I have too much choice!!! All these different sizes!
I am pretty sure I am going to get the Cooper Discoverer S/T's and put them on the 15" wheel.
Which size will give the best overall performance on the road, for steering and general stability of the vehicle, and for appearance? Since the 15's are kind of small, should I get taller tires to make them look bigger? Wider tires for better steering? Never thought tires were this complicated!!
I sure do appreciate all this information!!!

[bearcrawl]

Is anyone running 255 85 16. Seems like a pretty nice size. I know only a couple companies make them but I run BFGs anyway.

[Leslie]

If you're going to stick with the 15" wheels, and you've decided on the Discoverer S/T, I think your best choice is their 235/75R15 (I think it's that tire's only reasonable size for a Series Rover... I'd try to go a bit narrower and taller, but there's not one... they have a 205 width, but it's only a 70 series).

FWIW, in a 75 Series tire, for a 15" wheel, if you go with a 215 width, BFG's are available in both A/T and M/T... I like the idea of narrow for a Series. However, that 235/75R15 is a common size. You can find BFG's M/T and A/T, Dunlop's Radial Rover R/T (and the Mud Rover, but I like the R/T better), that Cooper Discoverer, several Kumho's, General's Grabber.....).

Remember: for *any* car/truck, no matter the engine or suspension or interior or anything else about it, all of its performance revolves around the relationship between the tire and the road.... those four little contact patches are what controls your vehicle's behavior.

[Leslie]

Is anyone running 255 85 16. Seems like a pretty nice size. I know only a couple companies make them but I run BFGs anyway.


A buddy of mine is running them on his Disco... had to do a good bit of work (replacing trailing arms, cutting out of body-work, etc.), but he's happy with them.

On a Series, would be easier to fit, but, if you've got a tired 2.25 churnin' it all along, that's a lot of weight....

[Rosie]

Leslie,
So basically you are saying that if I got the BFG A/T or M/T I could get a better fit for the 15" wheels, than with the Cooper tire?

[Leslie]

Well, it depends on what you want..... a 'better' fit for you might not be a better fit for me.

They're all available in 235/75R15 (looking at TireRack, just to get a comparison of available tires for a given size). For a ballpark, that's going to be about a 29" tall tire.

BFG gives you the option of going down to a 215/75R15, which will end up being a bit under 28" tall, so it'll be a bit shorter, but the tire will be about a half-inch narrower.

The end effect, all else being the same, is that the truck would feel like it'd accelerate a little quicker, it'd be a little easier to steer, but it'd lose a half-inch in ground clearance.

Also, considering price: Again, basing it on TireRack, and using the BFG A/T as a common comparison, if you go with the 235/75R15 it's listed at $117/tire, but the 215/75R15 is $104.

I've not used the Cooper, I can't personally vouch for it, but I've not heard anything bad about them, either. I did like the BFG A/T on our Disco, but, I liked the Dunlop R/T a bit better, but it's harder to find for the same price, depending on the size ( it is usually a bit more, but, is a little less at TireRack at the moment). The BFG M/T is gonna be even more than the A/T, but, would have a more aggressive look, still be fine on the street, etc.

If you like the Cooper, you're gonna go w/ the 235/75R15 size.... and can go with that size for the BFG too.... or, narrower/a little shorter, too.

Depends on what you want it to feel like driving. If you don't mind the wheel being a little more difficult to pull on, you might prefer the 235 width, as it'll give you a little more clearance, and a lot more selection (like adding in the Dunlop R/T as a possibility). But, if you've been driving your Series around a bit, and aren't overly thrilled with how much effort to steer is required, and don't have to have that extra 1/2" of ground clearance, you could go w/ the 215 width in the BFG's...

Some things for you to mull over.....

[Rosie]

Thanks Leslie,
That clears things up a bit more.
The reason I was going to get the Coopers is because they seem to have a better review for traction in snow than the BFG.
Whether that is true or not, I don't know, it is a review written by the company, so who knows.
Experience will know!!
At this point I am not really looking so much at price, because in the end, spending a few more bucks, in my experience, is worth it if the quality is better. You have to live with the choice, and over time, a few dollars here and there won't matter.

[Blueboy]

If you don't mind the wheel being a little more difficult to pull on, you might prefer the 235 width


Blueboy has 235/85 and Leslie is spot on for the difficulty in turning the steering wheel when say parking or slow speed manuevering.

If there is going to be a lot of steering turns I usually end up going to low range so I can have some movement when making the turns.

Don't get me wrong, its not that hard, yet, you will notice that you're using some muscles!

And you're definatley right in getting what you want even if a little more in price as your choice will last for years - I'm on 7 now with the TracEdges and am more concerned with the rubber cracking than wear.

It has been said a few times, yet, sipes are your friend for snow and rain performance.

You really can't go wrong (imho) with any of the brands you're considering.

Jaime

[Leslie]

Good perspective on saving a few bucks versus being happier w/ a bit better quality. But, sometimes there are budget limitations, so I mentioned such...


In this case, I think the Coopers or the BFG (or the Dunlops) would be fine... I know a lot have been happy w/ the Kuhmo's too, I've just never run them myself, either.

If snow's your concern, I'd take a look at the Dunlop R/T.... ;)

[Rosie]

Does anyone know what the "bead to bead" width is on the 15' wheel?

[LH Drive]

There should be a number stamped on the face side of your steel wheels. This might help determin what width they are. Some came with a wider offset wheel but I think most are 5 inches wide.
Tire shops want to know the rim/wheel width so they can mount the correct safe tire size. Most 15" tires here in the US are about 8-9 1/2 inches wide and mount to a wheel 7-7 1/2 inches wide. They will give you a puzzled look when you show up with a 5 inch wheel that you want a 9 inch wide tire mounted. My advise is try to find a tall skinny tire.
I was flat towing my Series 1600 miles with dry rotted tires behind a Penski rental truck. The front R tire blew and caused me to change lane towards oncoming traffic. Lucky me an 18 wheeler had just passed by and no other traffic was in sight. So I instantly stopped at the next town with a tire shop and purchased 4 new tires. All they had in my size or I should say near my size was a set of 265/75R16 Dunlop Mud Rovers for my 16" wheels. Yep, a 9 inch wide tire on a 5 1/2 inch wheel. So on they went and off I was. They towed fine on the Series but I had issues later when I drove my Series for the first time and had to adjust the wheel stops. This killed my turning radious and I now have to live with it till this set wears out.

[Rosie]

I think I just found it. Rovers North had a tire size page on their website in 2003 ( I found a print out ) under their Rovers North tech tips page.
The chart says that the 15" wheels used on the 67-74 Rover was 6" wide, with an offset of 1".
I guess I answered my own question! :p

[Blueboy]

you might also want to verify this like LH Drive mentioned as you are assuming these are the original wheels which may or may not be the case.

food for thought.


Jaime

[JimCT]

255-85x16's fit nicely on our ambulance...but of course it has the lifted military chassis.

[Rosie]

The only way to really know the exact width of the wheel is to take the spare tire off the wheel and measure it. As they all have to come off anyway...
I am rethinking the tire choice....considering what all you have said here, and comparing with what I am going to be doing with the Rover, I am thinking to get Dunlop RVXT tires. They are better than average on wet, dry and off road, but excellent in snow and ice. They are an all terrain truck tire. So not as aggressive as what you guys are using, but then, I am not going to off road much. I compared with the Cooper M+S, which is also not as aggressive as the Cooper Disc.S/T, which is great in snow, but pretty bad for off road and not so good on wet and dry.
Anybody have any negatives regarding Dunlop RVXT?

[Blueboy]

I would suggest you first personally see both tires first hand as the R/T really isn't as agressive as it appears on the Dunlop site.

Also check the load rating for the size you are considering.

LT rated tires can be load rated E which you probably don't need and will cause a stiffer ride than say a load rated C tire.

The R/Ts usually are considered an all terrain tire.


Jaime

[Rosie]

Thanks Jaime, I will do that!

[SafeAirOne]

Having just read through 6 pages of this thread, I've got a question and please forgive me, it's been decades since I owned a rover with 15" rims...

Were any of the 15" rims tube-type rims? If so (and Rosie has them) this will play a major factor in tire choices.

I know my 109 originally had the 16" tube-type rims, essentially limiting me to older non-metric bias-ply tires. Oh how I celebrated when I replaced the tube-type riveted rims with NATO steel rims. This opened up a whole new world of tire types and sizes to me. No more inner tubes and it turns out they have these new-fangled tires called "steel-belted radials" now! I was actually able to repair a nail puncture WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING THE ENTIRE WHEEL ASSEMBLY! I could start off on a cold morning without 10 minutes of thumpity-thump while the flat spots worked themselves back to round!

Anyhow, were there ever 15" tube-type rims on Rovers?

[Jim-ME]

To the best of my knowledge there were no tube type 15" rims.
Jim

[Rosie]

Looking at the General Grabber AT2 tire.
Has anyone used these tires? More choices for the 15" rim, and very good ratings on and off road, and in snow.

[Leslie]

Jaime,
Rosie mentioned the RVXT, which is *not* the same tire as the R/T.
I've not used the RVXT, was more street-oriented than I'd consider.

Rosie,
The R/T, I loved, as a 'bit more aggressive than an A/T" tire. No, it's not a true mud-tire, but it *is* rated as a snow tire.

I think the R/T would suit your potential needs, but, I can only guess there...

I don't know about the grabbers.... sorry.....

[Blueboy]

Rosie mentioned the RVXT, which is *not* the same tire as the R/T

yep, and when I checked it out on the Dunlop site (as like you, I hadn't heard of it) I noticed that is was rated as a LT tire which could mean an "E" rating and very stiff.


the RVXT was more street-oriented than I'd consider

I agree, yet, if you are not familiar with the R/T and you look at the site, it is pictured more like an agressive tire vs the RVXT.

this why I suggested to Rosie she really needs to see them in person as I also feel the R/T would be a good choice for her.

and now actually having gone through the review process again, I'm leaning towards the R/T as replacements for the TracEdges on Blueboy.


Jaime

[Terrys]

I ran Dunlop Radial Rover RTs for the last 5 years (235x85R16) but have just replaced them with RVXT in a 255x85R16 size.
RT's are not really good for quick stops on wet or slightly snow covered roads. I get off the pavement pretty frequently, but the ground I travel will not tax the RVXT remotely. Fire roads, wet swails, general dry woods conditions. The grooving in the RVXT is very large and should shed well, but the tire has much more siping and will no doubt be a safer pavement tire.

[Leslie]

I ran Dunlop Radial Rover RTs for the last 5 years (235x85R16) but have just replaced them with RVXT in a 255x85R16 size.
RT's are not really good for quick stops on wet or slightly snow covered roads. I get off the pavement pretty frequently, but the ground I travel will not tax the RVXT remotely. Fire roads, wet swails, general dry woods conditions. The grooving in the RVXT is very large and should shed well, but the tire has much more siping and will no doubt be a safer pavement tire.



Sounds like the usual case of a compromise..... what's good on pavement isn't as good offroad, and what's good offroad, isn't ideal on pavement.


Gotta weigh your needs....

[Blueboy]

the ground I travel will not tax the RVXT remotely. Fire roads, wet swails, general dry woods conditions

or any A/T tire for that matter.

Leslie hit the nail on the head - "Gotta weigh your needs...."

if there is any wet, even slightly muddy roads in the picture, even the Dunlop R/T is on the border of being ok for me.

tires really are a personal choice - having an aggressive mud tire primarily for use on pavement is a poor choice, yet, having basically a "Summer" tread tire on a Rover seems equally unwize.

no matter what, there will be a compromise of some kind.


Jaime

[Rosie]

I just had the tire taken off my spare rim.
It has a tube in it!!!!!!!!!
Now what?
The rim is 6" bead to bead.

[SafeAirOne]

I just had the tire taken off my spare rim.
It has a tube in it!!!!!!!!!
Now what?

Rosie, my apologies--I probably jinx'ed you by bringing up the possibility of tube type rims a few posts back.

You have 2 choices:

Stick with the tube-type rims and have a very limited choice of bias-ply tires (you can't, or at least SHOULDN'T use radials with tubes).

OR

Change to tubeless rims. I changed from tube-type rims to the 16" NATO steel rims and now enjoy a virtually limitless selection of tires (though I usually just get the cheapest suitable tires from my local "TireWarehouse"). I'd be willing to bet that any 15" tire you were interested in installing is also available in 16"

I don't see any 15" wheels listed by or host at http://roversnorth.com/store/pc-216-276-page-40-land-rover-series-ii-iia-iii-defender-suspension-leaf-springs-wheels.aspx

...but I imagine there must be someone around with a bunch of spare 15" rims they'd be willing to part with. Ask around or post a "wanted to buy" ad on LRX.com

[Leslie]

Just because, when at the time it had bias-ply w/ tubes installed on it, doesn't mean that it's not suitable for a tubeless radial. You know.... even a lot of the rims at the shop that I would have expected to be for tubes, have been fine w/o tubes... ask your tire place (assuming not WallyWorld) to have a look at the wheels... I'll suspect that they'll say that they'd be fine w/ radials w/o tubes, if you so desire. A good shop can tell you....

[SafeAirOne]

Just because, when at the time it had bias-ply w/ tubes installed on it, doesn't mean that it's not suitable for a tubeless radial.

That is true--It all depends on the rim--I just had a look at my old ones that had tubes in them--the hole for the valve stem is round (not oblong like many tube-type rims), so a tubeless valve stem could probably be fitted. I now wonder if there is a difference between rims with tubes and without, as far as Rovers go.

I wonder why there would be a tube in there if it were not necessary?... Of course, the way Rosie describes it, these tires may have been on there since the dawn of time, an era when tube tires were the norm.

As Leslie says, a dedicated tire shop should be able to tell you if the condition of the rim precludes the use of tubeless tires. A spot to pay particular attention to is the inside of the rim around the valve stem hole. When you have tubes, water gets into the inside of the rim through the valve stem hole. Not much gets in, and it doesn't generally get too far in there, but it often rusts out the inside of the rim around the valve stem hole. Some of mine were flaking off around the inner circumference of the valve stem holes to the extent that a tubeless valve stem wouldn't be able to seal properly any more.


Of course Rosie just had the spare done. I wonder if the other 4 (or 5) tires have tubes. It should be easy to tell just by looking at the valve stem areas...

[Terrys]

Stick with the tube-type rims and have a very limited choice of bias-ply tires (you can't, or at least SHOULDN'T use radials with tubes).

Why Not? Use a radial tube. Many people put tubes on wheels when they expect to air down for sand, or when any offroading where lateral thrust might lead to popping a bead.

[SafeAirOne]

Why Not? Use a radial tube. Many people put tubes on wheels when they expect to air down for sand, or when any offroading where lateral thrust might lead to popping a bead.

The airing-down of the tubed tires for hard-core off-roading was actually in my original post; Unfortunately, I edited it out to keep it (relatively) short and simple. Same with the "tubes with radial tires" explanation--If you do any driving at speed for any length of time, the steel belts do a lot of flexing, building up a decent amount of heat which will damage normal inner tubes. There are radial tubes available that should handle the heat, but my personal experience has been that the local tire shops generally don't stock them (at least the ones I used to go to).

Either way, having run tube tires for several years, I personally recommend that Rosie figure out if her rims are tubeless-tire compatible or get rims that are. Just the ability to fix a nail puncture in 4 minutes in your driveway (as opposed to 2 hours at a tire shop for a tube tire) makes it worth it in my opinion.

[Jim-ME]

I would like to go back several posts. Which 15" Land Rover wheels require tubes? I fully expect that the spare in Rosie's post had a flat at one time and it was tubed as a fix. Hence spare?
Jim

[Rosie]

I just found out that the tires on my Rover are not tubed.
Just the spare was tubed!
What a relief!!
The tire guy said that he can fit the radials to the rims I have!!
Cool!!! Now back to figuring out which tire.
Sure do appreciate all the info!
Who would ever know that serious off roaders use tubed tires!!!

[SafeAirOne]

I just found out that the tires on my Rover are not tubed.


Well. That's that, then. Glad to hear it!


I fully expect that the spare in Rosie's post had a flat at one time and it was tubed as a fix.

You're probably right--Seems like an awful lot of trouble--I wonder what would have caused someone to put a tube in to fix a flat...A hole in the sidewall?...Leaky rim?...

I now wonder why my 109 had tubes all around--It had the original english tires on it from when it was imported from the UK in 1998. Examining the rims, it would seem that tubeless valve stems could have been fitted, had it not been for the flaky rust around the inside of the valve stem holes.

[yorker]

That is true--It all depends on the rim--I just had a look at my old ones that had tubes in them--the hole for the valve stem is round (not oblong like many tube-type rims), so a tubeless valve stem could probably be fitted. I now wonder if there is a difference between rims with tubes and without, as far as Rovers go.

I wonder why there would be a tube in there if it were not necessary?... Of course, the way Rosie describes it, these tires may have been on there since the dawn of time, an era when tube tires were the norm.



Some of the 16" riveted center type rims leak air at the rivets when you put a tubeless tire on them with a tubeless valve stem inserted in them, they often lack the safety bead seat also vs the tubeless rims.

they 15" rims rover made had welded centers that would not leak and IIRC some of them even had safety bead seats.

this is an endless topic on the English boards- apparently their insurance companies will fail to pay in an accident if you have tubed tires on tubeless rims or vice versa. I've never heard of that appening here in the USA ...yet.
http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=26544&pid=266147&st=0&#entry266147

There are also 2 types of Wolf rims, tubeless= ANR4583 tube type= ANR5593.

To confuse matters even more rims can be rated for different capacities, this is another perpetual debate on the UK boards:

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=23080&st=20

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/4wd-overland-tech/land-rover-wheel-weight-load-33196


Obviously this doesn't matter much if you have an 88" but if you have a heavily laden 109 or something like that it may.

Most tire shops today won't know the difference between tubless rims and tube type, heck most won't even stock radial tubes or bias ply tires.

If your 15" rims have held air sofar without tubes then go get a set of 235-75-15s in a nice tread with lots of siping, preferably a M+S rated tire and I am sure you'll be happy with the results, both summer and winter. Tires are one area where a lot of technology changes have occured in the last 30 years and their proformance on road is a lot better than it used to be. You'll notice a BIG difference over your old G-78 15s or whatever is on it now. :thumb-up:

[SafeAirOne]

Some of the 16" riveted center type rims leak air at the rivets when you put a tubeless tire on them

Ahh...That must be it--My original wheel centers definitely were the riveted variety...

[Triumph]

I have an '02 Disco II SE that was born with 18" wheels. Due to cost and availability, I would like to know if anyone has traded down to 16" Disco Rims and if there are any problems with hubs or brakes.

Thanks,

Ben
St. Louis

[Rineheitzgabot]

I have an '02 Disco II SE that was born with 18" wheels. Due to cost and availability, I would like to know if anyone has traded down to 16" Disco Rims and if there are any problems with hubs or brakes.

Thanks,

Ben
St. Louis

I have done this exact thing you are asking on my '02 SE7. The 18's came off, and the 16's went on; no problem.

The annoying thing I have always found with the original LR rims is how tight the tolerances are, around the cutouts in the rim, and the lug bosses. I mean, I literally had to use a dead-blow sledge on the tire to get the rims off. Now that I am done bitching about that...

No problems man. I did it, because I was tired of dropping a grand on 18-inch tires. I like the looks of the hurricanes I took off better, but the 16's are more practical for me.

Actually, I think it rides better. Hope this helps.

[Leslie]

I have an '02 Disco II SE that was born with 18" wheels. Due to cost and availability, I would like to know if anyone has traded down to 16" Disco Rims and if there are any problems with hubs or brakes.

Ben,

Couple o' things for ya....

A) You can switch from 18" to 16" rims, no problem, just find a suitable tire so the rev-count of the tire is as close as to what you've taken off (unless, you're wanting a taller tire for more ground clearance while at it).

B) In locating 16" rims, make sure that you are sticking with DII rims. You'll quickly find that a lot of the 16" Rover rims you find are the 5-6.5" bolt pattern, which are for RRC's, Defenders, Disco I's, Series. The Freelanders, DII's, P38's and RR3's use a smaller diameter bolt circle in the bolt pattern.

C) Just a hunch here.... since you posted this question on the Series board, you were probably thinking that it is for Series II Discoveries. You will find more help on the Discovery II board, as this particular board is for the old Series Land Rovers from 1948 to 1982 (the old ones w/ the tires up on the hood). (er, tyre on the bonnet.)

Good luck,

[rwollschlager]

just wondering..... are there any 33x9.50x15 other than the bfg AT or are they the last of em?

[Leslie]

I used to know of some others, but I've gone looking, and I can't find any of them anymore.... it looks like, the A/Tko may be the last 33x9.5R15 available...

[Jim-ME]

When I did my search the only 33X950s I found were the BFGs but someone told me that Interco makes them too.
Jim

[leafsprung]

Some store brands and lesser known brands make them. I think Big O, Dean, Wildcat (Les Schwab) make them.

[Bertha]

What is the tallest, skinniest 15" tire that can be run without looking strange?

[Leslie]

I'd say, the 33x9.5R15 would probably be the 'best' tall n' skinny 15" for a Series. Any taller, you'll have to compensate for, I'd expect.

[TCapelle]

Here is what I will be running on my NADA 109....

Probably overkill but yesterday in MN some areas got 14 inches of snow and it is -14 deg as we speak brrrrr.......

My beer froze on me while working on my rover in my garage.....

Nokian Hakkapeliitta

What the reviewers like:



Great on snow and ice
Studded tire for cars, SUVs, minivans and light trucks
What the reviewers don't like:



Braking performance on dry or wet pavement
Noisy on dry pavement
Expensive
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 review highlights

If winter in your area is relentlessly harsh, experts recommend the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 more than any other tire. Its metal teeth grab icy, snowy roads better than studless tires -- and most other studded tires -- in tests. However, critics note that the Hakkapeliitta 5 isn't the best choice for areas with milder winters; its studded tread can't grip wet or dry asphalt as well as top-rated studless tires such as the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 (*est. $90). The Hakkapeliitta 5 is also expensive, reviews point out. A less costly studded snow tire is the Pirelli Winter Carving (*est. $90), which gets good reviews from consumers. Be aware that some areas restrict the use of studded snow tires because they can damage road surfaces.

-Tim
Series 111 109
Series 11 109 NADA (in transit)
Series 11a 109 (in pieces)

90 RRC County- Winter warrior
98 Disco-Family truckster

[rwollschlager]

interco makes a 34x9.50 (as listed in Four Wheeler magazine), will a series truck be able to clear those? w/ or w/o parabolics?

[Bertha]

I'd say, the 33x9.5R15 would probably be the 'best' tall n' skinny 15" for a Series. Any taller, you'll have to compensate for, I'd expect.

What is the size cross over?

[TeriAnn]

I have always heard that the big reason Rover went with 15" rims in the US was tire availability at the time. There just weren't a big selection of 16" tires here.

Rover came standard with 15 inch wheels on the earlier SIIA 88's (16 inch was an option) but 109's were always 16 inch wheels. 15 inch wheels have been discontinued for some time. The standard 15 inch factory tyre diameter was 28". The standard 109 factory tyre diameter was 32 inches. The little tyres made the 88 more "peppy" on the tarmac.

Since I drive under mostly different conditions (very seldom in snow) I'm not qualified to make a best tyre suggestion. However I tried a set of all-terrains once and found their performance in mud with a noticable clay content to be abysmal. They were OK as long as there was enough friction in the soil.

[greenmeanie]

A minor point. From the late SIIA manual the OEM tyre size was 7.00X15 which works out as 29" dia. Finding a tyre in that size now is almost impossible.

[Bertha]

Thanks for the help TeriAnn. The tire is for a 1971 88". I decided to go with a Denman express highway tire from Universal Tire. They had a 670/15 which equates to a 29.10 tall. That should be pretty close to an original look in my estimation. It is an old looking bias ply tire that is pretty narrow. I will post pics once they are mounted if anyone is interested. I plan on using these tires for over-road only. I have a set of 16'' wheels for my off-road tires.

[leafsprung]

Rover came standard with 15 inch wheels on the earlier SIIA 88's (16 inch was an option) but 109's were always 16 inch wheels. 15 inch wheels have been discontinued for some time. The standard 15 inch factory tyre diameter was 28".

late 66 was the first year for factory fitted 15s. There was only one more year of 109 sales in the US So all rovers sold in the US after 67 got 15s. There were a few stock sizes, but the most common was the 7.10x15 which is tough to get. The 7.00x15 is readily available from a number of manufacturers in several tread designs

-Ike