Low profile tyres

**JDNSW** · 18th September 2008, 06:46 AM

An encounter I had yesterday shows why low profile tyres have no place on four wheel drives (or indeed any cars out of the city).

I had taken my trailer to a mechanic for a pink slip yesterday. When I arrived he was contemplating the LH rear wheel of his ute, so I asked him why. (like many "country lads" he drives a trayback Holden ute with a five post bull bar)

It seems that last week he fitted it with new wheels and tyres - fancy alloy wheel with 35% profile 18" tyres. On the way home on Sunday night, after the rain, he found, too late to slow, that the point where the bitumen ends on the road was now a six inch sharp edged step. This resulted in bent rims on two of his new wheels. He is not happy, and but does rather graphically make the point that while low profile tyres may have their points on bitumen, there are even many public roads where they can be an expensive liability, let alone off road. (The tyres seem to have been undamaged, although there could be hidden damage.)

John

**Redback** · 18th September 2008, 07:24 AM

Low profile tyres on a country ute

Not only silly, but you can't fit Kenworth or CAT mud flaps to it

Baz.

**Scouse** · 18th September 2008, 07:30 AM

I saw the most ridiculous rims on a Land Rover yesterday.
A supercharged Sport with 24" rims & 30% profile tyres. The rim was 2cm off the road

.

As the owner left the workshop, he floored it & would have easily hit 120-140kph in the 50kph zone here.

**waynep** · 18th September 2008, 07:33 AM

I'ts interesting to note that on the DVD that came with the last month's issue of 4WD Action Mag, there's a segment on tyres. I think it was sponsored by a tyre company, but they were actually claiming that low profile tyres and large rims are in some ways better than high profile for off road use.

I can't remember what the rationale for that was, but it goes against everything I have been taught.

I might take another look and transcribe some of it.

**Cameron_Def** · 18th September 2008, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Scouse

I saw the most ridiculous rims on a Land Rover yesterday.
A supercharged Sport with 24" rims & 30% profile tyres. The rim was 2cm off the road

.

As the owner left the workshop, he floored it & would have easily hit 120-140kph in the 50kph zone here.

ok I call BS here ..

Facts

1. Its a landrover
2. No Landrover, when floored does anything but make noise, then Chunk Chunk, change gear, chunk chunk change gear, and your now doing 80

3. Maybe I am used to a defender, but I need to change gears 4 times to get to 100
4. Landrover doing 140 .. with out a 600 down hillrun ?
5. I have not seen pigs fly across my window yet

**DiscoStew** · 18th September 2008, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Cameron_Def

ok I call BS here ..

Facts

1. Its a landrover
2. No Landrover, when floored does anything but make noise, then Chunk Chunk, change gear, chunk chunk change gear, and your now doing 80

3. Maybe I am used to a defender, but I need to change gears 4 times to get to 100
4. Landrover doing 140 .. with out a 600 down hillrun ?
5. I have not seen pigs fly across my window yet

Maybe he had Hiclones fitted

**drivesafe** · 18th September 2008, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Scouse

As the owner left the workshop, he floored it & would have easily hit 120-140kph in the 50kph zone here.

Love it, 0 to 100 in 7 seconds

Originally Posted by Cameron_Def

ok I call BS here ..

Facts

1. Its a land rover
2. No Land rover, when floored does anything but make noise, then Chunk Chunk, change gear, chunk chunk change gear, and your now doing 80

3. Maybe I am used to a defender, but I need to change gears 4 times to get to 100
4. Land rover doing 140 .. with out a 600 down hillrun ?
5. I have not seen pigs fly across my window yet

Not if it’s an auto ( the only way RRS come )

Originally Posted by waynep

It's interesting to note that on the DVD that came with the last month's issue of 4WD Action Mag, there's a segment on tyres. I think it was sponsored by a tyre company, but they were actually claiming that low profile tyres and large rims are in some ways better than high profile for off road use.

I can't remember what the rationale for that was, but it goes against everything I have been taught.

I might take another look and transcribe some of it.

I have low profile and agree with John, absolute pain in the but for off road use.

**Slunnie** · 18th September 2008, 06:10 PM

Horses for courses.

I'd run low profile on the country roads. Actually, if you look at the cars around here, so many of them do. The low profile tyres halp plant them to the road with extra traction and stability.

I would go so far as to say thankfully cars are not on high profile tyres anymore. I've got no doubt that good tyres have saved a lot of accidents, especially when you throw a swerve into the equation.

**Blknight.aus** · 18th September 2008, 06:14 PM

the only advantage low profile tyres have in off road conditions is on hardpack pea gravel and dry hard clay.

but they are soooo much like being on bitumen that you cant really call it off road.

they also have the advantage that you dont have to lift the vehicle as much with the jack when you get a flat and providing the rim is true they're a doddle to seat and balance.

mcrover · 18th September 2008, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Horses for courses.

I'd run low profile on the country roads. Actually, if you look at the cars around here, so many of them do. The low profile tyres halp plant them to the road with extra traction and stability.

I would go so far as to say thankfully cars are not on high profile tyres anymore. I've got no doubt that good tyres have saved a lot of accidents, especially when you throw a swerve into the equation.

Slunnie, im going to nick name you 50/50, as I only agree with you 50% of the time

The main thing that would save a lot of accidents would be to slow down a bit on country roads.

It gets my goat (polite term) when I come around a corner at 60 to 70kmh on a loose gravel road and theres a Pajdo coming around the corner at 100kmh in the middle.

Yeah it may feel safe when you have the whole road to slide around on but you still hit things just as hard if not harder when you stuff up.

I cant say I have experience with drivning on low profile tyres on a 4wd other than in a 2003 RRS which came with something like 20" 35 profile lucker bands on it and I thought the ride was a bit stiff but it mat have been the setting or something that the owner had it on so probably not much to do with the tyres.

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