New wheels & tyres ???

[oldsalt]

My D3 needs new rubber and I am wondering if I should just bite the bullet and change to 17" wheels at the same time rather than stick with my 18"s...
maybe a set of steel "dynamics".....I spend a lot of time in the Victorian high country area.....come on guys - I just need somebody to agree with me so I can justify the extra cost...
Thanks.

[DiscoSaffa]

I agree........ :D

[russ55]

17's are safer.....................how's that; justified?

[WhiteD3]

There are a lot more 18" tyres out there now so unless you're looking for something aggressive there's no need to change.

Pirelli scorpions, General grabbers, Continental crosscontact, Coopers and others. There's some threads in the D3 section on the choices.

I've very happy with my Scorpian ATR's.

[oldsalt]

Mmmmmm...decisions...decisions...

[d3viate]

I have the Dynamic Steel rims with 17" M/T's. My reason for the change was where I drive and the much larger range of rubber available. North Western Australia, large loose rocks especially around Marble Bar / Nullagine and inland from there, and having tyres with good side grabbers and strength. My standard ally rims would of been a big mess by now and having that extra tyre height and steel for strength for impact when you hit that hole that was not seen and travelling at speed. Each individual has an opinion if it is worth the cost, but there is no doubt the rims are stronger and tyre selection available is better. A drawback is extra weight carried and when handling if you have a bung back like me. Only you will know if the change is worth it, as I drive about 40-50% offroad on rough rock/gravel/sand, if your in the rat race predominantly, steel may not be worth the cost. Each to his own, life's too short.

[ADMIRAL]

It's an old magazine, but 4X4Australia December 2007 has a good article on tests with low profile tyres. It includes a D3 on 265/60x18's, and others on an assortment of low profile rubber. All Coopers in this case, but there are a lot of other brands available now than when this test was run.

Cut to the chase. 60 profile rubber was found to have no significant disadvantages compared to more conventional ( think higher profile ) rubber, other than the need for slightly lower pressures in soft sand. Tyres with a profile lower than 60, were found to be harsh on rough stuff, but unsurprisingly outperformed the higher profile rubber on smooth bitumen. Chase up a back copy. Worth a read.

[Tote]

I've posted elsewhere a pic of my grabber at2s showing the wear rates. They are getting close to needing replacement now and I've been happy enough with them, we've been to Fraser Island, done the Oodnadatta Track and up to Darwin as well as the Spanish Steps track at Newnes in them with no issues. I think that if I was doing lots of dirt work I'd probably think of 17" rims but for a vehicle that is a family tourer we have no complaints about the 18" rims. I've put 59000 Km on them now and they are still legal so they are wearing OK

Regards,
Tote

[Desert Traveller]

Go 17"'s.
Just keep an eye on eBay. I picked up 4 LR 17" alloys for $600.

[TDV6]

Fleabay is the way to go if you have time. I watched and watched etc for 6 months, gave up on fleabay and ordered a set of 17" BB6 alloys, had them fitted for a week and my mate got a set of five D3 LR 17" rims and near new rubber for approx $1100 if my memory's good. My BB6's cost $2100 (6 rims) and tyres $1920, as against $1100, no contest.

Ryall

[RickO]

I have the Dynamic Steel rims with 17" M/T's.


Hi D3viate,

Just wondering if you you can remember how much you paid for the Dynamic steel rims?
As is the case with many others on the forum, I am constantly 'umming and arring' over the decision on whether to move to 17" wheels. The current issue of the 4WD OVERLANDER mag has pushed me right to the edge with its report that 5 of the 10 tyres fitted to the RRS and D4 suffered terminal damage during the 4WDOTY trials.

While I spend most of my time in the burbs, I do try to get away as much as possible and would feel mighty nervous on my remaining 4 tyres after having to change a destroyed 18" tyre on a high country track.

Depending on the cost of the rims, I'm thinking of 17" rims + LT Pirelli Scorpions

Thanks in advance.

P.s. Do you still use the LR wheel nuts with the Dynamic rims?

p.p.s I was advised yesterday by a rim supplier that people happily run Holden Adventura 17" rims on D3s...?????

[Dingmark Jim]

Remember that the Overlander drive test had OE rubber whose sidewalls are as soft as a baby's b&m. To get true "bushability" testing, the magazines should put on similar MT type tyres on all vehicles, but I suspect cost and risk of damaging new rims prevents it.

Road bias OE tyres are installed so that manufacturers (a) get the fuel consumption figures down as low as possible, and (b) keep out of trouble for creating too much noise.

I have a set of 19" Goodyear MTRs on my (recently stolen:mad:) V8 D3 and the tyres proved to be tougher and provide better sand traction than I would have ever thought possible. There are two "provisios" for the MTRs. First one is cost - try $660/tyre! Second is they need careful thought as to tyre pressure. I used 16psi for softest sand, but go up to 22-28 psi for anything with rock. The key point of the somewhat high pressures is to prevent anything hard from ever compresing the tyre flat against the rim and cracking the rim. A few people have had this unfortunate fracture occur. Pity there aren't any steel 19" wheels available so the crushing/fracture problem would be less of a concern.

I am sufficiently comfortable with the utility of the MTRs (but get hemorrhoids when having to buy one :eek:) that I decided to replace my stolen D3 with the 3.0 litre D4. I sometimes work on rather remote and rugged pipeline rights-of-way so will eventually report back on how the D4 works on sharp limestone and ironstone (alas, delivery is April/May).

[Psimpson7]

One of the guys in the GCLRO club has a 2008 D3 with 17" Dynamics with BFG KM2's on it. Very impressive bit of kit.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/02/1642.jpg

[d3viate]

The rims cost $127 ea from Perth 4X4 ( W.A. ), the chromed centre cap's were $13 and the steel nuts are Holden part No. GM-09595174 at $4.70 ea.
You don't need a Physics Degree to see a 18 or 19" rim alongside the 17" with their respective rubber and know which one you would rather be driving on over corrugations for days.
I've broken my back twice and have many compressed vertebrae and even after a full day of corrugations I get out with no pain from the track, plus I don't like to stir up the quality bottled Shiraz from McLaren Vale I carry !.

[Steffo]

Dingmark Jim,

Just a question re the Wrangler MTR's
How do you find them on bitumen re noise/ on wet bitumen re traction and wear?

Gordon at Green Oval Experience has mentioned the use of Staun Beadlocks to allow lower pressures and to protect the rim, however I am attempting to find out from Opposite Lock Gold Coast as to whether available for 19" rims

[chuck]

Steffo

I have found the MTR's to have adequate grip on road in both wet & dry.
They are a bit firmer however I prefer this especially after coming out of a D2.
They are noisy on smooth bitumen not so bad on the course stuff.
They are good on gravel with no additional noise & good off road.
I did managed to break a bead seal when down at 18lb so in hindsight for normal off road I would probably not go below 25lb.
this could be lower in sand or snow where you are not likely to break beads.
I managed to get them thru Goodyear's Family & friends discount which made them more reasonable in price.
Even fluked 2 matching 19's on Ebay for $100.00

I prefer this set up as it allows impromptu drives without worring about changing rims.

Regards

Chuck

[Jesse B]

Apologies for keeping this thread slightly off track, but a little more on the D4 / 19" issue: I nearly bought MTR's for mine, despite the quoted price of around $650 each, but was scared off by the near-certainty that they would be noticeably noisier on the coarse bitumen used so much here in WA. Went for Pirelli ATR's instead, and am (so far) really happy - though I have not really pushed them hard off-road yet. Having said that, I look forward to some early reports from D4 owners with MTR's here in Oz, as it strikes me the D4 is seriously quiet anyway - mine seems to be appreciably quieter than I recall the demo D3 I drove (on the same piece of highway).

Also read the Overlander 4wdoty story with interest, and some disgust. Sometimes the guys who write for those mags seem kind of obsessed with serious off-road stuff, perhaps beyond what most buyers would be into? But maybe I'm just a cranky D4 owner who is peeved that we didn't win yet another gong!! :BigCry:

[Graeme]

Did those who watched Pat Callinan's part 1 of the Canning Stock route episode note that all vehicles were shod with LT Pirelli ATRs (presumably sponsered by Pirelli) and were given a good report? I wonder how close the 18" and 19" XL versions for the D3/4 are to LT spec?

[ADMIRAL]

Dingmark Jim,

Just a question re the Wrangler MTR's
How do you find them on bitumen re noise/ on wet bitumen re traction and wear?

Gordon at Green Oval Experience has mentioned the use of Staun Beadlocks to allow lower pressures and to protect the rim, however I am attempting to find out from Opposite Lock Gold Coast as to whether available for 19" rims

My local tyre dealer ( starts with B, ends with s ) had these fitted to his own Patrol ute. Thought they were awesome off road, particularly on rocks. Sticky on wet bitumen, noisy and slippery on hot bitumen. Was not impressed by their wear rate either. You can debate the merits etc of different tyres forever !

[RickO]

The rims cost $127 ea from Perth 4X4 ( W.A. ), the chromed centre cap's were $13 and the steel nuts are Holden part No. GM-09595174 at $4.70 ea.



Thanks D3viate - just one more question before I stop hassling you, did the tyre/wheel shop where you got the rims from supply the Holden steel nuts and chrome centre caps, or did you source them yourself (i.e. nuts from Holden dealer and caps from...?)

thanks again,

[trobbo]

Did those who watched Pat Callinan's part 1 of the Canning Stock route episode note that all vehicles were shod with LT Pirelli ATRs (presumably sponsered by Pirelli) and were given a good report? I wonder how close the 18" and 19" XL versions for the D3/4 are to LT spec?


Unfortunately I find Pat's shows to be one massive advert for ARB, Nissan and Pirelli. I therefore find it difficult to seperate how much of it is paid advertising and how much is honest opinion.

Am I the only one here who thinks the dynamic rims look wrong on the D3?

[d3viate]

The chrome centre cap's are from Dynamic themselves, item DCAP 84mm centre.
The wheel nut's I picked up from a Holden dealer myself, maybe get them well before fitting rims because the Holden dealer may not have enough unless you live in a city with multiple dealers that can freight in extra reliably. Same thread pitch and diameter as a late model crappadore steel rim nut.

[Graeme]

Unfortunately I find Pat's shows to be one massive advert for ARB, Nissan and Pirelli. I therefore find it difficult to seperate how much of it is paid advertising and how much is honest opinion.
Yes, I noticed that. It was the 1st time I've watch the show.

[Steffo]

Hi Dingmark Jim,

How do you find the 19" Wrangler MTR's on dry and wet bitumen wrt noise and grip?

Regards,

Steffo

[Dingmark Jim]

Good questions. I've never driven the MTRs on wet bitumen (based in Perth where there are no clouds for 7 months straight). On dry bitumen, particularly if it's been resurfaced and is hence smooth & slick, the noise at around 60 km/hr is really awful - a grating drone which aggravates my tinnea. At highway speeds the sound dissapates and the droning frequency gets higher and more pleasant. I usually put them on only for specific trips and take them off as soon as I return to town. Grip on dry bitumen is probably a bit trickier than the straight road tyres, but with the truck tyre-like droning I just think I'm driving an extremely well aligned Nissan Patrol and drive accordingly. This provides a very large margin of safety.