New Boots for the D3

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Originally Posted by FifiLámour

What kind of tread is more likely to aquaplane? Presumably a flatter tread? We have a road near us that is notorious for this. I don't know what it is...the camber perhaps. But I was caught once in my old RAV4 and never want to go through that again!

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Fifi,

Think of one of those skimming boards they use on the thin film of water close the beach sometimes. You see the kids sprinting along th beach and then jump on and slide along in almost no water !!

Now think of your tyre rolling along the road, hits a patch of water. If the tread can not get rid of the water faster enough then the tyre effectively starts skating or skimming on the top of a film of water, you have no control and it all goes pear shaped.

Theoretically tyres with "chunky or aggressive" tread patterns should cut through the water better as the water is able to find its way out through the large channels or grooves in the tread (i.e disperse). However the flip side of this is that for the 95% of the time when it is not wet the chunky tread patterns have less rubber on the road which gives them less "grip" in the dry.

If you ever watch motor racing you will see this, the normal racing tyre is called a slick, almost no tread so maximum rubber contacting the ground, but as soon as it get wet they slide around like mad because the water can not get away. As soon as it gets wet, they change to a tyre with a tread pattern.

Hope you do not find the above too patronizing as it is not meant to be, just a simple and logical way to explain what aquaplaning is.

Either way what ever you choose, as with most thing there is a compromise somewhere.

George

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Originally Posted by DiscoSaffa

Fifi

More than happy with these as an on road tyre. Audrey spends most of her time on the road, 15 to 20% of her time on gravel roads around the construction site on which I work, and some time off road.

George has given his reasons for choosing the tyre earlier in this thread, but mine are as follows:

• Wanted an AT, and one that would do some fairly serious off road work, I don’t do lots, but when I do I didn’t want to be doing it on road tyres. As George points out this is probably the most aggressive AT available for the D3, so it fits the bill here.
• I wanted a tyre that would cope better with the work I do than a standard tyre.
• I wanted a tyre that I could live with on the road as I do a fair bit of long distance on road travel.

The Conti ticks all these boxes, handles very well on road and off, wet and dry. As George points out they are slightly noisier than road tyres but with the radio set at normal volume you wouldn’t notice. Safari Barbie didn’t even notice the difference. :eek:

My only bug bear with them (and I have mentioned this on numerous occasions elsewhere) is with regular travel on gravel they pick up, and hang onto, small pebbles……. :mad:

If it helps at all, I would fit these tyres to my car even if you took my work out of the equation, just for the ability to go off road as and when, and for the mileage they reckon you should get out of them…… oh, and they look GREAT! :cool:

As an additional endorsement, Jamo fitted them to his Porsche Cayenne…. If they can handle the on road performance of that :burnrubber: we should all be okay in our mere D3s…….

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Discosaffa,

Any discernable difference in fuel consumption? I suspect you guys with the TDV6's wouldn't notice - I have the SE V6 petrol, which can be a little thirsty sometimes around town, which regrettably, is the majority use. Like yourself, on the occasion one does get off the blacktop, decent rubber would be desirable!

Cheers!

DiscoWeb: goodness no! Not patronising at all! That was a great explanation, thank you.

Good question Tunnelthug, will be interested to hear that answer.

Fifi,

I ran the factory fitted Wranglers for 50,000km (including 3 new tyres which I busted along the way). I found them quiet, useless off road but otherwise fine for on road.

I've done 30,000km on the Pirelli Scorpion ATR and love them. Quiet on the road, good off road (although somewhat challenged by thick mud). No sign of aquaplaning.

Thanks White D3 - that was really helpful information. Our Disco has done about $48,000kms and the service guys told me it was about time for new tyres. My husband doesn't think so though, so it is very interesting to hear that you changed yours at $50,000kms and that they were no good for off-road.

Sounds like he (husband) and I need to have further discussion about it. I carry the kids (and others' kids) in that car, after all.

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Originally Posted by tunnelthug

Discosaffa,

Any discernable difference in fuel consumption? I suspect you guys with the TDV6's wouldn't notice - I have the SE V6 petrol, which can be a little thirsty sometimes around town, which regrettably, is the majority use. Like yourself, on the occasion one does get off the blacktop, decent rubber would be desirable!

Cheers!

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At first I thought the fuel consumption had increased a little, but a few thousand kms into them and there is no notable difference. My check is my regular run from Ballina to Coffs, with a full tank, and the computer reset, I should be reading an average of around 11.7 l/100km by teh time I reach Coffs. It did that with the old tyres and does that with the Contis. The reality is, around town the V6 is just thirsty, driving style :burnrubber: rather than tyres are going to affect fuel consumption more than anything else........ Depending on my mood my fuel consumption around town can vary as much as 2l/100km! :eek:

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Originally Posted by WhiteD3

Fifi,

I ran the factory fitted Wranglers for 50,000km (including 3 new tyres which I busted along the way). I found them quiet, useless off road but otherwise fine for on road.

I've done 30,000km on the Pirelli Scorpion ATR and love them. Quiet on the road, good off road (although somewhat challenged by thick mud). No sign of aquaplaning.

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Originally Posted by FifiLámour

Thanks White D3 - that was really helpful information. Our Disco has done about $48,000kms and the service guys told me it was about time for new tyres. My husband doesn't think so though, so it is very interesting to hear that you changed yours at $50,000kms and that they were no good for off-road.

Sounds like he (husband) and I need to have further discussion about it. I carry the kids (and others' kids) in that car, after all.

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I replaced my Wranglers at 37000km...... they perhaps had another 5000km in them, but were starting to get a bit hairy on the gravel roads, and the rear ones had worn badly as a result of poor care by the previous owner. They managed to do the damage in the first 13000km (when I bought the car). It is worth noting that the previous owner was a Land Rover Australia director! :eek:

Tyres on the D3, or any heavy 4x4 for that matter, thrive on correct wheel alignment and pressures..... look after your tyres and the will last.... simple as that. For what is worth some guys are quoting 70000km out of the Contis....

Hi Guys, Havent been on for a while, so Hi to everyone. Just read about the new boots, just coming up for new ones on my D3. I have been using General Grabbers AT2 for the last few years, wasnt much around then, like to know how your boots are. Very happy with the grabbers but like to leave my options open.
Cheers Tinman

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Originally Posted by Tinman

Hi Guys, Havent been on for a while, so Hi to everyone. Just read about the new boots, just coming up for new ones on my D3. I have been using General Grabbers AT2 for the last few years, wasnt much around then, like to know how your boots are. Very happy with the grabbers but like to leave my options open.
Cheers Tinman

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Hi Tinman

A thread for you on the Contis......

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-ch...-thoughts.html

I seem to recall there being more info, so do a search and see what you come up with. If you have no luck or want any more info, give us a yell.

DS

Thanks for the timely thread as I'll be in the market for new tyres to replace the OEM Wranglers in the next few months. I had been leaning towards the Scorpions, but might check the Contis now.

An observation; I just returned from four weeks in and around Alice and took a number of the local tracks (Cattlewater Pass, Arltunga etc) and at 27PSI the Wranglers with about 25k on them never missed a beat. That said, I did get one puncture on the black top near Clare in SA when we drove a 120mm bolt into the RH rear. When we pulled up, only about 15mm was visible. I reckon I'll get another 5-10k out of them before discretion will overtake valour.

Cheers

Bob