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gday guys, im planning on upgrading the tyres on my 91 L series to something that will be better for sand driving, what suggestions do you guys have for a good sand/mud all round tyre. i have a 2inch lift kit so larger tyres can be used, just not sure about 27" tyres. if someone could give us some advice it would really help. cheers

Road tyres work best in sand, but if you planning some mud driving then all terrains might be the go.
Having said that, I've run BFG Muds on my non subie for as long as I've had it and never been stuck on the beach.

27's fit with 2 inch lift, but you'll hav to do a minor amount of hammer work in the front guards and if you have mudflaps they will have to go too.

the nankang super trippers are very good in sand. The sidewalls bow out nicely when you deflate them, and the leave a nice fat footprint.

alex

i found my bfg at's work well on about 20psi on the sand. great float and footprint

The side walls "bagging out" make hardly any difference at all. This is a very common misconception.
Yes increasing the footprint of the tyre on the ground is the advantage...but it works primarily because of the big increase in LENGTH of the footprint, not the width.

I agree that road tyres work well in sand as it's not a gripping effect you need (with chunky tyres) but rather a "floating" effect on top of the boggy sand.

Generally speaking the bigger the tyre the better you will go - get some 27's for sure!

OK slightly off track but why does everyone talk inches when it comes to tyres? I run 215/65/14s - what's that in inches??

Some tyres are measured in inches such as the BFG AT and Nankang super trippers mensioned. BUT some are measured like you said. My 16's on the non subie are 265/75 R16 which is a 32x10.5R16.
Through your paticulars into this one - http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp

Or you could try this one also.


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

what sort of price would i be looking at for a set of nankang super trippers? i really only want them for 4wding so ill have to have them fitted then taken off.

I payed $120 fitted each in northeast victoria

AndrewT wrote:The side walls "bagging out" make hardly any difference at all. This is a very common misconception.
Yes increasing the footprint of the tyre on the ground is the advantage...but it works primarily because of the big increase in LENGTH of the footprint, not the width.

I agree that road tyres work well in sand as it's not a gripping effect you need (with chunky tyres) but rather a "floating" effect on top of the boggy sand.

Generally speaking the bigger the tyre the better you will go - get some 27's for sure!

disagree with this andyT mack. You get floatation by the width of the tyre. Theres a reason they always say to deflate your tyres, this is so you get a wider footprint. Cheese graters are obviously going to bury themselves alot easier/quicker than something wide.

How do you mean length?

alex

Alex, put bluntly your wrong. Next time you let down your tyres try this.

Measure your footprint with road pressure by using two straight edges chocked under the leading and following edge of your tyre. Now deflate to your sand pressure and repeat measurement. Bet its longer. That is what creates your extra grip offroading and extra floatation sand driving.

Lightning_Silver_RX wrote:Alex, put bluntly your wrong. Next time you let down your tyres try this.

Measure your footprint with road pressure by using two straight edges chocked under the leading and following edge of your tyre. Now deflate to your sand pressure and repeat measurement. Bet its longer. That is what creates your extra grip offroading and extra floatation sand driving.

this is true. and thats prolly the best way to explain it

It also helps to match the footprints front to rear or even if your someone that does your trailer tyres, as the same tyre obviously doesn't get the same weight put on it front to back. Hope that makes as much sense. Give it a go.
Alex, I went seaching for more info to give you about this but it seems in my quick seach I can't find anything. But there is some misinformation out there as the tyrepower website mensions width not length.

(sorry to extend the hijack)
but couldn't it be that both width and length play a part in increasing "flotation"? i have noticed just by looking that my old nankangs bagged out sideways alot more than my bfg muds do, surely this makes some difference?

ok i wasnt thinking strait, i was on my lunch break. I get what you mean by 'length' now. Both factors do contribute to flotation tho.

alex

Yep but length like 95% of it.
It's in the "how to 4x4 for n00bs" section of most 4x4 magazines

AndrewT wrote:Yep but length like 95% of it.
It's in the "how to 4x4 for n00bs" section of most 4x4 magazines

which is the part AndrewT reads extravagantly.


but yes. i definetely agree they both help.