Tire Size

[GR8PMKN]

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...

[GR8PMKN]

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!  :)

[Matt H]

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.

[Matt H]

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.

[GR8PMKN]

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!

[Matt H]

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?

[GR8PMKN]

I think I'm up to 6c on advice now?

;D Soon I'll owe you a beer!

[Matt H]

Your on! Lol at only 6c a beer I can afford to buy beers for everyone.

[GR8PMKN]

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!

[headdamage]

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.

[Trevor]

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.

[Red90]

They will fit fine with the Wolf rims. What springs you have does not matter.

[GR8PMKN]

Very good... any balance issues with 255/85s?

[Trevor]

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.

[GR8PMKN]

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.