What tyres are available

[geoff.hardiker]

I need new tyres before heading to the cape and was wondering what size tyres are generally kept in stock up that way.

I have 275x70x16 now but like the look of the Maxxis Bighorn 265x75x16 or the 285x75x16.

Regards
Geoff

[rompa]

I need new tyres before heading to the cape and was wondering what size tyres are generally kept in stock up that way.

I have 275x70x16 now but like the look of the Maxxis Bighorn 265x75x16 or the 285x75x16.

Regards
Geoff

just got back from the cape, we shreaded 3 tyres (285x75x16) while we were away and found it hard to get any replacements, everyone had heaps of 265's in each of the places we went. I will be swapping to 265's for future trips and keep the 285's for the high country.

cheers Pete.

[kingchevy]

I have all of the above in stock all the time ;)

[geoffjy]

I have found that a few places up the Cape stock the 285's. As posted above, Kingchevy stocks them and i know Bamaga has then as well. I use 285/75/16's up here all the time and have never shredded a tyre. Have recently been through Maytown and the Coachman's Track, Pennefarther etc and have not had a problem with tyres yet. You will find a lot of people dont let their tyres down when they hit the dirt road and this is big cause of tyre failure in the Cape. As i live up the Cape and 99% of my driving is dirt roads, i always have low pressures.

[geoff.hardiker]

Thanks Geoffjy,

I've pretty much decided on the Maxxis Bighorn in 265/75/16, they seem to be tough enough and the price makes up for the lower mileage.

The question now is what pressure do you run when on the dirt roads and tracks north of Laura.

I usually run 36 in the tyres around town and understand that if they are down too low there could be problems with heat in the sidewalls.

Is there a good compromise between comfort and tyre damage on the dirt with a loaded cruiser.

Regards
Geoff.H

[geoffjy]

If have a fairly empty vehicle on dirt roads i generally run on 22 for the rear and 20psi for the front. If i have a load then (depending on what sort of tyres you have) i generally have about 26psi in the rear and 24psi in the front. On sealed roads i pump them to about 40psi.

When you first hit the dirt i would drop your rear tyres down to about 28psi and the front down to 26psi. See how this goes. Its always easier to let air out than put it back in.

[plucker]

The air down on the rough stuff will smooth your travels too.

[ant]

Sorry guys, I have to disagree with you on this one.
If you refer back to an article I ran in the 2nd edition of the Cape Yorker magazine, it states the following:

Keep in mind that you will have to adjust pressures according to load and driving conditions. For example, it you are carrying a load, then pressures may need to be raised.
A simple rule is this: check your tyre pressure when cold, then drive for a minimum of 10 kilometres and check the pressure again. It should now be no more than 10% higher than that of the cold pressure reading. If it is more than 10%, then raise your starting (cold) pressures. If it is lower then the opposite applies. You may also need to run different pressures in both the front and rear tyres depending on load.
Something worth noting here is that pressures should not be dropped while travelling on rough/corrugated surfaces. While this may seem to improve the ride of your vehicle, it is placing a lot more stress on the tyre (particularly the tyre wall). A good tyre is made to stand up against rough roads and good suspension will make the ride as smooth as it can be.
Under-inflation would have to be the largest contributor to tyre failure. Not far behind this would be incorrect loading or weight distribution in the vehicle.
Other things to keep in mind to ensure you get the most from your tyres are to keep them away from things such as oils, brake fluid, diesel, thinners and solvents.

This information was given to me from someone who has been involved in the tyre industry for his whole life and knows the conditions of Cape York. He actually sells a lot of tyres to distributors in the Cape and to people driving the roads up there. Myself included.
I recently went through Maytown towing a trailer and had 40PSI in my tyres and also had no problems either.
I drive a leaf sprung 60 series and even with 'high' pressures I do not think that the ride is too rough.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me and that tyre pressures is a personal thing but from where I stand I will always take the advice of a professional tyre dealer over anything else.

I think the only exceptions to the above is when driving on sand and through some of the water crossings, such as Nolans (which has a sandy base).

[geoffjy]

As Ant said, a lot of people will disagree. Its best just to get as much info as possible from different people and make an informed decision then. I can only say that what i have done has worked for me whether it is wrong or right.



I drive a leaf sprung 60 series and even with 'high' pressures I do not think that the ride is too rough.


You didnt see the look of relief on Ron's face when he hopped in my 80 series. Although, that could have been from hanging onto the jesus bar in your car a lot. :p

[highlift80]

I'm with ya on this Ant 80% of my driving in Roadtrains is on dirt roads out here ya bag out your tyres too much and you end up with shredded sidewalls mud driving, sand of course that's a diffrent story, I run my Cruiser at 38 and I never drop my pressure on the dirt, and haven't damaged a tyre yet.

[geoff.hardiker]

I dropped all my tyres down from 40 to 25 yesterday and it certainly makes a difference. I'll do some experiments with heat buildup when I get the LT tyres though. I understand they can get hotter.

How will the roads be in early June, we now plan to leave Cairns on 31 May and beat the School Holidays.

Regards
Geoff

[yetti]

well ya gotta love a tyre debate!!

for my 2 cents worth, personally when i come home from cairns, (always loaded to the hilt, last trip i even had a spa on top of everything else...what was i thinking!?)......anyway, my pressures are greater coming home, so as soon as i leave the bituman, i normally travel 10-15 kms then check my shocker temps. to hot, drop my pressures a little, travel some more and check em again.

when travelling round up here, i'll run as low as 20psi. obviously keeping in mind speeds (rolling tyres off rims etc).

Anyway that should confuse things more!!

cheers

[geoffjy]

I dropped all my tyres down from 40 to 25 yesterday and it certainly makes a difference. I'll do some experiments with heat buildup when I get the LT tyres though. I understand they can get hotter.

How will the roads be in early June, we now plan to leave Cairns on 31 May and beat the School Holidays.

Regards
Geoff

People that have tyres inflated to around 40 psi or above seem to have more tyre failures than people with 30psi for eg. From the tourists that i have talked to in the centre in the past about 70% of them had high pressures and have had tyre failures. There is no doubt that lower pressures provide a softer ride and are a lot better on your car.

As to how much sidewall heat can shorten the length of your trye, i dont know but i havnt had problems in the past and get the normal life span out of a tyre that is used primarily on dirt roads.

I can see where lower pressures will cause the sidewall to bulge out and it may become vulnerable. The tryes i run have tread up the sidewall so i dont think this is an issure. Saying that, my previous tyres had no tread on the sidewall and i still didnt get any punctures or failures.

Just think, if you drive over a sharp stone with your tryes inflated to 40psi. The tyre will not give and there is a greater chance of a puncture than a tyre inflated at 30psi or less as it will give and the tyre will mould to the stone.

[geoff.hardiker]

Hi,
Hope I've done the right thing. I bought some Bridgestone 694 LT 265/75/16 which came off a new Partol with a couple of K on the clock for $150 each.

Most comments about the 694s have been good so hope these get me to the cape. At that price wear isn't a great concern as long as they stay in one piece.

Just have to see what pressures work with them.

Regards

[geoffjy]

I cant say what the Bridgestone's are like as i have never owned a pair before. Its a well known brand so should be suitable.

[ljboons]

Had a set of 285/75/16 in the 693 pattern and had done 65k on them including a few trips to the cape.
Leo

[loxsmith]

Hi,
Hope I've done the right thing. I bought some Bridgestone 694 LT 265/75/16 which came off a new Partol with a couple of K on the clock for $150 each.

Most comments about the 694s have been good so hope these get me to the cape. At that price wear isn't a great concern as long as they stay in one piece.

Just have to see what pressures work with them.

Regards

Just got a price on the exact same tyre and size, $255 inc F&B
I will give them a try and see how they go

$150 each is a bargain