Defender 110 tyre rotation?

[Scallops]

It has been suggested to me that I rotate my 5 tyres on my Defender 110 - I've just done 10,000km. I have the stock General Grabber TR's.

I can't detect any wear on any tyre yet - but was given a rotation diagram for a full 5 tyre rotation.

Do other 110 owners do this? If so - do you require a wheel balance afterwards?

Cheers,

Dan.

[Stepho_62]

G'day Dan

I've got 6 coopers on Rangie rims and I rotate them every 10000k. I usually go rear to front, left to right. I've not had to balance them. Providing they don't have any weights missing it should be fine.

Cheers,

[Captain_Rightfoot]

It has been suggested to me that I rotate my 5 tyres on my Defender 110 - I've just done 10,000km. I have the stock General Grabber TR's.

I can't detect any wear on any tyre yet - but was given a rotation diagram for a full 5 tyre rotation.

Do other 110 owners do this? If so - do you require a wheel balance afterwards?

Cheers,

Dan.
Hmmm... never had a tyre balanced yet. If you end up like me it's the ones with the least damage that get to stay on the front!

[Scallops]

Hmmm... never had a tyre balanced yet. If you end up like me it's the ones with the least damage that get to stay on the front!

Steve - do you actually rotate your tyres though?


G'day Dan

I've got 6 coopers on Rangie rims and I rotate them every 10000k. I usually go rear to front, left to right. I've not had to balance them. Providing they don't have any weights missing it should be fine.

Cheers,

Thanks Stevo - it's 1-0 for doing the rotation so far!

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Steve - do you actually rotate your tyres though?



Thanks Stevo - it's 1-0 for doing the rotation so far!
Well... I used to :o

The point I was trying to make is that if you use your defender seriously off road you will probably destroy the tyres before they get to pension age. So, spending money on prolonging their life would be a waste for me. Our car has 40 k on it and one tyre has been destroyed and one got a hole in it the size of Tassie!

[solmanic]

A professional balance and rotation is only about $15. I wouldn't do a rotation without a re-balance - even a slightly out of balance wheel is a PITA on the highway, especially since you're about to go on a long trip. Go to Fourby's at Moorooka and whilst they're doing the job you can drool over the bits and bobs in the showroom. You can also pump them for all manner of advice - I find that tends to ensure they do a speedy job to get rid of me ;).

[numpty]

I don't rotate as such, as I don't favour the idea of tyres running in the opposite direction to which they've become accustomed. What I do is move them front to rear on the same side, ie right tyres swap over with each other and left tyres likewise. And the spare stays as a spare.

Mind you, as I have a spare set of tyres on rims which I use for trips, this change around is only done when I return from said trip.

I have had very good life from tyres over the years employing this method.

[abaddonxi]

My left hand front has been wearing fastest, so I switch front to back on right side and spare, front, back, spare on left side.

Cheers
Simon

[Scallops]

Thanks everyone :D

[numpty]

My left hand front has been wearing fastest, so I switch front to back on right side and spare, front, back, spare on left side.

Cheers
Simon

I would suggest this is due to a wheel balance or steering gear problem.

[Scallops]

I would suggest this is due to a wheel balance or steering gear problem.

G'day Pery,

Wouldn't that be caused by road camber?

Dan.

[rick130]

I don't rotate as such, as I don't favour the idea of tyres running in the opposite direction to which they've become accustomed. What I do is move them front to rear on the same side, ie right tyres swap over with each other and left tyres likewise. And the spare stays as a spare.

Mind you, as I have a spare set of tyres on rims which I use for trips, this change around is only done when I return from said trip.

I have had very good life from tyres over the years employing this method.

ditto, and with MT's I swap them on the rims so they continue to rotate in the same direction, just changed sides to maximise mileage.

[numpty]

G'day Pery,

Wouldn't that be caused by road camber?

Dan.

Could be, but as I have not experienced uneven side to side wear in a Land Rover tyre in 22 years, I would think it may be more to do with something mechanical.

As others have said, keep your front end in good condition and your tyres balanced, and problems should be non existent. My Stage 1 had two wheel alignments in the 20 years I owned it (second was after all tie rods were replaced) and I used to get 80000 K's from tyres. Of course the odd one was destroyed, but that's life.

[abaddonxi]

I would suggest this is due to a wheel balance or steering gear problem.


Nah, just that I don't like turning right.

:D:D:D

Cheers
Simon

[Stepho_62]

While we are on this subject I still have a front end issue that needs resolving.

I think its only alignment and my plan of attack is to read the RAVE CD then put my calliper on a broom stick and check the alignment front to back at mid tyre height to asses the toe in.

My springs are +50mm so I guess there will be some loss of camber but the damn thing still pulls to the left if you let go if the steering wheel AND the wheel is not centered when driving straight.

Sounds anal I know but it annoys the crap outta me.

Whats the method of doing wheel alignment manually. Should the measurement be the same front as rear?

[The ho har's]

dont forget the left hand side cops a hard life from edge of the road the wheel bearings seam to go first on that side :mad:

[The ho har's]

not mrs HO HAR :) HO HAR YES I AM TYPING :p

[rick130]

While we are on this subject I still have a front end issue that needs resolving.

I think its only alignment and my plan of attack is to read the RAVE CD then put my calliper on a broom stick and check the alignment front to back at mid tyre height to asses the toe in.

My springs are +50mm so I guess there will be some loss of camber but the damn thing still pulls to the left if you let go if the steering wheel AND the wheel is not centered when driving straight.

Sounds anal I know but it annoys the crap outta me.

Whats the method of doing wheel alignment manually. Should the measurement be the same front as rear?

err, Stepho, you'll have lost some caster not camber with a lift ;)

Toe should be 0-2mm out.

The pulling to the left is normal on a cambered road. There are two alternatives.
1. more caster on the off side (difficult to achieve)
2. Super Pro/Fulcrum make some front radius arm to chassis bushes that space the axle slightly forward on the off side. They come in two sizes, depending on how much pull to the left you experience. This stops it, until you drive down the wrong side of the road......:p

FWIW, Patrols suffer the same malady, it's a solid front axle thing. We can put eccentric bushes in the swivel hubs on them to change the camber and caster to correct it, as they come from the factory with too much positive camber anyway, it makes it worse.

[numpty]

There are wheel alignments, and then there are wheel alignments. Not too many tyre fitting emporiums have the slightest clue as to what constitutes wheel alignment. This is why there are specialist steering people around, and the good ones have their own facts and figures gained through many years experience, to work with.

[fxap05250]

Could be, but as I have not experienced uneven side to side wear in a Land Rover tyre in 22 years, I would think it may be more to do with something mechanical.

As others have said, keep your front end in good condition and your tyres balanced, and problems should be non existent. My Stage 1 had two wheel alignments in the 20 years I owned it (second was after all tie rods were replaced) and I used to get 80000 K's from tyres. Of course the odd one was destroyed, but that's life.

Front left side with more wear could be an indication of both camber as someone mentioned - and in the case of Far North Queensland - lots of high speed roundabouts. Most vehicles up this way wear on the front left side most due to the many roundabouts from Cairns to Port Douglas. Almost a dozen roundabouts on the way... My Landy is due for rotation now...Front Left side is down substantially on the others; but then again my driving habit is to not brake aproaching the roundabout and accelerate hard coming out.

I'm not keen on rotating the tyres' - gorilla's job....