Best Tires for a Series IIA 109 SW

[lighiche]

I'm the proud new owner of a 1962 Series IIA 109 SW. Interested in hearing what folks consider to be the best tires for this vehicle. On road : off road ratio approximately 70:30, though much of that 70% will be on dirt. Some highway driving, perhaps up to 300-500 miles at one go periodically. I live in NH and am not one to switch tires with the seasons.

Thanks.

[JimCT]

treadright

I have been using their retread tires on the ranger rover and the ambulance for years. You can get matched carcasses and the have a winter rubber mix that includes walnut shells and glass bits, helps on the ice.

I'm the proud new owner of a 1962 Series IIA 109 SW. Interested in hearing what folks consider to be the best tires for this vehicle. On road : off road ratio approximately 70:30, though much of that 70% will be on dirt. Some highway driving, perhaps up to 300-500 miles at one go periodically. I live in NH and am not one to switch tires with the seasons.

Thanks.

[TedW]

About 4 years ago I bought a set of 235/85/16 Cooper Discoverer ATR's: I wanted the same criteria that you described, plus good+ snow traction (I'm in Maine). My experience with them has been terrific: outstanding traction in mud and snow, plus comfy highway performance on my 5+ hour annual trips to the British Invasion in Stowe, VT.

I understand that the updated Cooper tire available now is the Discoverer A/T3. IMHO you should check them out.

Ted

[HybridIIA]

I have been very happy with BF Goodrich mud terrains on my '62 109. I have near 70K on them and still have tread left. Mine are the KM1's (no longer manufactured) but have heard the KM2's are just as good. I plan on getting KM2's when I need replacements. This is what they looked like with ~ 65K on them...

[alaskantinbender]

I too am looking for tires for my 63 109. These BFG's look great. What size tire and rims are you using? It looks like a lot of offset.
Terrific winch choice. I have one on my Van. Its been used for everything from lifting shop joists to moving log cabins.
It will work all day with no trouble.

Has any one used the skinny Gateway TSL's??

regards

jim

I have been very happy with BF Goodrich mud terrains on my '62 109. I have near 70K on them and still have tread left. Mine are the KM1's (no longer manufactured) but have heard the KM2's are just as good. I plan on getting KM2's when I need replacements. This is what they looked like with ~ 65K on them...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]7873[/ATTACH]

[I Leak Oil]

These best tire threads are usually filled with "the best tire is ______ and that's what I run" so it's good to see there isn't any of that here yet. I've had bias ply goodyears in the past on my rover and currently have Interco Truxxus which have been on for 8+ years now. But....they aren't balancing well now and are chunking as they age. I haven't found mud tires to do well in the snow or on icy road. In fact, they have been outright horrible in those conditions for me. I'm also not beating my truck so much anymore as I enjoy driving it more than fixing it these days (silly me right?). So, given that they need replacing I'm going to be looking for a relatively aggressive AT this summer.
My suggestion is to figure out what type and size of tire you want and narrow it down to a brand from there. Don't be afraid of trying a lesser known brand as some of them are making a really good product too.

[o2batsea]

I have the Kevlar tires on mine. 235/85-16

http://www.d-90.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=64247&d=1357781250

[TeriAnn]

First thing to be aware of is that the stock tyre dia for a 109 is 32 inches. The second thing is that there are different width and diameter factory wheels. 109 wheels are 16 inch dia. Older ones (possibly yours) are 5 inch bead to bead width. 88's had an optional 15 inch dia wheel.

109 16 inch wheel got progressively wider through the years with 6 inches the widest. There is a 6-1/2" wide Defender wheel that fits Series trucks and a 7" wide Discovery I slotted steel wheel that fit Series trucks (what is under my 1960 109).

You do not want to go taller than about 33-34 inches in dia without modifying a stock 109 civilian suspension.

With that in mind you want 32 inch dia tyres that are within the tyre manufacturer's specifications to fit the bead to bead width of the rim you have or switch to.

The stock tyre size is 750/16 which is an obsolete tyre size system. The closest to that in a modern system is 235/85-16. But the 235/85-16 rim width specification is 6" to 7" bead to bead. Your rims may be narrower. If you have the old narrower wheels I recommend that you pick up a set of newer wider wheels. Ike at pangolin4x4 should be able to set you up with used wider rims at a reasonable cost. Or considering shipping from the West cost you might do better with a new set from RN.

We all have our favorite brands of tyres, tread patterns and size so you are likely to receive different recommendations. No one tyre is best for all driving situations. So what is optimum for one person in another part of the country may not work all that well for you and where you drive.

The first decade I had my 109 I tried different tyres until I found one that fit my driving well. For the last 25 or so years my tuck has been shod with BFG Goodrich Mud Terrains. I don't feel that they are THE best tyre for any particular driving situation but they are good under a wide range of driving situations. I look at them as a very good jack of most terrains. They are good in all mud but the sticky gumbo mud that refuses to be thrown off the tyre. They are very good on all dirt surfaces. They grip well on rocks and have armored side belts that help protect them from sidewall rock cuts. Mud tyres are not the best choice for deep soft sand.

I like the BFG mud terrains because they are very good for most of the surfaces I drive on, they are reasonably quiet and have a long tread wear. I have the Disco I 7" wide steel wheels and the larger LT255/85R16 tyres. I like this combination a lot. I have run LT265/75R16 tires on the 7 inch rims in the past. This is a stock D90 tyre size requiring the 7 inch rim. The only issue I had was that under extreme articulation the inside of the rear wheels polished the inside of the inner wheel wells. No damage, just the slightest of rubs. I went to the slightly narrower taller LT255/85R16 tyres just to get a little extra ground clearance.

[Partsman]

First thing to be aware of is that the stock tyre dia for a 109 is 32 inches. The second thing is that there are different width and diameter factory wheels. 109 wheels are 16 inch dia. Older ones (possibly yours) are 5 inch bead to bead width. 88's had an optional 15 inch dia wheel.

109 16 inch wheel got progressively wider through the years with 6 inches the widest. There is a 6-1/2" wide Defender wheel that fits Series trucks and a 7" wide Discovery I slotted steel wheel that fit Series trucks (what is under my 1960 109).

You do not want to go taller than about 33-34 inches in dia without modifying a stock 109 civilian suspension.

With that in mind you want 32 inch dia tyres that are within the tyre manufacturer's specifications to fit the bead to bead width of the rim you have or switch to.

The stock tyre size is 750/16 which is an obsolete tyre size system. The closest to that in a modern system is 235/85-16. But the 235/85-16 rim width specification is 6" to 7" bead to bead. Your rims may be narrower. If you have the old narrower wheels I recommend that you pick up a set of newer wider wheels. Ike at pangolin4x4 should be able to set you up with used wider rims at a reasonable cost. Or considering shipping from the West cost you might do better with a new set from RN.

We all have our favorite brands of tyres, tread patterns and size so you are likely to receive different recommendations. No one tyre is best for all driving situations. So what is optimum for one person in another part of the country may not work all that well for you and where you drive.

The first decade I had my 109 I tried different tyres until I found one that fit my driving well. For the last 25 or so years my tuck has been shod with BFG Goodrich Mud Terrains. I don't feel that they are THE best tyre for any particular driving situation but they are good under a wide range of driving situations. I look at them as a very good jack of most terrains. They are good in all mud but the sticky gumbo mud that refuses to be thrown off the tyre. They are very good on all dirt surfaces. They grip well on rocks and have armored side belts that help protect them from sidewall rock cuts. Mud tyres are not the best choice for deep soft sand.

I like the BFG mud terrains because they are very good for most of the surfaces I drive on, they are reasonably quiet and have a long tread wear. I have the Disco I 7" wide steel wheels and the larger LT255/85R16 tyres. I like this combination a lot. I have run LT265/75R16 tires on the 7 inch rims in the past. This is a stock D90 tyre size requiring the 7 inch rim. The only issue I had was that under extreme articulation the inside of the rear wheels polished the inside of the inner wheel wells. No damage, just the slightest of rubs. I went to the slightly narrower taller LT255/85R16 tyres just to get a little extra ground clearance.

I like reading these posts as I learn a great deal, especially when Teriann posts! I still have the tires that it came with from the PO, I will have to change them this summer when I finally register it, and start driving it. Mostly because the truck came from Georgia, and the tires that are on it, are not for the kind of extremes in weather we get here in New England, and they kind of scare me. Unfortunately I have the older narrower rims the Teriann has said are obsolete, so I'll have to source new steel rims

[stomper]

http://www.roamoffroad.com/wheels.phpor, you could just go this route!

[I Leak Oil]

Unfortunately I have the older narrower rims the Teriann has said are obsolete, so I'll have to source new steel rims

Not necessarily. I have (as well as many other owners) 235/85-16's on stock rover rims and have NEVER lost a tire off the bead, even when aired down. I wouldn't put that tire on a 5" rim but seems to be fine on a 5.5" and 6" rim.
Last time I looked for a 7.50-16 I found that Pete's tire and oil in Webster could still get them for you. They aren't really obsolete, just not common anymore. That's why I personally wouldn't put that size on. A 235/85 you can get just about anywhere as is the case with any metric size tire.

[Partsman]

Not necessarily. I have (as well as many other owners) 235/85-16's on stock rover rims and have NEVER lost a tire off the bead, even when aired down. I wouldn't put that tire on a 5" rim but seems to be fine on a 5.5" and 6" rim.
Last time I looked for a 7.50-16 I found that Pete's tire and oil in Webster could still get them for you. They aren't really obsolete, just not common anymore. That's why I personally wouldn't put that size on. A 235/85 you can get just about anywhere as is the case with any metric size tire.

I'll call Pete at home tonight, he's one of my best friends, we've known each other since high school. If they're getting rare, I can have him get me 5 and hold them til I'm ready to install.

[I Leak Oil]

The world gets smaller every day.....

[Partsman]

The world gets smaller every day.....

I grew up in Webster, remember my Land Rover on Cudworth Rd?

[I Leak Oil]

I grew up in Webster, remember my Land Rover on Cudworth Rd?

I miss it every day I drive to and from work......