Tyres for a Perentie??

[Spider]

They're a truck tyre. They'd be strong.
I would be tempted to put them on a 6x6. Mine does mainly road work.
Toyo is a good brand.

Where are they made?

There a light truck tyre, as are other 7.50/16's. I put Toyo's on my Outlander and they have outlived the original tyres and are still going strong. They are made in Japan, the Road Grippers on my L/R are made in Indonesia. If I had come across these earlier I would have checked the out.

[cinan]

I have replaced my originals with Bridgestone Dueller MT's on steel rims.  Couldn't be happier with the ride,  it is quieter and the steering also seems to be lighter even with the larger rubber. 

My 2 cents worth.

[kman]

I have those Bridgestones on my S2A FFT and Defender. Good value.

Howard

[alvin]

Ok, update, saw the dealer the other day and had the Michelin's checked and photoed.
I've been offered a better deal on the Michelin if I choose to buy, meanwhile the pics go to the rep, who has yet to get back to me... hmmm, we'll see.

Meantime, I'm looking around and must admit, after quite a bit of research, both US and Oz forums and reviews, I'm quite taken by the Hankook Dynapro MT 10ply tyres.

Only problem... I gather my rims are 6" and by the standard Hankook tyre book it says the best these tyres are meant to fit is min 7.5" to max 9" wide rime, that's in a 285/75 16.

But on checking out Hankook sizing elsewhere and reading another Landy forum, a 235/85 R16 should fit as the min rim width is set at 6" and the tyre diameter ends up being 805.9mm which isn't far off my existing Michelins.

Does that sound safe, correct, ok???

Would someone more knowledgeable here maybe chip in and give me a crash course in what will and won't fit these existing rims successfully, otherwise I may have to start looking at new rims (I don't really want to) and if so, where and who?

As a background, this is what I've learnt so far:

An online tyre calculator says...
Results for tyre 7.5 x 16
Metric Equivalent - 190 / 100 R 16
Rolling Radius - 393.2mm
Circumference - 2470.55mm
Diameter - 786.4mm
Wheel Cover Size - Size 007

My existing tyres are the Michelin 7.50 R16 XZL and I measured this on the car as...
My actual rim diameter (taken from inside bead edge of tyre): 17”
Existing Tyre Diameter: 790 mm

Regards, Alvin

[Aussie Jeepster]

I thought Perentie rims were 6.5???

[Dervish]

If you aren't too bad with maths you can work things out yourself. Metric tyre sizes are three numbers; the tread width in mm, the percentage of the tread width that the sidewall is, then the diameter of the rims that the tyre is designed to fit.

So if you are interested in sidewall heights:
190/100r16 is 190 x 1.0 = 190mm
235/85r16 is 235 x 0.85 = 199.75mm
285/75r16 is 285 x 0.75 = 213.75mm

Of course, those are nominal values and tyres like our Michelins have deep tread and so a larger than nominal diameter.

As for what tyre widths fit our 6" wide wheels, use manufacturer recommendations. Personally I would avoid a 285 tyre.

[alvin]

Thanks Dervish,
Yes, I've just had the odd brain fart in interpreting those numbers and applying them to the existing tyres and rims on the Perentie and you are right, even though my initial research looked as if it was pointing to the 285/75 R16, that's probably way too big and doesn't apply here.

I've had a quick measure on the existing Michelin tyres and they are sidewall to sidewall approx 210mm wide and the tread edge to edge is 150mm, therefore I take it that a 235/85 R16 (as long as it's within rim safe spec for a 6" wide rim) is ok, would that seem correct to you?

And my only knowledge re the rim widths is only based on what I've learnt around the forums and I gather early Landy's were 5.5" and some later ones were both 5.5" and 6", but the Army consolidated to 6" width rims to possibly keep things standard to stop disasters in the field.

Your thoughts?

[303Gunner]

And my only knowledge re the rim widths is only based on what I've learnt around the forums and I gather early Landy's were 5.5" and some later ones were both 5.5" and 6", but the Army consolidated to 6" width rims to possibly keep things standard to stop disasters in the field.

Your thoughts?

"Standard" landies, (ie Civvy Series and Defenders) had rim widths of 4.5", 5.5" and 6.5" varying on age and length and weight of the vehicle. The Perentie is the ONLY Land Rover with 6.0" rims, and they ONLY appeared in Australia.

A 235/85 sized tyre will be a good alternative fitment for a 7.50-16 as it is close to the same rolling diameter and slightly wider, being a better fit on the rim. The next thing to bear in mind is that the wheel rim is designed for using innertubes, where most 235s are designed to run tubeless and 7.50-16s are for tubes. There are other threads on here regarding this issue, and people will have opinions both ways on the topic.

[alvin]

Thanks 303Gunner, that all confirms things and gives me confidence to go ahead.

And yes, I've read some of the 'fors' and 'againsts' re tubes.
Bottom line, the tyre guys here won't put a tubeless tyre on a tubed rim without a tube, as they are legally bound by the law and won't leave themselves open to, etc, etc. - well that's from one place I talked to, so good quality heavy duty inner tubes, plenty of talc and a careful fitter is the order of the day I would say, but great on your thoughts re the 235's, I was hoping I had that right. (;->

And interesting re the rims. Well I've learned something else too.

Regards, Alvin

[Spider]

Otani Tyres
http://www.toptyres.com.au/brands/otani/?action=product&brand=41&c=18&w=7.50&p=&r=16

[Mick_Marsh]

Otani Tyres
http://www.toptyres.com.au/brands/otani/?action=product&brand=41&c=18&w=7.50&p=&r=16

This one is the same tread pattern as the Dunlop Super Gripper.
http://www.toptyres.com.au/products/bias-4wd-tyres/1823/7-50-16-12super-traction-mrf
I saw some at a local tyre place. I asked "How much?"
They were more expensive than the Michelin.

[alvin]

Thanks for the info/feedback Spider and Mick_Marsh,
Apart from having a 'go anywhere' tyre always ready and on the vehicle, my desire is to have something that isn't so hard (and lasts forever) and badly designed that it's pig on a wet road, or the compound goes off really quickly and is just dangerous to drive at speed on.

I know everyone has their own ideas of what's a good tyre and an industrial chemist friend of mine who saw a lot of the chemistry that went into tyre making some years ago, would not travel on anything other than Michelin. His reasoning was that they in fact held the patents to not only the steel belted design (I think that's what he said) and either companies paid royalties to use it, or they literally went broke trying to work out another design to match it, plus, Michelin also had the drop on everyone else with their tyre compounds as well how they actually made a tyre, it usually stayed round, balanced and stuck to the road!

Well I respect his wisdom and knowledge, but... I can't probably get what I want in a Michelin and have set my sail to a Hankook Dynapro MT tyre and, cross fingers, even though this tyre and all the others get the occasional bad wrap, this is one of the few tyres that gets a constant big tick in most reviews and forums both here and overseas, for both on and off road use, and it's available in a 235/85R16 and even better, after speaking yesterday directly to a Hankook rep in Sydney, he confirmed that this size is available in a 10 ply, something that needed clarifying as there was disagreement between some tyre dealers down here.

So now that's cleared up, as soon as I've got the readys, I'm off to take my chances at the tyre store (unless someone has compelling evidence to the contrary), so thank you everyone for you help, even if some of you are muttering under your breath... 'poor misguided fool'... (;->

Alvin

PS. One caveat - Apparently don't buy the ones made a while back in Mexico and check the date stamp is recent and not old stock.

[alvin]

Well... my Hankook Dynapro MT RT203 tyres went on this morning and they not only look great, but I like the ride (in the rain home) so far, but........

I was sort of used to the feel of the Michelins and had a bit of a moment coming to grips with a totally different feel of these new tyres when I first hit the road at speed. So much so that I really thought I had a toe in/out problem and went back after a short blast at 100k's to get a check on the wheel alignment!

Turns out after discussion with a very helpful 'alignment guy' that the toe was well within spec, but... the castor was way out and in the negative!

His past experience has been seeing many solid axle 4wd's that have been raised, end up like this, which accounted for my first sensation of the front now being very twitchy at speed, something the Michelins didn't seem to care about.

I've now driven 27k's home in the rain and I'm acclimatising and not so sensitive and they do drive well in the wet on bitumen, but he explained and showed me how the diff was tilted and I said how these vehicles were indeed raised somewhat compared to the standard.

He also said other vehicles can usually compensate with aftermarket adapters that pull the castor back. Apparently negative castor was 'the thing' on older tyres, but not now with steel belted.

So, just wondering any thoughts on this and should I fix?
The car is still driving well and not unstable as such, but did take some getting used to, so is it an issue and should I follow this up?

Thoughts/knowledge here anyone?

Regards, Alvin

PS After reading about these tyres in the forums and how some running them at quite high psi, finally learnt from an older tyre bloke today that because they are a 10ply tyre, a 10ply tyre should be run at no less than 55psi standard on the road (obviously ok to drop when in sand, etc) as running them below that with a reasonably heavy vehicle like the Perentie will cause internal damage to the tyre over time. So 55psi unladen and fully laden they can and should go higher on fast bitumen... comments anyone?

[aussiegregmac]

Alvin, Alvin, Alvin.  After all the suggestions and recommendations give by people on here of vast experience and probably a lot of knowledge you have chosen yet another Brand on the advice of yet other people.   And you want further comment Pftt.

[alvin]

Ummm, aussiegregmac, thank you for your interesting response, but please let me enlighten you about a few things (;->

I'm not some silly young buck with his first 4wd, I've had 4wd's for many years and I'm passably mechanical in my knowledge and in my way past I've ridden my Ducati many thousands of k's around Oz, but... I'm always open to new ideas and others with wiser knowledge, but I'll bet you this, tyre choice is and always will be a personal and subjective decision!

I was in fact veeery keen to buy Michelins again, until I saw the way the tread was pulling apart and how the carcass was developing cracks and I was nearly convinced to try some new ones, but, after talking to the Vic/Tas rep personally by phone, and then being directed to a Michelin dealer for them to check my concerns with the existing tyres and then to be told that no matter what I do, Michelin are about to discontinue making these particular tyres so you better get the last ones before they are gone and then the Michelin rep having never got back to me after seeing the Michelin tyre dealer, I decided to move on!

Since then, like just about everyone else (because not many drivers really scientifically know what's the best tyre to buy - it's all empirical and ancedotal), you can only really find tyres by 'research' and then 'buying and trying', isn't that in fact correct?

And as much as the usual 'Duellers', etc are tried and true, I was willing to look a little further and my research pointed me to the Hankooks.

But whether I put Hankooks or some other brand of tyre on, the same geometry changes would have been picked up, except for probably a majority of drivers they wouldn't have noticed. In my case I could pick up a difference of 2psi change in tyre pressure when I was riding bikes seriously, so I thought it might be worth running these findings past others more experienced in the geometry of the Perentie, but hey...pfft, who am I to challenge the collective wisdom of the wizards? (;->