Tyres - R18's - LT or AT

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Originally Posted by stray dingo

Agree - I've had to replace three 255/55R19 zeons in the past 6 months for sidewalls being the failure, all with heaps of tread left. The last one was in Alice and had to get it specially shipped up from Adelaide at extra cost.

So with that in mind, and at risk of hijacking the thread, I've lost confidence in the Zeons.....
I've got an ARB bar; I know if I go with 285/60/18 (once I get some GOE rims) they'll rub. Is there any known rubbing with 265/60/18 or 265/65/18 also? (not fussed about fitting a spare in the well with rear carrier instead)

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I have 285/60/18 Mickey Thompson STZ's and an ARB bar on mine - no rubbing at all.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

I have 285/60/18 Mickey Thompson STZ's and an ARB bar on mine - no rubbing at all.

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I can't find that size listed on the Mickey Thompson website. Did you buy them recently?

The website also indicates the 265/60R18 are one of the few sizes that aren't LT's. Are your 285/60R18's LT's?

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Originally Posted by Drizzle

I can't find that size listed on the Mickey Thompson website. Did you buy them recently?

The website also indicates the 265/60R18 are one of the few sizes that aren't LT's. Are your 285/60R18's LT's?

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Whoops - was a typo - mine are 265, not 285. :oops2:

And no - the 265/60R18 STZ is not listed as LT - but I really think that in many cases, an LT rating doesn't mean a hell of a lot.

Many (in fact the majority) of the Mickey Thompson tyres in STZ, ATZ and MTZ are not listed as "LT" rated, yet it is pretty common knowledge that these are still one of the strongest tyres on the market. We run Mickey Thompson tyres on a lot of our minesite vehicles up at Nullagine where the sharp rocky conditions inflict a heavy toll on many brands of tyres (Coopers for example have proven to be absolutely hopeless in these conditions), and they perform better than most. Admittedly, we generally use MTZ's on the site vehicles and not STZ's, but for what I use my vehicle for, the STZ's are fine.

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Originally Posted by stray dingo

Agree - I've had to replace three 255/55R19 zeons in the past 6 months for sidewalls being the failure, all with heaps of tread left. The last one was in Alice and had to get it specially shipped up from Adelaide at extra cost.

So with that in mind, and at risk of hijacking the thread, I've lost confidence in the Zeons.....
I've got an ARB bar; I know if I go with 285/60/18 (once I get some GOE rims) they'll rub. Is there any known rubbing with 265/60/18 or 265/65/18 also? (not fussed about fitting a spare in the well with rear carrier instead)

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The 285/60s don't rub with the OL bar, the design of the bar in the wheel arch is shorter, but you should be fine with 265/60/18s.

Baz.

I purchased the Cooper Zeon LTZ's in the 285/60R18 and as you say they are amazingly strong, and have a load rating of 120. They also look great and the speedo is now accurate. Thanks or the recommendation, at $275 each a great tyre.

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Originally Posted by BMKal

Whoops - was a typo - mine are 265, not 285. :oops2:

And no - the 265/60R18 STZ is not listed as LT - but I really think that in many cases, an LT rating doesn't mean a hell of a lot.

Many (in fact the majority) of the Mickey Thompson tyres in STZ, ATZ and MTZ are not listed as "LT" rated, yet it is pretty common knowledge that these are still one of the strongest tyres on the market. We run Mickey Thompson tyres on a lot of our minesite vehicles up at Nullagine where the sharp rocky conditions inflict a heavy toll on many brands of tyres (Coopers for example have proven to be absolutely hopeless in these conditions), and they perform better than most. Admittedly, we generally use MTZ's on the site vehicles and not STZ's, but for what I use my vehicle for, the STZ's are fine.

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Maybe i am missing something,but if a tyre in 265/65/18 has a load rating of say 122 (using BFG or Coopers as an example),how can a tyre in 265/60/18 with a load rating of 110(using Mickey T) as an example be as strong?

From my experience,i have run different brands with the lower load rating and have found them no where near as strong as a higher load rated tyre.

Just saying,nothing against you guys that have a wealth of experience in this area,particularly Gordon(GEO).

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Originally Posted by scarry

Maybe i am missing something,but if a tyre in 265/65/18 has a load rating of say 122 (using BFG or Coopers as an example),how can a tyre in 265/60/18 with a load rating of 110(using Mickey T) as an example be as strong?

From my experience,i have run different brands with the lower load rating and have found them no where near as strong as a higher load rated tyre.

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Ok. I'm confused...

So Bridgestone makes the D697 in LT but its load index is lower than the equivalent size Cooper Zeon LTZ which is not LT rated, so which is stronger?

It's a puzzlement...!

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Originally Posted by BMKal

... an LT rating doesn't mean a hell of a lot.

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It is a puzzlement and just to add my bit since I'm currently in the market for tyres in 265/60/18R size range myself.

The Hankook ATM RF10 is not specifically listed as 'LT' but has a rating of 114 T.

The Bridgestone D697 is specifically listed as 'LT' but has an identical rating to the Hankook of 114 T

So one is an 'LT' the other is not. If they both have the same load and speed rating what does the 'LT' rating really mean with respect to the relative strength of the two tyres?

'P' and 'LT' are a type of construction. A 'load rating' relates to the forces the tyre can handle at a set speed that are associated with loading, cornering etc.

Once apon a time it was a truism that LT's had a higher load rating than P's, but with modern construction techniques, that's no longer a given. Similarly, sidewall strength (in terms of cut/tear resistance) was once highly correlated with load rating, but that too, is no longer always the case.

An LT version of the same P tyre should have a stronger sidewall, but it's not always true when comparing one LT with a different brand P tyre.

Cheers,

Gordon

Thanks all,

This has been useful discussion for me. It seems load rating is what I am after if I want strength of tyre and comfort of mind when travelling rough ground with a load and Kamper.