Goodyear Duratrac Tyres on D4s

[wbowner]

Hi,
Looking into tyres and saw this
Tire News | Goodyear (http://www.goodyear.eu/home_en/news/126739-goodyear-brings-wrangler-duratrac-to-european-production/index.htm?group=four_four)

It states that the duratrac tyres are for there Discovery 4 (produced in Europe).

Is this the same for those made for Australia. Mine had Wranglers on it but I am unsure if they are duratrac ones which are supposed to be OK - I think.

I don't have my car with me now so can't check.

Richard

[Graeme]

The Duratrac in that size has been around for a while but GY Australia hasn't been convinced that there's a market for them here.

Here's a picture from March 2012..
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/816.jpg

[Dougal]

The Duratrac is intended as an offroad snow/ice tyre. Probably why GY Australia doesn't see the point.

I've got a set for my RRC's but only had them out in snow/ice once where they worked very well. The weather hasn't been co-operating with my maintenance schedules.

[wbowner]

Thanks for replies

I was thinking/hoping they may put them on the new cars before. Sending them here as standard

Richard

[scarry]

Graeme,how are the Duratrac 17's you have?
I was looking at the GY site the other day,they are LT and have a good load rating.
Road noise?

The reason i ask is my BFG's are noisy,and also now very badly chipped,and will have to be replaced in the near future.Never noticed the noise in the D2,but is bad in the D4.

Need something as strong and robust as the BFG.

Hope i haven't hijacked the thread....

[wbowner]

My D4 has the 255 55 r19 tyres

Should have mentioned it in the original post


Richard

[Greatsouthernland]

The Duratrac is intended as an offroad snow/ice tyre. Probably why GY Australia doesn't see the point.

I've got a set for my RRC's but only had them out in snow/ice once where they worked very well. The weather hasn't been co-operating with my maintenance schedules.

Maybe not til later this season, but I reckon we get a bit of snow in Vic, NSW, ACT & TAS.

They called the Snowy Mountains that for a reason :D

These would be good (no expert) as a compromise for muddies, clearly a bit too much for metro commuting. If they had a slightly larger profile, say 60-65 (can I have 6 @ 19 275 60 please ;) ), I think they'd make alright off-road tyres?? Will wait to get chastised by those with more experience :angel:

Hopefully they'll start appearing on eBay soon?

[Graeme]

Graeme,how are the Duratrac 17's you have?
I was looking at the GY site the other day,they are LT and have a good load rating.
Road noise?

They have only been fitted for a few weeks last winter when my Yoko AT/S were getting down and not doing so well in the slush then again for a primarily sealed road trip with the van in tow, although including some rough "roads". Their road noise was not discernible except on some smooth surfaces below about 80 kph. I now have P-rated Conti AT for everyday use but will fit the Duratracs for any trip that might benefit from a stronger carcase or more open tread, although I'm conscious that the Duractracs don't have the extra strong carcase of the MT/R. If the Contis don't do so well then the Duratracs could become my only set of tyres, with my only concern a possible fast wear rate on the front left due to roundabouts.

For those considering the 19" version, the tread on my 17" is more open than the P-rated 19" version with taller and less blocks for the same circumference so I expect the 19" to be even quieter.

[Dougal]

Maybe not til later this season, but I reckon we get a bit of snow in Vic, NSW, ACT & TAS.

They called the Snowy Mountains that for a reason :D

These would be good (no expert) as a compromise for muddies, clearly a bit too much for metro commuting. If they had a slightly larger profile, say 60-65 (can I have 6 @ 19 275 60 please ;) ), I think they'd make alright off-road tyres?? Will wait to get chastised by those with more experience :angel:

Hopefully they'll start appearing on eBay soon?

I bought mine as a second (or third or fourth:angel:) set of tyres for use in winter. If I want to drive up the hill to play in the snow, that's them. Driving up to the snow involves battling through about 1km of dirt track turned to mud and slush by the snow melt at lower altitudes. It's 27km from my door to the ~1800m peak. In winter there's usually snow to about the 1500m mark.

I had 2cm of snow on the ground here at the end of May. But the ground was warm and it was mostly gone by lunchtime. I live in a very dry area where snow and rain usually detours around, the best ever down here is about 20cm. But drive 100km in a few directions and they can get half a metre.
Last year we literally got 2cm on the ground while all the mountain road passes were shut around us with up to half a metre. Went for a jaunt up the hill with a mate that weekend with the Duratracs but it was mostly ice from melting and re-freezing snow. Their traction on ice was impressive.

But back to the Duratracs.
I've got 215/85R16. I got this size so I can still fit chains around them without fouling guards. Very open tread. You can put a finger in between tread blocks.
Quiet on the road. Comparable to BFG AT's. I've got the LT casing (load range E).
Tread wear? Mine have only done about 800km. I don't expect to ever wear them out.

[JamesH]

Interesting post and replies, thanks everyone.

For storage and $ reasons I'm locked into a single set of tyres for city driving and for off road camping. I was hoping that these tyres in LT might be what I need but not so sure now.

I just need a strong tyre that won't puncture when I get on a dodgy track. I live in Perth and don't see snow and the only mud I see is going down a gravel road after some rain (which I do sometimes).

I'll keep watching and reading.

[Bytemrk]

I ran Duratracs on my D2a for the last two years (245x75x16)

Was very happy with them, grip was good , noise was minimal, especially for such an aggressive tread.

I got around 50,000 Km of mixed road/offroad before I decided to change cars. I'd say they would still have another 10-20K in them.

While noise was no drama in a TD5... I think I would notice it more in the D4.

Considering the lack of options for 19"... I'd be interested if Goodyear do decide to sell them here.

[Graeme]

A D4 is far more insulated from road and tyres noise than a D2.

The GY US site describes the tyre as an on-/off-road commercial traction LT tyre rather than a winter tyre. Not all Duratrac sizes are LT though and some sizes are available in either P or LT construction.

[scarry]

A D4 is far more insulated from road and tyres noise than a D2.

The GY US site describes the tyre as an on-/off-road commercial traction LT tyre rather than a winter tyre. Not all Duratrac sizes are LT though and some sizes are available in either P or LT construction.


True,but the extra noise of the D2,engine noise,wind noise or whatever probably drowns out the tyre noise.

My BFG on the D4 are also noisier at slower speeds,particularlly some bitumen road surfaces as well.

[chuck]

I have contacted Goodyear Australia on several occasions regarding these tyres.

Apparently their marketing personnel do not believe there is a market for them in Australia.

I mean seriously, I reckon you could sell a container of these just off AULRO.

It is a real pity as these tyres were developed for the D4.

We need someone in Landrover to exert some pressure.

[Dougal]

I have contacted Goodyear Australia on several occasions regarding these tyres.

Apparently their marketing personnel do not believe there is a market for them in Australia.

I mean seriously, I reckon you could sell a container of these just off AULRO.

It is a real pity as these tyres were developed for the D4.

We need someone in Landrover to exert some pressure.

So import a container load yourself!

I've imported 2 sets of tyres from the us. Given my recent business developments it looks like freight from the us will be a continual feature.

[Graeme]

You could buy these: 255 55 19 111S GOODYEAR WRANGLER DURATRAC X4 TYRES | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255-55-19-111S-GOODYEAR-WRANGLER-DURATRAC-X4-TYRES-/301166979226#ht_0wt_0)

[Dougal]

The GY US site describes the tyre as an on-/off-road commercial traction LT tyre rather than a winter tyre.

That's right, they aren't a dedicated winter tyre, but they do feature the mountain-snowflake symbol which is enough for those countries which mandate winter tyre use (i.e. central europe).

http://blog.allstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/mountain-snowflake-symbol.jpg

Most decent A/T tyres get the mountain-snowflake symbol, my BFG A/T's and Michelin XPC do.
Funnily enough my set of dedicated winter tyres (Toyo Tranpaths from a jap import vehicle) don't have it. They have some cute japanese anime style snowflake icon instead.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/06/707.jpg

[Graeme]

My 17" Duratracs have ice stud holes yet the 19" European version doesn't - seems the wrong way round.