Lifted vehicle ban/restriction?

[moorey]

While inquiring about lift kits this morning at my local, I was told that more than 2" has already been banned in WA, and on the way for the rest of us. Anyone heard of this? Sorry if this has been asked before.

[Ace]

I was always led to beleive that aslong as the height of the centre of the headlight is no more than 1200mm off the ground then you are all good. If the height of the headlight is above this you can either re-locate the headlight or drop the suspension. I read this in a letter to 4wd Monthly where someone was asking the same question, and my reply above is the same as 4wd monthly's reply to the letter. This was in the ACT though. Matt

[seqfisho]

I think you will need to have an engineers certificate for anything over 2", so if you want to modify above that then you will need to go to the full engineering certificate procees which can be time and $$$$ consuming.

I must admit that it has taken the transport authorities by suprise the amount of excessively raised vehicles that are running around the roads these days and you have to admit that 4" plus lifts really are a bit suss for safety for normal road use and it does nothing for our image against the do gooders who want 4wds banned and severley limited in their use.

The amount of competetion style bobtail utes I see on the road in Brisbane is increasing and they give far from the right image of most 4 wheelers. I know that many of them have had large amounts of $ and engineering expertise put into them, but you dont see V8 supercars running around the streets (at least not in racing form) they should be left for the competion circuit not daily drivers.

The trend these days seems to be get as much lift as possible and stick as big a rubber as you can buy under the guards then lockers and drive where ever you like, as if that is hard :roll:

Whatever happened to skill and correct wheel placement and actually being able to drive not just steer some 10 foot high monster over things :evil:


End of rant :roll: :oops: Dont get me started :roll:

[moorey]

Hope my info was wrong, but even an engi-cert will not do the job if this comes in. Total ban, no questions asked... :cry:

[landy_man]

I believe the ruling in Vic is anything over 1/3 the original bump stop clearance extra does not meet vicroads vehicle standards

[Slunnie]

seqfisho, perhaps the lift and lockers take the art of driving skill and terrain drivable to a higher level that the 2" lift & moderate tyre specs will give, just as that does to stockers. Some drive or the sheer pleasure of driving and have built trucks to suit. BTW, it depends on how a 4" lift truck is built as whether it is sus or not, and there are a lot that are lifted to that level and still very stable.

Up in QLD they are lucky enough to have some stunning 4WD parks like LCMP that will allow them to use their skill and their built machinery. Seeing it from both sides of the fence.

1/3 is also the rule in NSW.

[dungarover]

Originally posted by Slunnie
seqfisho, perhaps the lift and lockers take the art of driving skill and terrain drivable to a higher level that the 2" lift & moderate tyre specs will give, just as that does to stockers. Some drive or the sheer pleasure of driving and have built trucks to suit. BTW, it depends on how a 4" lift truck is built as whether it is sus or not, and there are a lot that are lifted to that level and still very stable.

Up in QLD they are lucky enough to have some stunning 4WD parks like LCMP that will allow them to use their skill and their built machinery. Seeing it from both sides of the fence.

1/3 is also the rule in NSW.

Well put. it's not rocket science that to go further than a stock Disco/Rangie can do you need traction aids/tyres. But to another point, there's no point on putting lockers on if you only do a bit of beach driving and some dirt road 'touring' you could do on a X-trail or similar.

I've always had the opinion that you set your vehile up to suit your driving requirements, not vice-versa. I was always taught to learn how to drive first than once the 'experience' is there, then add on diff locks, tyres, lift, etc... to go further.

Seqfisho, you are right to an extent. In both the RRC and BLROC I have sen members driver there near stock vehicles over where the more modified vehicles have gone, but at the end of the day ground clerance and diff locks win hands down. I agree that many modded 4WD's are overdone and I can't see the point in an 8 inch lift, mainly becasue it's Illegal and dangerous.

I like to push the limits of my skills and Thomas, sometime sucessful and sometimes not so. I find that most of the club trips too easy for me now, they were good at one stage but I have jumped to another level and I need someting to challenge me style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

Anway, that's my theory. Gone off-topic again :oops: :oops:

Trav

[discowhite]

by mid next year there should be a NATIONAL set of rules and regs for
ALL modifications, wether it be light or heavy vehicles!
i tried to get a copy of the NSW code of practice for LV mods, but was told that they arnt being sold in any state because of the NATIONAL set
was being drafted!

i dont think there will be a ban on lifts, i think there will be a max and that will be 2". dont know if thats 2'' springs or 1'' springs and 1'' body??

but i do agree that there are some doggie looking rigs out there, pity about the guys that do it by the book!

phil.

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by seqfisho
I think you will need to have an engineers certificate for anything over 2", so if you want to modify above that then you will need to go to the full engineering certificate procees which can be time and $$$$ consuming.

I must admit that it has taken the transport authorities by suprise the amount of excessively raised vehicles that are running around the roads these days and you have to admit that 4" plus lifts really are a bit suss for safety for normal road use and it does nothing for our image against the do gooders who want 4wds banned and severley limited in their use.

The amount of competetion style bobtail utes I see on the road in Brisbane is increasing and they give far from the right image of most 4 wheelers. I know that many of them have had large amounts of $ and engineering expertise put into them, but you dont see V8 supercars running around the streets (at least not in racing form) they should be left for the competion circuit not daily drivers.

The trend these days seems to be get as much lift as possible and stick as big a rubber as you can buy under the guards then lockers and drive where ever you like, as if that is hard :roll:

Whatever happened to skill and correct wheel placement and actually being able to drive not just steer some 10 foot high monster over things :evil:


End of rant :roll: :oops: Dont get me started :roll:

What a load of crap Glen, you should be able to customise your own vehicle any way your budget allows within the law. As long as it built properly, its no different years ago lowering the car 3" wide 6 1/2" rims (5" was standard), full competition K-Macs, worked 289 in the old XP, some of my others more radical the XP was the first, never killed any body, I got to 57, I'm just smarter than the others that didn't. :wink:

Same difference with 4x4's, I would not personally go to that extreme of a 4" lift but who cares, if we loose the right to drive our 4x4's it won't have anything to do with lift kits.

I also agree with Slunnie BTW. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Those that tend to drive & build Xtreme lifted vehicles do tend to be younger off roaders with a passion to be different to take their vehicle that little bit extra. By the time 2 or three kids come along, a mortgage, & P&C meetings, the more sedate the vehicle appears (but not in all cases), like driving a comfortable Discovery around on weekends for the odd fishing trip. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Cheers mate.

[abaddonxi]

I've been browsing throught the Stuck of the month club back shots.

http://truckworld.tenmagazines.com/tenArti...d=42&cat=6&sc=1 (http://truckworld.tenmagazines.com/tenArticle.asp?aid=717&sid=42&cat=6&sc=1)

You have to look back a bit for the good ones.

I noticed that most of them have very large tyres and most of them have also been lifted by quite a bit.

How high do you have to go to fit 40" tyres?

Now you could say that those do the work go looking for trouble.











Or you could say something else... style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif



Cheers

Simon

[RichardK]

Originally posted by seqfisho
Whatever happened to skill and correct wheel placement and actually being able to drive not just steer some 10 foot high monster over things :evil:


End of rant :roll: :oops: Dont get me started :roll:

I totally agree, boofheads that drive overlifted-overshod-overpowered, generally but not always, of Japanese origin, like that are only posers

[Slunnie]

The reason why the Jap 4WD's have big lifts is becuase they are longer and need more lift to generate the same ramp over angles as the 100" Landies. We dont need a lot of lift, and the Defenders are already pretty high, but the Landcruisers and Patrols are just plain long in the wheelbase. At least they have some good width on them already.

[seqfisho]

Guys

I think that some of you have misunderstood me :roll:

I am not totally against the building of lifted comp style trucks but their place is on the off road circuit not mainstream city traffic.

But there seems to be a trend these days by a large number of newcomers (especially the younger) to the recreation of 4wding that you need 35" plus tyres and 4" plus of lift to go out and enjoy yourself, now this may be an offshoot of the excellent offroad competitions that run in South East Qld and in these places it is neccesary to mod your rig to those levels to be competitive, but in many other situations it is not.

Sure lockers and some extra wheel travel and more aggressive tyres would benifit many people in a lot of offroad situations and my own car will have this sort of changes made.

My main dispute with big rubber comes from the state of tracks in more well used areas, and an incident that was hilighted on the recent SEQ AULRO trip.

31 and 32 inch tyres are now not tall enough to give you enough clearance on some tracks because people with 33" plus have been in there digging out the ruts making what once were average tracks now difficult for people in standard rigs, a good example was our AULRO trip stop at Dianas Baths in Mt Mee Forest, there were 3 lifted patrols, all the drivers under 25, and all with 33" or bigger rubber 35s on 2 I think, but with only one truck with lockers they were playing on the harder exit track with one of the open diff trucks digging ruts and spinning rocks etc for a good 20mins all to try and travel 20m, now I dont mind anyone having a go but it was obvious after 5-10 mins that he wasnt going to get up under his own steam and all he was doing was digging up the track making it harder for anyone else.

I also encounted a similar situation in Beerburum State forest where a Extra Hi Hilux was doing runs backwards and forwards through a particular mudhole till eventually they dug it deep enough to drown the truck style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif the ruts were pretty deep when we saw them as it had 35s on and the brown water was at the bottom of the door, next person through with anything smaller would never be able to drive through :x now if it was a specificaly designed area in a 4wd park then I have no problems with it, but on a main access track in an area that we fight to keep access to then its wrong :evil:

I know some of you guys will disagree and you love doing tough trails but maybe you should consider everyone else and look at restricting those trips to private designated locations (this will get a few outraged I'm sure but when everything gets locked up who will be to blame)

I supose its really a mentality issue, alot of twits think if they can bolt it on then they can use it without really having gone through the basics or any understanding of their car or the surroundings, its all becoming a bit individualised without a stuff about the next bloke a sad and un Australian trait that seems to stem from our mad merino follow the USA mentality these days. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif


Bryce, looks like we need to sit down around a campfire and continue this discussion over a bottle of port :roll: :roll: :wink: or two style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Slunnie]

It sounds more of a driver issue then, rather than the truck. If a rut is drivable with a truck that has 29's, then a truck with 33's will drive it probably with less damage. If a rut will stop a truck with 29's then thats the end of the show for them and they will spin it up , but the trucks with 33's will still drive it as usual, and so on it goes until the rut deepens and the 33's get stuck on their diffs and spin it deeper, but its still impassable for trucks with 29's until somebody winches it and clears it out again.

Another issue, is that on 35's, the truck will drive stuff easily that the trucks with 29's get stuck on, and unlike the trucks on 29's which sit there and spin the tracks apart when things get marginal, the 35's will just drive on through without damage.

It really sounds like a hoon factor though that is causing the problems such as this guy driving the bog hole until it chops up..

[seqfisho]

Originally posted by Slunnie

Another issue, is that on 35's, the truck will drive stuff easily that the trucks with 29's get stuck on, and unlike the trucks on 29's which sit there and spin the tracks apart when things get marginal, the 35's will just drive on through without damage.

It really sounds like a hoon factor though that is causing the problems such as this guy driving the bog hole until it chops up..

Thats it Slunnie, when the hoon factor on 35s starts chewing up the track it makes it then impossible for the guys on anything smaller :x

[moorey]

Let not put the cart before the horse...I am looking at 35's because the tracks are already like that, not to create the problem.
Not everybody looking at bigger tyre options is a hoon.

[seqfisho]

Originally posted by moorey
Let not put the cart before the horse...I am looking at 35's because the tracks are already like that, not to create the problem.
Not everybody looking at bigger tyre options is a hoon.

Mate its not aimed at you or Slunnie or Hiline or anyone else on here that runs 35s, it is just annoying that the small minority of idiots has pushed us to those sizes by their actions.

It is exactly the reason why I think the authorities are now starting to crack down on everyone and blanket bans on lifts, oversize rubber, rooflights etc

[dungarover]

Originally posted by seqfisho
Guys

I think that some of you have misunderstood me :roll:

I am not totally against the building of lifted comp style trucks but their place is on the off road circuit not mainstream city traffic.

But there seems to be a trend these days by a large number of newcomers (especially the younger) to the recreation of 4wding that you need 35" plus tyres and 4" plus of lift to go out and enjoy yourself, now this may be an offshoot of the excellent offroad competitions that run in South East Qld and in these places it is neccesary to mod your rig to those levels to be competitive, but in many other situations it is not.

Sure lockers and some extra wheel travel and more aggressive tyres would benifit many people in a lot of offroad situations and my own car will have this sort of changes made.

My main dispute with big rubber comes from the state of tracks in more well used areas, and an incident that was hilighted on the recent SEQ AULRO trip.

31 and 32 inch tyres are now not tall enough to give you enough clearance on some tracks because people with 33" plus have been in there digging out the ruts making what once were average tracks now difficult for people in standard rigs, a good example was our AULRO trip stop at Dianas Baths in Mt Mee Forest, there were 3 lifted patrols, all the drivers under 25, and all with 33" or bigger rubber 35s on 2 I think, but with only one truck with lockers they were playing on the harder exit track with one of the open diff trucks digging ruts and spinning rocks etc for a good 20mins all to try and travel 20m, now I dont mind anyone having a go but it was obvious after 5-10 mins that he wasnt going to get up under his own steam and all he was doing was digging up the track making it harder for anyone else.

I also encounted a similar situation in Beerburum State forest where a Extra Hi Hilux was doing runs backwards and forwards through a particular mudhole till eventually they dug it deep enough to drown the truck style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif the ruts were pretty deep when we saw them as it had 35s on and the brown water was at the bottom of the door, next person through with anything smaller would never be able to drive through :x now if it was a specificaly designed area in a 4wd park then I have no problems with it, but on a main access track in an area that we fight to keep access to then its wrong :evil:

I know some of you guys will disagree and you love doing tough trails but maybe you should consider everyone else and look at restricting those trips to private designated locations (this will get a few outraged I'm sure but when everything gets locked up who will be to blame)

I supose its really a mentality issue, alot of twits think if they can bolt it on then they can use it without really having gone through the basics or any understanding of their car or the surroundings, its all becoming a bit individualised without a stuff about the next bloke a sad and un Australian trait that seems to stem from our mad merino follow the USA mentality these days. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif


Bryce, looks like we need to sit down around a campfire and continue this discussion over a bottle of port :roll: :roll: :wink: or two style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

I have to agree here. The idea of modifying your Land Rover is when you havr reached the limits of how far you and your rig can go, not the other way around.

I have seen this many times over the 10 or so years of 4WDing. I started off in a stock 76 2 door back when I was 19, best 3 years I ever had. I used to surprise myself where I could take this thing.

As I got more experienced and older, I saw the need to up the ante so to speak. Then came tyres, a lift, a rear diff lock (was on my next Rangie, still got it and working fine on Thomas) and stopped there for a while. Got to a stage where that wasn't doing the job, more experience, then as money was available, added another locker, bigger tyres and so forth.

Now after 10 years of 4WDing I have what I think is a all-round capable vehicle with front and rear maxi's, good sized tyres (235/85R16, or 32 inch) a good lift without too many on-road issues (50mm spring lift). The big issue is that you never finish and there's always something that needs to be addedor something new comes out, etc... This is how I got to the stage I am at now, and I am comfortable with that.

I haver seen too many people, younger people (say early 20 or even my age of 28) do all the mods before thay have learnt to drive. It's a dangerous mix of inexperence and a highly modified vehicle that can climb brick walls 8O and lead to disaster

I also agree with Slunnie, bigger tyres in the right hands can do less damage to a track than a vehicle with stock tyres would. It's a no-brainer to say that extra traction offerd by MT's will do less damage than a road-oriented tyre.

Anyway, that's what I have to say. Take it as you will, agree or not, I would be interested in reading your comments.

Trav

[Slunnie]

Originally posted by seqfisho+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(seqfisho)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-moorey
Let not put the cart before the horse...I am looking at 35's because the tracks are already like that, not to create the problem.
Not everybody looking at bigger tyre options is a hoon.

Mate its not aimed at you or Slunnie or Hiline or anyone else on here that runs 35s, it is just annoying that the small minority of idiots has pushed us to those sizes by their actions.

It is exactly the reason why I think the authorities are now starting to crack down on everyone and blanket bans on lifts, oversize rubber, rooflights etc[/b][/quote]
I was never even remotely under the impression this was a personal discussion. I think this forum is above that.

In a lot of respects I can see it also from the perspectives of the relevant authorities. When people do the wrong thing, or don't do things properly which causes problems, then as a group we loose the right to do whatever it is, be it lift over 2", run different tyre sizes, drive in the National Parks, access that favourite trail or whatever. There are a lot of places that have screwed the regulations right down, and in the age where people increasingly can not think for themselves and find others to blame for everything, this attitude of needing to protect people from themselves or control their actions is going to become epidemic.

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by seqfisho
Guys

I think that some of you have misunderstood me :roll:

I am not totally against the building of lifted comp style trucks but their place is on the off road circuit not mainstream city traffic.



Bryce, looks like we need to sit down around a campfire and continue this discussion over a bottle of port :roll: :roll: :wink: or two style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Glen I don't think you are a misunderstood person at all :roll: :roll: :roll:

Unfortunately my best mates mum is expected to pass away soon, & I will be driving the Rangie up to SEQ, Currumbin actualy, so depending on how things are after, we might be able to get together after this, I'll let you now, she was my second mother.
The pic attached is 33 years old neither of us look this any more unfortunately, but if the old car is still alive I bet it hasn't changed.

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album323/In_ACT_BRM_Keith_1972.sized.jpg

We went some places in that old truck, could have done with some 35's though :wink: :wink:

The bull bar would send Harold Scruby into a migrane induced coma :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Cheers
Bryce

[seqfisho]

Originally posted by RoverOne+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RoverOne)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-seqfisho
Guys

I think that some of you have misunderstood me :roll:

I am not totally against the building of lifted comp style trucks but their place is on the off road circuit not mainstream city traffic.



Bryce, looks like we need to sit down around a campfire and continue this discussion over a bottle of port :roll: :roll: :wink: or two style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Glen I don't think you are a misunderstood person at all :roll: :roll: :roll:

Unfortunately my best mates mum is expected to pass away soon, & I will be driving the Rangie up to SEQ, Currumbin actualy, so depending on how things are after, we might be able to get together after this, I'll let you now, she was my second mother.
The pic attached is 33 years old neither of us look this any more unfortunately, but if the old car is still alive I bet it hasn't changed.

http://www.aulro.com/albums/album323/In_ACT_BRM_Keith_1972.sized.jpg

We went some places in that old truck, could have done with some 35's though :wink: :wink:

The bull bar would send Harold Scruby into a migrane induced coma :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

Cheers
Bryce[/b][/quote]

If you can swing the time would love to catch up for a beer or 12 :oops:

Always a sad time when that time of life arrives style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif my sympathies to the family

That bullbar looks like it came straight off the farm fence 8O just after you run straight through it style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[seqfisho]

Originally posted by Slunnie+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slunnie)</div><div class='quotemain'>
Originally posted by seqfisho@
<!--QuoteBegin-moorey
Let not put the cart before the horse...I am looking at 35's because the tracks are already like that, not to create the problem.
Not everybody looking at bigger tyre options is a hoon.

Mate its not aimed at you or Slunnie or Hiline or anyone else on here that runs 35s, it is just annoying that the small minority of idiots has pushed us to those sizes by their actions.

It is exactly the reason why I think the authorities are now starting to crack down on everyone and blanket bans on lifts, oversize rubber, rooflights etc
I was never even remotely under the impression this was a personal discussion. I think this forum is above that.

In a lot of respects I can see it also from the perspectives of the relevant authorities. When people do the wrong thing, or don't do things properly which causes problems, then as a group we loose the right to do whatever it is, be it lift over 2", run different tyre sizes, drive in the National Parks, access that favourite trail or whatever. There are a lot of places that have screwed the regulations right down, and in the age where people increasingly can not think for themselves and find others to blame for everything, this attitude of needing to protect people from themselves or control their actions is going to become epidemic.[/b][/quote]

Yeah I hope that no one has taken it as a personal attack, I would confront them to their face for that :wink:

But it comes from experiencing the "Hoon Factor" in mainly Jap Utes that have no idea or care for their actions, that will cause pain for us in the long term.

[aloa9061]

If anyone thinks 35's cause damage go out and watch Slunnie drive his. He barely spins a wheel now days and climbs up almost anything. But he started on an unlocked zook. I started on a 76 rangie and then an unlocked pajero io. You have to start somewhere and I agree that going double locked etc straight away is no only expensive but dangerous.

Give some of the moddified blokes a go. Most do it by the book and are responsible people.

[blitz]

Funny it's only now that I am more mature (read older) that I can afford the sort of things I always wanted when I was younger.

My fist car was a Series IIA shorty, with a 186 red motor ended up putting a salsbury diff in the rear and the matching diff in the front. Possibly the hardest mod that can be made on any vehicle as it just dosen't fit, many mods where required to get it in.

second car was a 79 rangie, suspension tricked up on this one 19" wheel travel, but constantly changing bushes.

current car 94 Disco, I have finaly gone to lockers on this one, first time I went out to test them I got hung up on rocks and took about five hours of hard yakka to get out because I didn't have a Winch fitted at the time (guess what can next) it has a 2" lift and I am seriously considering a body lift and bigger tyres than I am currently running (275.75.16 BFG All terains) the main reason for this is to maximise ground clearance and wheel articulation.

the way I see it is to an extent everyone is right to a point on this issue. Young fella's with more money than experience buying stuff they really don't need - lucky buggers.

Bloody hoons - bike, car, 4wd take it off of them and make em catch a bus.

And Joe public who can easily be swayed by the erronous opinion of a very vocal minority who say 4wd's should be banned?

My 4wd is very modified but I have tried to keep it looking as standard as possible for the public image, that as the responsible bloke that I am trying to be, is helping to keep our greater image with Joe public clean.

Up here in the N.T. I guess we are a bit luckier in that 4wds are so common, we don't have the issues that you guys south have with image but any bad publicity any where is bad for all of us.

BTW I am also looking at getting an OKA 4WD pop up for extended trips but have to buy my house first.

[George130]

This is my first 4WD. It is heavily modified but I thought the dealer was just talking it up when I bought it. I had no idea what I was getting. Now I just want to get out and use it and learn how to drive off road. I could just go out at fang it but I'd rather learn and not destroy it.

[rmp]

The simple fact is that the larger the tyre, the deeper the hole it digs. If you "need" 35s for clearance now, then eventually you'll need 36s. And then 37s. With portals. And when you put larger tyres on you've got immediate problems with road rule compliance, stress on drivetrain etc etc.

So, when do we end the tyre size increases?

And there is no doubt that while super-aggressive tyres reduce wheelspin, they actually chew soft tracks even while not wheelspinning, so there is definitely a tradeoff there. Just look at any track that's been used for a comp. The same principle applies to the ultimate traction tyre, a chain, which is why responsible 4WDers don't use chains except in emergencies.

As ever, it comes down to the driver and how careful they are.

If a vehicle on say 29s can't make a track because of clearance, unless the driver sits there and spins it up not much damage will be done, the worst they'll do is grade the centre with their diffs.

My personal approach is just to run the standard 235/85/16s. If I can't drive it I'll winch it or find another route.