More Tyre Questions

G'day Ian

At the end of the day it depends on your proposed usage. Personally I wouldn't as I agree the sidewalls are too soft.
I am in the process of switching over to 265x75 as they are the same width as stock, just slightly higher, which apparently allows the side walls to flex a bit more whilst retaining the stronger side walls. Plus the added benefit a slight increase in ground clearance.

More info needed before a recommendation is made

e.g.
*terrain traversed i.e. percentage of bitumen/good dirt/rough pot holed dirt/corrugates/bad corrugates/sand/sticks/off road with absolutely no tracks ............ and so on.
*all-up weight
* if towing, what is it you are towing & what does it weigh?

LT denotes Light Truck. These tyres have a heavier construction/built tougher & for that reason are generally accepted as a tyre of preference for outback driving

Cheers

You haven't told us anything about your truck and how you use it Noldi so the answer's a piece of string. But your tyre man is essentially correct even if you didn't tell him your typical usage - there's little point in "over engineering" as long as the load and speed rating you choose matches your use. Same would apply to running mudders on a vehicle which spends >95% of its time on the black top. There's plenty of info around about the advantages of LT in certain circumstances. It really comes down to peace of mind V pocket.

Here's how I decide on tyres, always after plenty of research online.

- Pick the tyre "style" which best suits your application eg highway, all terrain or mud/aggressive pattern. The answer for most of us appears to be all terrain.

- Pick the load/speed rating to suit, but err on the safety side. In addition I don't consider anything other than LT construction but others will, based on their own needs.

- Choose the size you want remembering that bigger/wider tyres than standard will affect various things on your vehicle (speedo, gearing, engine management settings, suspension, steering).

- Work out the price range you're willing to consider. Scrimping on tyres always seems false economy to me. Even $80 extra for a proven quality tyre works out at less than a cup of coffee a week over the life of the tyres.

- Pick the brands which offer the size you want. I stick with Bridgestone, Yokohama, BFG and one or two others in my deliberations.

- You know 6 months in advance that your tyres need replacement so wait for deals in catalogues or ring around for the best price.

This site is an excellent reference and has very useful tyre surveys.
Tire Rack guides

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZhZZ-apeQ0&list=PLCAC10A1CC0C93134

from
alan whiteing on Bridgestone

http://outbackjoe.com/macho-divertissement/macho-articles/bridgestone-dueler-d694-14000km-review/

out back joe

both are interesting and informative reports of Bridgestone tires

Next time you are at the tyre shop, get hands on with a passenger tyre in your size - those cases can be incredibly thin at the shoulder (the corner of the wall and the tread) ....I'm told thin, highly flexible point aids greatly in dissipation of road vibration - great on the seal, but scary for any gravel roads in my view.

Yesterday found the Beadell Tours site. Great information on tires - good read on things to know.
Abqaiq

In general appart from being heavier constructed, light truck tyres will have more tread depth than passenger radials.

Tyre shops have been selling people pasenger tyres where the vehicle originally came with Light trucks......mostly because it lets them undercut the bloke doing the right thing by the customer by fitting light trucks.

I have owned or diven several light commercials over the years that have had pasenger radial fitted......it never works out well.

The front end geometry of commercial vehicles is designed around light truck tyres and they perform best on light truck radials.

every single vehicle I have driven either as a company car or a used car I have baught has been better after being fitted with the correct size light trucks.

One of the vans, we could no keep front tyres on it, till I perswaded the boss to fit light trucks, like it was designed for.

AND all that is before you start loading them up or using them off road.

If it came from the factory with light trucks.....continue with light trucks.

cheers

Ian,

Suggest check the tyre type required for your vehicle - usually on the driver's door pillar, or maybe under the bonnet. For a ute of that size you will probably find that LT tyres are specified. If they are, then they are a legal requirement - the vehicle has been approved for use in Australia with LT tyres. While other tyres may well do the job, and maybe do it better, you could have an argument with police and your insurer if you should be using LT tyres but aren't.

Cheers

John

If you're planning future desert trips with a Landcruiser traytop, then you need LT tyres - Passenger rated tyres don't do well on a well loaded 79series. You'll lose all the savings when you stake the first sidewall of a P rated tyre.