Alberta Land Rover Enthusiasts Club Forum
General => Technical Discussions => Topic started by: GR8PMKN on March 30, 2021, 10:00 PM
What's everyone running for tire sizes on their stock Defenders?
The 130 I have came with Gripmax 265/75 R16, and I had the tires analyzed today by a tire shop, and were told they're basically crap, even though there's good tread left. I had them tested because any speed over 90km/h, I was getting a vibration. So I'm looking to put BFG KO2s on there, but wondering what size people are using. The Defender owner's manual I found online says, "205 R16 & 265/75 R16 or 750 R16" for Defender 90s, and it says, "750 R16" for the 110 and 130s. If I research a conversion for that size, it seems like a consensus 235/85 R16 or 235/80 R16. Hmm...
I wouldn't mind going a wee bit bigger than what's on there now without changing anything or causing any issues. Any thoughts?
I like 255/85r16 tires on 90/110/130 rovers but they are not a common size and may or may not be suitable for your use. 235/85r16 and 265/75r16 are also good and better for all around driving. If you want to push it a bit some people like 285/75r16 or bigger.
Step one is to figure out what rims you have. We can then comment what will fit those.
Beyond that an idea of how you plan to use the 130 would help.
I run 285/75R16's on my 110. With the stock turn radius setup they rub just a smidgen on the radius arm when cranked into a full turn.
I had 255/85R16's before that and quite liked them, but they are really hard to find as the skinny profile isn't that popular.
(//)Quote from: Red90 on March 31, 2021, 05:02 AM
Step one is to figure out what rims you have. We can then comment what will fit those.
Beyond that an idea of how you plan to use the 130 would help.
I have new Wolf rims. I plan on slowly converting my 130 into my overland vehicle instead of my Jeep Rubicon. The ultimate goal would be to have a little camper on the back, maybe like the Alu-Cab Khaya model, or a Four Wheel Camper older Eagle model. Gotta let the funds build up again first though, so that could be years away. I don't really plan on using the truck in the winter, as I want to keep the salt and rock-chips away from it. I like off-roading (of course), but my goal is never to break anything on a trail, so you won't see me doing something crazy to get Instagram followers. ;D This year we'll just take it on some day trips, maybe an overnight here and there and see what we like and don't like. For now, the longer trips will be in the Jeep as it's all set up for that. Hope that helps...
The photo was sent to me by Alu-Cab. It's not mine, sadly...
With the Wolf rims, you can't go any wider. 235/85R16, 265/75R16 or 255/85R16 will work. To go to 285s, you would need wider rims with less offset.
If you are not using it in the winter and planning to go offroad, I would go with something other that the KO2s. They are useless in mud. My suggestion is either the Toyo Open Country M/T or BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3, both available in all the sizes above. 255s make the most sense.
Quote from: Red90 on March 31, 2021, 10:30 AM
With the Wolf rims, you can't go any wider. 235/85R16, 265/75R16 or 255/85R16 will work. To go to 285s, you would need wider rims with less offset.
If you are not using it in the winter and planning to go offroad, I would go with something other that the KO2s. They are useless in mud. My suggestion is either the Toyo Open Country M/T or BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3, both available in all the sizes above. 255s make the most sense.
Good to know about the width, thanks! The Toyo's are pricey!! I was considering the BFG KM3s, but do they get a bit noisy? I'm trying to keep the Defender quiet with things that I can control. I've had Duratracs on my Cherokees, and they get louder as they wear. I thought I'd try the KO2s on my Rubicon for a change a couple years ago, and they're still running quiet. I haven't been in too much peanut-butter mud with the KO2s, and I'm sure the KM3s would excel there. Would the amount of time I spend in that kinda mud make it worth it for the road-noise trade-off? Hmm... Does anyone have experience running KM3s?
Quote from: GR8PMKN on March 31, 2021, 10:54 AMI'm trying to keep the Defender quiet with things that I can control.
This does not compute.
Quote from: Red90 on March 31, 2021, 11:08 AM
Quote from: GR8PMKN on March 31, 2021, 10:54 AMI'm trying to keep the Defender quiet with things that I can control.
This does not compute.
;D :o ::) You know what I mean... geesh!
9 months of the year I run Michelin XLT 235/85-R16 tubeless on a set of galvanized xmod rims 5.5 or 6.5" (can't recall) x 16". They are light, quiet, great road manners, load rated and brilliant in the winter! They are perfect for the majority of the driving I do. Plus....I get a lot of miles out of a set of these tires.
In the few months I maybe off roading in the softer stuff I'm currently running a set a BFG KM2 235/85-R16 tubeless on a set of Wolf rims. They are way heavier tire/wheel combination the my other set (almost twice the weight), but they are much thicker metal on the wheels and combined with the heavier tires it sure adds up. They have a much more aggressive tread (and they are noisy) and have a beefier side wall to cope with some of the rocks. That said I lost one tire on the AMT with an edge of the tread puncture, righting off that tire. But they are my offroad set and I don't have great expections for on road use or miles of wear.
I did have a set of 235/85R16 Super Swampers once for offroad use too. Good side tread, good in loose material or mud, durable, but difficult to balance. So I decided to try the BFG's, who were in contension with the Good Year MT/R. What decided between the two was a coin toss :-)
But I'm going to stay with the 235/85R16 size as I have a 1.2 ratio T-case for all the highway I tend to do. If I had a 1.4 (or a 1.6 military) T-case I would probably go with a bit taller tire.
We decided on the BFG KM3s in 7.50X16 (tall and skinny) for our 110. We have been very impressed with them on and offroad. They are surprisingly quiet considering how aggressive they are.
Quote from: Maddy_110 on March 31, 2021, 09:43 PM
We decided on the BFG KM3s in 7.50X16 (tall and skinny) for our 110. We have been very impressed with them on and offroad. They are surprisingly quiet considering how aggressive they are.
Where did you find those that you could get that tire size? Isn't that more of a European sizing? The 7.50X16 is what the manual recommends for my 130, but that's back where we started when I asked what that size equivalent is in Canada. Hmm... They are nice tires though. I'm debating between those and the KO2s still...
British Size Width (inches) Closest Metric Size
7.50 – 16 8.1 to 8.5 235/85R16 or
265/75R16
Quote from: Red90 on March 31, 2021, 10:30 AM
With the Wolf rims, you can't go any wider. 235/85R16, 265/75R16 or 255/85R16 will work. To go to 285s, you would need wider rims with less offset.
If you are not using it in the winter and planning to go offroad, I would go with something other that the KO2s. They are useless in mud. My suggestion is either the Toyo Open Country M/T or BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3, both available in all the sizes above. 255s make the most sense.
Are you running 255s? I was just doing a conversion, and the 265 and 235s are basically 31.6" and 31.7" respectively, and the 255 is 33.1". I like the sound of that, but with it being a bit bigger in diameter, would that cause rubbing anywhere in a full lock turn?
Quote from: binch on March 31, 2021, 10:33 PM
British Size Width (inches) Closest Metric Size
7.50 – 16 8.1 to 8.5 235/85R16 or
265/75R16
Thank you! I'll probably stick to one of those 2, but I'm curious now about the 255/85R16...
Quote from: GR8PMKN on March 31, 2021, 10:23 PM
Quote from: Maddy_110 on March 31, 2021, 09:43 PM
We decided on the BFG KM3s in 7.50X16 (tall and skinny) for our 110. We have been very impressed with them on and offroad. They are surprisingly quiet considering how aggressive they are.
Where did you find those that you could get that tire size? Isn't that more of a European sizing? The 7.50X16 is what the manual recommends for my 130, but that's back where we started when I asked what that size equivalent is in Canada. Hmm... They are nice tires though. I'm debating between those and the KO2s still...
The KM3s are one of the rare tires available in that size here in North America. They are unicorns though! Pretty hard to find. I managed to find two sets - a friend is running them on his old Series IIa as well.
Quote from: GR8PMKN on March 31, 2021, 10:36 PM
Are you running 255s? I was just doing a conversion, and the 265 and 235s are basically 31.6" and 31.7" respectively, and the 255 is 33.1". I like the sound of that, but with it being a bit bigger in diameter, would that cause rubbing anywhere in a full lock turn?
Yes. It is a common size used on Defenders. All the recommendations I'm giving are without modifications but only with the correct rims. With Wolf rims, they work.
The rubbing on the radius arms Trevor mentioned above is meant to be stopped by adjusting the steering stop. You should always adjust the steering stops so that the tires barely clear the radius arms.
7.50x16 - 31.8" x 8.7"
235/85R16 - 31.7" x 9.3"
265/75R16 - 31.7" x 10.5"
255/85R16 - 33.1" x 10"
285/75R16 - 32.8" x 11.3"
Anything larger will require some minor modifications.
The KM3s are one of the rare tires available in that size here in North America. They are unicorns though! Pretty hard to find. I managed to find two sets - a friend is running them on his old Series IIa as well.
[/quote]
That's a pretty great find!
Quote from: Red90 on April 01, 2021, 05:50 AM
Quote from: GR8PMKN on March 31, 2021, 10:36 PM
Are you running 255s? I was just doing a conversion, and the 265 and 235s are basically 31.6" and 31.7" respectively, and the 255 is 33.1". I like the sound of that, but with it being a bit bigger in diameter, would that cause rubbing anywhere in a full lock turn?
Yes. It is a common size used on Defenders. All the recommendations I'm giving are without modifications but only with the correct rims. With Wolf rims, they work.
The rubbing on the radius arms Trevor mentioned above is meant to be stopped by adjusting the steering stop. You should always adjust the steering stops so that the tires barely clear the radius arms.
7.50x16 - 31.8" x 8.7"
235/85R16 - 31.7" x 9.3"
265/75R16 - 31.7" x 10.5"
255/85R16 - 33.1" x 10"
285/75R16 - 32.8" x 11.3"
Anything larger will require some minor modifications.
OK. Good info. So I'll look up to see if I can find the 255s in the tire I decide on. I understand that you can adjust the radius arms to avoid rubbing, but what I don't want is to have to adjust them such that my turning radius suffers even further. Do you know if they would work with no adjustment?
Quote from: GR8PMKN on April 02, 2021, 12:38 PM
OK. Good info. So I'll look up to see if I can find the 255s in the tire I decide on. I understand that you can adjust the radius arms to avoid rubbing, but what I don't want is to have to adjust them such that my turning radius suffers even further. Do you know if they would work with no adjustment?
To adjust the steering to prevent rubbing it is just a single bolt adjustment if I recall correctly. Pretty straightforward with nothing to fiddle with on the radius arms. Mine rub at full turn in reverse. John is correct though, it really should be adjusted out if you run into the problem.
Quote from: GR8PMKN on April 02, 2021, 12:38 PM
OK. Good info. So I'll look up to see if I can find the 255s in the tire I decide on. I understand that you can adjust the radius arms to avoid rubbing, but what I don't want is to have to adjust them such that my turning radius suffers even further. Do you know if they would work with no adjustment?
Most likely there is no difference in turning radius between a 265/75 and a 255/85. The chance of your steering stops being set properly right now are low. In any case, you won't notice any difference.
Maybe I could play with the stops and even tighten my turning circle slightly (if there's room to do so) once I get the new tires on. I'll have to look into that...
First, you had your tyres analyzed by a tyre shop because of vibration and they told you you need new tyres. No surprise there. I'd get the tyres balanced properly and look for a less biased a second opinion.
But let's assume you really do need new tyres immediately and you want to go with something that fits with your future build plans for the Land Rover.
Well, your Wolf wheels are not going to work, I'd sell them to someone that owns a 90.
With a long wheel base 130 and a heavy camper that you want to take off road you are going to need to build around a much larger tyre size and a much wider track width.
I'd suggest a minimum of 285/75R16 and ideally larger/wider. Unless your idea of "off road" is a two track forestry road, weight and wheelbase are going to make anything close to a stock width and height tyre a real chore in the rough.
The skinny tyre thing only really works well on a light short wheel base unit.
Also, this isn't going to be cheap to do properly.
My 2c
Quote from: Matt H on April 02, 2021, 10:46 PM
First, you had your tyres analyzed by a tyre shop because of vibration and they told you you need new tyres. No surprise there. I'd get the tyres balanced properly and look for a less biased a second opinion.
But let's assume you really do need new tyres immediately and you want to go with something that fits with your future build plans for the Land Rover.
Well, your Wolf wheels are not going to work, I'd sell them to someone that owns a 90.
With a long wheel base 130 and a heavy camper that you want to take off road you are going to need to build around a much larger tyre size and a much wider track width.
I'd suggest a minimum of 285/75R16 and ideally larger/wider. Unless your idea of "off road" is a two track forestry road, weight and wheelbase are going to make anything close to a stock width and height tyre a real chore in the rough.
The skinny tyre thing only really works well on a light short wheel base unit.
Also, this isn't going to be cheap to do properly.
My 2c
Thanks for the 2c, Matt. Pardon my ignorance, as I'm still learning about these Defenders. What's wrong with the Wolf wheels? Too skinny? I thought they were supposed to be good! As for the tire shop - of course I took what they said with a grain of salt. This particular shop has been honest with me before saving me a bit of money, but of course they'd like to make a sale. Even on the day, they could have analyzed and balanced each wheel like I asked them to, but they only analyzed one and stopped there to tell me they weren't worth wasting any more of my money on going any further.
Anyway, what we think might be a tire balance/quality problem (the vibration above 90km/h), I'm still thinking it might be a prop shaft problem. Reason being is that I was driving on the highway yesterday, and finally had a chance to roll down some hills at speed and without having my foot on the gas, the vibration goes away. As soon as I'm on the gas again, it returns. If it were a wheel issue, wouldn't the vibration still exist doing 100km/h coasting down the hill??
I've been doing some reading and research, and apparently the quality of the long 130 rear prop shaft is hit and miss, even from the factory. The metal might be too thin and it starts to flex/resonate causing a wobble at higher speeds. I'm going to look more into that. It doesn't help that whoever undercoated my truck before I owned it got that crap all over the shafts too, which I think is affecting the balance of them. I know it's not the u-joints because I've replaced all 4. Maybe I should buy a new heavy duty rear prop shaft and try that instead of the tires for now... Hmm... I watched a video from Britania Restorations and he had the same issue on his 130. He switched to a new shaft (15 pounds heavier than the old one), and the problem disappeared. "Like night and day." he said. Hmm...
Maybe the propshaft needs balancing? You can test it at a drive line shop.
Drive it with the rear prop removed and see if it still vibrates.
Quote from: binch on April 04, 2021, 10:57 AM
Maybe the propshaft needs balancing? You can test it at a drive line shop.
I'll look into the cost of that. Hopefully it's not more than just buying a new one... ::)
Quote from: Red90 on April 04, 2021, 11:37 AM
Drive it with the rear prop removed and see if it still vibrates.
Good suggestion. In my research, those who have tried this have found it successful in troubleshooting. I suppose if I find there's no vibration when it's off, while I have it off I could take it into Pat's Driveline or something to have them check it out if not too pricey. Are there any precautions I need to take before driving around without a rear prop shaft? I suppose I need to consider the parking brake drum...
Put the nuts back onto the drum where the shaft came off.
It will drive like crap in front wheel drive so don't mix that up with the vibration you are checking.
While it is off make sure the big nut on the transfer case output flange is tight. And check the diff flange to make sure it is not loose.
When you have the driveshaft off it's easy to check the u-joint for proper (and improper) movement. The shaft could be out of balance, but u-joints are a more likely candidate and can be verified at home.
Quote from: Trevor on April 04, 2021, 01:28 PM
When you have the driveshaft off it's easy to check the u-joint for proper (and improper) movement. The shaft could be out of balance, but u-joints are a more likely candidate and can be verified at home.
U-joints were my first suspect and all 4 are brand new. Less than 500km on them, so they should be good...
Quote from: Red90 on April 04, 2021, 01:09 PM
Put the nuts back onto the drum where the shaft came off.
It will drive like crap in front wheel drive so don't mix that up with the vibration you are checking.
While it is off make sure the big nut on the transfer case output flange is tight. And check the diff flange to make sure it is not loose.
I'll get to this in the next week or so, I hope. Thanks for the tips! :)
Wolf wheels, there is nothing particularly wrong with them other than they weigh quite a lot for the size. Are they worth it? Depends on use but I have to say it's not like the old wheels bent really easily and if you do bend one it's a real SOB to pound out on the road side.
Anyway, they are going to be much too skinny to support a adequately sized tyre in my opinion. They would also offer no increase in track width. With the modifications and weight you plan to carry a wider track and a larger tyre would be extremely beneficial. Also choosing a easily sourced LT size (aka a popular pick up truck size) will be helpful if you end up in the back end of no where and need to buy a replacement.
Entertaining the idea of larger wheels and tyres will get you in trouble with the YouTube Brittanica Restorations guy because he is very fond of 'standard' Land Rovers. I suspect that is mostly because he knows what he likes and he likes what he knows. But many many owners have successfully ran larger wheels and tyres with different offsets. But you need to be aware what you are getting yourself into. Changes to gearing, axles, brakes, suspension etc. are just the start of what is a very involved and quite expensive journey. But ultimately the vehicle will be built to perform properly for what you want.
This is just my 2c of course. Folks overload standard Land Rovers all the time, especially 130s because most are originally purchased for commercial uses.
As for vibration. You have to eliminate the tyres and wheels first. It's not expensive to check the wheels are still straight and everything is balanced. $20-$40 should do it. Ask the shop that analyzed the tyres for more information. Are they just worn out? Aged/cracked? Worn unevenly? Cupped? Separating? This is important because interpreting the story the tyres tell can help identify possible vibration sources.
Then a close inspection of the suspension is needed. Springs (there should be two per side of a 130 if still stock) need to be checked. Shocks need to be in perfect order. As do the Anti sway bars and links. Then all the suspension bushings and A frame ball joint.
After that you can inspect the driveshaft. Make sure the rear is jacked up, transfer case is in neutral
and the parking brake released when you do this. Chock the front wheels so you don't run yourself over obviously. Check the weights are still welded to the tube and there are no dents. Put a straight edge against it and make sure it doesn't have a wow in it. Balancing involves removing the shaft and sending out to a place like Pats Drive Line. Just because the U joints were just changed doesn't mean everything is ok. You need to ask yourself why? Then recheck them. Was that an actual problem or just a symptom of a an underlying issue?
Make careful notes on exactly when it happens. What gear? What engine rpm? What vehicle speed? Does it happen at certain throttle positions only? Is it ok on a smooth road or does it happen after going over a rough patch?
All this will help you or a shop quickly dial in what the problem is. There is nothing particularly different or difficult going on but there is quite a lot happening all at once with drive train and suspension systems so it pays to take a methodical approach.
Hope that helps.
I'll go through the usual suspects for the vibration (thanks for the tips), and hopefully I can solve the issue. I'm not going to be crazily modifying anything on my truck until I use it and see what we need. As an example, I ran my Rubicon stock for 7 years before I really figured out what I actually needed to do with it to meet my goals. I ended up with a modest, but quality AEV 2.5" lift and 34" tires (I think the old ones were 32"). I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole with the truck modifying this that and the next thing until I know for sure what I actually need to do. Mostly because I don't have that kind of money ;D
I do respect the Britannica Restorations guy's opinions on bigger wheels/stance (with a grain of salt, of course), because he has lived and breathed more Defender stuff than I ever will. I respect your opinion too, and I'm on this forum as a new Defender owner to get help and advice, and that's exactly what I'm getting from you and everyone else. I also follow GrizzlyNBear Overland on YouTube - they have a 130 with a Four Wheel Camper on the back. They switched to bigger tires (285/75) and the modifications to make that work, and their swivel ball housing ended up snapping on a highway leaving them quite buggerd. They blame the whole thing on going to bigger tires and the associated modifications. They've since de-modified and gone back to 265/75 tires, which is what I currently have. So... if it ain't broke - I'm going to leave it alone for now! I realize that once the time comes to put real weight on the back, I will have to upgrade the suspension (it's still new at the moment, but nothing special), and the brakes.
For now though, I'm going to let the vibration troubleshooting continue!
Stock is cool too. There are many advantages to keeping a unit in its factory form as YouTube guy will often remind you. Biggest being those clever Chaps at Land Rover have figured everything out for you already. Just stay within the parameters given in the owners manual and only 'normal' stuff should break or wear out.
You may have to compromise a bit on use and weight but it's waaaayy cheaper to build less, take less and opt for the go-around trail now and again than it is to build up a go anywhere do everything unit.
Everything automotive is comprised to some degree. It all comes down to what you want it to do best.
I think I'm up to 6c on advice now?
Quote from: Matt H on April 07, 2021, 11:40 AM
I think I'm up to 6c on advice now?
;D Soon I'll owe you a beer!
Your on! Lol at only 6c a beer I can afford to buy beers for everyone.
So back to this tire deliberation:
I'm starting to really lean towards the KM3 255/85. Has anyone had issues with clearance/rubbing off-road (flexing), or is it just the potential full steering lock rubbing a bit (if that's even found to be an issue)? Just trying to make sure I'm not going to make a mistake here, rather than buying what I know will work for sure... Mostly concerned about making my steering even worse than it already is... lol
I took the truck off-road for the first time yesterday, and it was fantastic! I was half expecting some unknown issue to make itself known, but it was perfectly behaved!
255/85r16 on wolf rims fit perfectly on my 90 with no rubbing. I do have a maybe two inch lift but I don't think that matters with this size.
Heh, I got the Defender out of storage recently and remembered I run 255/85's on it, not the 285/75's. I used to run the latter on my D2, hence my confusion.
In any case, the 255/85's fit nicely with just a possible steering stop adjustment required to address rubbing.
I run stock springs on mine with the helper springs in the rear. There is also a heavy duty spring for the rear that I belive is common with 130's. Double check the parts book on that though as it's been a while since I dug into springs for mine.
They will fit fine with the Wolf rims. What springs you have does not matter.
Very good... any balance issues with 255/85s?
Quote from: GR8PMKN on April 20, 2021, 09:41 AM
Very good... any balance issues with 255/85s?
For smaller radial sizes like this, balance tends to be more a manufacturing issue rather than size specific. BF Goodrich KM2's, as an example, were always terrible for balance. I've run through a half dozen sets of various sizes and all were varying degrease of crap in that regard (otherwise a really good tire though). No idea if the KM3's are any better. I would suspect so as that was a common complaint for the KM 2's. Toyo's, alternatively, are often very good in this regard.
But at this size they shouldn't be that bad in any case...and if they are, tell the tire shop to send it back and get one that isn't out of wack.
So it seems that finding sizes like a 255 is next to impossible these days from COVID-related issues and slow-downs at the manufacturing plants. I asked 4 different shops about the 255s, and they said that if I ordered a set, it could be fall, winter, or even next spring before I would get them.
Does anyone have any opinions on the 235/85s (31.7")? They do have the KM3 available in that size. That would be pretty darn close to the 7.5R16 (31.8") that Land Rover recommends.
Little update: Kal Tire called their distributer and they said that Michelin (maker of BFG) isn't even making 255s at this time, so I guess that answers that. They do have 6 remaining 235/85r16 KM3s sitting in a warehouse and they could get them in 2 weeks if I ordered them...
You could also check on KM3 in 7.50 x 16. It was available. They'll likely have to phone their distributor again
You're unlikely to see them on a Costco or Canadian Tire website.
Since you're planning it as a tourer without any hard core wheeling in mind, how about a good AT type tire? Duratrac, Grabber AT2, Open Country AT2, etc etc. They would likely be a better option for what you have in mind. Decent on the trails, good on high grade, and quieter on the pavement...er, although that's not really a thing that matters much in a Defender :).
Whether that helps you find the size you want, that I'm not sure.
If you do want to stick with a true MT I do see the Toyo Open Country MT advertised in 255/85R16. Although that doesn't necessarily mean they are stocked. That is what I run. They are a heavy tire though.
https://www.4wheelparts.ca/p/dick-cepek-lt255-85r16-tire-extreme-country-72630-90000024326/_/R-BGXJ-90000024326
Quote from: Trevor on April 21, 2021, 02:54 PM
Since you're planning it as a tourer without any hard core wheeling in mind, how about a good AT type tire? Duratrac, Grabber AT2, Open Country AT2, etc etc. They would likely be a better option for what you have in mind. Decent on the trails, good on high grade, and quieter on the pavement...er, although that's not really a thing that matters much in a Defender :).
Whether that helps you find the size you want, that I'm not sure.
If you do want to stick with a true MT I do see the Toyo Open Country MT advertised in 255/85R16. Although that doesn't necessarily mean they are stocked. That is what I run. They are a heavy tire though.
The ultimate goal is to make it a tourer, but if I'm honest with myself and value my marriage, I likely won't be buying a camper etc. for a few years. Until then, we plan on using it on 1 or 2 day trips out to the PLUZs, and sort out what we like and don't like etc.. COVID needs to end, and I need my real career back again before making any new major purchases. We'll just keep using the Rubicon that's all kitted out already with everything for the longer trips for the foreseeable future.
Having said that, maybe satisfying my curiosity of trying M/Ts couldn't really hurt anything because by the time I get a camper, I'll probably be close to reconsidering tires again (maybe not, depending on how much we use it). And on the other hand, I KNOW a good A/T would suit me just fine. I could slap some KO2s on there and call it a day.
Still wondering if anyone out there is using 235/85s, and how you like them. I think I need to join a tire research support group. I just can't make up my mind. lol
Quote from: Red90 on April 21, 2021, 04:58 PM
https://www.4wheelparts.ca/p/dick-cepek-lt255-85r16-tire-extreme-country-72630-90000024326/_/R-BGXJ-90000024326
Are you running these? Just on the surface of looking into them, there aren't a lot of glowing reviews so far... They look bad-ass though!
Yup. The KM3s are definitely available in 7.50/16. They are very hard to find though. That said, I'm exceedingly pleased with them!
Quote from: ugly_90 on April 21, 2021, 11:51 AM
You could also check on KM3 in 7.50 x 16. It was available. They'll likely have to phone their distributor again
You're unlikely to see them on a Costco or Canadian Tire website.
Quote from: GR8PMKN on April 21, 2021, 08:40 PM
Quote from: Red90 on April 21, 2021, 04:58 PM
https://www.4wheelparts.ca/p/dick-cepek-lt255-85r16-tire-extreme-country-72630-90000024326/_/R-BGXJ-90000024326
Are you running these? Just on the surface of looking into them, there aren't a lot of glowing reviews so far... They look bad-ass though!
They are a good intermediate tire. Nicer on road than the typical MT and still enough tread so you can go off road.
Is there any reason you're not considering a 265/75R16 tyre?
It's a popular truck size and every manufacturer makes tyres in this size. Spares are easy to find and they are cheaper than most of the other sizes you're interested in.
In real terms, it's not significantly different from the stock size you want to run right now.
Just a thought
Nope, there's no reason. I actually am considering it more heavily now. The more I call around, the more I'm learning exactly what you just said. I thought having it a bit narrower would lend well to keeping the sides a bit cleaner (being closer to what Land Rover intended), but I'm finding out that not all manufacturers are making 235s anymore except the major ones, and the 265/75s are indeed more popular in North America lending well to easy replacements and shopping overall.
There has been a worldwide tire shortage across the board since the pandemic started. You can't be choosy about tires these days.
Well, after much deliberation and to my wife's relief 8) I have finally ordered my new set of tires! They will be BFG KM3 in 235/85R16. I should have them in the next couple of weeks. Thank you to everyone for their input and suggestions.
Because the truck is new to me, I want to reset it to its 'original factory settings' for now and then see where I want to take it after that. I want to see what it can do the way it was designed, before I try to outsmart the engineers. :D The tire size will be a good place to start, and with having a good set of off-road tires, I will really be able see/test what the truck is capable of. That's what this summer will be about. If anyone wants to go exploring, I'm up for it!!
I'll post pictures once I get them on in a couple weeks.
Here are a couple photos.
Also, this comes with a question:
Has anyone run tubeless tires on tubed rims? When the tire guys removed my tires they said that there were tubes in them, and the old tires themselves were marked tubeless. They thought it was done because of the valve stem situation. They had to install beefy valves for me. I then learned that my wolf rims have "ANR5593 TUBED" stamped in tiny letters. I never looked at that before. I know the Defender manual says that a tube must be installed if the rim says so, but on forums I'm reading that as long as you don't air down too much there shouldn't be any issues (15psi or above seems to be ok). Plus on one post I read that LR shipped out brand new 130s from the factory with TUBED Wolf rims and tires without tubes installed. Of course I can't verify that.
Any experience on this?
Quote from: GR8PMKN on May 07, 2021, 12:08 PM
Also, this comes with a question:
Has anyone run tubeless tires on tubed rims? When the tire guys removed my tires they said that there were tubes in them, and the old tires themselves were marked tubeless. They thought it was done because of the valve stem situation. They had to install beefy valves for me. I then learned that my wolf rims have "ANR5593 TUBED" stamped in tiny letters. I never looked at that before. I know the Defender manual says that a tube must be installed if the rim says so, but on forums I'm reading that as long as you don't air down too much there shouldn't be any issues (15psi or above seems to be ok). Plus on one post I read that LR shipped out brand new 130s from the factory with TUBED Wolf rims and tires without tubes installed. Of course I can't verify that.
Any experience on this?
I ran tubeless winter tires on tubed rims all winter without issue. I ran no tubes, but did put in new stems to accommodate the tubed rim valve opening.
At full road pressure and no off-roading I really didn't have any worries. I did run them down sub-20psi out on some flat quad trails in the snow a few times to see if the bead would slip off like everyone screams about. Never did.
I'm also running tubeless tires on tubed Defender rims - without tubes... and they're holding air just fine.
My main concern was losing air through the rivets in the rim, so I put a thin layer of seam-sealer around the rivets. The tires still balanced fine, and I'm not getting any vibrations when I drive, either.
Quote from: DBrands on May 07, 2021, 12:28 PM
Quote from: GR8PMKN on May 07, 2021, 12:08 PM
Also, this comes with a question:
Has anyone run tubeless tires on tubed rims? When the tire guys removed my tires they said that there were tubes in them, and the old tires themselves were marked tubeless. They thought it was done because of the valve stem situation. They had to install beefy valves for me. I then learned that my wolf rims have "ANR5593 TUBED" stamped in tiny letters. I never looked at that before. I know the Defender manual says that a tube must be installed if the rim says so, but on forums I'm reading that as long as you don't air down too much there shouldn't be any issues (15psi or above seems to be ok). Plus on one post I read that LR shipped out brand new 130s from the factory with TUBED Wolf rims and tires without tubes installed. Of course I can't verify that.
Any experience on this?
I ran tubeless winter tires on tubed rims all winter without issue. I ran no tubes, but did put in new stems to accommodate the tubed rim valve opening.
At full road pressure and no off-roading I really didn't have any worries. I did run them down sub-20psi out on some flat quad trails in the snow a few times to see if the bead would slip off like everyone screams about. Never did.
Good to know, thanks! I never really run anything lower than about 17-20psi on my other rigs, so if I do the same here, I'm hoping it should be ok. The guys at the shop said that if I have any issues, they'll make it right. :)
Quote from: mike.heathcote on May 07, 2021, 01:09 PM
I'm also running tubeless tires on tubed Defender rims - without tubes... and they're holding air just fine.
My main concern was losing air through the rivets in the rim, so I put a thin layer of seam-sealer around the rivets. The tires still balanced fine, and I'm not getting any vibrations when I drive, either.
I didn't do mine myself, so I don't know what's going on with the inner rim. Hopefully all good. Do you ever run low psi?
It is no problem. Land Rover steel wheels hold a bead better than any wheel you will ever see.
Tubes are a serious pita at low pressures.
Quote from: Red90 on May 07, 2021, 08:39 PM
It is no problem. Land Rover steel wheels hold a bead better than any wheel you will ever see.
Tubes are a serious pita at low pressures.
YES!!! And he speaks from experience.....MINE!!!!!
You can't air down with tubed tires with risking the tube.....so just don't do it. Tubeless on a tubed rim ;D...sure.
Well, it seems as though the consensus is that I should be fine with a tubeless tire without a tube on a tubed rim without airing down too much (I never go below 15psi). That's good news, and a bit of a stress relief!
If I end up popping a bead, y'all owe me a beer. ;D