Equipment - Tires

[toms]

Tires are usually the number one problem off-road. They take all the abuse! I would like to see what prospects we have for sharing spare tires if needed. They have to match on size (35, 33, etc), rim size (15,16,17, etc) and lug pattern ( jeep 5 , Jeep 6, Toyota 6, etc). Of course we will try to patch tires first. But if we blow thru the spare too it would be nice to know someone esle has a matching spare. And if we have to, if the tire size and rim size are right, we can move a good tire to a rim with the correct hole pattern - a lot of work I would prefer to avoid. I plan to have a plug kit and tire irons just in case.

We have 2 landcruisers and 2 hummers so there might be a chance for 4 of us!

I have 315/75 R17 on a Toyota 6 bolt rim.

I would like to hear tire specs from every one.

[DaveK]

Tom:

Thanks for taking care of this. Here is my info:

37" BFG AT
8 lugs on 6.5
Wheel = 17x8.5

I have 1 extra 35" BFG AT which we can use as a spare. Its actual size is 315/70 R17 which by the way is the same as yours, I think (not 75)

[cruiserlarry]

While I won't have the privilege of joining you on this excursion, I thought I'd add my 2 cents regarding the "tire interchange" debacle:

In emergencies, rim diameter will not be as important as overall tire rolling diameter.
While aired down it might be a little rough, you can get away with a 16" and a 17" wheel, if they both use 35" tires, for example.

For reference, the H2 and Landcruisers thru 2006 have the same bolt pattern (6X5.5"); however the H2 uses a positive offset wheel stock that may not clear on an 80 series; and the H2 uses a 14mm lug which is larger diameter than the 80 series 12mm lug - so I'd recommend a test fitment BEFORE you need to exchange wheels on the trail.

[DaveK]

Some good points, Larry.

I'm not sure you would want to or even could put a 16" wheel, with the same bolt pattern, on a vehicle that uses a 17 inch wheel. The larger wheels are usually made so as to clear the brake calipers and clearances are often very tight. The reverse should not be a problem, except for offset differences.

The Hummers, BTW, use 8 bolts on 6.5. This is probably a GM pattern and I think the only other vehicles in the group that could use this wheel would be the other Hummer and (maybe) the Sportsmobile. I seem to recall that the Ford 8 bolt pattern is different than GM, but we need to find out.

The lug nut differences are a good point.

Overall, for our purposes, it will probably boil down to having a tire, not a wheel, that will fit the most vehicles. For our last trip, the spare tire was on a wheel that fit the vehicle of the guy that carried the tire. Fortunately, we did not have to switch it to another wheel.

[cruiserlarry]

I was thinking going from 16" to 17" - you are correct it won't work the other way around in most cases due to brake caliper clearance. You are also correct on the bolt pattern of the H2; I was thinking of GM 1/2 ton trucks, and spaced on the fact the H2 is based on the 3/4T chassis...mea culpa.

Regarding the Ford 8 lug patterns - Super Duty chassis vehicles after 1998 use a 8X170mm pattern, while 1997 and older Ford 3/4 and 1 ton trucks (and all GM and Dodge 3/4 and 1 ton trucks to current) use an 8X6.5" bolt pattern - the wheels are not interchangeable

[Chazz Layne]

I believe I'm the only oddball on this one. The Disco has a 5 on 120mm pattern with larger-than-standard lugs/nuts and a hub-centric wheel.

I will be getting rid of the low profile 255/55s and 18-inch wheels before the trip though. New tire spec will be 265/75 on a 16-inch rim (that's +or- 32 inches, depending on tire). I'm afraid I'll only have one spare in time for the trip, but I do carry a complete patch kit, compressor and a big bottle of Slime.



Since I'm buying new next month, any tire suggestions? Right now BFG's T/A KO and T/A KM2 are on the table, along with Goodyear's MT/R Kevlar (I hate Goodyear with a passion, but Kevlar peaked my interest).

[DaveK]

I believe I'm the only oddball on this one. The Disco has a 5 on 120mm pattern with larger-than-standard lugs/nuts and a hub-centric wheel.

I will be getting rid of the low profile 255/55s and 18-inch wheels before the trip though. New tire spec will be 265/75 on a 16-inch rim (that's +or- 32 inches, depending on tire). I'm afraid I'll only have one spare in time for the trip, but I do carry a complete patch kit, compressor and a big bottle of Slime.



Since I'm buying new next month, any tire suggestions? Right now BFG's T/A KO and T/A KM2 are on the table, along with Goodyear's MT/R Kevlar (I hate Goodyear with a passion, but Kevlar peaked my interest).

This is another Ford v Chevy type of discussion. There are a lot of very good tires out there but my personal favorite, for many, many, years, has been the All Terrain BFG. They have all lasted at least 50k miles (they were not very pretty, all chunked out at the end of their life), are very quiet on the highway, and perform well on the trail. They admittedly are not the best rock crawlers or street tires but they have a very impressive track record as off road tires with decent street manners. The other thing I have come to rely on with the BFGs is their good sidewall design. Not bullet proof, but very durable.

Let the debate begin.

[cruiserlarry]

Since I'm buying new next month, any tire suggestions? Right now BFG's T/A KO and T/A KM2 are on the table, along with Goodyear's MT/R Kevlar (I hate Goodyear with a passion, but Kevlar peaked my interest).

We sell 'em all - So far the new BFG KM2 has been getting good feedback, except for complaints of road noise. It's too new to judge longevitiy. The BFG AT KO is a proven tire, so you can't go wrong there. The Goodyear Kevlar MT/R uses a new tread design in addition to it's hardcore kevlar compound, but few I know have tried them, so no real feedback yet (except most don't like the styling of the tire compared to the older model). I'd alsop suggest considering the ProComp Xtreme AT and Xtreme MT, both of which I've had much personal experience. Great on the road, and fantastic off-road, IMO.

The size you've chosen, LT265/75R16, is among the most common for trucks - so almost anywhere should have a replacement in that size when you get to civilization.

Another note regarding tires in the "wild" - I'd suggest taking a few extra lug nuts (or in the Discovery's case, lugs) in case of loss or damage to any when changing the tires in the field. A couple of spare lug studs (not needed on the Discovery) wouldn't hurt, either. They are cheap, usually easy to replace, and important to have all of them when supporting the extra stress and weight of an off-road trip...

[Chazz Layne]

The size you've chosen, LT265/75R16, is among the most common for trucks - so almost anywhere should have a replacement in that size when you get to civilization.

This was a big factor in the decision to get new wheels and tires. Twice now I've been stuck somewhere for days while waiting on overpriced 255/55R18s to be shipped to the local shop, meanwhile tires in 265/75s galore sit on the shelf mocking me and my silly wheels.

I'm leaning towards the BFG all terrains, largely because 99% of the trucks at BorregoFest were running them and running the same tire as the rest of the group seems like a good idea. I also like the sound of good highway performance, since most of the trips we take require 100+ miles of pavement I like to get done as quickly as possible. Would there be a considerable price difference with the ProComp ATs (one worth driving for, since no one local carries them)?

[OU812]

meanwhile tires in 265/75s galore sit on the shelf mocking me and my silly wheels.

lol. I run the BFG ATs and I love them. They are not the best in snow and rain but still are better than most mud terrains. My rig is my daily driver so it is important to me that my off road tire be quiet on the hwy.