Thread: tyres & pressures for Fraser Is

Originally Posted by Didge

Hi all, I know it's been done to death but perhaps not in this fashion. Planning on going to Fraser in about 4 weeks and wondering which tyres to use:
7.50R16 or 31 x 10.5R15 and what sort of pressures would be best in each assuming a 96 Defender loaded to the hilt with camping junk.
thanks in advance for any wisdom and advice
cheers Gerald
ps got a set of new Maxtrax for $140 the other day

Having done Fraser & Rainbow Beach a few times (Lost Count)-
Car - 1987 Toyota Forrunner 2.4L Diesel with 15" Rims on it.
Loaded up with 2 jerries of fuel & 2 jerries of water + all the camping equipment required to survive two weeks.
Always carried the extra fuel & water on trips through the tracks or up the beach.

Bridstone 15x10" DesertDulers - i used Max pressure never needed to deflate "never"
Coppers 15x9" M+S Tyre - i had to lower the pressure some times to about 15psi from memory to stop bogging down.
1" made all the difference.
This was my experience with my little combination anyway!

Either will work fine, I'd go with the 7.50s if they are tubeless. the extra diameter will keep the plough higher. The 15s will handle a lower pressure and will not have tube issues running low psi at cruising speed as they'll be tubeless.

I would run the wider tyre for the bigger foot print. I would run pressure between 18-20psi. This makes a huge difference in soft sand.

Enjoy the trip.

Jono

Originally Posted by Didge

Hi all, I know it's been done to death but perhaps not in this fashion. Planning on going to Fraser in about 4 weeks and wondering which tyres to use:
7.50R16 or 31 x 10.5R15 and what sort of pressures would be best in each assuming a 96 Defender loaded to the hilt with camping junk.
thanks in advance for any wisdom and advice
cheers Gerald
ps got a set of new Maxtrax for $140 the other day

Never done Fraser but I always run 15 psi or less on the sand - no need to cut up the tracks for others. I'd go with whichever tyre is the least aggressive.

Now tell me where you got maxtrax that cheap!

I have my Staun set to drop the pressure to around 18, this is what I used on Fraser with the 235/85/16 General Grabbers on, did the same on Rainbow Beach and Fraser with 255/85/16 KM2s on.

No issues and never got stuck. Nice price for the Maxi Traxs, you will find though that other people get more use out of them than you will, I have never used mine for my Defender, but had to loan them to people to get them out of my way. Watch if you do use them to get others out, make sure you tell them not to spin their wheels on them or the traxs burn up like mine did.

Cheers Pat

Go with the 31" and run 15 psi & you will not have a problem

David

Last time I was there I got lazy and stopped inflating my tyres after leaving the really soft sand and getting onto the firmer beach sand. I ended up shredding the hell out of my tyres after driving over little outcrops of rocks on the beach.
An expensive lesson.

I did 265:75:16 on my first trip last year at 18psi didn't get stuck even with camper trailer on. Biggest problem there at present is running time on the beach between tides due to erosion. You might want to pm GuyG who id working thete present to get advice on that. Have a great trip.