tire size

ive ordered a 2inch lift for my early 90, with a 200 disco conversion in...

im going for 265 75 16 or 285 65 16 and its not clearance im worrying about, question is...is my 200 disco engine strong enough to perform with 285s, or best 265s?
cheers guys

I take it you mean off-road performance? 265's made my 110 directionally woolly on the road, I imagine a 90 is going to be even worse. 235's are a great all-rounder. Performance wise? unless you have speciallist off-road low ground pressure tasks 265's and up are more about selling the 'look',.... try it if you like but it is a compromise.

Blanco said:

I take it you mean off-road performance? 265's made my 110 directionally woolly on the road, I imagine a 90 is going to be even worse. 235's are a great all-rounder. Performance wise? unless you have speciallist off-road low ground pressure tasks 265's and up are more about selling the 'look',.... try it if you like but it is a compromise.

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yeah off road, the places we go, do require a good diff clearance...but i just dont want to struggle climbing anything really...so i was thinking 265s dakar tread, nothing aggressive

Jaykay1987 said:

yeah off road, the places we go, do require a good diff clearance...but i just dont want to struggle climbing anything really...so i was thinking 265s dakar tread, nothing aggressive

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I run 265/75R16 bfg AT on my 110 with satandard height suspension. It has a disco 200tdi in standard tune with a discovery transfer box and I have not had any issue with power. Tt has quite happily done uk off roading, itallian alps, and Moroccan desert, and is also fine with a 3.5 ton trailer behind it on road work (not off roaded with a trailer). I did not have any issues with handling either, I would put handling issues more down to bush and suspension component wear rather than tyre size.

Jaykay1987 said:

ive ordered a 2inch lift for my early 90, with a 200 disco conversion in...

im going for 265 75 16 or 285 65 16 and its not clearance im worrying about, question is...is my 200 disco engine strong enough to perform with 285s, or best 265s?
cheers guys

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Why have you lifted the 90? No real need. And many lift kits will make it worse off road. Not saying you shouldn’t. But unless you know what you are buying. It’s a good way to reduce off rod ability.

265/75R16 is a standard fitment. About the same height as a 235/85R16 but fatter. Although in reality they usually come up slightly shorter.

285/75R16 is fat. You’ll need appropriate width rims for them. You’ll also lose steering lock too. Or run the risk of them sticking out of the arches. Which in the U.K. is illegal (Construction & Use Regs, not MoT).

I’d also ask where are you in the country? For a lot of U.K. terrain you may find a narrower tyre will perform way better than a fat one.

I quite like 7.50 x 16. A good set of these are the same height as a 235/85R16, but even narrower. On my competition trials vehicle I actually run 7.00 x 16’s. although for buzzing about on it is sitting on some 285/75R16’s at present.

Also consider what tread pattern you are thinking of. The Simex copies (Insa Turbo) are not the be all and end all.

i went for 265/75/16 insa turbo dakars, just standard mud no aggressive tread...main reason for insa turbo was cost really...im going to have to lift it because the the tread is an inch away from rubbing on my wheel arches...a small pothole is enough to rub it

Jaykay1987 said:

i went for 265/75/16 insa turbo dakars, just standard mud no aggressive tread...main reason for insa turbo was cost really...im going to have to lift it because the the tread is an inch away from rubbing on my wheel arches...a small pothole is enough to rub it

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What wheels are you using? Usually they're comfortably inside the arch.

Jaykay1987 said:

i went for 265/75/16 insa turbo dakars, just standard mud no aggressive tread...main reason for insa turbo was cost really...im going to have to lift it because the the tread is an inch away from rubbing on my wheel arches...a small pothole is enough to rub it

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Something doesn't sound right there. Are you running super wide offset rims or wheel spacers? You can fit much bigger tyres onto a standard 90 without them rubbing.

Also remember a lift doesn't solve what you are saying, as soon as the suspension compresses, you lose all your lift.