Landcruiser tyres

Yes, it is an auto.

Thanks Farrelly. I wish I had heard of the Goodyear Silent Armours before. We have gone with Bridgestone 693s and will test them out soon.

Thanks Steve. I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that you vouch for the 693s. After all our research we had settled on the Bridgestone 694s. We asked our local tyre guy to get them in and when we went down to have them fitted he told us he couldn't get the 694s but got the 693s. We were flabbergasted but he assured us they were as good as the 694s. It's been a bit of a niggle at the back of our minds since then.

I assume the 12 sets you have had has been over a very long period of time.

Thanks again Steve.

The 12 sets have been over 7 years, I currently run 4 cruisers daily into Jim Jim and Twin falls, so these trucks do 150 km per day on corrugated dirt roads.

I run them at 40 psi front and 42 rear, this with or without the car loaded, I also run heavy duty King springs on my 3 non turbo 100 series and a helper spring on my troopy, The ride is not to bad at all.

These tyres take a beating daily for 6 months, they have not given me any trouble at all.

I take them off at about 55/60,000 and replace them with a whole new set of tyres and rims, this leaves me with a heap of spares ( which I don't use ), I also use them on my 2 camp trailers and my new camper trailer.

The 693s are Ozi made and a lot stronger, 10 ply rated side walls, I had A/T 2 Floplops and at half tread they were stuffed and side walls were ripped apart from stones.

My new set with rims were $1320.00 for 4 and the profits stayed in Oz.

Cheers Steve.

That is fantastic news Steve. It's a weight off our shoulders.

We'll have Old Man Emu springs and drawer system and fridge fitted to the new TD 100 series vehicle. We will be towing an off-road 18ft van (probably Trakmaster) which we think wil be about 2,600kg - 2,800kg fully laden.

I'm surprised to read the air pressure you travel with but clearly you're hugely experienced and probably more so than almost anyone else we have received advice from. We thought conventional wisdom was to lower the air pressure when off road. 'Off road' for us will be roads like the Gibb River Rd, Tanami Track etc. What air pressure would you recommend when off road and when on the bitumen and when towing the van and without it.

I'm sorry to ask so many questions but I would really value your expert advice.

Thank you again for taking the time to help us out. We will look at our new 693s with far greater respect and confidence as a result.

Many say lower your pressure and speed on a dirt road, I have never tried this method, having said that It may work.

I will give you what works for me and the many different way I work my tyres.

Yesterday I drove from Jabiru to Darwin and back, no load on the way in and sat on 130 kph, on the way back I had a small load and did the same speed on the way back,The tyre pressure was 42 rear 40 front.

The day before I did a tour to the falls, 100 kms of black top at 100 kph, 100 kms of graded dirt road 80 kph, 50 kms of 4wd track 15 kph, tyre pressure was 42 rear 40 front.

A typical 3 day tour is 1000 kms, 50/50 dirt black top 100 kph black top, 80 kph dirt usually corrugated, towing a camp trailer about 850 kgs tyre pressure 42 rear 40 front.

December last year we did 14000 kms, Darwin, Cairns, Frazer Island, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Finke, Cambers Pillar, Alice, Darwin.

We towed a camp trailer approx 900kgs the only time, I changed my tyre pressure was on Fraser Island, on pumping them up I found I had only lowered them to 38 psi as I didn't have a gauge on letting them down.

Cheers Steve.

PS With a turbo Diesel 100 series be careful when doing water xings, as a mate has done 2 radiators with the fan flexing into his radiator, He has done this xing hundreds of times, the only trouble he has had is with the turbo model.

It's very good of you Steve to take the time to give such a detailed response. We really appreciate and value your advice. Many thanks again.

Thanks Richard

You also make me pleased we didn't end up with the 694s. The 693s are now on so we will have to see how they go. However, we'll bear your commennts about BFGs if we have any problems.