Test of 18" Wheels on a 3.0L D4

[Celtoid]

Hi All,

After years of putting it off I finally succumbed and purchased a set of GOE 18" (Compomotive) Wheels for my 3.0l D4. (Thanks Gordon :D).

Last week I paired them with a set of Cooper Zeon LTZ (285/60/18). These tyres look at the same time positively huge compared to the Scorpion ATRs that I'm currently running, and awesome. Was concerned about fitment.

Changed over on Saturday with the intention of testing them yesterday (Bribie Island, QLD). I'm getting old and they are bloody heavy...LOL!!!

They absolutely transform the look of the car....looks very purposeful...almost tough :).

Clearance at standard appeared fine until I reversed into my driveway, which has a kink and a hump. This made the front LHS scrub on one of the screws holding the wheel arch lining on. Other than that all fine. Off road height I didn't notice any scrubbing at all.

So Bribie was the first test. The Inner Track varies condition wise but yesterday was a combo of graded gravel (pretty corrugated in places), corrugated sand and very deep, soft (Hi-Silica) sand. The soft stuff often gets chewed up forming almost sand dunes on the road, with some fairly big holes. It's famous for breaking cars (sic RACQ).

There is one straight (heading East) just before the old lighthouse site that is probably the worst. I've only done the track a few times but there have been bogged cars every time. I used to have to barrel through cause I could feel the D4 going under, though the Scorpions do perform pretty well, even as a 19".

Yesterday I came onto the straight and there were cars everywhere....parties helping their bogged friends. There were three in work as I passed (some of the other stationary cars could have been too).

I poodled through at about 20kph, stopped and started a few times to wait and offer help to the Toyota drivers....hehehe (declined :D), and had to change line a few times through the really thick stuff to avoid the congestion.

At no point did I feel that I was in trouble...super impressed!!!

Going to Morten Island next month, so we'll see how they fare there.

Cheers,

Kev.

[sheerluck]

Kev, do you have LLAMS on your D4, or are you running the Zeons with just the standard LR heights?

[Redback]

Did you get any photos, just to see how they look or any of the Island:confused:

Baz.

[101RRS]

Hi All,

After years of putting it off I finally succumbed and purchased a set of GOE 18" (Compomotive) Wheels for my 3.0l D4. (Thanks Gordon :D).

Last week I paired them with a set of Cooper Zeon LTZ (285/60/18).

What are you going to do if the car suspension has a hissy and goes down to the bump stops - with those size tyres I doubt it will get down to the bump stops and the tyres will be jammed in the wheel wells and you will drive no where.

Maybe you have also bought one of Gordon's new inflation kits to get around the issue.

Yes - as said - Pics please.

Garry

[Celtoid]

Kev, do you have LLAMS on your D4, or are you running the Zeons with just the standard LR heights?


Hi mate,

Just standard LR settings. I think I will go down the LLAMS or Rods option at some stage though.

Even going through the big holes there was no rubbing on the Off-road setting. And you seriously wouldn't want to exceed 40'ish let along the 55kph the suspension lowers at, in those conditions.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

Did you get any photos, just to see how they look or any of the Island:confused:

Baz.

Hey Baz,

I have a couple, I'll post them later today if I get a chance. My daughter was using her video camera.....god know how they will turn out...LOL!!!

Kev.

[Celtoid]

What are you going to do if the car suspension has a hissy and goes down to the bump stops - with those size tyres I doubt it will get down to the bump stops and the tyres will be jammed in the wheel wells and you will drive no where.

Maybe you have also bought one of Gordon's new inflation kits to get around the issue.

Yes - as said - Pics please.

Garry

Thermite grenade and an insurance claim...LOL!!!

If you lost your suspension on Moreton Is you wont be going anywhere regardless of tyre size.....unless you were already on the beach near the barge landing. Fingers crossed.....:).

I'll drop it down and have a look....rolling radius isn't really a lot larger (and it's only half the amount from the axle), it's the width that's the problem.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

Unfortunately taken with my iPhone....so not the best. :(

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/220.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/221.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/222.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/223.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/224.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/225.jpg

[RBT]

Excellent news!

I'd also been putting off a set of GOE 18" wheels for my 3lt D4 too, but have now purchased a set which arrived last week.

I'll also be pairing them with a set of Cooper Zeon LTZ (285/60/18) this weekend. And am looking forward to the transformation - and to save further damage to the 20" rims during off-road duties...

I guess Gordon's recommended modification to avoid scrubbing is worthwhile then!?

Like the pix!

[Celtoid]

Excellent news!

I'd also been putting off a set of GOE 18" wheels for my 3lt D4 too, but have now purchased a set which arrived last week.

I'll also be pairing them with a set of Cooper Zeon LTZ (285/60/18) this weekend. And am looking forward to the transformation - and to save further damage to the 20" rims during off-road duties...

I guess Gordon's recommended modification to avoid scrubbing is worthwhile then!?

Like the pix!

Thanks mate,

I normally take a better camera but I'll make amends on Moreton Is next month.

Yeah my 19s are pretty flogged.....score marks and chips.

Dunno if I'm going to rush into any mods just yet. It was the only time its scrubbed and there were no marks on either tyre or car... the start of my driveway is a pretty odd set of angles.

These wheels are only for trips, so I'll think I'll try getting into the habit of just popping the suspension up as I back in.

The beauty of the EAS is the fact that it compensates for weight, so any potential scrubbing issues shouldn't get worse with load, except under heavy braking and bouncing maybe.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

I'd read that there can be issues with the LR Wheel Cap fitting, or should I say, staying on the 18" wheels....so I was prepared for a few mods.

I also ordered 5 spares from the UK, just to be sure, as I'd heard of folks losing theirs.

I have a MY10 SE with 19" wheels and the caps that came with these wheels were so loose on the Compomotive wheels, you would lose all of them before you got to the end of the street. I wouldn't have been comfortable trying tape or other such work a-rounds.

However, I wasn't overly bothered as I bought the wheels for every other reason than the LR caps.

Then the eBay jobs turned up....they were listed as D3/4 RRS with no particular alignment to a wheel model number. Had to smack them hard to get them in.....tight as a fishes bottom!!! Tighter than the original cap on the original wheel. Very happy :D

[TerryO]

Hi Kev,

The new wheels and rubber look great on your D4. Personally I reckon spending the few extra dollars Gordon asks for the rods is money well spent and cheap insurance if things get sticky. You will curse yourself one day if you need them and don't have them.

I have both Gordon's rods fitted in the standard position as a manual back up and Llams. The best and most versatile mod that I reckon you can fit to one of these vehicles is the Llams kit.

[discotwinturbo]

What are you going to do if the car suspension has a hissy and goes down to the bump stops - with those size tyres I doubt it will get down to the bump stops and the tyres will be jammed in the wheel wells and you will drive no where.

Maybe you have also bought one of Gordon's new inflation kits to get around the issue.

Yes - as said - Pics please.

Garry

Garry,

I have been down to the bump stops ..... The car still drives and tyres do not rub any more. But if the track was lumpy you would be in trouble even with the smaller tyres as the car would scrap its belly.

Definitely need the emergency air up kit for all D4's, especially his new improved kit.

Brett.....

[Celtoid]

Hi Kev,

The new wheels and rubber look great on your D4. Personally I reckon spending the few extra dollars Gordon asks for the rods is money well spent and cheap insurance if things get sticky. You will curse yourself one day if you need them and don't have them.

I have both Gordon's rods fitted in the standard position as a manual back up and Llams. The best and most versatile mod that I reckon you can fit to one of these vehicles is the Llams kit.

Thanks Terry,

Yes I think I might just go down the rods track. I see there is a new three position system.

You say you have yours on all the time in the standard position....so is that just like having the OEM rods on and then they are always there ready to adjust when/if you need them?

I'd prefer to have something I can fit and leave on...and only adjust when going off-road.

Cheers,

Kev.

[101RRS]

I have been down to the bump stops

How did you get it to go down to the bump stops? I am thinking of getting bigger tyres and it is a test I want to pass before I proceed.

Cheers

Garry

[discotwinturbo]

How did you get it to go down to the bump stops? I am thinking of getting bigger tyres and it is a test I want to pass before I proceed.

Cheers

Garry

It was a suspension fault. I had the D4 on LLAMS plus 50 plus offroad for a climb, then must have got a fault due to some weird angles. I got over the top of the climb and suspension fault came up. Drove a little way and a guy behind me in a deefer said I was sitting on the ground (I was not concentrating). Could not raise it, as it stated that pump needed to cool.....but pump had not been going for some time.....pump was cold too.
Anyway, hopped out, and it was almost on the ground with the tyres well and truly up in the wheel arches.....I wished I got a pic as she was super low...lower than LLAMS -20 (and emergency low) and access height which I have tested before with no rubbing. I could not get my head under to look...it looked as though it was touching the ground but made no sounds. I drove it for about 100 metres with no rubbing and then had a rocky track climb. I managed to get it back up to LLAMS plus 30 only. If it did not raise I would have completed a hard reset as there was no way I could have got it up without some severe under body damage.

Brett......

[BobD]

I have a 2010 D4 with about 132,000km and Gordon's wheels with 285 60 R18 Bridgestone D697 LT's on them. When I had them fitted the tyre fitter wouldn't continue due to the tyres rubbing on the chassis at the rear of the front wheels. I told him it was OK and he reluctantly finished fitting them.

We have just completed 10,000km through rough tracks in an around Central Australia towing a 1500kg camper trailer. We had plenty of full up and down travel of the suspension and I can confirm what Gordon (GOE) now states on his web site, that the tyres just contact the chassis behind the front wheels when going backwards only and that the rear tyres just contact a seam in the wheel arch. I didn't know about the latter till I got back and there has been some rubbing on the plastic liner in the rear, which now has a hole at the offending location. No damage to anything else or the tyres so the rubbing is very minor and much less than what I get on my GQ Patrol with 33's.

Raising or lowering of the suspension has no effect on the rubbing of the tyres and in fact the front rubs with the wheels nearly straight while reversing on a flat bitumen road. The only way you know is because of the noise of the tread rubbing past the chassis extension immediately behind the front wheels. This is the location that was worrying the tyre fitters also. When in forwards gears, there is a significant gap at this point and no rubbing at all in any sort of extreme conditions, of which my car has been in plenty.

The bigger tyres mean that my speedo, which was optimistic, is now exact at all speeds. However, the odo, which was exact with factory tyres, is now reading lower than it should due to the larger radius tyres.

Bob

[Celtoid]

I have a 2010 D4 with about 132,000km and Gordon's wheels with 285 60 R18 Bridgestone D697 LT's on them. When I had them fitted the tyre fitter wouldn't continue due to the tyres rubbing on the chassis at the rear of the front wheels. I told him it was OK and he reluctantly finished fitting them.

We have just completed 10,000km through rough tracks in an around Central Australia towing a 1500kg camper trailer. We had plenty of full up and down travel of the suspension and I can confirm what Gordon (GOE) now states on his web site, that the tyres just contact the chassis behind the front wheels when going backwards only and that the rear tyres just contact a seam in the wheel arch. I didn't know about the latter till I got back and there has been some rubbing on the plastic liner in the rear, which now has a hole at the offending location. No damage to anything else or the tyres so the rubbing is very minor and much less than what I get on my GQ Patrol with 33's.

Raising or lowering of the suspension has no effect on the rubbing of the tyres and in fact the front rubs with the wheels nearly straight while reversing on a flat bitumen road. The only way you know is because of the noise of the tread rubbing past the chassis extension immediately behind the front wheels. This is the location that was worrying the tyre fitters also. When in forwards gears, there is a significant gap at this point and no rubbing at all in any sort of extreme conditions, of which my car has been in plenty.

The bigger tyres mean that my speedo, which was optimistic, is now exact at all speeds. However, the odo, which was exact with factory tyres, is now reading lower than it should due to the larger radius tyres.

Bob

Thanks Bob,

I thought the LTZ was the only tyre available in the 285 size, for this wheel.

Interesting....

Anyway, I'll have to get under mine and have a look see as I haven't been aware of any rubbing except on that particular type of situation that my driveway creates .... angles and reverse. It's not steep by any measure but just gets the wrong combo.

It's always the front LHS and mine just collects the screw holding the wheel arch liner on ..... but I forgot to mention .... this is with the wheels facing to the right and it rubs on the outside, not inside.

It definitely does not rub with the suspension at off-road height.

Anyway, as has been stated, any rubbing is minor.

And jeez, how close are the back of the brake callipers to the inside of the wheel.... and that's not a criticism...it's a very precise fit due to the stupid LR design and lack of foresight.

Cheers,

Kev.

[~Rich~]

Or how close the top arm ball joint is to the tyre!

[BobD]

Thanks Bob,

I thought the LTZ was the only tyre available in the 285 size, for this wheel.

Kev.

Kev, I wrecked one of the tyres at Litchfield National Park at Darwin when a chainsaw adjuster screw driver got flicked up and tore a 20mm hole in the tread of the rear tyre. I managed to get a Dunlop 285 60 R18 tyre to replace it, which was one of only five tyres in that size in Darwin.

Surprisingly, this is a very nice AT tyre which has very similar tread to the D697's. Side by side on the Kaymar rear wheel carrier it is difficult to tell the difference at first glance, so obviously that is a good choice as well. They are the same load rating as the Bridgestones but not LT rating.

Bob

[jh972]

There shouldn't be a problem with rubbing - the Zeons are 20mm smaller diameter than what I've been running.
Celtoid, what's the tyre noise like on tar?

[Celtoid]

There shouldn't be a problem with rubbing - the Zeons are 20mm smaller diameter than what I've been running.
Celtoid, what's the tyre noise like on tar?

Sorry mate, haven't been online for a while.

My Zeons rub because of the width I think. But only at road height, reverse and on angle with the wheels turned right....LOL. So not too bad.

They are noticeably noisier than the Scorpion ATRs I have on my 19's but not hugely. They are nowhere near as nice to drive on the road as the ATRs either...a lot bouncier. I image that is more to do with the size though.

Cheers,

Kev.

[Celtoid]

Hi All,


Been really slack as it was weeks ago I got to properly test my new wheel and tyre combination on the soft, deep sands of Moreton Island QLD, during a week long (or should I say, too short) camping holiday.


I posted these words on another thread a while ago but there are a few things to add....


"Just did a week on Moreton Island with the 18" Compomotive Wheels and 285/60/18 Zeon LTZs.......flawless!!!

Talcum soft, deep sand everywhere....ate it all effortlessly.

Followed a Navara (Significant lift on it) over Coffee Rocks on the Eastern beach....his mate was guiding. He chewed sand, span wheels, bumped his bottom and dragged his tail but got over after a few false starts. His mate kindly guided me over....effortless. Rock Crawl Mode....no wheel spin, no fuss. Only scary part was going through the hole the Navara had made on one side, which created a lot of lean angle and a few sweats on my behalf. The Navara crew were openly complimentary. :)

I had passed them earlier and they told me they couldn't believe how effortless the fat Disco looked powering through the soft sand piles and zipping down the soft sand flats...."how much does that thing weigh?.....Geez it looked as if it was doing it all easy!" Which it was. :D"


The best part about it all was the feeling of absolute confidence the wheels and tyres gave me. I was running the Zeons at 16psi but I recon I could safely have operated higher pressures or much lower as required. I towed a fully laden trailer to and from the campsite which is North of Bulwer Wrecks.....no issue at all.


There was only one situation, up a fairly steep incline that things got a little ugly but that was due to operator error on my behalf, due to not leaving enough space between me and my mate in front. I thought that he was clear and started following his new Pootrol but he started struggling at the top, meaning I had to slow down and then boot it hard to stop bogging (once he was clear). I still made it no worries but it was with far less aplomb than anything else I'd done all week.....lots of sand spraying and wheel spin....LOL!!!


I revisited the Desert (Sand Blow) where I'd got bogged earlier in the year, running my 19" ATRs at 18psi and just poodled over the same spot. I'm certain the sand was every bit as soft as the earlier occasion...a fact that could be attested to by the Jeep, Prado and Landcruiser that were bogged where I had been...LOL!!!


In defence of all of these vehicles, their drivers were to blame. Tyre pressures too high, trying to snatch when they had Maxtrax, then destroying the Maxtrax due to wheel spin.....say no more....


In defence of my 19" ATRs, this was the only place it had happened....first time I'd had the car permanently bogged in three years....but there have been lots of times where I have felt a level of trepidation with that size tyre...which is why I purchased the GOEs and put the biggest tyre I could fit (at the time) without modifying the car. The 285 and the 60% profile of the 285 gives quite a bit of extra rubber ... and floatation.


Another thing of note....the car gets plenty of looks and comments with those wheels and tyres on. They make the D4 look much larger and they give the car a real 'presence' for want of a better term. Even Toyota owners would wander over for a chat and a comment......much to the dismay of my wife and kids....who think I talk about the D4 way too much...LOL!!!!


Very impressed.


Cheers,


Kev.