Thread: D4 19inch COOPER Zeon LTZ 255 55 19

Understood There is good discussion going re tire pressure to use the 697 Bridgestones - which I think are a great tire. But for our use, we wanted to stick with 20's for the time being. No requirement for Gordon's rims/18's for a little while.
No really serious off road other than beach in near future planned. So the Zeon's suit for now.

Originally Posted by gghaggis

With the sidewall profile you have on the 19", I wouldn't significantly drop tyre pressures for rock-crawling. We take clients through rock crawls/climbs at normal road pressures and it's not worth the tyre and rim damage to drop pressures. Lowest I'd go would be 32psi

Thanks goes to Widethread Lillydale; appears to have the only available Zeons in 19" in Vic, and we're very helpful. Long process of hiring car from only place opened, driving one wheel down, then back, change tyre, then drive down. Due to traffic, didn't make it in time today, so staying in the Yarra Valley overnight (nice place with a good restaurant; suckling pig IMHO beats Giovanni Pilu's). $790 for two, fitted.

The young guy there mentioned they don't drop theirs below 36psi even when doing recoveries due to potential sidewall staking. Will keep the 32psi in mind as the lower limit.

FWIW, LR Recovery does not cover cost of recovery if it's two flats, but will for bogging. Go figure.

Originally Posted by Celtoid

However, I'd never had an issue to report until the other week when the D4 aquaplaned and was completely out of control for a few secs (although it felt like years).


A suggestion is that the outer tread block has strengthening/stabilizing bars or ridges which impede water clearing. I imagine that would only get worse with wear. I've got a set of 18" Zeons, so I know with their tread design, they are not going to suffer the same issue.


Cheers,

Kev.

Kev,

I had exactly the same experience a few weeks ago when driving from Sydney to Melb in moderately heavy rain. I had a light feeling in the steering on several occasions and then one corner where the car just didnt respond to the turn. I had plenty of space and just waited for the grip to return but it was the most unsettling feeling I've ever had. I had slowed down to about 90 kmh when it happened.

My pirelli's are about 2/3s worn out and about 40k milage. I agree with your theory about the block pattern on the outer edge. There is nowhere for the water to escape once the tread starts to wear down. Mind you i am still a fair way from the tread wear indicators.

The question now is what do i replace them with. My tyre dealer tells me the Cooper tyres are not good. He has had many returns with tyres being out of round and unbalanced. I'm contemplating Hankooks but need to do some more research.

Peter

Originally Posted by Meccles

We have run our 275/45 R20 Zeon's at 20psi on the beach, and I would go to 18 psi if needed, no issue. But, as you say, there is no sharp rocks (normally) to stake the tire.

Have yet to try the 19"s on sand but that is about what I would have thought.

Originally Posted by Meccles

Just something to throw out there, have seen quite a few comments on other forums/threads from various people who do not deflate modern (read lower profile) tires at all. They adjust speed of vehicle to suit conditions if rough, rather than deflating tire for softer ride, on basis that tire damage is then more likely. And were quoting lots of trips without tire damage. While I am not advocating the pro's/con's of this it is something to consider. Certainly with my tires I will not be deflating in rough/rocky conditions. If we can't get there with tire at or close to "normal" pressure then I am using wrong tire for the track, and will have to come back another day. At the moment, we are very happy with the Zeon's though for what we use them for.

That doesn't surprise me anymore. However, with the 19"s, dropping a few pounds makes quite a difference to the ride and to the traction. I have found the wheels "bounce" less over the rough stuff and the traction control doesn't work as hard. I have only played with a set of 20"s on an RRS once and we did the same. This worked quite well over some rough High Country tracks but you've got noticeably less sidewall to play with and as a result I would expect to run them closer to highway pressure than the 19"s.

Cheers,
Jon

Originally Posted by phl

Due to traffic, didn't make it in time today, so staying in the Yarra Valley overnight (nice place with a good restaurant; suckling pig IMHO beats Giovanni Pilu's). $790 for two, fitted..

Seems expensive for suckling pig! ;-)

Glad you got sorted out with the tyres..

We have a Disco 4 HSE with 19" rims. Put Coopers LTZ on before our trip up through the Simpson Desert. Punctured 1 and destroyed the side wall on another along the Oonadatta Track and destroyed the side wall on another tyre on the Strzelecki Track. All up we had 4 punctures. We were fully loaded as we had 3 kids with us and no trailer. Changed to General Grubbers AT and destroyed 2 tyres in the side wall in the High Country last week. We were fully loaded again. We need a tyre which is stronger in the side wall.

Originally Posted by discohappy

We have a Disco 4 HSE with 19" rims. Put Coopers LTZ on before our trip up through the Simpson Desert. Punctured 1 and destroyed the side wall on another along the Oonadatta Track and destroyed the side wall on another tyre on the Strzelecki Track. All up we had 4 punctures. We were fully loaded as we had 3 kids with us and no trailer. Changed to General Grubbers AT and destroyed 2 tyres in the side wall in the High Country last week. We were fully loaded again. We need a tyre which is stronger in the side wall.

You probably need to go to 18's,i presume you have a 3.0l,or you could have gone to 17's.

Have a good search on here there are heaps of threads on this issue.
gghaggi posts/threads are full of good info about tyres.

Originally Posted by discohappy

We have a Disco 4 HSE with 19" rims. Put Coopers LTZ on before our trip up through the Simpson Desert. Punctured 1 and destroyed the side wall on another along the Oonadatta Track and destroyed the side wall on another tyre on the Strzelecki Track. All up we had 4 punctures. We were fully loaded as we had 3 kids with us and no trailer. Changed to General Grubbers AT and destroyed 2 tyres in the side wall in the High Country last week. We were fully loaded again. We need a tyre which is stronger in the side wall.

What pressures do you run them at?