GOE rims ordered: Now I need to sort out tyres.

We just did Perth to Darwin via Marble Bar, Lichfield National Park via the southern access track, most tracks in Kakadu and then to Alice Springs via the Binns Track and back to Perth via the West MacDonalds and Great Central Road. I have D697's 285/60 R18 on my 3.0 D4 and apart from a trip to Esperance and city driving this is all they have done. We were towing a 1500 kg camper trailer for the Darwin trip.

My front tyres are fine, with no issues at all. However, the rears are chipped a bit and in particular the casing between the tread is cracked or cut by stones everywhere, with some large cuts. No issues at all with the side walls. One tyre fitter said the tread casing area is stuffed and I should claim them on warranty from Bridgestone. I think it is just damage due to sharp stones, but it certainly wasn't what I expected of the tyres. The actual tread hardly has any damage, apart from one or two chips.

I would say that my rear tyres are 50% worn after a bit over 12,000km. We were mosly doing 100 to 110 on bitumen and up to about 90 on gravel.

Bob

What pressure were you running offroad?

The difference between the rear and front tyres is interesting. Such a degree of damage with presumably tyres from the same batch would tend to indicate that it is not a manufacturing fault. But I don't know what else should explain it.

Partially it is stones thrown back at the rear tyres, and the stones turned up by the front tyres passing over then being run over by the rears.

This should also be evident on the trailer tyres though.

The other, and most primary cause is tyre pressures...

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Originally Posted by Tombie

No problem... Happy to talk about it...

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Rub it in, more like it... :p





:wasntme:

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Originally Posted by gghaggis

Tyre specs keep changing, but I do try to keep the tyre guide on the website up to date - as far as I know, the lightest load rating on that list is 109. Have I missed something?

Cheers,

Gordon

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Hi Gordon, i thought the min loading for the D4 was 111, am I mistaken on this?

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Originally Posted by Fred Nerk

@Ozetim. Are you happy with the Pirrellis? Are they standing up to the rigors of the rough stuff?

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I haven't had the Pirelli that long, however on bitumen they are good, albeit a little noisier,but that has been fixed by adding an RAI :D

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Originally Posted by 4evershiva

Pirelli Scorpion are excellent on tarmac, sand and rocks but will not perform on mud to your expectations......

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Thanks for review :BigThumb:
I choose the Pirelli as I don't expect to hit the gibber roads for 18 months or so and by that time I'll be looking for a new tyre and probably the Dueller D697?

Hi there,
It's a no brainer as far as I'm concerned, the Bridgestone Duellers LT 697 are
Brilliant. Had two sets of the 694's on a D3 now the 697's on 6 of
The 18" compomotives also. Never had a flat or any tyre chips or side wall damage on any of them. They are a very quiet tyre on the road and are grippy
In the wet on the black top which other brands not so much. Spent 3 months exploring cape york on the 694's and never had a drama. Treat your tyres with care ie air up/ down for the different conditions and that's half the battle won!
I have 3 sets staun tyre deflators all pre set and labeled for the different surfaces we may encounter which is a bit extreme maybe but I find it easier that way. Good luck

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Originally Posted by ozetim

Hi Gordon, i thought the min loading for the D4 was 111, am I mistaken on this?

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See attached.

Brett....