Thread: Tyre width 16" AYG-8038 rims

What is the width of the rims?

Originally Posted by wpalmo

What is the width of the rims?

AYG 8038 are 5 1/2" .W.

5 and a 1/2 inch width is narrower than I thought those rims were. I am not sure about how wide you could go on those rims. I did have factory defender rims on my Series 3 which I assume are similar to your Military Spec 16" AYG-8038 rims. The factory defender rims I have are labeled 5.50FX16X33 and I had Michelin 7.50 R16 X 4x4 tyres fitted. I wanted to get a wider tread pattern a few years ago and I was advised that I couldn't really go much wider on the 5 and a 1/2 inch rims so I bit the bullet and purchased a set of six 16 x 6 and a 1/2 inch Wolf rims.

These rims are very tough and also allowed me to fit tubeless tyres. The rims are substantially heavier than the Defender set up I was running but I did have to fit longer studs to allow for the extra steel thickness of the Wolf rim. The tyre choice's for these rims is excellent too and it was a massive improvement in driving comfort when I fitted the Wolf's shoed with 285/75 Maxis Bravo rubber. I put on about 80 000 km's on those tyres with a combination of long distance road driving and a lot of beach and limestone track work. I tried to get another set but could't get them at my local tyre dealer and have fitted a set of Kumho Road Venture a few weeks ago instead. Hopefully get a similar run out of these as I got from the Maxis.

I would highly recommend the Wolf 285/75 combo if your budget allows. I did manage to stake one of the Maxis tyres but was impressed with the amount of km's I did get out of them. They are very quite on the road too as the pattern is not too aggressive.

Hope that helps you out somehow LRT. Picture below of my set up.

Regards Warrick


IMG_0472 by wpalmo, on Flickr


IMG_0466 by wpalmo, on Flickr

Originally Posted by wpalmo

[snip]

I would highly recommend the Wolf 285/75 combo if your budget allows. I did manage to stake one of the Maxis tyres but was impressed with the amount of km's I did get out of them. They are very quite on the road too as the pattern is not too aggressive.

[snip]

You'd be pushed to get 285/75's on the 6.5" rim, and if you did it's a bit illegal (and not all 6.5" Landy HD rims are tubeless either, five out of my six are tubed, otherwise they are identical)

Most 285/75's spec a 7.5" rim minimum.
A 255/85 is legal on the 6.5" rim though (contrary to what the Maxxis tyre fitting chart says)

Interesting that it is illegal as I didn't have any problems getting the Series III passed at the local licensing centre in WA with the 285/75's. As I said the 285/75 Maxis Bravo's completed around 80 000 km's and the ride improvement from the tubed Michelin shod 5 and a 1/2 inch rims was massive. I am on good terms with my local tyre centre so I will run the question past them regarding the legality of the Wolf - 285/75 combo. As far as the tubeless set up goes for the Wolf rims you can get them tubed as well but I was advised to go tubeless for the type of driving that I do.

Anyway the original question posted on the thread hasn't been answered. I would be interested in knowing myself on what is the largest size tyres that can be legally fitted to tubed 16 x 5 and a 1/2 inch Land Rover rims as I still have 6 of them sitting in the shed.

Regards Warrick.

warrick,
in the dim past i asked this with the NSW licensing people. An increase of 1 inch is/was permissable otherwise it is engineers cert time.

Watch the tyre manufacturers min rim width recommendations as well. Not many tyres left that can be fitted to 5.5 inch rim widths. Most start at 6 inches.

Will be interested to see what the new michelin catalogue comes out with.
Michelin Australia - Tyre Catalogue - transport.michelin.com.au

Hi Warrick and B.S.F. Nut, Rick 130 & Dromader Driver.

Many thanks for your informative comments and helpful discussion.

When I acquired my ex army Series III it was fitted with 10 ply Toyo LT235/85R16 mud and snow tyres. They have been trouble free, but I don't know how many kms they have done. They now need replacing to meet roadworthy standards. I would prefer a wider tyre for the softer conditions I encounter, and had hoped to fit 285 or wider on the R.O.H. rims.

I especially appreciated Warrick's comments on the Wolf rims because I wish to use military spec accessories and equipment on my ex army Series Land Rover. The tyres on Warrick's Series III look ideal for my purposes.

By the way Warrick, your Series III pictured in your post appears to be the same Stage I Series III that had yellow NSW plates and which was fitted with a Rover 3.9 V8 that was being refurbished and featured on your August 2012 post. If so, do you have any pictures of the finished engine that you could post? I would also be interested to know why a Holley was fitted rather than SU carbies.

LRT

Hi LRT,

Thanks for the feedback, glad you have found the comments of value. Yes that is my Stage One that was in a post in August. Those yellow plates are WA plates. It has always been on WA plates for the last 20 years. It was owned by my best mate since about 1990 when he picked it up in the Northern Territory while working on a mine somewhere in the back blocks. He drove it down to the Gold Fields in WA and then ultimately it ended up in Denmark on the South Coast of WA. I brought it off him in 2000 and have owned it since. It is an awesome Land Rover and has traveled far and wide over the West Coast. As I said in my previous post I have been really happy with the Wolf wheels and tyre choice mentioned. For soft sand work, which I mostly find myself off road in, that set up is very good. I let the tyres down to about 15 psi or 12 psi if the sand is very soft and deep and the Stage One feels like a tractor. It is a truck cab so it is not to heavy either.

I also liked the wolf rims because of the Land Rover heritage associated with these rims and the fact that they are seriously tuff. When you pick one up it is a lot heavier than a conventional steel Defender rim. The bigger range of tyres to choose from is also another good point as well as being able to fit wider tyres too. You may have to fit new longer studs if you do go down the Wolf path as the thickness of the rims means that with the original spec studs you can't thread the wheel nuts all the way onto the stud.

I purchased mine from Rover Craft in Perth. I actually have 2 more on back order with Rover Craft which I ordered in about October last year so I am not sure how long you may have to wait to get a set from them. I have had the set pictured on the Stagey for about 5 years and I decided to freshen them up while the motor was being rebuilt and had them sand blasted and re powder coated with a zinc primer first and then new gloss black on top. They look real good now and I am looking forward to getting the bloody Stagey back on the road. The motor and gearbox is rebuilt and fitted but just need to complete all the little things before it is back on the road.

I have just purchased some new Hella HID Spots and will be fitting the ballast packs for them before I fit the radiator and I still have to sort out the exhaust as I have fitted a new set of extractors and there is a little bit of tinkering needed by the exhaust shop to make sure it all works.

As far as the Holley goes I had a two barrel 350 on it since I have owned it. My father in-law had a Range Rover Classic with the twin SU carbs and I remember him having a bit of trouble with them so I never thought about going back that way with the new set up. I have set the new inlet manifold up using an Edelbrock 4 barrel and a Holley 450 sitting on top. It is a bit hot roddish but I have always been a rev head at heart and I am also running gas. The motor and Holley have been built for the gas set up too. It will be a dual fuel set up but I imagine that the most amount of driving will be on gas.

It should be running hopefully by the end of the month all going well but I did say that last month and the month before that too. Of course these things take time and good things come to those who wait. I am happy though that I have taken time with the build as it has allowed me to think a lot about different options and pay as I go as it is not a cheap exercise and this has also slowed the progress a bit too. I have become real good though at using the net to find parts from all over the world as well as becoming competent with Paypal too. Before I started the build I didn't know anything about this way of sourcing and purchasing parts. It has really saved me a lot of money too compared to prices quoted in Oz for the same thing.

Anyway I hope you have a few ideas for some new wheels and tyres for your Series LRT. Post some picks of your Series as I always like to see other members set ups. Couple of pictures below of the engine fitted but no radiator or pipe work fitted.

Regards Warrick.


IMG_0495 by wpalmo, on Flickr


IMG_6115-web by wpalmo, on Flickr