Thread: 19" Maxxis AT Tyres

Originally Posted by JamesH

Just a warning, they are noisier. My OEM Wranglers were quiet as the tomb even at the end of their life. I'm not saying the Maxxis boom like muddies on GU Patrol, but silent, they ain't.


That's all I know for certain, but the specs and the way they look gives me confidence in them in rugged conditions, which is a good thing for me. I feel better about getting out there now, time will tell if the confidence is misplaced.

How are the Maxxis 980's now? Are you getting used to the extra noise? Any chance to test in the wet? I was looking at General Grabber AT's until I read your post so I'd be interested to find out how the Maxxis travel off road and whilst towing. I'll be towing a 3 ton caravan around Australia with a few off road excursions so need something stronger than the Goodyears supplied as standard. Does anyone have any experience with the General Grabber AT's?

D4 MY12

Originally Posted by Jaybee

How are the Maxxis 980's now? Are you getting used to the extra noise? Any chance to test in the wet? I was looking at General Grabber AT's until I read your post so I'd be interested to find out how the Maxxis travel off road and whilst towing. I'll be towing a 3 ton caravan around Australia with a few off road excursions so need something stronger than the Goodyears supplied as standard. Does anyone have any experience with the General Grabber AT's?

D4 MY12

Hi, yeah, I'm getting used to them. They seem noisiest at about 60 kmh and at 100 not so much. I don't know for sure how good they are as I have not been off-road and won't be going soon but the tread is aggressive. They are LT, and at the 40psi that they recommended there is no bulge. They seem tough. I can't see how they could not be good off road. Maybe they are badly made and will delaminate, maybe they'll wear out in 25k, but looking at them I can't see it happening. They inspire confidence in me.

A mate got the grabbers and he luuurrrves them. I don't think he has been off-road yet so we don't know for sure.

I'm in Mount Lawley and I'm happy if you wanna come round and take look. We can go for a drive if you like and you can hear for yourself.

Update: You're in Brizzy! Sorry had it mind you were in Perth in a next door suburb. Must have been someone else. We all got our cars about the same time.

Thanks James, I appreciate your candidness.
Yesterday I spent some time looking and Bob Jane suggested the Grabber AT's and Goodyear suggested Cooper LTZ's but neither had any stock to view. Will check out Jax today to see what they recommend. The local LandRover dealer recommends Cooper LTZ's and Pirelli Scorpions for general purpose use.
I rang Cooper Tyres and they suggested that the LTZ's might not be strong enough due to towing 3 ton caravan and suggested I should get the AT3's in 265/60/18 but that's a whole other story where I need to get new rims as well.
If I'm driving past in the next week I'll call in for a gander.

Originally Posted by simonmelb

I broke a sidchrome bar trying to get wheel nuts off, which were rattle gunned on by Jax tyres. Great tyres but the fitters have Jax shxx between their ears!

If they do that on a D3/4 they will either break a wheel stud or stretch the nuts.
The earlier model Discos had much stronger wheel studs and nuts.

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I rang Cooper Tyres and they suggested that the LTZ's might not be strong enough due to towing 3 ton caravan and suggested I should get the AT3's in 265/60/18

The AT3 that size is only a 110 load index, which is (30Kg per tyre) worse than basically all the 255/55R19 tyres available (111 Load Rating) including the LTZ, and 155 Kg per tyre less than the Maxxis AT980.

Confusing all this tyre ratings thing, perhaps I need to write up a list and compare apples.

Today Jax Tyres recommended the Pirelli ATR followed by Hankook RF10, then Continental 4x4 Contact and then the Maxxis 980's.

Beaurepairs recommended just replacing the current Goodyear Wrangler AW's so that wasn't much help.

The Jax Tyre guy originally came from Cairns and says he's seen lots of Pirelli ATR's tackle the Telegraph track and out west successfully so didn't think I needed anything more hardcore.

Perhaps these recommendations come from my brief that I need to be able to tow a 3.2 ton caravan around the big block with excursions onto dirt roads/National Parks etc. Basicly they're saying that the load rating of them all is sufficient.

I look for recommendations from people who've actually used the tyres in the same size particularly and on the same vehicle and usage if possible, rather than tyre shops.

I think load rating can be seen as a proxy for tyre robustness/toughness because it's difficult to compare apples with apples any other way. Ie, higher load rating likely to have better sidewall strength etc. I know that's not what is actually being measured but it's an indicator. Hence the interest in the Maxxis for 19s.

There's other threads with feedback on the Hankooks, Duratracs, Pirellis and GGs that are worth reading too.

Cheers,
Scott

Thanks Scott

I'm taking the tyre people recommendations lightly and have started looking through the list of rigs on this site and note that there are a lot more D4's with different/more aggressive tyres than what I see from day to day on the road so I'll take your advice and look for some more posts on this site.