All Terrain (AT) Tyres Feedback

Submitted: Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 18:28

ThreadID: 87586 Views:3510 Replies:6 FollowUps:4

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All Terrain (AT) Tyres

When you are looking for a compromise between off-road capability and good on-road manners, an All-Terrain (AT) tyre is the way to go.

David L10

I'm told that H/T tyres are prudent if your on road/off road ratio is around 90/10 or thereabouts. I probably fit into that category, however, I have travelled all round oz from Burketown in Qld thru Hell's Gate to Borroloola, and up thru Lemmin Bight to Roper bar, into the Bungle Bungles and along the Gibb River Rd and around Karajini NP in WA, down the Birdsville track and around Innamincka & Coongee Lakes, all the tracks around Arkaroola in the Gammon Ranges, SKYTREK & around Rawnsley Station tracks in Flinders Ranges, and various other dirt roads round SE Qld & Northern NSW, and a couple of weekends at 4wd parks.
I tow a camper trailer on most trips with half worn A/T tyres. I've now done around 130000ks in my 4wd, and all on Yokohama H/T tyres, yes, H/T tyres. In all this travelling both on & off road I have had only one puncture, and that was on the camper with it's half worn A/T tyres. When we were travelling down the Birdsville Highway..oops sorry, track, we were overtaken twice by two Prado's towing camper trailers. We met them at Marree at the garage where they told us they had had seven, yes, seven, punctures between them between Windorah & Marree. They were using nearly new Desert Duellers. The only reason I can think of is that they had their tyre pressures hard, mine soft, and they were travelling fast, me slow. Is there a message in all this??
I always travel fairly slowly on trips, mainly to look after my vehicle & for safety. If on a trip, what's the hurry?

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Reply By: Wilko (Parkes NSW) - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 18:50

Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 18:50

Hi David,

I used normal tyres on my xc ute and travelled far and wide back in the day so they will do it I had very few flats (mainly due to the speed or lack there of) that I travelled at, but a good set of at's will do it so much easier.

The H/T's are next to useless in mud whilst A/T's are a little bit better.

Cheers Wilko

AnswerID: 460027

Reply By: escapesilv - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:11

Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:11

Hi David L10

I have done many Km on trips but always with AT tyres, reducing or increasing tyre pressure as required, and never had a flat on a trip, and my tyres run 80.000Km and up, but my speed on the black is 90 and of road from as slow as 30 kpm

Speed and pressure is the key to it,

Cheers Robert

AnswerID: 460031

Follow Up By: Member - JohnBee (VIC) - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:15

Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:15

Gday...

Hey escapesilv ..... You say "I have done many Km on trips but always with AT tyres, reducing or increasing tyre pressure as required, and never had a flat on a trip, and my tyres run 80.000Km and up, but my speed on the black is 90 and of road from as slow as 30 kpm

Speed and pressure is the key to it,

Cheers Robert"

I assume you do 30 KPH not 30Kilometres per MINUTE ! ;-)

Cheers
John

FollowupID: 733629

Follow Up By: escapesilv - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:51

Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:51

Hi JohnBee

Yes you are correct should have done a spell check.

cheers

FollowupID: 733636

Follow Up By: bert546 - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 22:57

Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 22:57

90 on the black. geez i hope you give trucks a hand to get around you.

FollowupID: 733748

Reply By: Brian Purdue - Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:46

Friday, Jul 15, 2011 at 19:46

You answered your own question. Why travel so fast? You see little and wear far too much. Travel slower, 80 clicks is fast enought to get there and slow enough to pull up when you see something of interest. If you cover more than 300 kms a day "in the bush" you see nothing at alll. There is plenty to see if you look. Stop and ask the people who are coming from where you are going. Far better than a "tourist guide book".

AnswerID: 460036

Follow Up By: Fatso - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 14:30

Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 14:30

I like what someone else said on another thread "It's supposed to be a holiday, not the Dakar Rally".
At lower speeds you lower any risks.

FollowupID: 733688

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 09:49

Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 09:49

Gday David,
Spot-on. Seen the same thing many times myself on outback SA roads. In years gone by, I always expected a couple of flat tyres on a trip - often due to crossply tyres or tube failures with split rims. But I learnt my lesson on a trip up the Birdsville track in 1999 where I destroyed 2 tyres and punctured another between Farina and Mungarannie when I was doing 100kph with high pressures on the sharp gravel using tyres that were over 50% worn.

Since 1999 I've done same as you - never more than 80kph, don't overload the rear of the vehicle, pressures usually 28-30psi, and I use tyres that have at least 50% tread. I've not had a tread puncture in the last 12 years - my only punctures have been 3 staked sidewalls when off track.

AnswerID: 460066

Reply By: garrycol - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 15:23

Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 15:23

I have BFG ATs and found them a fine all round tyre. Good for most offroad work and good for dry bitumen - you need to be just a little more aware when it is wet but are still great.

I would certainly recommend them for use as an everyday tyre - they are good wearing as well.

Garry

AnswerID: 460083

Reply By: Off-track - Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 23:42

Saturday, Jul 16, 2011 at 23:42

Personally I dont support the lowering of pressures for gravel roads, and the majority of those that most frequent them dont either.

Lowering speeds, yes.

AnswerID: 460138