Hi all : Just wandering what type and make of tyres you learned people are using. AL
Tyres are 'funny' things. As a young copper, I remember running a certain brand on a coupe I had. I raved about these tyres to all and sundry. I finally convinced the Department I was with to get the same brand (my Dept always ran 'cheapies' back then). The tyres that I had extolled and snung and danced about were terrible on the larger cars being run by my Dept. (very red face), yet on my car they were terrific. Over the years I have seen that for some unknown reason, some brands suit some cars, yet the same brand (and model) just don't suit a larger/smaller car. (I found the same thing whilst I was towing very large trailers where guys in the same line of work all compared various topics regarding said trailers). I'ld take a look at rigs that are IDENTICAL to yours and see what they are running. Ask the owners who love to talk about their cars and tyres and bits and bobs (well the guys do). It will take a bit of time, but if you're in CPs you should see the same rig (even if different tug) and visa versa. Remember too that as a ROUGH RULE OF THUMB, hard tyres wear longer than soft, but soft tyres usually grip better. Collyn RIVERS the engineer turned author has written some very good articles on tyres, and as an ex 'plod', I have to agree with him. P.S. if the outer wall's branding has worn away, you might be able to see what they are on the inner wall. You'll have to wriggle underneath with a torch, get dirty, bang your head, hook up your clothes, get bits in your eyes etc etc. It's great fun..LO.L. For what it's worth.
-- Edited by Keith19837 on Sunday 3rd of June 2012 03:36:57 PM
Just recently replaced my tyres as they were six years old and still looked good but not worth the risk on a big trip I purchased Bridgestone light truck tyres and paid $109 for them I discussed tyres with a dealer who sold most well known brands and he recommended the Bridgestone for my size and weight van.
-- Edited by aussietraveller on Sunday 3rd of June 2012 05:09:32 PM
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Hi all : Just wandering what type and make of tyres you learned people are using. The tyres on my rig are getting on a bit they have done 50000 k's. that I know of and they still look like new. But I have had them for 7 years and I dont know how long they where on before I bought the van. They are 185*14 radial LT. I would get the same tyre but they have know name or markings except size. I have taken the tyres to several tyre dealers but no can name them. So was wandering what others are using.
The latest set of tyres on our van are Michelin light truck, they cost a few dollars more than some other brands but have an excellent reputation
If your tyres are 7years plus in age get a new set as soon as possible,tyres definitely have a use by date it doesn't matter how good they look, recommended life for tyres seems to be 5 to 6 years. I had a blowout on a tyre that was 8 years old that had only done a 1000km's it happened on an Expressway and I don't want a repeat of that, trying to change the wheel with B doubles thundering past, even tho I was able to get over off the bitumen.
Any of the well known brand of LT tyres should suit the van OK providing they have a suitable load rating. Even some of the chinese ones are quite OK, but then again some I wouldn't trust the info stamped on the side. "What name, load rating and speed rating would you likee on the sidewalls Sir"? I'm a great fan of Toyo Tyres, but their price is getting a bit rich as their reputation for quality grows. The last time I replaced van tyres I went for Hankook as was happy with the performance and price. 195 x 14 were $105 each 18 months ago from Tyrepower in Hastings Vic. Current van was supplied with Maxmiller. Time will tell. Ozjohn.
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Retired Engineer, Ex Park Owner & Caravan Consultant. Holden 2.8 Colorado - Roma Elegance 17'6" Pop Top. Location: Mornington Peninsula Vic.
Tyres in Aust do have a manufacture date code on them. 4 digit No last 2 digits are yr of manufacture. If 3 digit No. was produced before 2000 and last digit is year ie 1999. I think the first to are the week of the year but not positive on that.
i wana put coopers on the nav when these ones are buggered
dibs
There is some debate about the suitability of Coopers in really rough country, considering they are rated as an off-road tyre. Apparently the tread runs off, leaving the wire and the wall on the rim. Ask around before you invest that much money on rubber. Mickey Thompson's also have a variety of feedback. It does pay to do the homework.
I use BFG All Terrain. I'm on the second set since 2006, just fitted before Christmas 2011. They'd been around Oz 2 times, and down the middle once, plus a lot of kms on the job including 5 times to Lyndhurst, and twice to Emerald and Moranbah, Qld.
This last lot cost me $300 each. I hunted around and they can be up to $450 per tyre. The tyre place I went to included fitting, balancing and alignment.
Good luck with your investment.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
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From our recent experience, it all depends on your caravan. My hubby thought he was doing the right thing when he was told he could put 185 LT tyres on. They were OK for a while but then became the source of the problem we had - they were too big. We had to ditch them and buy smaller 165 LT tyres. It would seem to me you need to talk to the tyre people with your caravan in tow.
I would tend to agree with Rovin-Dutchy, Michelin would be my first choice {BFG & Riekien} are both owned & manufactured by Michelin}, Michelin generally have a "life" of 9 yrs before ozone gets to them, they use a very good brand of Carbon black {given them the mileage} {unlike Australian manufactures} & they are "ROUND" again unlike Australian tyres. Deep tread Tyres are not always the answer, most Tyres are only as good as the pressure in it ! after all the "Sidewall" is only a means of carry air, that is what is so important because its the air that carries the weight, I have seen a Michelin Tyre both Truck, & passenger Tyre with a "Patch" on the inside, that is a balance weight for "roundness" you will never find that in an Australian Tyre!!! Thats how presice they are. On saying all that Tyres made in Japan are also very good, IE Bridgestone[ Japan,] Toyo, Yokohama, Dunlop [Japan] Just my own opinion
i wana put coopers on the nav when these ones are buggered
dibs
There is some debate about the suitability of Coopers in really rough country, considering they are rated as an off-road tyre. Apparently the tread runs off, leaving the wire and the wall on the rim. Ask around before you invest that much money on rubber. Mickey Thompson's also have a variety of feedback. It does pay to do the homework.
I use BFG All Terrain. I'm on the second set since 2006, just fitted before Christmas 2011. They'd been around Oz 2 times, and down the middle once, plus a lot of kms on the job including 5 times to Lyndhurst, and twice to Emerald and Moranbah, Qld.
This last lot cost me $300 each. I hunted around and they can be up to $450 per tyre. The tyre place I went to included fitting, balancing and alignment.
Good luck with your investment.
Take it from me as someone who has worked in the tyre industry from time to time and as a Mechanic and have also owned both Coopers and BFG's.......Coppers are rubbish.
some people will argue the point but you just don't know from batch to batch how they are going to be, I have seen photo's of a Landcruiser 100 series 300 odd kms after I fitted 6 Cooper AT's for his big lap.
The LC was going around a long sweeping corner at about 95kmh when the left steer tyre blew and it rolled 3 times luckilly no one was baddly injured (just bruises) but the tyre had a deffinate separation so we removed the other 5 and one of the rears looked as though it was going to go as well.
Cooper offered to replace the 2 offending tyres which did not make the owner happy and he sued them along with his insurance company.
I have had them on a Jeep and had 2 of them loose tread blocks on a 30km stretch sandy and gravel road at 80kmh.
This opened up the tyre to the wire cords so the tyre was stuffed and due to the car yard that I purchased the Jeep from had fitted them I did not have the reciept so they would not warrent the tyres.
I have had 2 sets all up of BFG all terrain's on Casper (my off road LR Disco), the first set was when I bought the car at 180,000kms, I replaced them at 285,000kms, not because they were worn out but to go up a size to the ones that are on it now at 380,000kms with only a few minor battle scares and not 1 puncture ever and they have seen some extremely rough stuff from tree roots in ruts to shale and sharp rocky tracks to long hot runs at Hwy speeds though central Aust and long runs on sand in 45+C temps and in snow in the high country.
If your talking 4wd tyres then BFG is the top shelf and Coopers I wouldn't put on a tractor trailr on the farm.
For a cheaper more on road tyre the Maxis brand is pretty good or Hancook, Goodyear, Pirelli's and Michy's.
The only problem with the BFG AT's is their weight, they are a 8 ply LT tyre not a 4 ply road biased tyre like the other brands I have mentioned which means a bit more fuel usage but they are almost puncture proof because of that.
I've run BFG A/T's on my 4 runner and they were great for the first 40,000Ks but then they started to lose grip in the wet. And they were a bugger to keep balanced. I replaced them with a set of Cooper A/Ts and did 60,000Ks on them without a problem and they still had heaps of tread left when I sold the car. I put a set of Coopers on the Toyota Troopy and have clocked about 30,000 on them again with no problems.
