Report on General Grabbers

Hi Mark,

No I didn't look at much in the 18" since I think they are just too large. But I was not aware of Coopers in 18" anyway, are they new? Apart from the legalities I think they will rub where the rear air conditioning is. If I could find someone who would put them on for me and let me try them it would be great.:D Don't like my chances of that though.

Mickey Thompson MTZ in 265/70/17 sounds great and should be ok for clearance. I don't like the thought of running steel wheels though. There are some requirements for it to look good when not 4wding. Might have to look at Performance alloy wheels.

Tim.

For the rim repair, contact Bruce at Race Engineering, located in Rocklea. I've not had any work done there, but Bruce is a neighbour (and nice guy!) and specialises in wheel repairs and modifications.

Race Engineering - Home

Justin

Thanks Justin,

Too late though. I took it down to Depulu Wheel repairs down the coast (recommended by the LandRover parts guy) and it will be delivered back in the morning. Tyre removed, wheel repaired, a different tyre put back on and balanced and then freighted to me in Mt Gravatt for $191. I thought that wasn't too bad. Particularly since insurance was going to be a $400 excess if I convinced them to replace the rim.

Tim.

There is also a place at slacks creek that specialise in repairing alloy rims.Those rice burners on real low profile tyres keep them very busy.

Continental have an 18" AT although I'm not sure its available here.

ContiCrossContact AT
Series 60 255/60 R18 112T TL FL XR
Continental Tyres -ContiCrossContact AT

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WhiteD3

Tim, did you look at 18" Coopers?

ST:
275/65R18 123Q
275/70R18 125Q

Sure Trac 4WD Tyre Specifications

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They are both too large to be legal in Qld.

If you have a serious or expensive insurance claim you can bet the insurance company would crawl all over the car with a fine comb. I am sure that illegal tyres would be picked up on and potentially the claim rejected. This is painful enough if you loose your car, but imagine the proverbial bus queue of quadraplegics you just created. Just not worth the risk.

Cheers, Steve

PS having thought through my purchase I think the AT2s were the right thing. But I have a V8, so I can't fit 17" wheels.

Hi Steve,

I am maybe not quite so upset about the tyres as I was. I would say that the AT2 is a good tyre in that the tread worked well, gave good grip and has not chipped even with the pretty rough ground we went through. The problem is the height of the sidewall and that has to do with the fact that they are 18" and what is legal in Qld more than anything. If Qld adopted the national code then we would be allowed to go past the 15mm increase so I can't see how it is a safety issue as such but it could still be a claim knocked back by insurance. When the 255/60/18 is aired down there is just too much of the sidewall exposed and by that I mean that it is actually running on the sidewall at pressures that aren't really that low. The sidewall has no steel belts and is just two ply so it is not strong enough to handle the kind of country we were in. I think I was expecting too much from them.

I am now contemplating the 17" road simply to get taller sidewalls. I may even go for somethiong that is slightly taller than legal. On my Pajero that I had before this one I had tyres that were about 25mm larger than standard so I suppose I have already taken the risk with insurance. A 265/70/17 will be just over 800mm which is 25mm up so that is probably where I will be going. That will give about a 2" increasde in the height of the sidewall overall which should make a big difference to the way it bags out.

Tim.

Timj

The Explore Oz website has a tyre size calculator that you may find useful:
Tyre Size Calculator @ ExplorOz

This calculator gives the standard 255/60x18 as 763mm.

I have been running Cooper ST 265/70 x 17 on my Discovery 3 - and have the occasional rub on the inside rear arches as you mention. No damage caused to the tyres but not desirable.

cheers.

Coopers do an HT in the 18 inch tyres. Stiffer sidewall and better punctre resistance. Tread pattern not so good off road though.
Yokahama also do an AT Geolandar in the right size.

Timj it looks like the sidewall was just pinched because there was not enough air pressure to resist the impact.
I think too low pressures in rocky conditions is not such a good idea with a compromise tyre like an AT.
Specialist and Comp Tyres are designed to take large impacts at low pressures but thre are not any suitable for the 18 inch rims.
From other reports the GG apears to be a great improvement on the Wranglers.

I had a puncture everytime I went out to an Oberon property, with the Cooper HT+s, not one. :D

hi steve
just curious,,,,,,,with the legalities of tyre sizes in queensland,,,,is that only for vehicles registered in queensland or same rule for tourists from other states, who may have vehicles with valid tyres in other states ?