Tyres.

I now this is a sore subject but looking for some advice.

Im looking at buying a set of insa turbo special track but i also found a set of malatesta kaiman and they look identical and are £30 cheaper

What is the difference between the two?

errr £30

The only difference I can seem to see is that the malatesta have more sidewall tread... But surely you can see that for yourself

Only other differences would be in the rubber compound but if you're buying retreads that's probably not really important as they never will last as long as a new'n.

Jamo36599 said:

I now this is a sore subject but looking for some advice.

Im looking at buying a set of insa turbo special track but i also found a set of malatesta kaiman and they look identical and are £30 cheaper

What is the difference between the two?

Click to expand...

what is the price and what type of warranty, side wall cuts, mileage, road hazard punctures, etc. You got to look at the whole picture, How long do you plan to keep them? Most time they last 1/2 or less than a new tyre. and when you replace them again you will have more money into them than if you bought good ones in the first place. And do any of them have Kevlar in there side walls?

Thanks for the advice.

Ill keep looking into them

I just bought a set of Malatesta's and can attest that the offroad grip is enormous! Mind, Insa's are too ... I have 235 x 85 R16's on 7" rims which are about an inch larger diameter than my usual BFG AT's in 31 x 1050 R15 on 8" rims.

They don't seem to have worn much, but three of the large tread blocks have been cut by bodywork! (I didn't cut it back far enough initially) They haven't lost any blocks, just cuts, so not bothered about them, as the tread is about 22mm deep and the cuts only 5mm ish .. Done maybe 1500 miles with them so far, maybe 70% off-road/laning .. and about 250 miles towing a loaded caravan at motorway speeds ..

Whatever anyone says they are OKish on road up to about 50mph .. anything over that and they are much vaguer than my BFG AT's .. to the point of finding it not worth going to 70 or more at all and I now stick to about 55/60 even on motorways ... which saves money I suppose! Not run them on the road in the wet yet, but have high hopes that they'll be OK ...

One really good thing, maybe bad depends how you see it, is that you really notice any issues with suspension/drivetrain with them! The road noise is high, but when a wheel bearing, for instance, is getting loose, the vagueness increases dramatically! The AT's didn't do this, they tracked straight and true whatever the wb's were like. The Malatestas don't, they let you know summat's up! In my mind that's OK, it just means I have to maintain it better .. They never feel dangerous, just vague or very vague ...

I kept my AT's with a view to swapping them regularly, but in actual fact I don't, the Malatestas are good enough to use all round, so long as you use it as a Landrover, not as a go-kart!!

Hello.
I would like some advice on Michelin XZL tyres please.

When I bought my Defender from the MoD, it came with 4 semi-worn tyres on the axles and 1 new tyre on the bonnet. As it is ex-MoD, the tryes are odd sizes (7.50 R16) and so a lot of makes do not exactly match up. That and I want to keep the military look about it.
As I am looking to replace the 4 worn ones, I have asked some tyre people who have said that Michelin tyres crack after a few years if you do not do high mileage; however some people say that they have never heard of that issue.

What have people found with regards to this cracking issue?

Thanks for your help.

ZakiAK said:

Hello.
I would like some advice on Michelin XZL tyres please.

When I bought my Defender from the MoD, it came with 4 semi-worn tyres on the axles and 1 new tyre on the bonnet. As it is ex-MoD, the tryes are odd sizes (7.50 R16) and so a lot of makes do not exactly match up. That and I want to keep the military look about it.
As I am looking to replace the 4 worn ones, I have asked some tyre people who have said that Michelin tyres crack after a few years if you do not do high mileage; however some people say that they have never heard of that issue.

What have people found with regards to this cracking issue?

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

all tyres do that with age and sitting in the sun, does not matter what brand

ZakiAK said:

Hello.
I would like some advice on Michelin XZL tyres please.

When I bought my Defender from the MoD, it came with 4 semi-worn tyres on the axles and 1 new tyre on the bonnet. As it is ex-MoD, the tryes are odd sizes (7.50 R16) and so a lot of makes do not exactly match up. That and I want to keep the military look about it.
As I am looking to replace the 4 worn ones, I have asked some tyre people who have said that Michelin tyres crack after a few years if you do not do high mileage; however some people say that they have never heard of that issue.

What have people found with regards to this cracking issue?

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

if that is what you want rather expensive 145 quid each, or go with a cooper 205 stt for the same look. Or go here for new ones at auction which ends in 3 days and good luck

4 x Michelin XZL 8.25 R16 Tyres - MOD Sales, Military Vehicles & Used Ex MOD Land Rovers for Sale

ZakiAK said:

Hello.
I would like some advice on Michelin XZL tyres please.

When I bought my Defender from the MoD, it came with 4 semi-worn tyres on the axles and 1 new tyre on the bonnet. As it is ex-MoD, the tryes are odd sizes (7.50 R16) and so a lot of makes do not exactly match up. That and I want to keep the military look about it.
As I am looking to replace the 4 worn ones, I have asked some tyre people who have said that Michelin tyres crack after a few years if you do not do high mileage; however some people say that they have never heard of that issue.

What have people found with regards to this cracking issue?

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

tyres crack with age known fact but don't worry about it when the side walls start to crack pretty bad then you have a trailer tyre, I have goodyear deestones that are about 20 years old and as good as new no cracks good tread and sidewalls and have a look on ebay for 7.50s as they are a very common tyre should be no problem getting more army tyres if you look

Thor1950 said:

all tyres do that with age and sitting in the sun, does not matter what brand

Click to expand...

Thor1950 said:

if that is what you want rather expensive 145 quid each, or go with a cooper 205 stt for the same look. Or go here for new ones at auction which ends in 3 days and good luck

CJ2a said:

tyres crack with age known fact but don't worry about it when the side walls start to crack pretty bad then you have a trailer tyre, I have goodyear deestones that are about 20 years old and as good as new no cracks good tread and sidewalls and have a look on ebay for 7.50s as they are a very common tyre should be no problem getting more army tyres if you look

Click to expand...

Thank you Thor1950 and CJ2a for your help.
I have found the XZL's for £120 on ebay so I think that I shall go with that.
I am obliged to you for your advice, sirs.

Click to expand...

Put my new tyres on last night and have to say they seem ok on the road a bit noisy but can live with it.


Aw and they are malatesta kaimen 265 75 16.

Yep they look good. But be very careful on wet roads, and snow and ice could be a hand full.

Will take your advice on board thanks