Tread Depth
Submitted: Friday, Mar 10, 2006 at 21:39
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Member - Kingsley N (SA)
I have clocked up about 30,000 KM on my BFG A/T's. The tread depth now averages 8.5 MM compared with 13MM on a new tyre. I am planning to do a considerable amount of touring this winter, including a Double Crossing of the Simpson with my 4WD club. At our first pre trip meeting we discussed the pros and cons of tread depth in relation to avoiding punctures. Obviously new tyres are better, but when is it adviseable to leave the worn set at
home and outlay for at least four new tyres?
It always amuses me to hear stories of people getting huge mileages out of their tyres but are they actually still OK for the bush tracks?
What are your thoughts?
Kings.
Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 06:52
Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 06:52
Kingsley,
I am in the same position as you, tyres are worn, but not sure about the big trip.
I will get new tyres before I head out in May. Too many kilometres on outback roads for the tyres to perform with out getting a flat.
So far with 45,000km on the STT's I think that they will have to stay at
home this time. There is still about 8mm of tread depth, but that is about 7mm less than I would like. So far the tyres have not had a
puncture, but I do not want to push my luck.
Wayne
AnswerID:
159856
Reply By: jdpatrol - Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 06:59
Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 06:59
I am looking forward the replys to this as
well Kingsley.
Seems to me that thick tread blocks would help. But surely the most vulnerable bit is the groove between the tread blocks, and nothing much has changed there really. Just a theory of
mine - I havn't been in the game long enough to know if that is the case.
Hope to see you out there in the Simpson this year, free of punctures.
jd
AnswerID:
159857
Follow Up By: Member - Kingsley N (SA) - Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 10:26
Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 10:26
JD,
I think you are right. It is
the gap between the blocks that attracts the sharp stones.
On our last trip I spoke to a road train driver in
Tibooburra and he said the stones are like axe heads. Some are laying on their sides and therefore harmless, but others are pointing the sharp side up and they will go straight through any tyre. The truckie had two flats between
Broken Hill and
Tibooburra. I asked him how many spares he carried. "One!" he replied. Luckily, however, those 18 wheelers can survive a few flats due to their double wheels.
The only flat I have had was on a nice smooth dirt road in
Parachilna Gorge when the Patrol was brand new. We were passed by heaps of standard vehicles with low profile road tyres as we changed our wheel!
We decided at the Club Meeting to carry an additional casing (rather than a whole spare wheel) plus a repair kit each. We have two "beadbreaker" devices among us as
well as our individual compressors.
I think I will invest in some new tyres just to be on the safe side and keep the current ones for bitumen work.
K
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Reply By: Boo - Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 10:16
Saturday, Mar 11, 2006 at 10:16
Hi Kingsley,
Funny you should put this post on, we are in the same position as you, heading out in May to do a trip around the Simpson and about. The BFGs were in about the same state as yours however we also have a CT which did require tyres so it may the decision simple. Put new BFGs on the Patrol and the old ones onto the CT which we have just come back from doing.
Just for your interest, Jax Tyres in ACT, did them for $215 (31x10.5x15) BFG AT.
Boo
AnswerID:
159879