Wheels and Tyres for a Puma

Righto, we're getting there. Loving all the good info guys, keep it coming.

After a little research I think the tyre for me is one of the following:
255/85/16
285/75/16

I'm leaning towards the 285/75/16 BFG.

What size wheel diameter shoud l use and why. 6inch? 7inch? 8inch?
What are the various effects/ benefits/ issues with each? If I'm running the 255 I'd have thought 6 was the only choice, but if I run the 285, should I go with 6 or 7 or 8?

I assume I'd have to get wheels with the appropriate offset to keep the tyre within the flares and to maintain a turning circle slightly smaller than a large and fully-laden oil tanker I might be able to adjust the steering stops. I guess it's about choosing the tyre first. Then the wheel size, then the offset. I definitely don't want whe wheel sticking outside the flares though.

Bobby

on the wife's ninty we stuck 265/75 16 Toyo muds on 8inch performance alloy (Disco1/RR Classic) rims. Thay are just inside the standard flares. The offset with this size tyre makes its steering lock as good as a small car. I think with 285's you may need larger flares. I also am not sure if 285/75"s can be fitted to any rim under 7 inch. I may be wrong but best to check. The 255/85's I also think need at least a 7 inch rim.

Allan

Allan,

I think you're right on the rim size there. Widest tyre fitted to a 7" rim is 265 and therefore 285 needs an 8 " rim.

Bobby,

Your car is a Puma in warranty? Discussed in a number of topics, but LRA's official position is that tyres with a rolling diameter larger than that of a 235/85/16 or 265/75/16 will void warranty on the drivetrain.

I'm a big fan of the 255/85/16 BFG and I've done quite a bit of trialling on them (old pattern muddy), but I'm not prepared to risk the potential warranty issues they might pose. Just something to keep in the back of your mind when you make your decision.

Cheers,

Lou

Allan, I think you'll find the minimum legal size for the 285/75 is 7.5", optimum 8" and widest 9".

The minimum 255/85 rim size is 6.5", which is why lots of us fit them to 130 rims. Optimum width is supposedly 7" and widest allowed is an 8" rim.

We're almost there.

After spending far too much time this morning researching more info and trawling even more search results in this and other LR forums (forae?)about tyres and tyre choices, I've changed my mind.

255/85/16 is going to be the right size for me I think.

Fitted to a 16" x 7" rim sounds like the most normal option for this size of tyre.

Offset is all that I need to work out now. Any suggestions? I would still like to be able to turn the vehicle without using a crane and I do not want to get wider wheel arches.

EDIT: 2008 Puma - JUST out of warranty last month. About to rack up 100,000kms too...of which about 8,000 are mine!

-20 seems about optimum for 16x7 rims mounting 255/85s. 5mm more offset and you'll have flare rubbing problems and the tyres will be a smudge outside the guards, less than -20 and turning circle, rubbing on rear spring seats etc seems to become problematic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rick130

Allan, I think you'll find the minimum legal size for the 285/75 is 7.5", optimum 8" and widest 9".

The minimum 255/85 rim size is 6.5", which is why lots of us fit them to 130 rims. Optimum width is supposedly 7" and widest allowed is an 8" rim.

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I've got the 255/85 16 BFG Muds on my SVX 7" rims, only slight adjustment needed to the lock stops, I am very happy with them. It was the first thing I did when the warrenty ran out.

Allan

Personally I'd go with +10mm or even 0 offset vs the +20.6 of a 130 rim as the turning circle of a 130 with 255/85's and the tyres rubbing on the radius arms (ie. the lock stops wound all the way in) is crazy. :(

With the 130 rims the bag of the tyre is roughly 10mm inside the flare, so isuzutoo-eh is probably right re flare rubbing, but at least they are flexible :D

<edit> @ 20.6mm offset = 103mm/4" backspace for the 130 rims.

Still really confused by the offset thing. Some saying +ve 10, some saying -ve 20 or zero for the same wheel/ tyre combination.

Does everyone find it this hard to figure out which wheels and tyres to get or am I missing something?

I really don't know which to order and it's a little frustrating as this isn't a trial and error thing...this is an expensive investment that needs to be right first time.

I've asked a couple of wheel makers what size offset I need but they were about as helpful as a cholera epidemic. I'm surprised that they don't have a list of car models and a matrix of what wheels and tyres fit without rubbing on radius arms or sticking out past the flares.

Does anyone know of a site that has wheel offset values against tyre sizes for different models of vehicle?

Help!

Standard 110/Disco I rims (at least pre TDCi) are 33mm positive offset.

POSITIVE OFFSET
Refers to wheels where the mounting face is (outboard) of the centre line of the wheel. Most often found on front wheel drive vehicles.

http://www.performancewheels.com.au/...asurements.jpg

from here Performance Wheels | Technical Information

130 rims are 20.6mm positive offset.
This concurs with the backspace of 4"/103mm