Tyre compounds that can cope with the heat in the Pilbara.

Quartzy, had Cooper 285 AT's on my GU and the chipped corners but held together sort of alright. Mileage was about 50% of what they are supposed to get. A local in Newman had BFG AT's on his Troopie and they had lost whole blocks of tread.

I used to be involved in mineral exploration in the northern Goldfields and Pilbara and the only tyre to ever survive were the old crossply Hi-Milers in 8, 10 or 12 ply preferably. We wouldn't even let anyone with radials, wide tyres, mud tyres accompany us because of the constant delays due to flats and irreperable sidewall damage. No kidding.

Phone up South Perth 4WD Rentals and Thrifty Kalgoorlie and talk to them about what the exploration crews specify. You'll find they have specific Landcruisers with Hi-Milers already fitted due to customer demand. If you still have doubts, talk to the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) people and mineral exploration companies (as in bush bashing rather than drilling) etc.

Saw an Ausdrill HZJ75 at Meeka a couple of weeks ago with a new type of Michelin that looked like they had a truck tread. They also were regroovable. I'd say your Hankook's probably aren't too far off the mark. I think they're the tyre Dominion's exploration crews use.

Depends where you want to go really and how often you want to go there.

Mate, it sounds like you've got it sorted already. Use split rims for inland stuff and 8" tubeless for road and beach work is the best of all. Cooper AT's are a good tyre for the 8" in my opinion.

On the split rims, I'd stay away from the Dunlop Road Grippers if you're actually bush bashing. The sidewalls are made from glad wrap. I've torn, and torn is the right description, half a dozen of them from tread to rim. If you're sticking to tracks, they're fine.

Quartzy, I'm running Wrangler MTR's and haven't had an issue yet with 40K on the clock. At this stage they don't even look like wearing despite all the highway miles (can't avoid that up here as you well know) and they just eat up the rough stuff.

Quartzy,

I note in one reply you say that increased tyre width helps in sand. Incorrect!. Elongated tyre footprints from increased diameter or lower pressures is what helps in sand. Extra width is actually a hindrance, especially if tyre pressures aren't dropped.

When I was in Alice, a mate used to run 750R16 Bridgestone V-steels. These had steel up the sidewalls and I don't recall them ever staking even at low pressures with tubes.

If you want to go wider regardless, then maybe check out the Cooper STT muddies. I've never heard a report of them being soft and wearing quickly.

Regardless of what you decide, I'd stay away from an AT pattern because of the chipping they suffer in stoney country. A muddie or closed shoulder tyre like the V-steel is a better option.

Ian B