Tyre sizes

gday steve.
if your mainly doing beach driving a wider tyre would be the way to and also get a highway patten.wider tyre gives you a wider footprint and a highway patern wont be to agresive therefore wont dig inback by popular demand
:-)

Steve,

Just to add my 2 cents worth to the wide V skinny debut. I recently read an interesting article in the November issue of 4WD Monthly. The article compared the contact patches of a 7.5R16 and a 285/75R16 tyre on a landcruiser. You would have to agree that there is huge difference in the widths of the 2 tyres, but what interested me was that the size of the contact patch was not that much bigger on the widies. In reality there is not really that much in it.

The contact patch for the skinny tyre was, however, much longer than that of the wider tyre which is probably of greater importance for sand driving. On the other hand, with wider tyres you can get a tyre that is much better suited to driving on-road.

I realise this has probably not helped you much but have a read of the article if you can. It goes a long way to explaining the relative advantages and disadvantages of both.

Regards

Grant

G'day Steve,
I have just been thru the exersise with Rodeo tyres. The standard 205/16 D693s were starting to show their age after 56000 km (puncture free- including about 15000km of óutback'driving & numeroius club rock hopping & crap roads & condition).

It was almsost the same cost to update to 15x7"wheels with 31/10.5r15 tyres fitted. I stuck with the Bridgestone D693 tyre, due to the excellent run with that type- and the Aussie ones are more reinforced than the Jap ones.

As well as lookin smick- the on road handling is GREATLY improved, haven't had a chance of an off road test yet. Just make sure you have a full wheel alignment if you go that way.

C'mom the WallabysA bad days sailing sure beats a good day at work