Thread: Back To Stock Tyres

Yes, I have been looking at getting new tyres for our D1, and some of the guys peddling tyres are a little bit abstract in their thinking, for example the bloke at one mob said ,"yeh mate we can fix you up with 265's, all the Disco's are getting them that size", the next guys tell us it is illegal to fit anything larger than 245's, (that is what is fitted now) to our standard rims. The tyre placard and owners manual only mentions 235's as the biggest option for a standard 7 inch rim, that is how I will go, standard steel stock rims and maybe 225-75 or 235-70 tyres as the old beast is neither lifted nor has guards cut.
From what I have observed in my travels the big tyres look good but the benefits off road are not worth the pain of lifting, cutting out guards, axle breakage, speedo correction, and of course the sometimes big extra cost, the Disco will go lots of places in standard trim.
But then I am an old fart and there was a time when the big tyres would have been an essential, no matter what.

Hi gazby, thanks for that. I was actually pulled up for the size of the tyres at a breathalyser on the way home from work. They said the diameter was too big and could give me a roadworthy based on the size of the tyres. Then the guy checks the spare and that's how I found out it was a different size. Luckily he was a Landy loving cop. After my scraping problems it was all I needed to go back to stock. We used to have a S2a at home when dad was in the army (nice work car!) and that thing could go anywhere on tyres the width of a coin, so I had no issue going skinnier. It literally feels like a better car. If I had found a set of 225/75's I probably would have gone with them. :-)

Ive got 225/75 on my 95 disco, no problems grest ride etc, they also came out with 205 from the factory

Hi ade, were the 205's on an 85 profile?

Originally Posted by njhey

Hi ade, were the 205's on an 85 profile?

The 205s were a 205R16 with no mention of a profile......but it's 80% (205/80/16). They have the same rolling diameter as the 235/70/16 tyres.

Originally Posted by Scouse

The 205s were a 205R16 with no mention of a profile......but it's 80% (205/80/16). They have the same rolling diameter as the 235/70/16 tyres.

And very close to the same RD as the 225/75/R16's

To be pedantic... a 205R16 is an 82% profile. Because "all" tyres back then were the same ratio, it was'nt included in the sizing numbers.

Later on, Hoons and rally drivers would use the new '70' series tyres with a slightly differant numbering system. eg. 205/70R16. This would be prominantly displayed as it was believed (and later proved) that Big Numbers emblazoned on tyres had an aphrodisiacal quality... "70" worked magically for some time, but as the affected Chicks are now Grandmothers, the attraction has waned.
However, we have observed a similar influence from such numbers as 65, 60, 55 and 50, the equilibrium disturbance inversely proportional to the value... 40 is currently regarded as a health hazard to those wealthy (read: OLD) enough to afford them.

AFAIK, 80% is a relatively new aspect ratio. We used to have a 78% on car tyres in which letters replaced the tread width., but it died a natural death. eg, AR78S13 'replaced' the 165 SR-13

'80' may be around for a while yet, no doubt the Marketers feel it looks.... Sexy. 80 may yet be the 'new' 70.

I have never thought about tyres in this way before...every time I look at an object I largely take for granted I realise there is a whole industry, history and probably academic discipline behind it...thanks for the post.