Chaps, going around in circles a bit here and as always, I rely on good advice from you all. Quite able to use the internet, but not finding what I need.
I am currently running std auto diffs on 33” tyres with 16” rims. I actually have three sets. One set of 285 BFG ATs that are completely shagged, a set of Insas that are monstrous off road and a mixed set of 255s (in Cooper ST and old pattern BFG Muds.) There will be Cooper STs in production for March I am informed so that I can make up a full set up again if I want. I lost two in the fire and the rest are virtually brand new.
OK here’s the rub, I want to go bigger and a re-gear is on the horizon. All the 33’s would be ditched in favour of 35” min. In principle, I would like two sets of tyres only. One set for everyday, driving to Scotland occasional laning maybe. Nothing outlandish – let’s say like an All Terrain. I have seen some Grabbers in 35” and they’d be perfect but can’t find anyone selling them. Then another set possibly up to a 37” in something with tread like tank tracks. Now before you get carried away with my credit card, there has to be a budget here and £300 per tyre simply isn’t an option. Maybe something 'value' like a Fedima Sirocco. If they come in 37”. They won't do many miles.
I have been trawling the interweb and I am feeling a little frustrated in trying to find a solution. It’s very important to understand that not all tyres are the size they claim to be. I looked at some alleged 35’s at JCS tyres. No way were they 35” and indeed Chas agreed that they weren’t, so this decision has to be made on reality not simply a size on a web page. It seems that both Cooper and BFG are the size that they claim to be. I stood the Silverstones, Insas and Coopers in a line and a blind man’s dog could see that only the Coopers were 35”
If there were a single tyre that would do the biz that would be great, but that’s a rainbow I don’t think we can chase in reality. The 325.80.16 Cooper STT comes in at 36.5” which is very attractive actually. But how good is the STT in real mud? I know people rate them on road and off road, but I am talking about serious conditions way above what we see at Lincomb for example. Is the less aggressive tread of the STT off set by the fact that it’s 36.5”? In other words do monster tyres get away with being less aggressive? I am not after swamp tyres like you’d put on a buggy. The Insas are formidable and if available in 37” I’d have another set today. I’d like to get a trip over the water done this year and the last thing I want is tyres like threepeenny bits humming round as I cruise down the Autoroute.
None of this grip is any good if your wheels are not in contact with the ground. So I MIGHT be considering a bit a bigger lift. We’ll see.
So what I am looking for here is experience of actual hands on some of these tyres. I know that several of you have had 35’s on - Gav, Ryan?
One set or two?
35’s v 37s
Muds or monsters
Wide or narrow
Good suppliers
I am currently running std auto diffs on 33” tyres with 16” rims. I actually have three sets. One set of 285 BFG ATs that are completely shagged, a set of Insas that are monstrous off road and a mixed set of 255s (in Cooper ST and old pattern BFG Muds.) There will be Cooper STs in production for March I am informed so that I can make up a full set up again if I want. I lost two in the fire and the rest are virtually brand new.
OK here’s the rub, I want to go bigger and a re-gear is on the horizon. All the 33’s would be ditched in favour of 35” min. In principle, I would like two sets of tyres only. One set for everyday, driving to Scotland occasional laning maybe. Nothing outlandish – let’s say like an All Terrain. I have seen some Grabbers in 35” and they’d be perfect but can’t find anyone selling them. Then another set possibly up to a 37” in something with tread like tank tracks. Now before you get carried away with my credit card, there has to be a budget here and £300 per tyre simply isn’t an option. Maybe something 'value' like a Fedima Sirocco. If they come in 37”. They won't do many miles.
I have been trawling the interweb and I am feeling a little frustrated in trying to find a solution. It’s very important to understand that not all tyres are the size they claim to be. I looked at some alleged 35’s at JCS tyres. No way were they 35” and indeed Chas agreed that they weren’t, so this decision has to be made on reality not simply a size on a web page. It seems that both Cooper and BFG are the size that they claim to be. I stood the Silverstones, Insas and Coopers in a line and a blind man’s dog could see that only the Coopers were 35”
If there were a single tyre that would do the biz that would be great, but that’s a rainbow I don’t think we can chase in reality. The 325.80.16 Cooper STT comes in at 36.5” which is very attractive actually. But how good is the STT in real mud? I know people rate them on road and off road, but I am talking about serious conditions way above what we see at Lincomb for example. Is the less aggressive tread of the STT off set by the fact that it’s 36.5”? In other words do monster tyres get away with being less aggressive? I am not after swamp tyres like you’d put on a buggy. The Insas are formidable and if available in 37” I’d have another set today. I’d like to get a trip over the water done this year and the last thing I want is tyres like threepeenny bits humming round as I cruise down the Autoroute.
None of this grip is any good if your wheels are not in contact with the ground. So I MIGHT be considering a bit a bigger lift. We’ll see.
So what I am looking for here is experience of actual hands on some of these tyres. I know that several of you have had 35’s on - Gav, Ryan?
One set or two?
35’s v 37s
Muds or monsters
Wide or narrow
Good suppliers