MVP wrote:
> On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 18:27:11 +0000, Austin Shackles
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On or around Mon, 7 Mar 2005 14:51:50 +0000 (UTC), "Badger"
>><[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>
>>>"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>news:[email protected]...
>>>> On or around Mon, 7 Mar 2005 11:11:43 +0000 (UTC), "Badger"
>>>> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 235/85 is none the less standard fit on the recent 90s and 110s for
>>>> some
>>>> time, and at least some of them are on ordinary LWB rims. I've also
>>>> had 235/85 on LWB steel rims with no trouble.
>>>
>>>Strange then that if I walk into my local dealers, all the new TD5's with
>>>steel rims have 7.50's fitted?
>>>
>>>> you sure you're not thinking of 255 or 265? I wouldn't fancy a 265 on
>>>> a standard LWB rim.
>>>
>>>Most definitely not, Austin old chap.
>>
>>fair enough.
>>
>>>Recommended rim width for a 235/85 R16
>>>tyre is 6.5 to 8 inches. it may be that since Landrover have offered the
>>>235 width tyre as an option they have fitted wider rims,
>>
>>I rather thought that the LWB ones were 6.5", BICBW.
>>
>>>but I've only ever seen
>>>that tyre size fitted to optional alloys, not steels.
>>
>>even so, 235/85 is a very common thing to see, 'specially MT remoulds in
>>off-road circles, on LWB rims, and they don't seem to cause trouble. The
>>235/85 Colways I had on the 110 certainly didn't look like tyres on
>>too-narrow rims.
>>
>>by contrast, disco steel wheels with 205s on look as though the tyre is
>>too
>>narrow. The 31x10.5R15 that I also had on the 110 were, ISTR, on 7" rims;
>>I noticed this when repainting the disco wheels, and seeing that they were
>>7"
>>as well. I don't actually have any LWB rims to measure now, just sold
>>'em.
>
> When I ordered my colways I wanted 235/85r16's and the guy said he
> only had 750r16's but they were the same size anyway.
>
>
> Regards.
> Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.)
This size matter always causes confusion. The original tyres that the
Defender/90/110/Series Landrovers were designed for are circular in cross
section, such as 7.50x16. When fitting more modern tyre sizes, which are
invariably elliptical in cross section, you can match either the overall
diameter of the original tyre (hence the 235/85R16) or you can match the
width (which would be 195/85R16), but you can't match both.
The overall diameter is important for gearing and ground clearance, but the
rim width determines the maximum tyre width that can be safely used,
roughly one size wider than normally fitted. But tyre manufacturers will
specify the rim widths allowable for their tyres, and it is likely to vary
for the same size with different tyres.
Hence 205/85R16 tyres are suitable on a swb - provided you use lwb wheels.
Disco wheels are suitable for swb Defenders and enable you to fit wider
tyres, but note that they are not strong enough for the maximum load of
110s (or 130s).
JD