Series 3 wheels

What are the widest tires I can purchase on my 1984 Series 3s Rims? Current they are 235/85/r16

What rims do you have and is it to be used on road or only off road?

Most Series rims are 5.5" wide, which is too narrow for a 235/85R15

Have a look here, it shows you the rim widths for each size: https://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/auto/tires/all-terrain-t-a-ko2?tyreSize=16

215 looks to be the widest. So that size or a 205 x 16 or 7.50 x 16 would be the official widest tyres for those rims.

If you switch to 90/Defender rims then you can run a 235/85, if you want wider tyres you'll need to step up to a 7 or 8" wide rim.

I will say just don't go wider than what you have, turning, handling, fuel used will all deteriorate.

Alex_kiwi said:

What are the widest tires I can purchase on my 1984 Series 3s Rims? Current they are 235/85/r16

Click to expand...

Too wide already for me. 7.50x16 or a straight 205 radial are hard to beat on a Series.

And welcome to LZ!

As above. Unmodified is easiest these days. If you want to go mad with big wheels, and why not, get a disco 2.

Or, failing that, wolf rims will cope with 235 and bigger.

Wildefalcon said:

As above. Unmodified is easiest these days. If you want to go mad with big wheels, and why not, get a disco 2.

Click to expand...

Don't agree, it is probably easier to fit big wheels to a Series than a D2.

I think in America the Series was sometimes sold with 15" 31.10.50R15 tyres, as that was a common size out there.

Physically fitting wider rims and tyres is easy on a Series, you just need rims suitable for the tyre width. I don't know the law in New Zealand where the op is around tyres sticking out of the wheel arches. In the UK it is not allowed, but would be fine in somewhere like the USA. However, it is easy to fit some wheel spats to the vehicle, either aftermarket or Defender style ones.

Just because you can does not mean you should, re post above. There was a fad once years ago of fitting axles under the springs to rase body and fit big wide tires. Gave a sort of monster truck look. Also made it top heavy scary to drive around corners at just about any speed above 20. Hard to get into as well.

tottot said:

Just because you can does not mean you should, re post above. There was a fad once years ago of fitting axles under the springs to rase body and fit big wide tires. Gave a sort of monster truck look. Also made it top heavy scary to drive around corners at just about any speed above 20. Hard to get into as well.

Click to expand...

Wide tyres certainly have a place. If you don’t think so that is very narrow minded.

You can also go wider without being a monster truck. As said, Land Rover even fitted 31.10.50’s to them.

As for SOA conversions. I don’t think it was a fad. Just that Series motors where younger and more accessible to buy as a vehicle to use off road. Most are not these days.

Do remember that last two leaf sprung setups Land Rover developed were both spring over axle setups. Maybe there was a very good reason for doing it that way. Such a “less” lean and body roll.

300bhp/ton said:

Wide tyres certainly have a place.

Click to expand...

Yes. On a Disco 2!

Turboman said:

Yes. On a Disco 2!

Click to expand...

Other reasons too. Certain terrain they can be better on, plus lower ground pressure if you want to cause less ground damage.

300bhp/ton quote
Wide tyres certanly have a place. If you dont think so that is very narrow minded.

Dont you mean, Very narrow tyred,

300bhp/ton said:

Other reasons too. Certain terrain they can be better on, plus lower ground pressure if you want to cause less ground damage.

Click to expand...

Only joking.

I am sure they are great if you drive over sand or peat bogs, but I have never had cause to do those things.
In my working life, the main problem I used to encounter was side slip when crossing steep slippery slopes.
And in those situations, floatation is the last thing you want.