Will these <span class="highlight">tyres</span> be legal?
Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 20:17
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DavidK1957
Hi ,
I would greatly appreciate some clear advice regarding replacing my factory road
tyres with something more suitable for off-road.
I own a 2013 3.2 diesel PX series XL dual Cab Ford
Ranger and I have recommended factory road
tyres Bridgestone Duellers H/T 255/70/R 117 on the vehicle.
I have seen some
well priced Radar Renagades R5 Mud tread
tyres (265/75/R 16 "32") on-line which sound suitable to swap out of my road
tyres for trips to the bush!
I intend keeping the H/T Road
tyres as they have at least 30 000 KMS left and I wouldn't get much for them and just put the more suitable
tyres on for trips.
Are these Radar Renegades legal (warranty, insurance etc. in mind) or should my alternative choice of mud or AT
tyres be closer to the recommended H/T factory tyre specs?
Please advise,
Thanks for your help!
David
Reply By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 20:40
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 20:40
Hullo David
I will have a bit of a go at answering your query by asking you some questions :-)
I looked up these
tyres up on the net and this is what the blurb says "Specially designed for trucks driven by off-road enthusiasts, the tire features open blocks for mud dispersion, deep tread blocks for vigorous off-the-road use, and reinforced shoulders that help prevent penetrations from road hazards"
Do you fall into the category of "off-road enthusiast" or are you a person who would like to drive on a variety of unsealed roads and tracks and see some of our country maybe not so readily accessible to the general public?
If you are in the latter category, I would suggest that a good AT tyre would be fine - for example, sticking to the same manufacturer, the Dueller D697 AT (+ LT if carrying plenty of camping gear). There are of course, other brands.
Except for some specific applications, a MT is not required (IMHO) Indeed, if you need a MT on normal tracks, you probably shouldn't be driving on them as you will be causing a lot of damage. Waiting a day or so for the track to dry out will save the road - and your wallet if the LGA find you on a closed road!
A bit of variation in tyre pressure and judicious driving will get a skilled driver a long way.
Cheers
Andrew
AnswerID:
539817
Follow Up By: DavidK1957 - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:29
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:29
Thanks Andrew for your helpful response.
I am in the category of travelling on a variety of unsealed roads and tracks and are looking to take our recently purchased camper on trips to the Centre,
Pilbara and the Kimberly in 2015. We have a fair bit of gear and towing a camper that will be around 1600 kg fully laden including water and extra fuel so LT will be required in the tyre specs.
Thanks for your timely advice Andrew!
David
FollowupID:
825470
Follow Up By: olcoolone - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 07:55
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 07:55
M/T's will not give you anymore strength and in most cases less strengh over a good quality A/T and really offer no advantages unless you drive in mud, most M/T's have softer sidewalls and are more
puncture prone in to open tread block plus the disadvantages of driving on dry semi sealed and sealed roads.
M/T
tyres must be one of the most over rated products people fit to their 4x4.
I would be more concerned with the noise you have to put up with over 1000's of kilometers if going to an unknown brand.
FollowupID:
825482
Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:22
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:22
Some brands of M/T's are stronger than their equivalent A/T's with extra ply around the centre of the tyre extra sidewall plies and stronger sidewall cords not sure where your info came from. M/T's may be overrated for your type driving but they are definitely not overrated if you buy them to serve you for a particular purpose. I used M/T's for about 18 yrs because they suited the
places I liked to go but now I have only been using A/T's for about 9 yrs because I do more km on the road and on dirt tracks and less mud and clay tracks. M/T's can be noisy but really they're not that loud or unbearable plus modern cars are quieter in the cab than older vehicles. There is a few compromises to owning any type of tyre that's why you buy them to suit your needs.
FollowupID:
825579
Follow Up By: olcoolone - Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:04
Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:04
Batts...... might pay to read my post again.
As I said "and really offer no advantages unless you drive in mud"
Many M/T
tyres have softer sidewalls then many of the better off road style A/T's due to the design nature of them plus more open tread block making them more
puncture prone, can't beat thicker rubber to stop a punture...... a M/T tyre you want it to conform to the surface it's transversing by offering more flex as opposed to an A/T tyre where you want less deformation and flex helping to make the tyre more stable at higher speeds.
As with most M/T and A/T
tyres some have more strength then others.
Toyo Open Country M/T are my choice of tyre but when we went to the 200 series Landcruiser we ended up going to Mickey Thompson MTZ as Toyo don't bring a tyre into Australia that suited the 200 series so had to goto the MTZ's due to the rave reviews they had...... How wrong I was.
It made the 200 series very unstable and dangerous to drive due to tyre flex..... after 20,000k changed to Cooper ST Maxx and could not be happier, they have performed above my expectations in all conditions including 500 kilometers of soft mud and sticky clay driving on one trip (had camper trailer travelling 90 deg to the Land cruiser slippery.)
Getting back to choosing an M/T over an A/T...... most get carried away with the fact less then 1 percent of their driving a M/T will offer a slight advantage...... for the other 99 percent it offers a disadvantage.
After running a more aggressive A/T tyre there is no way I would go back to a M/T tyre again unless I was going to play in the mud for over 40 percent of my driving.
FollowupID:
825617
Follow Up By: Batt's - Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 10:32
Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 10:32
My reply was aimed at your claim that M/T will not give you any more strength which is incorrect and very misleading info.. And you also claim they are the most overrated product fitted to a 4WD again false and misleading based on no factual evidence at all. Now you're claiming they have a 99% disadvantage wow when will it stop again false and misleading info supplied to people who may be looking at buying a set. What the 99% disadvantage you claim remember it's not a race car you're driving it's a top heavy 4WD so you drive to suit the conditions they have reasonable grip on road surfaces but not as good as most A/T's good grip on gravel and excellent in mud, clay good self cleaning properties they will quite often get you further along a track and give you more confidence to tackle harder obstacles instead of turning around if you had A/T's fitted. They are quite good on sand and in some cases better depending on the conditions and the tread pattern their speed and load ratings are very good, they also have very good wear rates when comparing to other types of
tyres. Apparently they are slightly more susceptible to getting staked because of the larger gaps between the lugs some companies have reinforced their
tyres in this area personally I've only had one
puncture due to that problem in 18yrs some people may have had more trouble. They are a bit noisier on road but you get that with M/T's. So if you live in an area where these
tyres will be a big advantage over the rest and are contemplating buying M/T's give them a go there in definitely not a 99% disadvantage to owning them.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Shaker - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:24
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 21:24
Ask your insurer?
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Freshstart - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:20
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:20
Have a look at the wheel/tyre detail plate on the drivers door frame. Normally one size up from standard will be fine.
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Follow Up By: DavidK1957 - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:18
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:18
Will do
Thanks for that
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Reply By: Slow one - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:20
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:20
David,
to start with PX Rangers/ Bt 50's don't like oversize
tyres when it comes to fuel. They use more as there gearing is spot on for the standard tyre size.
If you wish to keep the same size tyre the BFG AT's are a good all round tyre,
well proven and suit most conditions.
As for legal my
Ranger runs 265/65/17's as the standard tyre. I won't change to a higher profile tyre at the expense of fuel usage as I do many K's.
Check you state motor transport for what they allow in oversize
tyres, this will also satisfy the insurance company if you change size.
With my 50mm lift I am happy with standard tyre profiles to get me to where I want to go.
AnswerID:
539826
Reply By: The Bantam - Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:34
Thursday, Oct 02, 2014 at 22:34
Remember to
check the load rating.
AND its not what is on the
tyres on the vehicle that matters...it is what is on the tyre plackard.
work from there.
Remember pretty
well all states are no aligned with VSB14 and its 50mm tyre diameter increase MAX.....and that is not measured...that is worked from the specs.
cheers
AnswerID:
539829
Reply By: blown4by - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 00:00
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 00:00
I wouldn't think muddies are the best choice for the
Pilbara and Kimberleys. You need a tough tyre for that which can withstand sharp rocks and impact damage. There is also a lot of bitumen in both those areas these days so your muddies would be wearing pretty fast in those conditions I would think. Personally I would be sticking to the
well known tried and proven bigger name brands that give you at least some back up and warranty coverage in Australia. I agree D697's are an excellent tyre and they are in common use in the areas you mentioned as are BFG A/T's who claim they make the only radial available with 3-ply walls. The LT version is the way to go whether you need their load rating or not as they are just a tougher all round tyre like the old 8 ply and 10 ply
tyres used to be in a bygone era. In terms of legality you are allowed to increase the diameter by up to 50mm which gives you a 25mm lift for the price of a set of
tyres (which you are going to buy anyway) In terms of width you are allowed to increase it by 30% above the vehicle manufacturers widest option PROVIDED: The
tyres are contained within the guards (you can fit flares up to 75mm wide, They do not contact the body or vehicle components (including the guard plastic liners which you cannot legally remove) throughout full steering and
suspension travel. Also don't forget if you already have lifted the vehicle any tyre lift will be included in the 50mm maximum lift allowd before you are required to have a lane change
test and modification approval.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: gbc - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 06:10
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 06:10
Yes, 265 75 16 is within the 50mm increase of your
tyres, and the radar mt has a higher load rating than the oe
tyres at 123/120 and it is q speed rated and it is a 10 ply tyre. Go
forth. They will be fine.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: TomH - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:10
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:10
You dont say where you are so a bit hard with legalities.
In Queensland you may not go up more than 26mm diameter
It will also make the gearing higher and your speedo read slower than at present.
I had a set of BFG AT and diid 50,.000k and never got a
puncture in a trip around
the block. It included quite a bit of offroad as
well.
Look here for differences
http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: DavidK1957 - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:24
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 08:24
Thanks for the useful links and information provided by all who have replied.
I will stick to the recommended size AT tyre and I have been given great suggestions to follow up with.
I was a bit concerned about "putting out there" my lack of knowledge but it is great to see a lot of helpful people more than willing to assist.
Hope to see some you on the tracks!
David
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:56
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:56
TomH when you open the link I pasted scroll down about 2 thirds of the page till you see The Queensland Code of Practice : Vehicle Modifications there is a pdf you can download and read it put a smile on my face once I read it.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: ctaplin - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:38
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:38
Hi David,
I think the 'Radar' tyre that you have in mind is for a 16 inch rim and your vehicle has a 17 inch rim. Could be a problem for the poor bugger that fits the
tyres...
Chris
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: ctaplin - Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:41
Friday, Oct 03, 2014 at 23:41
Forget my last comment, I was wrong as usual.... :-)
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Reply By: mikehzz - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:24
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:24
The difference between 255/70/17 and 265/75/16 is 15mm diameter and 10mm tread width. That's legal in every state. If the load rating is ok then no problems.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: DmaxQld - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:46
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:46
Gee, a 2008 article, not accurate anymore mate.
You can go 50mm larger diameter in Qld
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Follow Up By: mikehzz - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:51
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:51
The point was that every state is different. Its still only 15mm on the NSW site so taking advice without actually checking is no advice at all except to say that 15mm is legal in every state.
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Reply By: Tony F8 - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:46
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 07:46
Do yourself a favour, you do not need mudders for what you intend to do, a good aggressive AT will serve your purpose better.
Cheers.
Tony F8
AnswerID:
539892
Reply By: adriang - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 08:43
Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 08:43
I have a PX
ranger Wildtrak with 265X60R18
tyres. I also have a set (6) of 16" steel wheels with Bridgestone D697 265X75R16
tyres for when we go off road touring. I am very happy with the D697's but I am sure there are other "known" brands that are equally as good. The slightly larger
tyres bring the speedo up to 108 - actual at 110 - speedo. The 18"
tyres show 104 - actual at 110 - speedo by GPS.
Mud
tyres are great in "MUD" but not so great on the bitumen, they can be very noisy and wet handling and braking is not as good as a good AT tyre.
Cheers
Adrian
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Steve in Kakadu - Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 15:58
Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 15:58
If you are asking will the 265/75/16s fit on a or replace a 255/70/17 rim then the answer is no, most if not all posts above have not even looked at the rim size, the 255/70/17 have a 17" rim and the 265/75/16 have a 16" rim, unless the 255/70/117 is a double typo.
Regards
AnswerID:
539997