Flinders Ranges tracks claim a number of tyre brands
Submitted: Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 21:52
ThreadID:
72800
Views:
7677
Replies:
12
FollowUps:
16
This Thread has been Archived
Willem
I have been up to
Warraweena Station Private Conservation
Park in the
Flinders Ranges on two occasions over the past 30 days. Some of you might remember that it is where we held the 2007 ExplorOz National Gathering.
Over the period and including this long weekend the Warraweena tracks have claimed 1 Mickey Thompson on a 200 series, 2 Goodyear Wrangler MTR's on an 80 series, 1 BFG AT on an 80 series and 1 BFG AT on a Nissan...all sidewall cuts, and 1 Cooper ST tread stake on a Nissan. All tyres were U/S after the event. I tried to plug the Cooper for the
young fella yesterday but it was still leaking air after I had inserted 3 plugs. The plugs were left overs in my repair kit courtesy of my Cooper days...lol
Dunno what the drivers were doing. Methinks they were going too fast along the slow tracks high up in the ranges.
I did a 60km round trip along these tracks this morning to service some
camp sites and the MRF's only has scuff marks on the sidewalls by the time I got back to the
homestead :-)
Some of the Warraweena commercial tracks are becoming a challenge as recent rains have removed top soil exposing sharp rocks underneath. The countryside is as green as somewhere along the eastern seaboard and the good spring weather makes for excellent 4wdriving.
Reply By: greenextreme - Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:31
Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:31
Willem, excuse my ignorance, but what brand / model are MRF's? I'm trying to decide on tyres for our defender and those you mentioned [with sidewall cuts etc] are not high on the list. cheers, Peter
AnswerID:
385892
Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:44
Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:44
Peter
MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) tyres made in India. They are normally 7.50x16 crossply (non radial) tyres suitable for use with tubes on split rims. Could also be fitted to steel rims (non split). They come in 12ply, 14ply or 16ply rating. hHey are highly prized by Roo shooters and primary industry operatives. Cheers
FollowupID:
653461
Follow Up By: Mad Cowz (VIC) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:14
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:14
How are ya Willem? hi to judith
what sort of life are you getting out of the forklift tyres?
Might get some on the hilux
Nick
FollowupID:
653478
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:14
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:14
Hello Nick
The forklift tyres have 25,000km on them and hardly seem used :-) But being lug type they do scallop a tad.The cure for that seems to run them at lower bitumen tyre pressures for short distances. The Superlugs are good in mud (your part of the world) but noisy on the bitumen and don't like running below 15psi
FollowupID:
653534
Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:49
Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 22:49
Tyre damage like that is certainly not unusual with radials at Warraweena considering the rocky tracks the way they are. (Look more like
creek beds than roads) When last there our group had one Micky T demolished from speed while the rest came out with some minor cuts. I suppose it's the chance many take with tyres better suited to the 95% of sand, mud & tar they need to drive on during the rest of their life.
I trust the MRF's would have served you
well over in the west on your cross country trip.
Cheers Craig............
AnswerID:
385894
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:19
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:19
Hello Craig
The MRF's did OK in the rough stuff and through Mulga country as they are hard as nails but they weren't too keen in the sand. Could not deflate below 15psi and they acted like real cheesecutters. Must say though, I was towing a 1000kg trailer as
well. Looking at buying MRF Steel Muscle next but there are none in the country at the moment and not expected in until mid year 2010
FollowupID:
653537
Follow Up By: splits - Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 15:35
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 15:35
Willem posted:
Looking at buying MRF Steel Muscle next but there are none in the country at the moment and not expected in until mid year 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willem
Have you had any experience with the Toyo 504M? They have a tread pattern similar to your Super Lugs but are all steel radials like the Steel Muscle range.
I can't remember hearing a word about them in 4b circles. Beadells seem to get a good run out of the street pattern Steel Muscles in the usually dry deserts but these might be a little better if you intend driving in rock and mud.
http://www.toyo.com.au/M504.htm
FollowupID:
653695
Follow Up By: Willem - Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 16:45
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 16:45
Thanks Splits
I will go have a look.
Right now my tyres are doing OK albeit sometimes with a hard ride, depending on the bitumen or gravel road surface. So just looking at future tyre purchases.
FollowupID:
653709
Reply By: Member - Poppy (QLD) - Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 23:12
Monday, Oct 05, 2009 at 23:12
Hi Willem
Great to see you back here, pity you weren't at
St George Gathering with some of your "White Lightning". might have given the Hen wine a run for it's money. Lol ,May see you at
Wiluna Gathering 2010
Cheers Ray
AnswerID:
385900
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:21
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:21
Hi Poppy
I am fresh out of White Lightning. Might have a go at making some Moonshine this summer :-) Yeah you may see me at
Wiluna but atm that is a long shot. Cheers
FollowupID:
653539
Reply By: AdrianLR (VIC) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:14
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:14
Hi Willem
We're just back from
Oodnadatta,
Painted Desert and lots of
places south. We saw plenty of shredded tyres hanging on the back of 4WDs like some sort of medal. Perhaps Cooper should stop using large, raised white lettering as the only name that stuck in my mind was Cooper :)
One chap I spoke with at
Coober Pedy had an all too familiar story - he was trying to keep up with travelling "companions" who had to rush back to work but just had to squeeze in Dalhousie. He shredded a Cooper and while he fixed it the "companions" kept going.
The other group with damaged tyres were the ones with a flash new 4WD with low profile HTs - "The best speed was 100 as I couldn't feel any of the rocks or corrugations......I wasn't driving any different to how they did it in the ad....must have been a faulty tyre....."
We had no damage to the tyres but need a new windscreen and probably headlights after going through two days of dust (rock?) storms.
You're right about it being green (at least from the Flinders down). Last time we were up that way in 2006 everything was parched.
Hope to see you at
the Pyrenees.
Adrian
AnswerID:
385914
Reply By: Robin Miller - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:37
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:37
Hi Willem
Come on , its probably the long travel coil
suspension combined with driver skill.
After just putting a vertical 5cm tear in one of my last remaining ST tyres those factors must be lacking over here.
AnswerID:
385916
Reply By: Who was that again? (Vic) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:38
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 08:38
Pretty apparent Bro, that a lot of drivers don't look to where their
wheels are to roll on tracks. There are techniques to apply when driving, and that is to look out for stones in the path that can damage.
Yes, that may mean you miss some of the scenery, but the driver's task is to drive. You watch the track obviously Bro, but many don't watch
well enough.
AnswerID:
385917
Reply By: Member - Kingsley N (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 09:00
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 09:00
Thanks for the warning Willem.
We will be at Moolooloo next week for a number of days and we are planning to take a look at Waraweena's tracks. I guess the whole area will have had a bit of traffic over the school holiday break.
Kingo
AnswerID:
385919
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 09:08
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 09:08
Good to hear from you Willem,
Of course an older bloke with a lot more experience isn't going to have as many problems. :o)
But give them credit, they are going out there and getting the experience. :o)
A few more damaged tyres, and I bet the incidence of damage will drop.
Agree with your inference though, there is not that much difference between tyres, no matter what the brand. The driver makes a bigger difference.
Been reading your web page, sounds like you had a reasonably good trip this year.
AnswerID:
385920
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:25
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:25
Yeah John, we had a good trip despite some small issues. The old truck ran
well and we got to see some new country.
FollowupID:
653541
Reply By: Member - MUZBRY(Vic) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 12:30
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 12:30
Gday Willem
Nice to see you back on line.
Murray
AnswerID:
385950
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:22
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 17:22
Cheers Muz :-)
FollowupID:
653540
Reply By: Richard Kovac - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 18:03
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 18:03
Did you see any Bridgestone Dueler A/S 661 out there Willem?
Cheers
Richard
AnswerID:
386000
Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 18:18
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 18:18
No, but I saw some at the Bridgestone Dealer in
Jamestown today. Still hurts thinking about the price of $330 per casing. Might have to wait for the pension to go up by $100pf..... LOL
FollowupID:
653551
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:27
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:27
GdayRichard,
The 661 are a common tyre this side of the border on Govt and mining vehicles. Good strong casing in the 235/85 but they chip badly on the sharp gravel roads.
Cheers
Phil
FollowupID:
653589
Follow Up By: Member - Tony Z (NSW) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:33
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:33
Richard we just came back from 5weeks in and around the Red Center. We were running Bridgestone Dueler 694 LT's, had 5 new when we left and 5 near new on return after 10,000km of travel 6000 on dirt the rest on bitumen. Speaking to people on the road the worst performing tyre was by far Coopers -AT's & ST some people that have had the for years will never touch them again. A chap at
Leigh Creek needed 2 new tyre's after driving down from
Birdsville, went to the tyre
shop and all they had were Coopers but he would rather wait a week than touch another Cooper. Another couple had 3 flats in the 1 tyre guess what it was a Cooper and that was on the
Oodnadatta Track ! not that bad a road.
I nearly went with Cooper STT but am real happy with the performance of the 694's
FollowupID:
653591
Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:42
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 20:42
Hi Phil,
I have a set 6 off on the Troopy now, replaced my Telecom tyres out after 3 sets.
They did
well on this years trip, Hunt oil Rd,
Gary Hwy,
Gary Junction HIGHWAY, Sandy Blight
Junction Rd. and the Abandoned Gunbarrel Hwy.
Not as many rocks as the Strzelecki & Sturt Stony Desert, but then again I did them in a Datsun with Yokohama tyres.
Tyre Blog
I changed brand because Beaurepairs Assistant Manager lied to me..
Regards
Richard
FollowupID:
653593
Follow Up By: Bob of KAOS - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 22:34
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 22:34
Tony Z
Maybe I've just been lucky but I've had a magic run with Cooper STs. Have been running them for six years now and the only incident has been a side wall stake with a near new tyre (my fault, not the tyre). I wasn't able to plug it on the track. That tyre has been repaired and is still being used. I get pretty good mileage out of them (about 50, 000 on the back, and about 70,000 on the front) They handle all conditions I throw at them. One incident in 135,000 of desert and
Kimberley (with a bit of NSW and
VIC high country thrown in) travel ain't bad. Why would I change?
Frankly, I think some of the criticisms of Coopers may have evolved from imaginary experiences. ie, take with a large grain of salt.
FollowupID:
653609
Reply By: Member - Mfewster(SA) - Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 22:40
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009 at 22:40
I thnk a lot of drivers are fooled by their
suspension. Those nice long travel coil springs etc iron the ride out, so the driver feels they can travel faster. The tyre however is still impacting in the same old way. Lowering speed and tyre pressure, plus watching the track (much easier at lower speeds) is more important than tyre brands.
AnswerID:
386069
Reply By: PhilZD30Patrol - Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 11:36
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 11:36
Hi
Interesting letter about the never ending discussion on tyres.
I've just finished a trip to the Red Centre via some pretty stony tracks.
I wrecked one Cooper ST Light truck about 50% worn. I was going too fast and was too lazy to lower the pressure (about 40 PSI cold) as we were doing a short expedition off the bitumen. I hit some shard rocks and paid a high price.
My wife gave me an ear bashing as did the tyre repair guy who claimed that the majority of tyre failures out in the bush result from high speed on high pressure.
He persuaded me to go low every time I left the bitumen. For example, maximum cold 29 psi rear and 25 PSI front and maximum speed 80 kph. Use even lower pressure and speed if the road is very rocky or sandy.
I dutifully obeyed my wife's instructions and followed the tyre repair guy's advice. I checked the tyres cold every morning and had no more trouble. My Cooper ST LT tyres have travelled over 52,000 kms and are still only about 50% worn
Cheers
Phil
AnswerID:
386109
Follow Up By: Member - Tony Z (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 20:19
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 20:19
Phil
You're right about pres. and speed. Most people don't bother to lower the pres. as they say why bother its only a short trip and the faster you go the less you feel the corrugations. But as I found they add to the corrugations
I lowered
mine every time off the bitumen even short trips on side tracks.
I ran 24psi front/26psi rear cold when I could set them,as most times we had been on gravel , then down to 20/22 on sandy tracks
But I did see the evidence of a destroyed Cooper ST after a blowout they stopped within 30m of it blowing, it was ripped to shreads
FollowupID:
653738
Follow Up By: Bob of KAOS - Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 20:48
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2009 at 20:48
Blowouts don't just 'happen'.
The normal course of events is that the tyre deflates slowly after a puncture. Depending on speed and load it overheats as the side wall flexes excessively. There is usually irreparable thermal damage including delamination before it finally 'pops'. By the time you pull up it is ripped to shreds.
The way to avoid this is to fit temperature and pressure sensors to each tyre. You are warned as soon as the pressure starts to fall or the temp starts to rise. At a cost of a couple of hundred bucks you don't have to save too many tyres before its paid for itself.
FollowupID:
653741