What are the benefits?
It's a typical idea to stick wide aggresive wheels/tyres to make your Def/series look more manly, but going the other way, i do love the style of the older series models with no extended wheel arch and slimmer wheels so i'm looking to justify going down this possible route
Narrower wheels may bring some benefits. Quicker lighter steering. Less rolling resistance and likely better mpg.
They are also less likely to rub.
Off road for most of the terrain in the UK they will generally perform better off road than big wide tyres.
A standard Land Rover tyre size is a 7.50 x 16 and you can still get these. Although sometimes take a bit of searching. The new BFG KM03 mud terrains are available in this size. Sadly a few remould makers claim to sell them, but they end up being a restamped 235/85
The 7.50 is the same height (might even be taller) as a 235 but quite a bit narrower.
After much searching I actually bought a set of 7.00 x 16 Blackstsr Guyane tyres for my Series. They are almost as tall as a 235 but even narrower than a 7.50.
They go very well off road.
I would say that choice is fairly limited for thin tyres though and tall and thin doesn’t really exist.
The 7.50 x 16 should be approx 31” tall for a good one (be aware some are as short as 29” though!) and some are over 32”.
What I’d really like is a tyre the same width as a 7.50 that is 34-35” tall. But nobody makes anything like it.
In the old sizing system the next tyre up from a 7.50 is an 8.25 x 16. These are around 33” and slightly wider than a 7.50. But they are like rocking horse poo to find.
I have a set of Michelin XZL’s in this size that I use for touring. The closest modern size would be a 255/85R16 which is also just over 33” tall. But the 255 will look quite a bit fatter.
The next size up from these is a 9.00 x 16 these are again wider. But are about the narrowest tyre you can get for this height of tyre. This is a more common army truck size, so you can still buy some tyres. But choice is very limited on tread patterns. Bar grips being the most common and some variations. Petlas also do quite a nice MT. You may need to look at agricultural tyre suppliers to find this size or MoD auctions.
9.00 x 16 can also vary in size a lot depending on who made them. They tend to range from anywhere from 34” tall to 37” tall. This tyre was the stock size for a Land Rover 109 One Ton, Series 2b and FC101.
I haven’t run these myself.
