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Which tires for Africa?


SeriousIIa

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Hi,

Which tires are the best for a trip to Dakar and back

The 110 is about 2900 kg.

bovenkl.jpg

I've got a set of 4 new BF's AT on modulairs fitted 285x75x16. (pro: width!, not to grippy, con's: not so strong sidewalls, will have to buy 2 extra, not so readily available in africa)

Also got a set of 6 new Michelin XZL's 7,50x16 on wolf rims. (Pro: VERY strong, easily available sizewise, con's narrow especially in the sand)

Which are the better tires for this kind of trip? Any opions??

Cheers Bowy

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I would go with the XZL's. But I would sell or trade the 7.50's, and move up to 9.00x16. Use the wolf rims, but put on a set of weld on beadlocks. You'll have the width, the height, and the ability to air down to 4-5 psi, and have great traction in the sand.

That is sound advice

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Guest diesel_jim

This comes up qiute often on Sahara overland. i think the XZL is renound for being pretty good in the desert, and in 7.50 size you won't find it that hard to get a replacement should you damage one.

the wolf rims are very strong anyway, so they'd be ideal too.

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I would stick with 750's easy to find replacements in Africa air down to 1bar min or you stand a bigger risk of side wall damage and could loose a tyre if you don't have bead lockers. Take a good supply of air and let them up and down as needed.

Peter

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Guest diesel_jim
Note the "900x16" size (255/100R16) is actually bigger than a 9.00x16 by an inch or more making them ~37".

And have you ever picked one up, mounted on a rim?

how heavy? :rolleyes: (very!)

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Hi Bowie,

Ideally you want a large diameter tyre like a 900x16 for flotation in the sand, BUT:

1. using such large tyres will put your gearing out,

2. will add more stress to your axles etc.

3. will make finding replacement sizes harder (though you are VERY unlikely to need any)

4. the majority of the Sahara is gravel and rock with short stretches of soft sand

5. your realistic soft sand/dune climbing capability is already compromised by the weight of the vehicle/power to weight ratio

I have used the 7.50x16 Michelin XZL on a very heavily laden 109 from London to Capetown:

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=13084&hl=

I covered 20,000 miles of sand, mud, rock and tarmac and they performed faultlessly and I only got the vehicle bogged down (not badly) a couple of times. They were about 2/3 worn at the end. Only one puncture from a nail sticking through a piece of wood I accidently ran over. One front tyre got heavily bashed in the sidewall when I clipped a hidden rock at the side of a track at speed. Impact was hard enough to lift the front of the vehicle up, push the tyre off the rim enough to pinch the tube and ding the rim, but the sidewall of the tyre was barely marked.

XZL - Great all round tyre, highly recommended.

It is true that the wider BFGs you have will probably perform better in the sand, but how much true soft sand driving will you be doing? As I mentioned above, the amount of dune driving you will be able to do will be limited anyway. Most of the worst soft sand on the level will be within the capabilities of XZLs run at low pressure.

I don’t know your route but I would be tempted to use the 7.50x16 XZLs and a decent engine driven on board air compressor.

To summarise - Big is Best - IF they don’t compromise the strength and reliability of the vehicle.

Regards,

Diff

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To summarise - Big is Best - IF they don’t compromise the strength and reliability of the vehicle.

I think your saying exactly the reason why I don't want 900x16. Although it would look cool! But got my other Yellow Landrover for that purpose.....

Now for the first time I plan to keep the 'red mist' and parts carnage away :blink:

Allt the others thanx for the input. I will go for the XZL's.

Cheers Bowy

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I think your saying exactly the reason why I don't want 900x16. Although it would look cool! But got my other Yellow Landrover for that purpose.....

Now for the first time I plan to keep the 'red mist' and parts carnage away :blink:

Allt the others thanx for the input. I will go for the XZL's.

Cheers Bowy

you could go half way and get 8.25" xzl's. they are about 34" high and not so heavy as the 9.00" ones. its a fairly odd size for europe i think, but not so odd elsewhere. of course if you already have 7.50's there's maybe a lot to be said for getting those.

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