Defender wheels - what are the biggest tyres I can use?

[MaverickV12]

Hello,

I am just in the process of getting a Defender 110, XS Utility. I have some nice alloy wheels on there at present, but could really do with some modifications quite quickly.



The current tyres are ....



with these alloys.....



What I'd like to do is raise the car either by 1 - 5 inches and then add some nice meaty tyres. I would like to KEEP the present alloys, I'd like some 305 or 315 tyres, but increase the wall ratio as well.

I don't want some monster car wheels, but do want some bigger tyres that fill the arches nicely, give it a more aggressive outlook.

Can anyone advise on tyres sizes and lift heights, or can someone point me in the direction of a website or company that is good (as in recommended)

Thanks in advance ........

[Sarge 4x4]

Max recommended size on a 7x16 wheel is 265/75x16.

We will not fit bigger but have seen 285/75x16 fitted to standard 7x16 wheels.

You could fit 255/85x16 but on a standard Defender will rub on full axle twist.

[MaverickV12]

I didn't think about axle twist..... If I lifted the suspension, say 4 inches, and added some wheel spacer, could I use bigger tyres then say 305/85/16 (if that size exists) ?

[Nick1point9]

Why do you want 300+mm wide tyres? And if you get significantly larger tyres they will look ridiculous.

[mikeh501]

you will need larger wheels. this will reduce your turning circle. larger wheels will have an effect of offset so you will need large arch eyebrows

if you lift the suspension by 2" or more you will need other components replacing as your suspension geometry will be all out of whack. IIRC wide angle props, kinked radius arms etc etc. it will seriously compromise your on road handling too.

if you google "defender 2" lift" or "defender tyre sizes" you will get loads of people who have already asked all these questions.

have a look at these companies
devon4x4
neneoverland
flatdog
extreme4x4

Edited by mikeh501 on Wednesday 22 May 22:21

[Lefty]

265x75R16 do look better.

Why do you want such a big lift? It's going to seriously affect the handling of the already boaty 110. Lifting is usually done to fit larger diameter tyres which are used to increase clearance under the diffs for serious offloading. But be aware that it raises the CoG and can be a real pain on the road!

[MaverickV12]

Www oooooooooooo ......... wait a minute, wait a minute ..........

I had no idea it was that complex ..... ..... I thought it was a case of a simple lift, some spacers and Bob's your Uncle, Fanny's your Aunt ...... you have this awesome looking off roader.

When I drove the Defender it did handel like a Donkey, what you're saying is that if I lift it etc, it gets worse ........

I was considering getting some Poly Bushes to make the ON road drive better, not the other way around.

I think I need to look at this completely again, read and read and see where we are going.....

I have 235 tyres now (well I will have), if I just do a simple upgrade of say 295/75/16, I think they would fit on the rims, it might restrict the turning circle slighty, but it will look better and be a mod I can live with.....! Also the rolling circumference is roughly the same ....

Sorry to ask, is there a link anyone can give to look at the tyre sizes that fit the different rim sizes?

Thanks for, "kindly", putting the brakes on my uneducated mod theories.......

Ohh ..... thank you for not taking the pi55 as well, been on another section of Piston Heads and they were just Sarcastic as hell ........

[MaverickV12]

Thanks for the leads guys ..... have been looking on the suggestions given, it seems that without lifting the car at all, everyone seems to run 255 and 265 tyres, there also seems to be a solid core of people that are running 285/75/16 on Boost alloys, (which is what I am getting I think). They said that the only problem is that the turning circle is affected, one guy described it as going from, "Barge", to, "Oil Tanker".

If you can run 285 on the boost alloy why can't you run 295's, its only 5mm each side ...... I understand about the width of the alloy wheel (I forgot are they 7 inch), they say it should be 7.5. If we were looking at low profile tyres where there is no flex in the side wall I can understand the need to limit the tyre width compared to the wheel width. Obvioulsy it can't be too silly, if you ran 385's (if they existed), then you would end up with a set of ballons on your wheels.

Any one know what I can't run 295's on the Boost alloy ?........

[camel_landy]

Looks 'aint everything... Frankly, I'd stick with 235s MAX.

Like the others have said, you'll hit problems with axle articulation, turning circles, etc... But not only that, it'll make the handling more 'skittish' and a pig in the wet!

The Defender often handles better and better off-road with narrower tyres.

M

[Nick1point9]

Are you just desperate to make a modification of some sort?

[budrover]

265 x 16 BF Goodridge KM2 mud terrains on wolf steel wheels will fill the arches...may get a little better turning circle as well.

The present Goodyear MTR's will sell for a good price all day long on ebay.

[MaverickV12]

Nick1point9 said:

Are you just desperate to make a modification of some sort?

Not so much desperate, its just that I’m into making modifications as to the car that I want. If you looked at my other cars, you can see I love my personalisation, having said that, it does need to be subtle. Hence no painted on flames down the side of the engine bay …….

My main reason for the increase in the wheel’/tyre combo is aesthetics. I look at the car and I see skinny wheels, with nice full wheel arches, the look of the car changes.

I hope I’m not alone in this practice with the Defender ………..

budrover said:

265 x 16 BF Goodridge KM2 mud terrains on wolf steel wheels will fill the arches...may get a little better turning circle as well.

The present Goodyear MTR's will sell for a good price all day long on ebay.

Didn’t think the MTR’s would sell easy ……..

TBH, I have read quite a lot and have taken it on board, I’ll get the car in the coming days / week or so, and get underneath it and see what sized tyres will fit. Off roading (at the moment) is not high on my agenda ……. My primary use of the vehicle is towing a 3.5 tonne trailer.

….. not forgetting it looks the dogs boll……..

[mikeh501]

keep your 7" wheels and stick either Cooper STT or BFG KM2 @ 265/75/16 and it will look great

[MaverickV12]

mikeh501 said:

keep your 7" wheels and stick either Cooper STT or BFG KM2 @ 265/75/16 and it will look great

Certainly seems the way I'm going at the moment ......

[Sarge 4x4]

The new 265/75X16 General MT........ I KNOW A MAN THAT COULD DO YOU A CRACKING DEAL.

[camel_landy]

Sarge 4x4 said:

I KNOW A MAN THAT COULD DO YOU A CRACKING DEAL.

[MaverickV12]

Sarge 4x4 said:

I KNOW A MAN THAT COULD DO YOU A CRACKING DEAL.

....and I maywell take you up on that .... my google map tells me that you are a 252 mile round trip ......

[MaverickV12]

Hello again,

I have been looking at tyres etc and it seems that 285/75/16 will fit nicely on the car and look pretty nice, the rolling circumference is only marginally diffrent (about 3%), off roading is not my priority, towing is important and snow will be important (I can see that there are 285/75/16 snow tyres for the winter as well).

I don't want to lift the vehicle as on road driving will be the priority, my question is, do I need wheel spacers, or will the car take the tyres anyway?

eBay seem to have a million sets of 30mm spacers, they seem massive, but then I'm used to road cars and to put 30mm spacers on a road car would turn the car into a Carlos Fandango car.

Articulation is not a priority, indeed I'm also consider some polybushes that stiffen the suspension for road use, if anyone can point me the way to those, that would also be helpful.

I'm sorry to ask so many questions people, its just its a very steep learning curve with this car ............

Thanks .........

[camel_landy]

I know you've got your heart set on big tyres, blah, blah... They do look the muts but honestly, the car isn't heavy enough for anything bigger than 235s.

As for bushes, I'm not a fan of poly... The OE bushes are fine. Just beware that things need to flex, if they can't you run the risk of causing stress fractures.

...also, if you want to 'firm up the ride', don't go for big tyres.

M

[exkay]

BF Goodrich 285/75/16....Brilliant tyres, allways had them on my new Defenders, with ZU alloy wheels fitted aswell, throw the boost alloys as far as you can, there pants !