this section of forum is perfectly named (wheels)

we have been umming and eeering about our tyres and today we finally decided that we dont have a full set of tyres that we would be confident of getting us as far as dover eeeeeeek

Monstar

any tips on which tyres to choose?

We have just bought a set of Conway all terrains - seemed like a bargain at 380 for five, on modulars.

Will be testing them on route to Peterborough, so ask us then.

:@:

I have a set of Technic Amazons Mud Terrains on the RR, they came with the vehicle. Even though they are a very open pattern, they are truly amazing on the road (NO rumble whatsoever), great on wet roads (amazing), corner very well indeed (don't drift at all - feels as if the RR will tip before they would break away) and stop on a sixpence (5p to you Kieran). As for off-road, the Mud Run at Manby held no fears. Went for it at first full blast, but gradually realised I could get slower and slower and didn't need the momentum at all. Mind you, we are talking about a B8 RR Classic here, not some oil-burning Disco or Defender. Class will always tell, the RR being the best all-round 4x4 on the planet!

Trouble is I don't know where they can be purchased, not that I've looked of course. It may be very easy. Would recommend them to anybody.

BTW, think they are re-treads (RR in dry dock so can't look) but seem to wear very well too. Hope this helps.

Hi there, my advice is buy the best you can afford. I always thought BFG Goodridge MTs were the best but Tom's account of his tyres were also very similar to what I would have said about BFGs.
Don't you go beleiving him when he says RR are class You can't beat an oil burner. and I mean oil burner. Just strain chip oil through a pair of tights (you don't even have to wash them) and then you have fuel
Seriously though, I wish my Disco had the V8 sound track, you can't beat it but while I can get 25-30mpg on derv or biofuels then I will stick with the tdi sound track.

I smell something fishy here. A word of warning: It is advisable to remove tights from wearer before pouring!

"my advice is buy the best you can afford" Spot on!

Very happy with these General Grabber AT2's, didn't have a problem around the sand/dust of Broxhead common.

Though I expect, with the amount of off-roading you do, MT's may be more apt.

If you can afford BF Goodridge, then that is what you should buy, great tread in either A/T or M/T, last for ages, like an average of 50-60k and available in ost countries in the world where tyres can be bought, so easy to replace should you be very unlucky enough to damage one (they have a great sidewall system too)

Failing that, ,just buy the best you can, but be aware some retread types don't last nearly as long, and some are difficult to balance, and can have defects, so if go that route, do it quick so you can check them asap.

Think hard about what tread type you need, whilst M/T looks great, if you don't use them that much, A/T will be a nicer ride, but not great for the mud and stuff.

Use the force...

:arrow:

Ive used BFG ATs for as long as I can remember - fantastic tyre in everything but the gloopiest mud.

That said Im currently running General Grabber ATs on the new 110. Seem good on the road, but not got it muddy yet!! Thats due to a lack of time, not not wanting to get it dirty!!!!!!!

I had a set of Kumho 235/85 R16 All Terrains on modulars when we went to Morocco. Loved them - very very strong sidewalls, one of which took a severe slashing on some rocks but never punctured.

When I started doing more off-roading, I fitted a set of 31x10.50x15 BFG Mud Terrains. Hated them - it was like driving on jelly.

Traded those in for a set of Kumho 235/85 R16 Mud Terrains on modulars again. Still on there and love them.

I'm sure BFGs are good - enough people swear by them - I think it was just the weaker sidewalls and wider tread maybe that meant they weren't as nice as the others. They're also pretty pricey.

I'd totally recommend the Kumhos in either pattern - that's what I'd fit tomorrow if need be. Got mine on wheels from Nene Valley who gave excellent advice and superb service both times. Reasonable price too given they're made by a big company and not retreads.

Rafe

Very nice folk at Nene Valley. A good rep all ‘round and thoroughly recommended by your truly.

hello folks ,
good news i guess,
we have bought a pair of insa turbo special tracks, look brilliant and have added extra height to the vehicle which did really not impress the mother who now finds it impossible to climb into the landy im safe from shopping trips

but the problem with having this amount of tread is simply that i now dont have a full steering lock as the tread catches on the anti roll bar i think it is comingback from the front axle i may need advice on how to solve this other than the ridiculus sujestion of the man at the tyre place " the only way to solve it is to either cut off some of the tread or to get a 4 inch suspension lift aswell as a four inch body lift" im not sure which drugs he was on, any advice here is apreciated wheel spacers??????

i nearly got a deal with sowden tyres a while back they where going to sell me a set of tyres at trade price which was still like 80 quid so i decided to stick with the place i trust which is paddock

as for noise when driving they sound like an aero plane taking off

a real head turner

thanks for everyones help and advice
cheers
kieran

MOnstar

Hi Kieran, I think your tyres maybe rubbing on the radius arms. 90s don't have anti-roll bars and why would you want anything to stop the axles from articulating :?:
There is a way of making them clear the radius arms and that is to either fit wheel spacers, I'm sorry I have just sold a set, or the other way is to get wheels with more off set, i.e. modulars. What size tyres do you have? If they are larger than 235x85x16" then you will have problems and maybe you will need a suspension lift. 2" should be enough, any more and it will need castor adjusting radius arms and maybe new props as well. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but I am sure you will sort it, if you need to talk then give me a call on 07969309178.

I can cheer you up for a few less £££s. Get a 19mm (from memory) spanner and turn out the lock stops on either swivel housing.

There is a lock nut that you need to loosen first and then you can turn out the bolts. Remember the RHS bolt affects the LHS wheel and vice versa.

OK doing this reduced your lock but at least it doesnt cost anything and the vehicle will still be more than drivable.


As for the other options...
- Id avoid wheel spacers - place extra un-necessery stress on the wheel bearings and there a pain to change.
- Wheels. Thats tha best way, get a set with the SMALLEST offset you can find, that means the rims will stand out further from the axle fixing position.
- Suspension upgrade. Look into this carefully before you start. Unless you want / need a lift then id consider the other 3 options first. To lift properly and retain road manners isnt a cheap or quick solution.

Same problem with my RR. The nice man has it spot on, tyre's lugs fouling on the radius arms. The BTW can be deadly off-road. Imagine turning on a gentle hillside on full lock, front wheel instantly stops revolving as lugs lock themselves on to the radius arm and over the Landy goes ... where to stop knowbody knows. I'm a poet and I don't know it! SORT IT!!!

Other very nice man is also spot on as this was the solution to my problem - simply screw in the steering lock stops until the rubber misses the metal. Mind you, the RR now has the turning circle of Titanic, but at least now it won't go down like Titanic.

Take heed Kieran - the penultimate nice man, the one before the last nice man, is also right about any possible lift. 2” is just perfect (again the RR has this) as it will help solve your tyre problem PLUS allows for a little bit extra off-road, yet it does not detract too much from the road manners. LR’s don’t have too many of these in the first place so making them worse with a 4” lift would be daft.

See you have totally ignored my advice about the 'super quiet' Technic's and gone for the "aeroplane taking off" Insa's. Young guns eh? Well, I guess you gotta have something to listen to on a long journey. Me, I have the sweet sexy sound of a V8's burble to get my rocks off! Road rumble vs V8 burble :?: :?: :?: ... say no more.

Tom Mc wrote:

...RR now has the turning circle of Titanic, but at least now it won't go down like Titanic...

Thats another job for me tonight! Id forgotten I have to turn mine in... Id hapily settle for turning circle of Titanic... I can only do wiggly straight lines at the moment.

Tom Mc wrote:

...Me, I have the sweet sexy sound of a V8's burble to get my rocks off! Road rumble vs V8 burble :?: :?: :?: ... say no more.

Could be worse, you could have and old Brummy sat beside you and a TD5 thats in desperate need of an overdrive revving its nuts of at 90mph...

[quote="VentureOverland"]I can cheer you up for a few less £££s. Get a 19mm (from memory) spanner and turn out the lock stops on either swivel housing.

I sorry Kieran I forgot about the steering lock adjustment I have never done it myself but I know many who have and it sorted them out.
Must agree with Tom though, you wouldn't want anything to hide the V8 burble.
Best of luck

sounds like a suspension lift will be the final out come of this, have just replaced a set of technic trackers i was an unimpressed man with those tyres.
venture overland : do you sell lift kits? can i have discount please erm i will give you a permenant advertising place on the landy

seeing as it would be just about impossible to fit a suspension lift into our timetables before the rally thanks to an ever growing list of parts that need doing, todays outcome of the garage was that the front hubs need re furbing and need new uni joints as they are dangerously close to falling apart, whats best to do???

im out of money and running into father son debts oh bummer

it will be brilliant to make it to calais and sit around the bbq why does that thought make time go backwards when working on landy,

how many of you are at peterbough at weekend? will be good to see who is ready and who is like us

cheers kieran

One thing to remember when you enter an event, and this goes for ANY event be it a racing, trialling, winching or Landy Rally (can't place Landy Rally into a specific category as none exists - must think of one!) ... you'll never ever be truly ready on time.

Regardless whether you had 2 months or 22 months, you still would not be ready. It's a fact of life. Even when the top teams in the Paris-Dakar are lining up for the start, mechanics can be seen diving under the motors adjusting this and that - all highly illegal of course, but it proves the point.

My advice for what it's worth - do what you can to make the vehicle safe and road-worthy, and that's it. Forget the niceities like extended wheel arches, bull bars and alloy wheels, stick to the basics and no more. Unless you're a millionaire of course, in which case spend, spend, spend!

A fair few turning up at Peterborough, so see you all there.

BTW, you're spot on about BBQ's, Landy's and time going backwards. we've all got that particular T-shirt!

Kieran, suggest get as much done and sorted as you can, are you coming over on the friday?
If you've not had time to get yourr lift done, bring it with you (squeeze it in somehow!) and we'll all club together (royal we so far!) and get it fitted on Friday afternoon/evening before partys start.

If you do do this, just make sure it's all ready, all btis got, all nuts wd40'd and ready to come off.

Don't forget if you lift +2" you'll probaby need the extended brake pipes too.

Anything we can help[ with, ask - (We know you will!!)

Good lucky matey

:arrow:

Hi Kieran, as Steve says, if you don't have time to do the lift kit then bring it with you. I am sure that we can get it done at Dover/Calais. On a 2" lift which is all you should need, you won't need extended brake lines. Well you don't on a Disco. For the lift all you need is new springs+2" new shocks+2" plus rear dislocation cones. Give 4x4mailorder a call and speak to Chris, let him know that Paul from TV4x4 put you on to him. should get it in 24hrs. I have found they are the best prices. There number is 01752898820
Best of luck

Just try and let us know before hand, so i can bring my big axle stands to make it quicker and easier!

Jury is out on extended brake lines, some say do, others say don't worry, I did!

Might be fun! (I need it after the day i'm having - if i get there....)

:arrow:

There's been tales of woe about Tom's past, pictures of Tom you'd rather not see... but it's the fact that you lot are suggesting a suspension lift in a foreign country, the day before a major rally that makes me wonder what I've let myself in for!

Of course, providing I'm not tied up helping Tom (er, maybe I should rephrase that?) I'll gladly lend a hand.

Rafe

This is beginning to sound like driving through Morocco and Mali with next to no brakes, swapping clutch master and slave cylinders on Christmas morning and the headgasket on the side of a sandy road a few days later

Bring it on!!