Stuck in the Outback---Which tyre to choose

[xcvator]

This is not a which tyre is best topic
Assuming you were doing an outback trip without a spare tyre and the chances of you needing one eventually was over 90% ,which tyres would you start out with based on availabilty in  remote areas eg; if bfg a/t are hard to get in the city, how much more difficult are they to get in the sticks?
What is the easiest a/t tyre to buy when out in the never never

[areyonga]

I have just been stuck in the outback in the recent storms, I am glad I had new Yokohama Geolander ATS on the cruiser, they did great in the mud and river crossings with 20PSI.  They have a good guarantee from the manufacturers as well.

[Tjupurula]

Hi Xcvator
I guess some would consider where I live "out in the never never", I run Michelin XZY3 750/16's on split rims, and have two spares.
I use teh split rims, and a Tyre Dog Pressure Management system, so when I see the pressure dropping, I pull up, get the tyre off and change it.  If I get more than two punctures, I can always run the splits over to break the bead, and repair the tube.  I also normally carry at least one spare tube, just in case a tube cannot be repaired, which has happened.
The most common tyre I see however is the Road Gripper by Dunlop, I dislike them, but a lot of people use them, they are cheap and seem to be available everywhere.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Black Diamond]

What size tyre we talking?

[TroyE]

Hi Xcvator
I guess some would consider where I live "out in the never never", I run Michelin XZY3 750/16's on split rims, and have two spares.
I use teh split rims, and a Tyre Dog Pressure Management system, so when I see the pressure dropping, I pull up, get the tyre off and change it.  If I get more than two punctures, I can always run the splits over to break the bead, and repair the tube.  I also normally carry at least one spare tube, just in case a tube cannot be repaired, which has happened.
The most common tyre I see however is the Road Gripper by Dunlop, I dislike them, but a lot of people use them, they are cheap and seem to be available everywhere.
Regards
Tjupurula

what he said ok tyre and should be able to get them out the back of nowhere.  I used to see a lot of them when we lived in winton qld.

troy

[jetcrew]

This is not a which tyre is best topic
Assuming you were doing an outback trip without a spare tyre and the chances of you needing one eventually was over 90% ,which tyres would you start out with based on availabilty in  remote areas eg; if bfg a/t are hard to get in the city, how much more difficult are they to get in the sticks?
What is the easiest a/t tyre to buy when out in the never never

I don't think (in fact I know from first hand ) when you are in a remote area and have had more flats than tyres and the tyre repair kit won't seal the holes , If you can get to an outback servo etc and they have tyres the BRAND won't be a big deal.

what will is sizing, so stick to common sizes , understand what tyres are interchangable with your tyres ,

 by this I mean what is an
acceptable,
do it if I have too and a
camp for the night difference in rolling diameter that you can handle.

A 265/75/16 and a 235/85/16 are interchangable (in my book) as are many other sizes you will be suprised.

If you are going very remote than know your gear, understand what rolling diameters are and what the offsetts are. I saw a couple waiting at an outback servo in the NT , for a tyre as the place did not have thier size. when I pointed out that there was a whole stack of 750/16's out the back that would get them moving agian they were amazed. (the owner not so )

Hope that helps to some degree.

Jetcrew

[xcvator]

What size tyre we talking?

245/70r/16/107s

[Black Diamond]

245/70r/16/107s

2 of the most popular A/T tyres would be D694LT Bridgestones and Yoko AT/S. An interchangeable size is 205R16 (if your stuck) which is quiet popular in b/stone 604v and Dunlop road grippers.

Although these are popular brands tyre trends are always changing so your not always guaranteed to find a particular brand. I would go with the 694lt as it has a higher load rating (113) and has quiet a rigid sidewall

BD

[xcvator]

Well I"ve been ringing around and the Bridgestone D694lt are discontinued and no longer available  :'( Replacement is a "697" but that isn't available either coz of floods in Thailand so it looks like it might be the Yoki's

[Bird]

Hi Xcvator
I guess some would consider where I live "out in the never never", I run Michelin XZY3 750/16's on split rims, and have two spares.
I use teh split rims, and a Tyre Dog Pressure Management system, so when I see the pressure dropping, I pull up, get the tyre off and change it.  If I get more than two punctures, I can always run the splits over to break the bead, and repair the tube.  I also normally carry at least one spare tube, just in case a tube cannot be repaired, which has happened.
The most common tyre I see however is the Road Gripper by Dunlop, I dislike them, but a lot of people use them, they are cheap and seem to be available everywhere.

agree, splittys and cheese cutters.

[cm4x4nut]

If I were outback touring and needed to get a spare in a hurry, who cares what brand it is? Surely the size is more important. In which case stick to the well known sizes and I would take whatever is available in that size to get me out of trouble.

[Matto]

I don't think (in fact I know from first hand ) when you are in a remote area and have had more flats than tyres and the tyre repair kit won't seal the holes , If you can get to an outback servo etc and they have tyres the BRAND won't be a big deal.

If I were outback touring and needed to get a spare in a hurry, who cares what brand it is? Surely the size is more important.

+1 to both these gentlemen.

If I'm outback and I need a new tyre, I'll take whatever they can give me. If nothing they've got is close enough, and I've got the trailer with me I'd get them to mount up 2 new tyres to the trailer and put the trailer's tyres on the car. Doesn't matter if all they've got is 37" HT tyres for the trailer, they're round and they do the job. Incidentally that's one of the reasons I've got the same tyres on the trailer as I do on the car - a bit of extra insurance in a "worst case scenario".

IMHO, I think these days it really wouldn't matter what tyre you had on, the likelihood of an outback servo having that exact brand, in that tread type and that size would be pretty remote. There's just too many different brands, types and sizes for it to work.

Cheers!
Matto

[duggie]

+1 to both these gentlemen.

If I'm outback and I need a new tyre, I'll take whatever they can give me. If nothing they've got is close enough, and I've got the trailer with me I'd get them to mount up 2 new tyres to the trailer and put the trailer's tyres on the car. Doesn't matter if all they've got is 37" HT tyres for the trailer, they're round and they do the job. Incidentally that's one of the reasons I've got the same tyres on the trailer as I do on the car - a bit of extra insurance in a "worst case scenario".
Cheers!
Matto

I agree 100% with what your saying Matto, I dropped the 33's I had on my old girl onto the Trackabout and bought 4 new mags and 33's for the old girl. Worst case, leave the trailer on the side of the road and go fetch some tyres for it.

[crackacoldie]

IMHO it is more important to start with a good tyre, not one that is easily available.  If you do happen to need any in an outback emergency, grab what you can.

  Cracka

[grafy82]

If Murphy's Law prevails when you get a non repairable flat, the only tyre the outback shop will have will be the dearest brand name tyre you can get, and then it will cost double what it would in the city.

[Patr80l]

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

This might be useful.

[Robertsons]

This is not a which tyre is best topic
Assuming you were doing an outback trip without a spare tyre and the chances of you needing one eventually was over 90% ,which tyres would you start out with based on availabilty in  remote areas eg; if bfg a/t are hard to get in the city, how much more difficult are they to get in the sticks?
What is the easiest a/t tyre to buy when out in the never never

We bought a bfg muddy 16" at Mungeranie on the Birdsville Track. $330 2008

[fishfinder]

Hi Xcvator
I guess some would consider where I live "out in the never never", I run Michelin XZY3 750/16's on split rims, and have two spares.
I use teh split rims, and a Tyre Dog Pressure Management system, so when I see the pressure dropping, I pull up, get the tyre off and change it.  If I get more than two punctures, I can always run the splits over to break the bead, and repair the tube.  I also normally carry at least one spare tube, just in case a tube cannot be repaired, which has happened.
The most common tyre I see however is the Road Gripper by Dunlop, I dislike them, but a lot of people use them, they are cheap and seem to be available everywhere.
Regards
Tjupurula

I worked in a tyre shop in Halls Creek nearly 20 yrs ago and about 80% of the tyres sold were Road grippers it appears thing dont change

[Spurio]

It may be just a case of waiting a couple of days for the size, brand you want

We have the modern marvels of a things called a telephone, internet and at least once a week deliveries 

[SteveandViv]

Yea, our fleet tend to have the Road Gripper by Dunlop not that i'd ever use them. Seen to many fall apart out back

[shaned]

The best way to choose what size to use is to see what is most commonly used outback, skinny tyres on split rims where ( until recently) most common.
Nowadays eqiupment for fixing tubeless tyres and plugs that can fix a puncture without even taking the tyre off make things much easier that to strip a tyre off a rim and to patch a tube,(and hope you got all the sand out of the tyre)
I run 235/85 16's split's on my cruiser, and its most definatly not for looks.
They are a 10 ply tyre, have a load rating of 120 and where less than $250 fitted with tubes.
I'm about to up date to tubeless tyres, new steel tubeless rims will cost abit over $100 each, but I will retain my 235's .

I'm about to put on some more cheep mudddies on ($200), I bought 2 that have done 10000ks that seem to be wearing OK, but and this is a big but, as far as wet road holding goes, they are SHOCKING, but in the mud, the're great, will put another 2 on for Easter fun, as far as outback travell goes, I don't think so, I don't trust them for that kind of work, any future outback travells will be on the bridgies which is what I have faith in
Shane

[Matto]

It may be just a case of waiting a couple of days for the size, brand you want

We have the modern marvels of a things called a telephone, internet and at least once a week deliveries 

Hehehehe. You've obviously never bought BFG's. I was lucky and managed to grab the last ones in my size in the country - only had to wait 3 weeks.   

Cheers!
Matto

[speewa158]

Having destroyed 3 tyres on a trip & spending 2 days totally stuffed , any tyre is fine , I had to have 3 tyres delivered to the roadside 198KM noth of Innaminka at $450 each  :'(. Only to find the same tyre at home for $185 fitted & balanced . Supply & demand l suppose . Rather than out plan yourself here , if you get the best you can to start with then replace if you have to . Large black round & full of air works well out there 

[xcvator]

Thanks for the feed back The consensus seems to be that size really does matter