285/75/R16 Mickey Thompson MTZ

[CJT]

I am wanting to run a set of 285/75/R16 Mickey Thompson MTZ on the D2 for offroad use.

I am wanting to work out how much additional work needs to be done.

I currently have a 2 - 2.5 inch lift, will be fitting Les Richmond Large Flares and cutting the wheel arches to suit them plus I will be having the tyres mounted on a 16 x 7 inch alloy with a +32mm offset (the rims sit 25mm further out each side of the car).

[long stroke]

With a 2'' lift you shouldn't have to do any guard cutting, you will have to remove the plastic sills and modify the front plastic bumper if you havn't got a bar fitted yet.
The d2's have a much better wheel arch shape then the d1's so it allows for more clearance for bigger tyres.
With abit extra off-set it might be a different story though...
Also 33's will nock your gearing around abit;)

CHEER TIM.

[zuno555]

Just wondering if you have already purchased the LRA flares? If you haven't I would recommend you find alternative ones.

I have the LRA fiberglass ones and they look wonderful and shiny and great for the first few months. Take them bush a few times, they will end up chipped, scratched and the fiberglass where the mounting screws are will crack, its very thin there. This is all without them hitting banks or trees, I am not looking forward to when that happens.

If I had my time again I would get the Paddock Spares plastic ones which look almost the same, but can take a hell of a beating with no ill effects. Check out their website, I don't know who stocks them in oz tho.

Cheers

[Hendrik]

I agree, you don't need to cut the guards at all to fit 33's, all you need really are some sliders and a bull bar. So you can save some money there on flares and the effort required to cut the guards. This is not a pleasant experience and it takes a good day's work to do.

RE the MTZ's, they are a great tyre, I run them and I am very happy with them.

[Shamo]

I wouldn't cut guards! no need! I am running 285/75r16 Silverstone MT-117 Sports on mine with sunraysia's (16x7 with +30 offset) and I don't get any rubbing. I have custom sliders and a bullbar though, but it wouldnt be too hard to trim the plastic sill back and the front bumper if you don't have the sliders and bullbar.

Here's a pic

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/1017.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/1067.jpg

(i'm getting the proper wheel nuts today for them)

Also good choice with the MTZ's, i'd definitely run them if i could afford them haha

Shamo

[Shamo]

Also my flairs on there are the standard LR option ones, they don't make any difference other than looks ;)

Shamo

[disco_thrasher]

when i was running 285/75/16 only major mod is putting a couple washers on steering stops so wheels dont grab on trailing arms when turning sharp

[Sven_040]

Hi Chris,
I had the flares fitted and guards chopped (actually LRA used my car to make them) about 18months ago and if i had my time again i wouldn't fit anything that is so not reversable. Why don't you just fit their suspension lowering kit to create a 4inch lift. Don't get me wrong the flares and 33 s look great but this is just my 2 cents

ADam

[CJT]

Hi Chris,
I had the flares fitted and guards chopped (actually LRA used my car to make them) about 18months ago and if i had my time again i wouldn't fit anything that is so not reversable. Why don't you just fit their suspension lowering kit to create a 4inch lift. Don't get me wrong the flares and 33 s look great but this is just my 2 cents

ADam

Adam,

That is a good point and other people had mentioned the same, but after cutting and modifying a number of parts on the car by the end of it, it doesnt matter cutting the guards.

I dont plan on selling the car anytime in the next 10 years or so, I just keep replacing broken parts with upgrades and trying to make it more capable off-road.

I am also looking at changing to a 4" coil lift to get more height and flex with raised shock mounts and rear four link and cranked front radius arms so I need to cut the guards.

I am getting the 50mm plastic arches from Flexi in the UK.

[4runnernomore]

If you were running 285's on a TD5 manual would you need to change the gearing and if so what ratio.

If the motor is chipped up ect would you get away with it?

Cheer,s Chris

[that_kid]

If you were running 285's on a TD5 manual would you need to change the gearing and if so what ratio.

If the motor is chipped up ect would you get away with it?

Cheer,s Chris

4.11 dif gear set will get it back to normal. A chip should tide you over in the mean time as the dif gears are expensive.

Plans sound good CJT look forward to seeing your rig evolve!

[Shamo]

I think you would be fine on the chip, but depends on what you want to do, the diff gears like toby suggested are a good idea also because your standard crown wheel and pinion are pretty **** weak and if you are doing alot of heavy offroading it would probably be a good idea to upgrade. I can live with standard gearing at the moment on my 33's without a chip, but i have a road set of tyres as well and i just change them over for weekends etc. I also run a locker and havn't broken anything yet, touch wood!

Shamo

[Slunnie]

When we tested the 285/75-16 with a 2" lift, ACE and 8" wide rims which almost all tyres in that size legally need, we found that the tyre rubbed at the front behind the inner guard and the rear around the door. I'm not sure how others are doing it and not getting rubbing. The suspension where they were rubbing was not at full flex, this was just on a set of steps also. Offset rims will make the rubbing worse.

Pics:
www.slunnie.com - D2 285/75-16 & 2" lift (http://www.slunnie.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=58)

[that_kid]

I think you would be fine on the chip, but depends on what you want to do, the diff gears like toby suggested are a good idea also because your standard crown wheel and pinion are pretty **** weak and if you are doing alot of heavy offroading it would probably be a good idea to upgrade. I can live with standard gearing at the moment on my 33's without a chip, but i have a road set of tyres as well and i just change them over for weekends etc. I also run a locker and havn't broken anything yet, touch wood!

Shamo

Id be more concerned with a centre going BANG then the CW/P first up. especially once its chipped and having to clutch it in a manual.

[Shamo]

When we tested the 285/75-16 with a 2" lift, ACE and 8" wide rims which almost all tyres in that size legally need, we found that the tyre rubbed at the front behind the inner guard and the rear around the door. I'm not sure how others are doing it and not getting rubbing. The suspension where they were rubbing was not at full flex, this was just on a set of steps also. Offset rims will make the rubbing worse.

Pics:
www.slunnie.com - D2 285/75-16 & 2" lift (http://www.slunnie.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=58)

My bad, went for a drive this arvo and max'd it all out and i have rubbing on the rear of the wheel arch at the back and the rear of the arch in the front :) going to do a little bit of panel trimming this weekend i think....

Shamo