Tyres..........

In message <[email protected]>, Rooney
<[email protected]> writes
>On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:59:20 +0000, hugh <hugh@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>
>>No I think its the All Terrain T/A KO
>
>Cheers - I've found that one now.
>
I had a look on the Michelin website - they own BFG. Unfortunately their
Tyre Selector module doesn't include any off road vehicles - Land Rover
isn't even mentioned.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

In message <[email protected]>, Adrian
<[email protected]> writes
>Dave Liquorice ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
>they were saying :
>
>> Putting new tyres on the rear seems to be the current best practice.
>> Appears that having, older, less grippy, ones at the back is not a
>> good idea as it means the back end will tend to try and overtake the
>> front...
>>
>> There is stuff on the web somewhere about this, can't remember now if
>> it really only applies to front wheel drive or to 4 wheel drives as
>> well.
>
>It's *regularly* the cause of a flamewar on uk.rec.driving,
>uk.rec.cars.maintenance and uk.rec.cars.misc.
>
>It's popped back up in the last couple of days, by coincidence.
>
>FWIW, my take is to listen to what the car's telling you - if one end wears
>faster, it's because those tyres are working harder, so that's the end to
>put the better ones. On most cars, that's the front.
>

Except on a Jeep Cherokee, where it is necessary to put one new one on
each axle otherwise the thing sticks in 4 wheel drive off road (Locked
centre diff) mode.
>Reading between the lines, it seems that the "Always on the back" advice is
>aimed at incompetent muppets.

--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 22:06:30 +0000 (GMT), Dave Liquorice wrote:

> My current vehicle also has newer tyres on the front and older ones
> on the back it has a tendancy to "wander" under light throttle/damp
> road conditions. One day I'll swap front to back and see what
> happens...

That day was today and I'm reasonably sure that swapping the newer
tyres from the front to the back has made the car more predictable.
I've not driven that far yet 10 miles or so, how ever it feels more
positive and goes where you point it rather than just going in that
general direction. Time will tell if all the handling foybles have
been cured but there is a definate difference for the better.

The rear now has Pirelli Scopion Zero with a goodly amount of tread,
the front Goodyear Wrangler HP with only about 5mm left all are
255/55R18 on a Disco II. It came with them, not my choice.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Dave Liquorice wrote:
> Putting new tyres on the rear seems to be the current best practice.
> Appears that having, older, less grippy, ones at the back is not a
> good idea as it means the back end will tend to try and overtake the
> front...

Yes... but if the two new tyres are ATs and the old ones
are road tyres (or so-called mud & snow tyres which is
essentially a road tyre - like the OP's GrandTreks) then
the less grippy tyres WILL be on the rear - especially
in the wet - if he puts the new ATs on the rear. I would
not mix and match tyre types like that, especially as
the OP says he's an enthusistic cornerer. Another problem
is size difference - even if the nominal size is the
same, tyres from different makers can vary significantly.
Some 4x4 systems don't take well to that though I don't
know the specifics of the Nissan "all mode" system on
the X-trail. If it was me I would change the lot, ideally
the spare too. If some of the old tyres are still in fair
condition then it might be possible to sell them on e-bay.

-- Steve

After all this advice and thoughts, I think Im just gonna stick with either
the Grandtreks or a similar type tyre (more road biased than off road) and
replace them in pairs as they wear.

It is more important for me to stick to the road on a corner and have more
stability at fast speeds than it is to be brilliant off road. Most of the
time that I am off road the GrandTreks do just fine, I was initially
dissapointed when I first got the car......... I drove up a farmers field
that was just stubble after the crop had recently been harvested. Was quite
muddy (ie very slippy to even walk on) and was quite an incline. I couldnt
get up in a striaght line at the edge of the field, but went alongside the
bottom and then drove diagnally across to the point where I wanted to be.
All 4 wheels were spinning like mad but I did get there........... after
thinking about this test of the car/tyres a wee longer I realise that it did
a good job that day and am now impressed. So for how much Im gonna use the
car like this seems pointless getting tyres that are gonna compromise
on-road abilty.

Is there a tyre that will be in the same class as the Grandtreks but better?
ie, are the same in that they are more road biased than off road biased?


Thanks

Steve

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:41:21 -0000, Steve Hunt wrote:

>> Putting new tyres on the rear seems to be the current best
>> practice. Appears that having, older, less grippy, ones at the back
>> is not a good idea as it means the back end will tend to try and
>> overtake the front...
>
> Yes... but if the two new tyres are ATs and the old ones are road
> tyres (or so-called mud & snow tyres which is essentially a road
> tyre - like the OP's GrandTreks) then the less grippy tyres WILL be
> on the rear - especially in the wet - if he puts the new ATs on the
> rear.

Agreed, having worked out the ifs...

> I would not mix and match tyre types like that, especially as the OP
> says he's an enthusistic cornerer.

Yes, mixing types does seem to be asking for "interesting" effects.
Effects that will vary depending on road conditions (wet/dry) and type
(mud/tarmac/snow/gravel etc). The wandering on mine was really only
noticeable on wet/greasy roads under light throttle, wet white lines
would upset it as well with a definate pull.

> Another problem is size difference - even if the nominal size is the
> same, tyres from different makers can vary significantly.

When I did my front/back swap I had to jack one end up a bit more to
get one set to fit in the gap from which the others came from, more
than the difference in tread wear as well...

> If it was me I would change the lot, ideally the spare too. If some
> if the old tyres are still in fair condition then it might be
> possible to sell them on e-bay.

There are always wheels or wheel/tyre sets for sale, don't often see
just tyres, at least not on my searches.

--
Cheers [email protected]
Dave. pam is missing e-mail