[sierrajim]

Well I've had a set of 35x12/15 or 16 (which ever comes off the production line first) ordered now for well over a year. Patiently waiting and waiting and waiting. Finally I've contacted Interco direct, they now have an eta of late neat year!!!! Needless to say I'm not so keen to go another winter on old 3/4 worn tyres. Having my mind pretty set on these tyres I now need some help working out what else to get.

This is to go on my LWB Zook, geared, locked with a couple of mods here and there.

First hand expirence would be appreciated, "my mates, mates, mate" information is rarely too accurate.

So my options are: I have a set of 16" non beadlock rims and 15" beadlock rims. Both are around 6 - 6.5 inches wide.

Simex 35x11.5, good in the mud and average VIC conditions. Really crap on rock, not too bad on the road. What are these like on a light car?

Silverstone Extreme, 35x10.5 or 11.5 in 15 and 16 inch. Apparently a little softer than the Simex, some of the big car guys have had issues, some quality issues that are apparently sorted. Had these for 2 trips on my old GU. They take noisy to a new level.

Mickey Thompson Baja TTC, these are now radial, new tread design might help with side slopes, that said it is quite an encosed design - nearly an all terrain. Terry Smith (the importer) tells me they're the same sidewall as the Cooper STT's I have on my Patrol which are quite stiff.

Maxxis Treps. 37's will take a LOT of fitting and will need a significant power increase to run them.

BFG Krawlers, getting pretty wide but they do seem to work pretty well. Would mean coughing extra cash for tyres plus another set of wheels I guess??

[remydog05]

Gidday Jim!

I have been reading about tires in the last week or so wondering what I should get for my rig??

A few things!

First! I have my Simex 32's which measure 33's here, you are welcome to come and grab them, use them and if that helps you make a call then go for it. I like the simex but mine have only got a small amount of life left and Im thinking of something a bit taller and wider as I will have the J20a to push them.

Ive been watching and reading about the cars on krawlers and the results.
I like the idea but not the convinced yet or having to do more guard work to make them fit.
Im looking at 15inch as I have a set of 15x7 beadlocks and 15x8 steel rims.

Things Ive found in the 35inch sizing. Listed below is the real size of the websites not the size on the tire wall.

Krawlers 35/13.8/15 (says on the site to use 15x10 rims) Dont know prices. id say they would be $450ish??
KM2 34.8/12.5/15 (should be able to use my 15x7?) price about $380ish
Treps 34.6/13.1/15 would need the 15x8 i would think price $360ish
Creepys 35.0/13.5/15 again 15x8 $440ish

Id like to use my beadlocks and not cut my guards anymore (yet) so Im thinking KM'2s at this stage for price size etc, unless I found a 2nd hand set of q78's, Creepys or similar.
When I look at the patern of creepys and Treps I think there is a fair bit of difference yet from krawlers to KM'2s is doesn't seem as big of a step.

[sierrajim]

Yes, forgot to add the Creepy's. We had these on the buggy, they did perform reasonably well on rock but did need a few RPM to clear in the dirt. I really don't know how these would go in proper mud.

Q78's. Might be able to help you with that. When I work out which way I'm going there will be a set of either 15's or 16's up for grabs.

[Gwagensteve]

Silverstone extremes on your 16's for winter, keep the 15" '78's for summer.

Pretty happy with the krawlers though . Greg originally had his on a 10" rim- they were way too stretched out IMHO.

Steve

[31zook]

I don't want to try to change your mind on anything, but, bighorns are really soft, better onroad then my old style wrangles MT/Rs, and never leaked a bead, i was running 8-5psi and non-bead locked rims (30x9.5R15). And drove everything that the 35s-37s were going. I now have 36.5" bias swampers and apart from see sawing in ruts and using the square tread pattern to climb out of ruts, i would buy bighorns again.

[sierrajim]

Pretty well what I was thinking Steve.

Road use isn't really a concern for me. I have a daily driver and a trailer.

Bighorns, make a good all round daily/off road tyre. But aren't quite in the ball park in the off road only arena.

[rpmwrx]

Hey Jimbo,

Have you done a build thread on your zook yet? I would love to see some pics and some specs on your zook... Sounds like it would be a weapon...

As far as tyres go I've run the old style claws, Simex JT2's and currently running silverstone extremes... The claws were a terrible tyre in every possible way, the new ones are supposed to be better tho...

The simex's were a much better all round tyre that was pretty good in the mud. On the road, because of the rounded shape of tyre tread, only the centre tread would have contact with the road, the outer lugs didn't touch the road at all. When i put the silverstones on a noticed the drag/resistance the tyres created because the whole tyre including the side lugs have contact with the road. That is why they are so noisy.

As you've had silverstones on your patrol you would know that they are a terrible tyre on the road, but they are absolutely wicked offroad. For our clayey terrain in Vic, you can't beat a centerpede/extreme tread pattern. I never used or seen super swampers in action, but the tread pattern doesn't look as aggressive. But I think as an allround super aggressive tyre, that still drive ok on blacktop, the Simex JT2's were a really good tyre...

Hope that helps

[sierrajim]

Thanks for the help guys.

Have a set of Silverstones ordered, should have them next week at some stage.

Old style Claws, great tyre until you're on any kind of side slope. They clean well, grip quite well but just had no lateral stability. Have had two sets of these in the past.

JT Simex are a little too small for me, they're also as stiff as a MOFO.

[remydog05]

What size did you order? 15's or 16's the reason I ask is because most times 16's are more expensive.
And do you know the reason why Swappers are so hard to get??

Any of you blokes have an opinion on KM'2s/Creepys/Treps?
Im thinking KM's are not that far of Krawlers in tread pattern.
Creepys are expensive, Treps may not be as good for a pure mud tire?

Also Jim/Steve have you run 35/12.5 on 15x7s?? or Mainly 15x8?
I was thinking if I used a 12.5 wide tire id get away with my 15x7s but if I go 13.0 (treps) or 13.5 (creepys/krawlers) id have to go with the 15x8's.

[sierrajim]

remydog05 wrote:

What size did you order? 15's or 16's the reason I ask is because most times 16's are more expensive.
And do you know the reason why Swappers are so hard to get??

Any of you blokes have an opinion on KM'2s/Creepys/Treps?
Im thinking KM's are not that far of Krawlers in tread pattern.
Creepys are expensive, Treps may not be as good for a pure mud tire?

Also Jim/Steve have you run 35/12.5 on 15x7s?? or Mainly 15x8?
I was thinking if I used a 12.5 wide tire id get away with my 15x7s but if I go 13.0 (treps) or 13.5 (creepys/krawlers) id have to go with the 15x8's.

Ordered 16's. My alloys are nice and bling. Now need to buy some second airs.

I have a set of 5 Q78x16's that will need a new home over the next week or two. Give me a call if you want them.

35" treps and also the BFG KM2's are radials, only know one guy running the Treps in this size. GQ patrol, he used them a couple of times as off road tyres, now uses them as road tyres. The KM2's seem to do OK as a tourer come mud tyre.

[remydog05]

Thanks mate will do, tho I would need new rims.

So Radial means stiffer sidewall??

So what do you think is the widest tire you can fit on a 15x7 beadlock, prob 12.5?

[Gwagensteve]

remydog05 wrote:

So Radial means stiffer sidewall??

So what do you think is the widest tire you can fit on a 15x7 beadlock, prob 12.5?

Opposite. Radials have a very soft sidewall, stiff tread. Bias (Cross) ply are stiff sidewall, soft tread. If you air a Radial down enough to get the tread to flex, the sidewall can be too floppy. Bias (Cross) ply is superior off road because the tread can flex and the sidewall will still hold the car up. With a radial the tread can still be stiff as but the car is flopping and bouncing all over the shop.

I have found this on my first trip out on radials off road for nearly 20 years. I knew there was a reason I didn't like radials off road. Don't get me wrong, Krawlers are awesome, but I can't help but imagine how much better they would be of they weren't radials.

I have run cross ply 12.5's on beadlocked 7" rims (effectively 7.5") and whilst it's not ideal, it's been OK.

Steve.

[31zook]

if your only worried about off road and mud, but a set of boggers..... mine were awesome