275x70x17" Maxxis Big Horns ....Has anyone fitted these to their D3/4?

[TerryO]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has fitted the newer spec Maxxis Big Horn 764's in the 275x70x17" size to their D3/4 and if yes how have you found them?

Are these tyres really as noisy on road as some say for instance compared to BFG KM2's etc and what are their road manners like?

So far Maxxis is the only one that I have found that sell this size mud here in Australia, if there is another brand in this size I would be interested to know what they are.

This size is pretty much the same size as the 275x65x18" that Gordon had on his RRS, so they should fit. ...just!

[kingo]

Hi Terry, I've got a set of the older Bighorns in 265/70/17, not sure but is 275 a typo and they fit ok, do slightly rub on full lock and the rear left under full compression. These are noisy on the road and don't grip as good as the AT's, but they are mud tyres and designed for off road use and that's where they are great. I'd recommend them as a second set purely for weekends away, this is how I use mine and they will outlast the car.

[TerryO]

Yes these would be a second set just for weekend playing. Re 275x70 17's yes Maxxis does make Big Horns in this size and they do sell them here.

[Graeme]

This size is pretty much the same size as the 275x65x18" that Gordon had on his RRS, so they should fit. ...just!Only if you consider 33" the same as 32".

[gghaggis]

275/70R17 is 2mm larger in overall diameter than the 275/65R18 I have fitted. So I'd imagine much the same issues as I have.

They fit with modification to the wheel-well liners and front lower lip, but you need rods (or LLAMS) fulltime to run them. Tram-line badly and awful in the wet, but a very good mud/rock tyre.

Cheers,

Gordon

[Graeme]

Sorry - got carried away with 75s and compared 275/75-17 rather than 275/70-17.

[gazm3]

Im running Gordons old Maxxis 275/65/18

For road use, grip is better than i thought they would be, wet grip is ok as well. The noise is not great, but we live where there are dirt roads in lots of spots and when they get on the dirt they are great. Yes I run GOE rods on the disco 3 not RRS, so not sure if there is more room in the disco 3 but rubbing on full lock is no issue. I even tried it on access mode (which was original height without the rods) and there is no rubbing at full lock, so I may be brave enough to use the rods at thier lower height for urban driving.

Ive also heard good things about the federal Cougaria. They are available in the 17" and can get them from the qld distributer (not VIC) in 275/65/18 at about $250/each. These are supposed to have less noise than the Maxxis but prob not quite as good in the nasty stuff.

The other reported issue about running oversize tyres is fuel consumption.
with the std tyres I used 12l/100km, and now it sits on 13.4l/100km.
The gearing change has been with old tyres 100 actual is 106 indicated. Now 100 actual is 98 indicated, indicating a gearing change of 8%. adding 8% to 12l/100km is 12.96 l/100km. So the real world change is 3% more fuel. Now my brain hurts abit from all the conversions.

Also my car has a fresh vv turbo and BAS remap so it probably copes with the taller gearing a bit better than the std setup would. Im getting used to the noise, and the grip on the road is not noticably worse. I dont drive the Disco3 at 9/10ths thru a mountain pass so not too bad.

Also it was commented that they wander abit at speed. As the tyres are oversized I dropped the pressure abit so the tyres arent bulging at the centres which can happen with wider tyres. Now running 36psi all round (cold). Originally at 44psi (cold) wandering at speed was more noticable.

[TerryO]

Hi Gazm3, have you got any pics of your D3 with the Maxxis on?

It would be great to see them if possible. ...:)

[gazm3]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/1608.jpg (http://s18.photobucket.com/user/chemicals1/media/IMG_7281.jpeg.html)

Found one on my iphone

[TerryO]

Great picture Gaz, your D3 looks excellent with decent sized tyres on.

Have you taken it off road yet with these tyres on and if so I'm taking it nothing rubbed?

[kingo]

Definately looks great

[gazm3]

Yeah they make it look abit more like a 4wd and less like a soccer mums car.

There are so many silver disco3's in Melbourne now I can tell which is mine.

So far no rubbing. Taken it in plenty of diet but no serious stuff to test it out. Definitely no rubbing as yet. I'm going to take Gordon's advice and modify the rear inner wheel well just in case. Anyone got a pic of where to modify it.?
Also I suspect for road use ill be able to run normal height but don't quote me on it yet. Normal will probably make it handle slightly better and look after those suspension and drivetrain bits long term. Will also pick up some economy on a trip due to punching a smaller x-section through the air.

[russV82a]

Hi gazm3,
I'm interested to know what you did with the spare. Does it fit under the back or have you had to come up with another solution?

I was under the impression that even if deflated, 275/65 R18 would not fit in the normal spare wheel location.

Those tyres look great!

[Graeme]

This D3 is ftted with 275/65-18 Coopers. No Llams or rods at the time although this is the vehicle that got me developing Llams, not that a lift was required for the tyres. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/1573.jpg

[TerryO]

Well I actually chickened out in the end and decided to buy a set of 265/70/17" BFG KM2's instead of the larger Big Horns.

Got them fitted today to the new BB6's. took a photo when I dropped the Disco off tonight for some work. Even they look small when the D3 is in off road height and with Llams set on max.

Pardon the green background, the photo was taken under fluro's.

[gazm3]

Hi gazm3,
I'm interested to know what you did with the spare. Does it fit under the back or have you had to come up with another solution?

I was under the impression that even if deflated, 275/65 R18 would not fit in the normal spare wheel location.

Those tyres look great!
I havent even looked at the spare yet ill deflate it and see how far away it will go to fitting the wheel well. The other choice is get a smaller tyre spare for ememrgency use, and carry the bighorn spare on the roof or in boot when on a trip. Those buggers are very heavy so lifing it on the roof may be a challenge.

BTW those new tyres look nice for sure.

Interesting also Graeme that u can run the tyres with no lift

[TerryO]

Sorry Gazm3 A smaller tyre as a spare s not such a good idea the spare really needs to be the same size as the other four tyres.

[gazm3]

Yes it may b an issue for the diffs. I may try the vac pump for the tyre

[~Rich~]

Love those tyres and rims Terry, if you don't mind what was the damage to the pocket in total?

[TerryO]

The 265/70/17" KM2 tyres were $290 each fitted from Tempe tyres, the new BB6's which look better in the flesh than the picture were, as previously mentioned, replaced by Performance Wheels at no cost.

The KM2 285/70/17's that I chickened out on, they were prepared to haggle on even more as they aren't big sellers and I reckon $350 each would have been a good price. The reason I didn't buy them was they had no accurate way of measuring their height, but it looked like around 815 mm just using a tpe measure on its own without a straight edge, so they should have fitted, especially with the BB6's with an extra 10 mm of track.

The problem at Tempe tyres is its a bit of a mad house so you pretty much need to know what you want before you get there.

While tyres, even Muddies usually are reasonably quite when new which these are, the thing that has blown me away is the improved quality of ride on bumpy roads so far even with 40psi in them. They make the AT3's feel like low profile bumpy race rubber. This also goes for the STT's which also felt harsh in their ride. Mind you when I get them out on country roads at peed they might not feel so quite so sure footed, but time will tell.

As I said even at off road height and with Llams set on full extension these tyres nearly make the Disco look like it is at usual road height with standard tyres on.

[Graeme]

the thing that has blown me away is the improved quality of ride on bumpy roads so far even with 40psi in them. They make the AT3's feel like low profile bumpy race rubber. This also goes for the STT's which also felt harsh in their ride.
My 245/70-17 Duratracs give a lot better ride than my Yoko AT/S 245/70-17 do. I've put it down to the Duratracs in this size have 2 sidewall plies whereas the Yokos have 3 plies but there might be other factors too, such as how many tread plies and what they are made of.

[Graeme]

Interesting also Graeme that u can run the tyres with no liftIts not my vehicle but it was in the group I was with that did a couple of remoter desert trips. IIRC the front wheels rubbed a little under some conditions and I suspect also at the buldge at the front of the rear wheels, but nothing too bad. It looked awesome especially when the front wheels found air at the top of Big Red after a standing start at the bottom.

[jonesy63]

While tyres, even Muddies usually are reasonably quite when new which these are, the thing that has blown me away is the improved quality of ride on bumpy roads so far even with 40psi in them. They make the AT3's feel like low profile bumpy race rubber. This also goes for the STT's which also felt harsh in their ride. Mind you when I get them out on country roads at speed they might not feel so quite so sure footed, but time will tell.
Terry -
I've had them up to 160km/h in NT. Just wait until you try them off road... :D:D

[gazm3]

The mrs took the newly squired maxxis bighorns for some proper 4wd action around knglake yesterday. Apparently they worked pretty well and got up mud/clay hills even the trail bikes struggled to. She said soon as they left the bitumen they had a sigh of relief and smiled.