Sorry to revive an old post but I am new to the site having recently picked up a 2013 SE SDV6 and am thinking about changing to 18s.
How have you gone with the 285/60r18s? Any issues with tyre rub? What is the arrangement with your spare tyre?
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At 285s if the compressor fails and it drops - you won’t be driving it.
If you have read AC it will rub on the rear plastic liner.
Experiences and observations especially in certain conditions is that the wider rubber is worse in the wet once they wear 50%, works the vehicle harder in sand and chews more juice.
If you like the wide look. Go for it.
Hi Chris,
Bit of a long story. The 18s were on my D3. I had a dual rear Kaymar bar so 285 tyres fitted without isuue on there. They did scrub a little in the guards but not enough to worry me. The biggest issue was the front passenger side where there is a bit of loom running along the chassis. This would be a problem if it either rubbed through or was ripped off. Tombie is correct about it being a problem if dropping to bump stops. Also, was significantly heavier on fuel and the 2.7 was found wanting with the extra gearing and weight (the Toyo R/Ts are a big heavy tyre) meaning it's pick up was a bit lethargic. Having said all that, they actually went well pretty well as far as off road and in the sand goes. Also, they do look pretty cool (which of course is personal opinion) being big wide and chunky.
Sooo, when I sold the 3. I put some other tyres on and kept the 285s as they were only a few 000ks old. They are in the shed. The D4 came with 20"s so I bought a second hand set of Compomotives that came with 265/60 Cooper AT3s with a bit of tread. So the plan is to wear these down and put the 285 on. Spare, I'm guessing will go on roof, or on rear carrier if I have one on by then- which is possible as the 20s have heaps of tread and the coopers are as hard a rock so will take ages to wear :angry:. I'll need to protect the loom in the passenger wheel arch somehow and I have a GOE emergency air up kit (that never, thankfully, got fitted to the D3) to fit.
Now, knowing what I know now. I wouldn't go for 285s. I'd look at either 265/60 or the 265/65 (though this is off the top of my head, here is heaps of info on here about sizes) as they fit better and the 285s don't offer any performance advantages.
Hope this helps.
Those Coopers once they hit 5yo. Bin them.. not worth risking the damage bill.
hi Stew,
having been driving the SA desert roads twice a year for over 20yrs I'm interested in which gravel roads you may referring to.....to avoid if possible.
I can only really think of perhaps 2 roads I've travelled in last couple of years that could even come close to what you describe.
I should be on some of those roads next week but nevermind , they'll still be there later , and the friends I have out bush will still be there as well.
Den
Sorry, I can't place them exactly for you. We did a 24,000 km lap around Aus and the one I particularly remember for white knuckles looked as if it had been recently resurfaced by dumping loads of 4" screenings on it for many kms. There have been plenty of other roads where small rocks have been frequently dislodged and strewn about. A real worry when I only have one spare tyre. But as I said, the Maxxis survived beautifully and went on to give me 60,000 km before replacement.
Good to hear of your success Stew
If you're on a good thing stick to it.
Last year in April I put a set of Faulkens on, they seemed very good and were only a week old when I shredded one on one of those bricks you mentioned.
I was near Olympic Dam so pulled into the Bridgestone dealer there and put a 697 on. Next day on the way to William Ck I punctured another Faulken. An enthusiastic guy from WA elbowed me out the way and repaired it for me. I got back to Qld and had that tyre professionally repaired.
In August same year I shredded another Faulken on that bastard limestone rock road south of Noccundra and again continued on to Olympic Dam and the guy there had a 2nd hand Cooper he offered for $70 fitted so I put it on. The 697 is rh rear, the cooper spare, so currently run 3 different tyres. Just before that series of events I had been bragging on here about not having had even a puncture for over 20yrs.
So. hope your good luck doesn't run out.