Tyres - Ply Rating

Good evening,

I will be purchasing new tyres at some point during the next 4 months in preparation for a trip to the Simpson this year and then a trip through the centre and then onto the Kimberley in 2009. The vehicle does not do many km's around town, maybe 10k per year max. I have researched tyre brands and styles and will look to fit A/T's but will also consider M/T's. It seems to me that all brands have pros and cons and I have read posts about all the major brands having issues at various times, so it seems to me that the most expensive brands may not necessarily offer better overall value. I also understand that driving style, pressures and general care can often make more difference than tyre choice. I think I will head in the direction of Maxxis or Hercules as they seem to offer good value, I would have considered BFG's but it seems that they are possibly not the tyre they used to be and are expensive also. Having read numerous opinions I have come to the conclusion that going back to split rims is probably not needed these days but that also rules out purchasing MRF's which I know are very strong.

So, my question relates to ply rating. I currently have 15" rims and I have noticed that most of the tyres available seem to be 6ply construction but there are 8 and 10 ply construction available in 16" sizes. Hercules Terra Trac is and example of this (unless I have researched wrong). I understand that ply rating may not necessarily make a tyre strong anyway as there would be other factors such as design and quality. Are 6 ply construction tyres generally considered sturdy enough for heavy duty work or would you recommend selecting a heavier ply rating. To go to an 8 ply construction I would need to obtain 16" rims which shouldn't be too hard given the vehicle is a 60 series cruiser.

Sorry for the long winded question, I am just aiming to make the best choice of tyre to cover me for both trips if possible. Thanks in anticipation.

Dave