New tires, help plz.

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Rollin
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Hello everyone.

I am about to get new tires for my 463. Currently i have 275x70xR15 on MB original alloys.

I want to fit bigger tires for better offroad driving. But i dont want to get new rims. So, my question is: what tire sizes can be fitted on my rims? without lifting the body and also the tireedges must be covered by the standard sized original plastic wheel arch extensions.

I have heard that the 33"x12.5x15 needs 8" of rimsize, mine is 7.5" i think...

Hope you guys understands what i mean.

Thanks!

/RR

phileas
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Hi Rollin,

For what its worth. I had a standard set of rims with 275/70R16 tyres on a standard set-up 463 and there was no rubbing. The point you have to watch out for is the steering arm. If you want bigger tyres on a 15" rim, you may have to go wider in which case you'd need to get some spacers. Fitting these is easy and they do the job: I did this after having gone to 285/70R16s.

Good luck/ph

Silverwagon
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changing tyre/wheel size - check this first

 Take a look at this web site

www.willtheyfit.com

I am going through the same trauma on a K truck at the moment, they key thing to watch for is tyre clearance when on full lock, rubbing on the inner wing is an MOT fail................

Rollin
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Thanks for the link!

I have been in contact with a supplier who has blackspoke wheels in stock in size. 10" wide R15 (5x130). Rim offset -10 or -44. I guess offset 10 is to prefer. But what do you guys think?. 10" wide is quite much and in not thinking of getting 35" tires im thinking max 33".

Will it work?

bigblock
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Hi there, I have been running BFG A/T ko 325x60x15 on my 300 GEL with 7" wide rims for the last 10 years with no problems. 

On full lock there is very slight rubbing on the steering arm but this must be due to the width of the tyre because the overall tyre/wheel diameter is still only 30.5 inches. 

Your choice of 12.5x33x15 is only the equivalent of 312mm in width so should be fine and there is certainly sufficent room under the arches to fit a 33" tyre my only concern would be if there is any fouling on full lock and  without a body lift you also risk grounding the tyres on the wheel arches under articulation.

I would like to fit a set of 12.5x35x15 to mine so I would also be interested in what the clearance issues are for this size of tyre on a 463. 

peter perfect
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Better off roading ? I would question how wide you need for the type of off roading you intend on doing, the wider you go can be a hinderence, unless you plan to hit boggy ground. Personally I think 12:50 are too wide, a happy medium is 10:50 or 11:50. If you want to expand your tread which in turn may give you a better SOG, but in mud larger tyres, unless you go for really aggresive tread, wont give you any more traction as such, only cause the soft mud to float in front of the tyre causing a dam effect. I would not put a 33" on a 7 J, 8 j is fine, but 10j Recommend. I had 33 BFG on 8j and were fine, but with hindsight I would have gone for a 32"10 or 11:50. for std suspension.

When I eventually used my 280 in for challenge event I went for 34"10:50 15 simex, a 90% off road tyre, I assume your a recreational off roader, Id go for a max of 11:50 wide as the 463 axle is 2" wider than a 460 anyway.

peter perfect
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 33" tyres on a 463 will rub on the plastic arches on full lock, and articulation, so 35 just wont go unless you lift it 2" minimum suspension and you get all sorts of issues with vibration on the 463" so I would leave well alone, knowing where you live I understand why you need 12:50, bog and a 2.5 ton truck don't go together much. The only way is to lift body to prevent vibrations from props unless you want to mess around with the geometry on axles. but SOG then becomes an issue, if your not going over extreme terrain then lift body stick some big tyres and you can go bog snorkelling all day !

peter perfect
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 33" tyres on a 463 will rub on the plastic arches on full lock, and articulation, so 35 just wont go unless you lift it 2" minimum suspension and you get all sorts of issues with vibration on the 463" so I would leave well alone, knowing where you live I understand why you need 12:50, bog and a 2.5 ton truck don't go together much. The only way is to lift body to prevent vibrations from props unless you want to mess around with the geometry on axles. but SOG then becomes an issue, if your not going over extreme terrain then lift body stick some big tyres and you can go bog snorkelling all day !

bigblock
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Re: New tires, help plz.

I don't use the G for extreme terrain because it does not have a winch fitted and most of the time I am on my own. I usualy take the Octad or the quad for the more challenging terrain. I would use the G but I am a big fat bastard who can't be arsed walking the 10 miles back to the lodge when I do get it stuck. The buggy in the picture is also pretty handy because it can be lifted out of bogs when stuck or pushed the right way up when rolled over!! 

Peter are you saying that if I raise the body by a couple of inches on the 463 then I can fit 35" tyres without any other modifications. I would prefer to leave the suspension as standard so as not to affect the steering geometry etc. I really only need the 35" tyres for a bit more ground clearance and because I told my little boy we would make a monster truck.

phileas
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Re: New tires, help plz.

I've read this and a few other posts on lifting and suspension upgrades for 463s. I have 2" suspension lifts on both of our 463s and have had no adverse vibration issues at all (both are also running with h/d Koni dampers - maybe this is why, but I don't know), so would advise this way to go if you want bigger tyres. We're running on 33" tyres. On one of ours we've also done a 2" body lift and I can honestly say that this is much more difficult to achieve decent results with. Firstly, it is a lot more expensive than just changing the springs and secondly the issue that we're still grappling with on the bodylifted one is that the low range lever 'slips' out when you lift your foot off the throttle as one can't push it forward enough as some of the body work gets in the way. Is there a ready-made solution (i.e. adjuster bracket for the low-range lever mech to attach to) out there to anyones knowledge? Thanks in advance/ph

bigblock
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Re: New tires, help plz.

I parked next to this chap today, he has 35" tyres fitted to his landy.
The ground clearance compared to my G was quite significant although he has a suspension and body lift.
I have arranged to collect some old 35" tyres for a trial fitting on my G to see what the problems are going to be and if I can get away with just a suspension lift as Phileas recommends.

peter perfect
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 When you do a body lift you can get the kit from Orc, this includes longer brackets required for the hi/low range and gearbox selector, quite expensive. As for 35 I believe you need both body and suspension lift. With 463 it's really hit and miss on success with suspension lifts, but more often than not you do get vibration issues at certain speeds, as for fitting 35" you also find the gearing a problem.

Rollin
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Interresting reading..

I am keeping my rims and fitting them with 31/10.5 R15 BFG MT KM2.

I just want a little more bodyclearence and better tracktion in terrain/forrest. Its my hunting vehicle.. I dont want it to be a terrain monster.

Thanks!

Spider1V
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 So, not starting a new thread, what would be the widest you guys would recommend for a G500? I have 265/60 R18's and will need to change them quite soon. i am really liking the BF Goodridge All Terrain. I have to slow up, as petrol is getting expensive. I have tended to shy away from BFG's in the past as they don't really go much over 106MPH, which I think is fast enough (for now) 

If you have them or any BFG AT's,  your comments on ; ( would be very helpful.)

Comfort
Noise
Durability
Off Road Capability
Overall thoughts/comments 

Ta

Spider1V

M2dxb
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Re: New tires, help plz.

I've been running BFG ATs courtesy of a friend for a few months (winter really). First thing I noticed was the poor grip in the wet, compared to my previous General Grabber UHPs. They are poor as a road-going tyre, but if you want off-road performance, they come highly recommended, very tough, and they last ages.

Rollin
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Fitted.

M2dxb
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Looking good..very clean G too!

phileas
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 hi spider. i have 285/70R18 BFG AT2s on my 500 and I am very pleased by them. Regarding your considerations, noise is very low (even at speed), they are good offroad (they have a much higher sidewall strength rating than all the other ATs on the market so you can air-down easily and not have to worry about the tyres even over rocky/scree-type terrain), very durable (additedly, they are a bit hard and won't grip as well in snow as softer tyres would - I haven't found them too bad in the wet but could understand that other tyres would fare better) and very good all-rounders. The reason I chose them is because we do quite a bit of mileage mixed with some fairly tough offroading when the car is fully loaded (hence my interest in sidewall ratings). I haven't had too much experience with other brands, except to say that whenever we go offroading we DON'T get punctures whereas some of the others, with even Kumho/Cooper/etc shod 4x4s, DO. So, if changing a tyre when your wagon is caked in mud is your thing, maybe the BFGs won't provide that fun-factor............but seriously, I don't have any issues with them. In so far as the size, our 500 has a 2" bodylift, +2" springs and wheel spacers so fitment is not a problem. I could imagine in a standard 500 you might have some issues but I'm afraid I can't enlighten you as I have never seen these tyres on a standard car: I think your biggest issue would be the width, which could be fixed with the spacers without too much ado. Hope that helps/ph

p.s. even with these bigger tyres, the car still brakes fine when fully laden.

phileas
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Re: New tires, help plz.

spider

sorry correction; tyre size is 285/65R18

ph

Spider1V
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 Ph.

Many thanks - PM sent

Spider1V

Spider1V
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 Right I have been looking into the whole BFG thing and found out that there is going to be a price hike at the end of may, by Michelin (who now own BFG). The closest profile I can find that matches my current tyres' (265/60/R18 - Bridgestone Duler) would be the BFG 265/65/R18. If anyone has these fitted, could you post up by how much the extra 5 (in the 65) will raise the G? This will be critical as it would mean that one will no longer be able to limbo under the bars protecting most of the Parks, shops and car parks around here!

Reading the reports from those who have posted here and on 'other' forums they are a tad expensive, but very capable beast and I must say looking at the photos above make the G more 'muscular' which at my time in life is a major factor...

Many thanks

Spider1V

prwales
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Re: New tires, help plz.

I thought you were selling it?

bigblock
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Re: New tires, help plz.

Whats wrong Spider don't you have a calculator.

265mm width x 60% aspect ratio =  159mm

265mm width x 65% aspect ratio =   172.25mm

172.25mm  minus 159mm  =  13.25mm difference in height
                                                  (or just over half an inch in old money).

Spider1V
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Re: New tires, help plz.

 Bigblock

Many thanks - did not know that!

So my G would go up to a total height of 197.25cm, so I could still get in under the 2M barriers! Whooo!

Spider1V