Disco 2 Tyre pressures for 265/70/17 & a wee problem!

I bought that nice set of D3 wheels from JohnLad (thanks John!).
I asked John what pressures he'd advise and he said 36/34 ish or thereabouts. I just thought I would check as they are obviously going on a D2 now instead of a D3. (I have the spiggot rings)

I googled it and ended up on a US site called tirerack.com. They had a live chat so I asked them. They asked if my BFG AT KO2 265/70/17 were C or E rated for weight. I checked tyres, and told them they are E rated. He said "I would run those between 50 and 55 psi". I was quite taken aback by that. So asked him to confirm and he said "Yeah that tire can take as much as 80psi, and you need at least 50-55 for it to form a proper seal on the rim".

Just wondered what you guys think about that, if anything? Seems a bit high to me!

Also, I just found a snag. The spare wheel won't go on the back door as it catches the step/top of bumper. Doh! I could leave the old wheel on there, but would like to get the new spare on if i can. The old tyres were 255/55/18. These are quite a bit bigger!

Any advice greatly appreciated, as I sit here scratching my oily brow

Run them & 50/55psi I hope you gave him a slap maybe to get the bead popped on, but ive had tyres at 100++
trying to seat them.
I ran mine at 36psi

haha, thanks. So you had the very same tyres on a D2? You ran 36 front and back? thanks

john snoo said:

Also, I just found a snag. The spare wheel won't go on the back door as it catches the step/top of bumper. Doh! I could leave the old wheel on there, but would like to get the new spare on if i can. The old tyres were 255/55/18. These are quite a bit bigger!

Any advice greatly appreciated, as I sit here scratching my oily brow

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Its been known to turn the spare wheel mounting up side down when using an over sized wheel, a five minute job I believe

john snoo said:

haha, thanks. So you had the very same tyres on a D2? You ran 36 front and back? thanks

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Yes D2 same tyres & pressures all round.

So they are that big that they get the right size "footprint" (contact patch) at that pressure? Amazing!
There used to be a rule of thumb that told you how to tell if your tyre was inflated to the correct pressure for the circs, according to its appearance when on the vehicle, but I can't remember what it was. Or something to do with chalking a line across the treads then driving along on tarmac?
anyone?

discool said:

Its been known to turn the spare wheel mounting up side down when using an over sized wheel, a five minute job I believe

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Ha, no 5hit! I will go and see if that looks like a solution, sounds like it's been done before! Thanks.

BUT..... dramatic drum roll...... I just learned that D2 wheel nuts don't fit on D3 wheels. DAMMIT! Now to find some that will fit.....

PS Before I do actually take off the spare wheel mount, is this a deffo fix, or just an idea someone has tried before? I can't see it making a huge difference just looking at my spare which is back on the mount! I am game, if it's likely to buy me around an extra inch clearance for the spare, i think thats probably what it needs, maybe less if i am lucky

this thread takes a bit of putting up with but you may find the answer buried in there at aboutpost#18 on
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/will-discovery-3-wheels-fit-on-a-discovery-2.170914/

Thanks. Christ, what a silly thread. It confirms I need different nuts (I could have asked the misses that one), but it doesn't say what nuts i need, or whether idea of inverting the spare wheel mount on the rear will add any clearance. If anyone knows please shout. Do I need Discovery 3 nuts? After reading that 'thread', I have to say I am half tempted to sell these D3 wheels on, and just get BFG AT KO2s for my 18" wheels. Not what I wanted, I want more rubber and less rim, but I am now a bit concerned about the long term safety risks of running these wheels on a D2, coupled with me doing something wrong like buying the wrong nuts!

john snoo said:

Thanks. Christ, what a silly thread. It confirms I need different nuts (I could have asked the misses that one), but it doesn't say what nuts i need, or whether idea of inverting the spare wheel mount on the rear will add any clearance. If anyone knows please shout. Do I need Discovery 3 nuts? After reading that 'thread', I have to say I am half tempted to sell these D3 wheels on, and just get BFG AT KO2s for my 18" wheels. Not what I wanted, I want more rubber and less rim, but I am now a bit concerned about the long term safety risks of running these wheels on a D2, coupled with me doing something wrong like buying the wrong nuts!

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Sorry about this!
If we wern't all on lockdown you could go to a monthly meet of Landy owners and ask around, try things out. There was a link in the thread, was that no use?
As for turning the wheel mount over, couldn't you just do a bit of measuring up?
Keep searching on Google, I found other stuff so you may get lucky, also there are other Landy forums, particularly AULRO who may know, as they do a lot of driving around in the bush! (Oooh Matron!)

I can't find the link again now but I know I opened this from that thread - http://www.rakeway.co.uk/page29.html

Should I assume I just need standard D3 wheel nuts? I am considering getting some 16 or 17 inch D2 wheels now, or worst case just new BFG AT tyres for my 18s. I am not confident in this being totally safe, and I don't like to take chances (with my disco, or my kids. The wife, maybe. )

john snoo said:

I can't find the link again now but I know I opened this from that thread - http://www.rakeway.co.uk/page29.html

Should I assume I just need standard D3 wheel nuts? I am considering getting some 16 or 17 inch D2 wheels now, or worst case just new BFG AT tyres for my 18s. I am not confident in this being totally safe, and I don't like to take chances (with my disco, or my kids. The wife, maybe. )

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You could try contacting Rimmers, they are still up and running and you may be able to have a chat with them either on line or actually on the phone. not much to lose except the cost of the phone call. In the end, the hubs apparently match, you may just need some sort of spigots, shims, or some other machined bits to go with the D3 nuts. I suppose the ideal which may well be costly would be to get rid of the D2 studs and replace them with D3 studs. But although it appears fairly straightforward i.e. you only have to drill the stud holes out to put the new ones in, I bet there is more to it than that. For a kickoff I bet the studs are splined. Out of my knowledge zone now and into speculation.
Rod and Custom guys may know.
Best of luck.

Thanks. I am not going any further down the "custom" road. I am more likely going to sell the wheels and revert back to my 18s or ideally find some 16s. I have the spigots, that's all I thought I would need. I could go for wheel nuts, and then they will fit, but then comes the driving and testing. What if they hit the wheel arches or foul in some other way, or drive horrible or ....
I am deciding whether to fork out on the nuts or just get rid and start again. I also have the problem of fitting the spare to the tailgate. I looked at it, and (see attached) it does like it would solve the problem but it also looks like the wheel will sit at a funny angle and not vertical as it would normally before flipping the mount around. All getting a bit complicated now, so I may give up on this idea and flip back to standard stuff! thanks
(pic https://i.postimg.cc/tRfdSscN/IMG-8756.jpg)

john snoo said:

Thanks. I am not going any further down the "custom" road. I am more likely going to sell the wheels and revert back to my 18s or ideally find some 16s. I have the spigots, that's all I thought I would need. I could go for wheel nuts, and then they will fit, but then comes the driving and testing. What if they hit the wheel arches or foul in some other way, or drive horrible or ....
I am deciding whether to fork out on the nuts or just get rid and start again. I also have the problem of fitting the spare to the tailgate. I looked at it, and (see attached) it does like it would solve the problem but it also looks like the wheel will sit at a funny angle and not vertical as it would normally before flipping the mount around. All getting a bit complicated now, so I may give up on this idea and flip back to standard stuff! thanks
(pic https://i.postimg.cc/tRfdSscN/IMG-8756.jpg)

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Can see what you mean about the angle. But then you could always just chuck a spare in the back and leave it there until you need to use the back lots. You could leave the standard on the back just to look OK.
Anyway, best of luck with whatever you try.

Thanks steamer. I found this http://www.discovery2.co.uk/spare_carrier.html

That's that then. I have well and truly had enough of this idea now. I just wanted BFGs and it worked out cheaper to get these wheels with part worn tyres. I was told they fit, just need spigot rings. I have those, but now need wheel nuts and a big mod to the boot to fit the spare. I will let someone else take that on or fit em to a D3 and just sell them on. I really don't have time to do it even though I am sure I could if i wanted to. One of the things I love about my D2 (main reason for buying) is how original it is. I wouldnt mind non original wheels, but modding the back door etc is not really my thing. Not for this vehicle anyway.

(I also just realised that mod page talks of lifting the vehicle to accomodate those wheels. I wonder if mine would need that too, if so, that only helps rule out the use of these wheels!)

That said.... maybe you would be a good person to ask something.....

I have 255/55/18 wheels/tyres. When I looked on Camskill it doesn't even offer that size for a D2 (even with my VRM entered). Mine is the Landmark (latest ones) so maybe it was standard and the system is wrong, or maybe these are non standard. But either way, I am really keen to find out whether the vehicle would drive/handle the same if i increased the aspect ratio/profile of the tyre. So for example if i went down to 16" wheels, would that extra rubber/air cause the car to be noticably more rolly on bends? I would welcome a more forgiving ride, and a bit more rubber to hit rocks with rather than risking clipping the rims. So I have a choice now of finding some 16" wheels and adding BFG ATs, or just getting BFG ATs for my 18" wheels. Would there much difference noticable on driving, and if so, what would those differences be? Grateful for any thoughts. I like how it drives on the road as it is, so I doubt I will be unhappy with either option, but I do prefer smaller wheels than the bigger lower profile ones, but I don't have the experience to know how that will affect the ride.

PS - a pic of my vehicle - https://postimg.cc/McrdJsrt - am I wrong in thining those are not D2 wheels but Range Rover P38 wheels? (So, non-standard)

(I just measured the overall diameter of my original tyres which is 28.5", versus the OA diamater of the D3 wheels which is 31.25". Maybe that isn't enough to force me to consider a lift)

I tend to keep things standard but i did change the springs on my D1. I puT Heavy duty ones on the rear and moved the rears to the front, this after putting GAZ shocks on, but this was years ago. However the reason I mentioned it is because this gave me an unexpected 2" lift all round. I did this because I knew I was going to be using the D1 for heavy and long distance towing, and it coped with this very well.
My D2 is standard and I therefore have no experience of changing the tyres beyond standard.
However there have been numerous threads on this forum on this topic so do not give up, just keep searching especially on the Disco part of the forum.
Others who do more "modding" will porbably jump on but if i was you I'd repost a new thread with a more specific title. something like "How to put D3 wheels on a D2" or "what tyres go best on.....
Have a read of this, look like your wheels....http://blog.discoverthat.co.uk/2014/07/discovery-2-tyres-and-wheels.html
Best of luck.

thanks stan - I have just been reading every single thread on the topic of D2 wheels/tyres. I am now feeling a bit back to square one. And the more I think about it, the more these wheels could be worth making work SO LONG as it doesn't need a lift. I read another thread with a guy asking about changing his wheels on a D2 he had just bought. That had the same wheels on as I am trying to fit. I am not sure if this huge amount of width is a good thing or bad, ride/handling/mpg etc.

I am actually wondering if I could use replace my 18" tyres (which are worn) with AT KO2s, but instead of going for the standard 255/55, going for 255/65 instead for a softer ride. My 18" are pretty hard. I could also just do what my mate said and change them for 16" wheels which he reckons "all D2s should be on". I am not sure how that will impact on the ride/handling, but I suspect it will be a tiny bit less cornering ability (yes i know it's a disco, but they still go round corners!), but with a much more comfy and forgiving ride, plus extra abilities off road and hitting curbs/bumps etc. Thinking on it here, and yes I might try a new thread, as all the ones I have read were not quite exactly what I am faced with here. Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

Personally, I think either of the standard sized tyres on 16" wheels are best because that is what the D2 was designed to ride on. So I think that is right, what your mate said. If you change the rolling circumference you also risk changing the fuelling this is complex and @sierrafery knows much more about this than I do. But it is to do with the way the ECU sees the perceived speed, or something like that.
I have no idea why they changed to 18" towards the end of production.
Wider tyres for the height of the sidewall, i.e.low profiles, will always give greater grip, that is the point of them, and they are also supposed to give better fuel consumption as the sidewalls flex less. But they are a harder ride. With 18" wheels you basically have 2" less rubber and 2" more metal under the car. so to get the same flexibility and comfort with less rubber is pretty well impossible. So you have to think about bigger, higher tyres, which means bigger rolling cricumference, and so it goes on. Life is a compromise! You cannot turn an SUV or an off-roader into a comfortable limo that corners like a rally car. As it is, the Disco 2, especially with ACE corners pretty well, for what it is, but the limits on cornering are far more to do with the higher centre of gravity than anything else.
To be honest, i would think less about changing the tyres from standard and more about changing the shocks. Decent gas shocks help to cut down body roll, as do stronger i.e. thicker anti-roll bars. The latter not such an issue with ACE. Harder springs will give a harder ride but will improve road-holding as well.
So if you want to improve the drive but maintain the comfort, I would get back to 16" wheels, standard tyres and firmer gas shocks.
There. That is my penny worth!
again all the best, and do have another bash with more specific terms in the thread, but be prepared to hear completely opposing views!
Best of luck.
Stan