Tire size and power?

[john ysbeer]

HI all My new rims have finally arrived and I am looking at replacement tyres...I need some thoughts on size and its effects. I have done a lot of home work on this already but needs some input from people with experience..
My original size tyre is 275/55/19...this is the ideal size since it gives very true readings with regards to speed and distance travelled, but the choice of tyres are dismal!...I don't want to stray too far from this size.
New rims are 18 inches...
The sizes I am looking at are a bit larger overall, with differences ranging from 0.27% larger to 2% larger. I am concerned that 2% larger will might be detrimental to power and also that it might rub whilst turning. It does provide me with an extra 1.25 cm of clearance...theoretically..
The alternate sizes I am looking at are
275/60/18 - 0.27% larger sidewall jumps from 151 mm|(original size) to 165 mm which is great!
255/65/18 - 0.46 % larger Sidewall increases to 165.75 mm
265/65/18 - 2% larger with sidewall at 172.25 mm
Obviously I am quite adamant about sidewall strength...
What are the thoughts out there???

 

[JJVDMZN]

Have you considered 285/60R18's?

That's what I have on my G350 (Cooper Discoverer ATT), the speedo reads 100%, it also looks very nice on the car.

I don't feel any loss of power, if there is it's negligible.

Regards,

J.J.

 

[john ysbeer]

To be honest, I saw them, but did not give them any real thought!

Where do you get this nice visual size comparison tool? ... Found it!

 

[john ysbeer]

My next 2 problems are (1) finding out which sidewalls are "stronger" I like the look of Coopers... but I am also a bit partial to Michelin LTX and Bridgestone Dueller...
and then (2) how I will accommodate this larger spare in my current spare set-up...The 275/55/19 is only just fitting in the spare cover, and I fear I will never get the lid to sit/fit properly - It WILL fall off!
But I guess anything I come up with, will be better than this botch job the Germans did! Heavens, it looks NICE but the engineering stinks! Haphazard comes to mind...

 

[JJVDMZN]

Here's some pictures of the tires on the car and spare-wheel, I had the spare-wheel cover made by "Monique Belgo Designs Wheel Covers" I can DM you her number. It looks very much the same as original, you can also send her a picture of what you want and she'll design it for you for a fee. The one in the picture has already been designed by her so she just need your wheel size to make it to fit.

Regards,

J.J.

 

[Francois J Kleyn]

Hello John
I run the Maxxis Razor AT. Im very happy with them. I do 4x4 as much as I can when I have time. I have run mine at 0.5 Bar on the dunes at Atlantis doing the Toyota funday and also a practice weekend before and not had a debead. Iv also done some really rocky terrain things and no loss of sidewalls or punctures. Lastly I did a tour in Namibia around 5000 km on nothing but gravel roads pulling a 1 tone trailer. NO punctures. Here is a link to the website.

RAZR AT

www.maxxis.com

 

[john ysbeer]

How readily are those tyres and sizes available in our neighbouring countries? |I have recently had a serious case of tyre anxiety while touring in really remote parts of Botswana...

 

[Francois J Kleyn]

How readily are those tyres and sizes available in our neighbouring countries? |I have recently had a serious case of tyre anxiety while touring in really remote parts of Botswana...

That is a very good question. I have even noted that same size tires from different brands dimension will differ.
I think so long as you have a popular size that you can get something somewhere is the best answer. When we were in Namibia we had a car with us that was running a not so popular size and we struggled to find something. Well let's say we weren't spoiled for choice.

 

[Thomson Ian]

I am running 265/65/18 Maxxis RAZR tyres and they are excellent. They have 3 ply sidewalls, like the BFG's which I had on before the Maxxis. The BF's used to always feel a bit off balance, which I don't experience with the Maxxis tyres at all. They also run quiet despite the aggressive tread pattern. One issue with the bigger tyres though, it is more difficult to fit the spare wheel cover, and with anything wider than 265's you won't be able to fit the cover again.

 

[john ysbeer]

Yeah I found that out... However I am always in the market for a plan

 

[Thomson Ian]

Mine still works but I had to remove the black rubber surround on the one side of the chrome trim that goes around the tyre to make sure that there is suffucient overlap to still secure the round coverplate on the rear. I am busy designing something else and will post it here if I get it right. The spare wheel cover is just difficult to use, and I am worried that it won't fit over a flat wheel if I ever get one.

 

[john ysbeer]

The spare wheel cover is simply the worst piece of German engineering on the face of the planet...If I did not think of a way to stabilize the cover plate (with Bungee cord) it would have, long ago, fallen out and be lost...How come they could not figure out something to make this pretty thing, practical as well? Eish!

 

[Thomson Ian]

I agree, and don't understand that they couldn't come up with a more practical design that's simple to use.

 

[Francois J Kleyn]

I am running 265/65/18 Maxxis RAZR tyres and they are excellent. They have 3 ply sidewalls, like the BFG's which I had on before the Maxxis. The BF's used to always feel a bit off balance, which I don't experience with the Maxxis tyres at all. They also run quiet despite the aggressive tread pattern. One issue with the bigger tires though, it is more difficult to fit the spare wheel cover, and with anything wider than 265's you won't be able to fit the cover again.

I am not alone ! I thought I was the only guy running the Maxxis RAZR. I have become a big fan of them. No punctures yet and I have done a lot of 4x4 with them. On the side note of the cover I have the hard cover and I had to adjust mine all the way to the limit to get it to fit.
Would like to know what are you running pressure wise for highways ?

 

[Thomson Ian]

I am thouroughly impressed with the Maxxis RAZR's. I have BF's on my FJ Cruiser and will definitely change them to the RAZR's when its time to change. The RAZR's are as good offroad but so much better on the highway. I normally pump them to 2.3 Bar in my garage, when driving it picks up to around 2.45 to 2.5 depending on the outside temps.

 

[john ysbeer]

Crude but effective. Now I can accommodate my larger wheels/tyres in the cover. I need to make a plan with the cover, next.. but it is coming along...

 

[Francois J Kleyn]

I am thouroughly impressed with the Maxxis RAZR's. I have BF's on my FJ Cruiser and will definitely change them to the RAZR's when its time to change. The RAZR's are as good offroad but so much better on the highway. I normally pump them to 2.3 Bar in my garage, when driving it picks up to around 2.45 to 2.5 depending on the outside temps.

Interesting. I'm running 2.5 and it goes up to 2.8 on a hot day.