18" Compomotive Wheels

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Melbourne Park

I don't know about the robustness of the gears in the 8 speed box. But IMO, a downside of the 285, would be higher gearing, and more gearbox stress. With towing a 2.3 tonne van, I want to avoid gearbox stress.

---

The tyre size is equivalent to only an extra 5% load so minimal impact and accommodated by the gearbox hanging onto lower gears for a fraction longer.

Graeme is correct. There is no noticeable difference between driving or towing with the 285 tyres vs 255 tyres. I always use low range when off road to greatly reduce the strain on the auto transmission, as well as to activate all of the off road smarts of the D4.

When I replace the GOE wheels' tyres, I'll certainly go wider than 255. 285 LT tyres do sound much better.

Just completed my first trip with Compomotive 18",D697 265/60R18 and LLAMS combo. Ahhh, what bliss! Thanks to Gordon and Graeme for their excellent products and to everyone who recommends the 697's.

We completed 3000km over 10 days with a lot of driving over rough 4wd tracks and roads littered with washouts up around the northern section of the Carnarvon ranges and further West.

Cant wait for the next trip!

Shane

Hi Shane,

What did you have before as a comparison. Do you tow, what about weight.

I'd be interested in your view on tyre pressure and handling in the rough stuff and how they behave in general.

A recent trip up the Strzelecki required me to drop the rear down to 28 and front to about 26, the track had a major upgrade and the nee surface consisted of large gravel road base.

My GG 19" now show the downside to non LT construction, but still ride well with some sidewall cuts.

I cannot wait till November for the KO2's and we are heading to Hervey Bay and back through to Cooper Creek early October.

Regards

Gerald

Hi Gerald

Until recently I have been running the oem 19's with Cooper LTZ zeons. Across the Simpson both directions last year I damaged 2 rims and 3 tyres on the gibbers either side of the desert. I swore I wouldn't go off-road again without a better setup. The GOE rims and the 697's gave us a lot more confidence and the llams unit made rough dirt roads a cinch. It is so good travelling at 60-70 kph at off road height without the constant dinging of the oem system.

The D4 is a terrific 4WD but these mods make it just awesome.

Sorry Gerald

I wasn't towing and ran 28 cold front and back. I also have an after market tpms which is great.

Hi Shane,

Appreciate the feedback.

Regards

Gerald

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Melbourne Park

I saw a video of that South African chap who takes a D4 over the Baboon pass. He made it, but it rained and the vehicle slipped sideways and dinted a door and also a front bar and front side panel.

Interestingly he, he ran very high tyre pressures on his tyres. At the early part of his part 1 video (its on u-tube, he did it with a D4). He said they were so low profile, that he had to run high pressures to protect them, and the flex on such low profiles would have the edges get cut up in no time.

He had three criticisms of the D4: the Sat Nav (bad there and since fixed), the wheel diameter too big and also the silly Land Rover imposed 50KMH height restriction (he did not seem to know about Llams or even the GOE insert suspension raisers). He explained the reason for it was that safety wise the D4 met all Euro safety issues at 50KMH at raised height, but at over 50KMH the D4 did not meet some esoteric Euro safety ratings (I guess the moose test swerve thing that only racing drivers can achieve anyway).


This is a different approach to what Aulro guys seem to advise ...

---

Hi, I saw the video of Andre St Pierre-White. Baboon's pass is renowned for breaking modified 4x4 vehicles. His aim was to do it in a standard LR4. The only way he figured he could save the tyre sidewalls was by over inflating. It worked for him as he had no punctures.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gert

Hi, I saw the video of Andre St Pierre-White. Baboon's pass is renowned for breaking modified 4x4 vehicles. His aim was to do it in a standard LR4. The only way he figured he could save the tyre sidewalls was by over inflating. It worked for him as he had no punctures.

---

Watched some of his videos... He's a clown... Takes some terrible lines.. :wasntme: