285/75x16 BFG A/T

What pressures is he running? How fast is he going? Cheers RobCairns Offroad Training & Tours

Yes I agree with the other comment re pressures. Most first time outback-tourers usually fall for the mistake of running their tyres on rough,rocky outback roads, at too high a pressure, thinking because of the speed, they should keep road or bitumen pressures in them. Wrong. Those higher pressures will not allow the tyre to flex and absorb the tremendous shocks that are reverberated through the carcass when they strike rocks at highway speeds. By airing down, and allowing the tyres to "mould" and flex over the rocks, you will find that the incidence of internal shock failure will deminish. However, you can over do it and risk too much flex in the sidewalls and you will indeed generate heat that will lead to sidewall failure. You must find the happy medium, which is usually somewhere in the realm of 20% down on your highway pressures, for heavily laden, dirt road travel. But, personally, I don't think BFG's are what they used to be, especially the AT's, and I have been using them for 25 years, untill now that is.

I bought 5 AT's 3 years ago. They have about 30 to 40 % left and 3 of them developed slow leaks after my easter trip around Carowine Gorge.When we pulled them off 3 of them had all developed the some crossways split on the inside. The dealer said thats from reducing pressures on the gravel. I'm not impressed. I don't know what to think.
Allan

Simon,
a couple of comments,
I run 285/75 x16 bfg at's on an 80 series and never had a punture with them. I have 2 sets of wheels .
the set for around town / farm etc has over 100,000 kms on them and I may get another 5000 before the wear indicators are reached.
put a set of new ko's on prior to a central australia, kimberly trip last winter and am very dissappointed with wear, at least 35% wear in 20,000km and estimated 15 % of tread blocks torn off.
I run tyres at 40psi cold,44 hot when loaded for long trips ie 3 tonne gross.
Interestingly on the kimberly trip I was accompanied by a mate who fitted same tyres but 31x10.5x15 also on 80 series identically loaded.
he destroyed 2 tyres in 10 km on Gibb river road just north of Mt Barnett.
he was running same tyre pressures.
why did he have the puntures ?, from my view from behind (I was fiollowing him when he got the second puncture) was the fact he was hitting large loose rocks and braking hard into cross drains hitting them locked up.causing tyre cases to fracture.

while knowing I am in the minority I am a firm believer in high tyre pressues based on over 10 years motor rallying in the 70's and 80's . with both conventional wintertreads ( thats how long ago it was )and with radial m&s rally tyres I always ran min 50 psi and only experienced 1 puncture in those 10 years . those who ran low pressures punctured the sidewalls due to flex especially with radial tyres even 6 ply rally tyres.

I think driving style is the cause of most punctures on dirt roads.
thats my 2 bobs worth
regards
Howard

Hi folks my experience running coopers a/t around town i run 32psi long trips dirt roads central desert country fully loaded towing camper trailer 32psi have never had a flat puncture or side wall damage, look at your max load factor of your tyre coopers 1550kg, bfg 1360kg, most vehicles doing a long out back trip will be over their GVM and tyer max load, i have a 92 patrol GVM 2800kgs which is full tank of fuel couple of people esky and fridge brings me up very close to GVM, so now look at the max load factor on the tyres, we dont ask much and expect every thing. These are all the things truckys have to deal with and the transport dept and the puplic when a truck ends up in a accident, then we abuse the insurance co,s when they wont pay out for our mistakes, we all have to follow the rules so look closly at the finer details. IF you worry about heat in your tyres go fully loaded at 100ks for how many hours stop get out feel your tyres and i will quaranty the heat factor will be zero. Have found from experince that jap made tyres will not handle roads such as the birdsville track, oonadatta track,plenty hway, doesnt matter what tread pattern, spend the dollars get the best for what you intend to do. Col