Tyres

Turboman · May 4, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
What size would you recommend? My wheels are 16's.

Personally, I always found 7.50R 16 work well on those. That is the tyre size recommended by the maker. 205 16 0r 225 16 ar good too, but hard to find in a straight size, most are 75 profile, which makes the rolling radius smaller, but leaves the width the same.

Turboman · May 4, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Also this is not driving it like a normal car, I have been driving Landys for almost 20 years in the Army, and used to fam people up on driving them on and off road. I lost the back end at well below normal road speeds.

What pressures are you running?
I did 20k on Dakars in a Ninety, and various other tyres, not had a problem. It was mostly in Cornwall, so there was certainly lots of water on the roads at times.

Pappasmurf · May 4, 2019

Turboman said:
Personally, I always found 7.50R 16 work well on those. That is the tyre size recommended by the maker. 205 16 0r 225 16 ar good too, but hard to find in a straight size, most are 75 profile, which makes the rolling radius smaller, but leaves the width the same.

What is 7.50 R16 in new sizes?

Turboman · May 4, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
What is 7.50 R16 in new sizes?

It isn't. 7.50 16 is 7.50 16. They are available, google around.

Pappasmurf · May 4, 2019

Turboman said:
What pressures are you running?
I did 20k on Dakars in a Ninety, and various other tyres, not had a problem. It was mostly in Cornwall, so there was certainly lots of water on the roads at times.

Just slightly below the recommended pressure. Can't remember the pressure off the top of my head.

Turboman · May 4, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Just slightly below the recommended pressure. Can't remember the pressure off the top of my head.

There are 2 pressures for the rears. Standard, which is for towing and loaded, and what are called comfort pressures, which are good for empty or light loads.

Personally, I would run 30psi all round, unless I was towing, or very heavily loaded, and reduce that to 20psi all round for off road.

Pappasmurf · May 4, 2019

Turboman said:
There are 2 pressures for the rears. Standard, which is for towing and loaded, and what are called comfort pressures, which are good for empty or light loads.

Personally, I would run 30psi all round, unless I was towing, or very heavily loaded, and reduce that to 20psi all round for off road.

Thanks. I'll check tomorrow, got to get everything ready for my mot anyway.

Litch · May 5, 2019

"Where do you get this offence to have white lettering from? I've done a search and can't find anything."

dag019 · May 5, 2019

Litch said:
For me it will always be BFG AT (265/75x16).

Yes completely agree. On my second set about half worn now after 50k. First set lasted 100k and sold them on with 4mm of tread left. Not sure what I will replace them with as they are no longer sold. But will Probabaly just be the current bfg at at the time.

dag019 · May 5, 2019

Litch said:
It is actually an offence to have the while lettering on the outside (i.e showing for all the world to see) which will result in you having your vehicle confiscated and suffering a lifetime of ridicule.
If you are guilty of this heinous crime...……. buy yourself a hairdresser's car

I take a little bit of issue with that but agree with the sentiment. I think you need to caveat it with an “if you choose” to have the lettering showing.
My first set were already built up when I bought them and had it outside. I was not going to pay to have them turned (student at the time). And my second set were then fitted the same as the tyre fitter didn’t ask and just copied what the old ones were. If it had been a garage I would have complained and got the turned before paying. But as it was the work fitter doing me a favour I couldn’t really criticise his work as I wasn’t paying.

Marmaduke · May 5, 2019

I have and chose the way round of my tyres and I currently have a hairdresser mobile

265's for me and General Grabber at2's

Rougharse Racing · May 5, 2019

If you think that your Insa Turbos are noisy, you have clearly never driven a Land Rover on Firestone SAT's (Super All Traction). On the road they used to howl like an air-raid siren. When combined with a V8 with absolutely no sound proofing, they were possibly the noisiest place on earth when travelling at speed.
In the 1990's these were the "must have" tyre for serious off road use, you could properly get the tail out on an old V8 Lightweight in 2wd.
You must have to try hard to get the back end out on a Land Rover with permanent 4X4, they tend to under-steer like front-wheel drive cars in my experience, perhaps you are lifting off mid bend? I don't think I could get the back end to step out on mine if I tried.

A pic of a Firestone SAT for all the youngsters.

Turboman · May 5, 2019

Rougharse Racing said:
If you think that your Insa Turbos are noisy, you have clearly never driven a Land Rover on Firestone SAT's (Super All Traction). On the road they used to howl like an air-raid siren. When combined with a V8 with absolutely no sound proofing, they were possibly the noisiest place on earth when travelling at speed.
In the 1990's these were the "must have" tyre for serious off road use, you could properly get the tail out on an old V8 Lightweight in 2wd.
You must have to try hard to get the back end out on a Land Rover with permanent 4X4, they tend to under-steer like front-wheel drive cars in my experience, perhaps you are lifting off mid bend? I don't think I could get the back end to step out on mine if I tried.

A pic of a Firestone SAT for all the youngsters.

Very nice too. I have used Fedima Maxima, which are a copy of those, on a Ninety with good results as well.

Litch · May 5, 2019

With modern choice (and pricing), I think people who weren't there would find it hard to believe the lack of choice for serious off-road rubber in the 80's.

After the SAT stopped production a remould lookalike came along called the Super Mud Plugga which was equally popular, I had a set of these on a (non road-legal) trails vehicle (S11 SWB).

I never used SAT's on the road as my preferred tyres back then on my S111 SWB V8 were 7.50x16 XCL's and then 9.00x16 bar-grips.
The XCL's were an excellent tyre with (what seemed to be at the time) loads of grip and being a radial, a very decent ride.
I then swopped these out with Continental NATO pattern 9.00x16 bar-grips (not to be confused with the Good Year bar-grips which I had on my 101) and these were very similar in handling terms to the SAT but with increased under-axle clearance. With a V8 under the bonnet and only 2WD (on the road) they could spin out in the dry let alone when it was wet, drive with caution otherwise it could get quite hairy!

I remember the first time I drove my 101 (fitted with Good Year 9.00x16 bar-grips). I went into a corner (that I had driven in my S111 hundreds of times before) and whereas I was expecting the back-end to slide slightly, being perm 4WD it went around correctly and was almost quite un-nerving! Off-road the Good Year bar-grip was very poor as it was prone to clogging, the best option was to go for the Petlas (if you were on a budget) or XCL's (if you could find them in that size).

Long before Wytham got the MOD contract (we are talking 1980's here) a tyre dealership near me in Oxon bought in thousands of ex-MOD tyres in all different makes, types & sizes (even aircraft tyres!). You could go along and choose your tyres from endless rows of identical types, I picked up six brand-new XCL's (being directional I wanted to carry two spares) and later went back to get my Continental bar-grips (once again I found five new ones).

Michelin XCL 7.50x16.

Continental NATO pattern 9.00x16 bar-grip.

Good Year 9.00x16 bar-grip.

Turboman · May 5, 2019

Litch said:
With modern choice (and pricing), I think people who weren't there would find it hard to believe the lack of choice for serious off-road rubber in the 80's.

After the SAT stopped production a remould lookalike came along called the Super Mud Plugga which was equally popular, I had a set of these on a (non road-legal) trails vehicle (S11 SWB).

I never used SAT's on the road as my preferred tyres back then on my S111 SWB V8 were 7.50x16 XCL's and then 9.00x16 bar-grips.
The XCL's were an excellent tyre with (what seemed to be at the time) loads of grip and being a radial, a very decent ride.
I then swopped these out with Continental NATO pattern 9.00x16 bar-grips (not to be confused with the Good Year bar-grips which I had on my 101) and these were very similar in handling terms to the SAT but with increased under-axle clearance. With a V8 under the bonnet and only 2WD (on the road) they could spin out in the dry let alone when it was wet, drive with caution otherwise it could get quite hairy!

I remember the first time I drove my 101 (fitted with Good Year 9.00x16 bar-grips). I went into a corner (that I had driven in my S111 hundreds of times before) and whereas I was expecting the back-end to slide slightly, being perm 4WD it went around correctly and was almost quite un-nerving! Off-road the Good Year bar-grip was very poor as it was prone to clogging, the best option was to go for the Petlas (if you were on a budget) or XCL's (if you could find them in that size).

Long before Wytham got the MOD contract (we are talking 1980's here) a tyre dealership near me in Oxon bought in thousands of ex-MOD tyres in all different makes, types & sizes (even aircraft tyres!). You could go along and choose your tyres from endless rows of identical types, I picked up six brand-new XCL's (being directional I wanted to carry two spares) and later went back to get my Continental bar-grips (once again I found five new ones).

Michelin XCL 7.50x16.

View attachment 177132

Continental NATO pattern 9.00x16 bar-grip.

View attachment 177131

Good Year 9.00x16 bar-grip.

View attachment 177130

Used to use the Good Year bar grips in 7.50 16 on my Series in the 80s.

Like you say, they weren't great, but I had ARB axle lockers, so adequate, and they used to last justabout for ever.

Litch · May 5, 2019

"and they used to last justabout for ever."

Very true.

My NATO pattern bar-grips wore down very quickly and I remember borrowing a re-cutting tool to extend the life and improve off-road grip.
The Good Year bar-grips on my 101 however never seemed to wear and after 5-years of ownership I sold it still wearing the same tyres I bought it with, still in good order and despite covering a decent mileage.

Knappster · May 5, 2019

I remember Firestone SAT’s. They definitely had quite a howl on the road. You’d hear the Landy long before you saw it! They were the tyre of choice for trialling and off roading.

I had Michelin XCL’s on my Series 3 too.

dieseldog69 · May 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Only if others share their private pics.

I'll share some with ya

Under the counter of course.......

From 225/75 r15 General Grabber AT2 to Cooper STT in 235/85 r16

And from the coopers to 33X12.5X15

They're massive, not driven them yet but they look like they ought to be good with low pressures and non damaging to delicate and sensitive surfaces when out laning

Marmaduke · May 6, 2019

dieseldog69 said:
I'll share some with ya

Under the counter of course.......

From 225/75 r15 General Grabber AT2 to Cooper STT in 235/85 r16

View attachment 177188

And from the coopers to 33X12.5X15

View attachment 177189

They're massive, not driven them yet but they look like they ought to be good with low pressures and non damaging to delicate and sensitive surfaces when out laning

Just a tad different

dieseldog69 · May 6, 2019

Marmaduke said:
Just a tad different

I like to think I've been consistent with the size progression, WTF I'm gonna do after these is anyone's guess, maybe Big Foot has a spare set I could borrow

Tyres

Mab An Gov

Mab An Gov

Well-Known Member

Mab An Gov

Well-Known Member

Mab An Gov

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Mab An Gov

Well-Known Member

Mab An Gov

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads