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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| Opinion on tire size
My choice is between:
33x10.5 r15
OR
33x12.5 r 15
I mainly drive the g to home Depot, on the parkway, to the beach, and sometimes on the beach. Being in NY, I have to deal with snow and ice in the winter. On-road drive quality is most important to me.
Currently I have 275/65/r18 but I finally found 15" wheels. |
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oskar
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2006
Location: Lyons, CO
Vehicle(s): 1981 280GE, 2002 G500, 280SE 4.5, Audi A4 1.8T
Posts: 708
| RE: Opinion on tire size
I'd go with the 10.5
With 12.5 you need spacers, limit steering angle.
just my 2c
Oskar |
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kerry460
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: tasmania australia
Vehicle(s): 1984 300GD LWB WAGEN
Posts: 611
| RE: Opinion on tire size
G,,day
i did a fair amount of testing between the two sizes .
10.5 won by a big margin .
kerry |
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kerry460
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: tasmania australia
Vehicle(s): 1984 300GD LWB WAGEN
Posts: 611
| RE: Opinion on tire size
and the new BFG KM2 s are much better on wet roads
kerry |
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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| Re: Opinion on tire size
Thanks Kerry and Oskar. I will go with the 10.5
I am looking at the BFG TA KO2s because of the great reviews on pavement, sand, snow and ice. The G rarely goes out in the rain. |
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kerry460
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: tasmania australia
Vehicle(s): 1984 300GD LWB WAGEN
Posts: 611
| RE: Opinion on tire size
i forgot to say , the 10.5s are quieter and do not tram line and camber track like the 12.5s do .
i hope you are happy.
kerry |
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kotton
Regular
Date registered: Sep 2014
Location: California, Orange County
Vehicle(s): 2006 G-500
Posts: 84
| Re: Opinion on tire size
I love my 33x10.5 K02s, Ive had them since last year and they are quiet and ride well. |
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oskar
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2006
Location: Lyons, CO
Vehicle(s): 1981 280GE, 2002 G500, 280SE 4.5, Audi A4 1.8T
Posts: 708
| Re: Opinion on tire size
kotton - 4/28/2017 3:34 PM
I love my 33x10.5 K02s, Ive had them since last year and they are quiet and ride well.
Are they better now? I had TKO's and on grass/soil they would just clog up and be slippery as hell
Oskar |
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geo
Regular
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: Vermont
Vehicle(s): 2002 G500, 2004 Defender 110, 1995 R100GSPD
Posts: 52
| RE: Opinion on tire size
BFG Mud Terrain KM 32x11.5x15
EDIT: Image removed to be resized
EDIT: Image resized
Edited by geo 5/2/2017 9:28 AM
 (32s.jpg)
Attachments
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 32s.jpg (169KB - 0 downloads)
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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| Re: Opinion on tire size
Great to know! |
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kotton
Regular
Date registered: Sep 2014
Location: California, Orange County
Vehicle(s): 2006 G-500
Posts: 84
| Re: Opinion on tire size
oskar - 4/29/2017 9:06 PM
kotton - 4/28/2017 3:34 PM
I love my 33x10.5 K02s, Ive had them since last year and they are quiet and ride well.
Are they better now? I had TKO's and on grass/soil they would just clog up and be slippery as hell
Oskar
We took a 7 day road trip through UT and to Moab at the end of December and they did really well in the ice/snow covered roads, and actually surprised me when we hit that thick red clay mud on the trails in Moab. |
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emlmcb
Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2006
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vehicle(s): 1986 LWB 300GD / 1998 E320 / 1996 LWB G300TD
Posts: 119
| RE: Opinion on tire size
Just a couple questions:
a) Why did everyone choose 15 inch wheels instead of the original 16 inch ones?
b)I notice the owner who posted the original question drives a 1985 300GD. For such an underpowered model, why go to such a big tire?
Down here, where diesels are far more popular, everyone with a 300GD would choose 235/85/16. A lot less drag.
I changed to this size in my 2001 G300DT from the former 255/75/16 and even with twice the power of the 300GD you can feel the difference in sand or when claimbing |
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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| RE: Opinion on tire size
Answers embedded
emlmcb - 5/2/2017 11:24 AM
Just a couple questions:
a) Why did everyone choose 15 inch wheels instead of the original 16 inch ones?
I am currently using 18" wheels. Even with the 33" size, it is still a rough ride. I'd rather not undertake a spring change since I do haul heavy stuff in the bed
b)I notice the owner who posted the original question drives a 1985 300GD. For such an underpowered model, why go to such a big tire?
Don't know. Why does it make too much of a difference? This isn't an everyday driver. I take it to the home improvement store during the year and during the summer I drive it 15 miles to beach to go surfing.
Down here, where diesels are far more popular, everyone with a 300GD would choose 235/85/16. A lot less drag.
How many total inches is that?
I changed to this size in my 2001 G300DT from the former 255/75/16 and even with twice the power of the 300GD you can feel the difference in sand or when claimbing
I live in flatness, I don't climb. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Opinion on tire size
When I got my 300GD it had 31-10.5-15 tires that were great. The last year I had it, I changed to 33-9.5-15. As Kerry mentioned, the effect on power even on the flat was no bueno. There was a similar proportionate effect on braking ability as well. Thats when i decided a G500 might be the way to go.
Some say "go big or go home."
I say "happiness is in moderation." |
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geo
Regular
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: Vermont
Vehicle(s): 2002 G500, 2004 Defender 110, 1995 R100GSPD
Posts: 52
| RE: Opinion on tire size
emlmcb - 5/2/2017 11:24 AM
Just a couple questions:
a) Why did everyone choose 15 inch wheels instead of the original 16 inch ones?
b)I notice the owner who posted the original question drives a 1985 300GD. For such an underpowered model, why go to such a big tire?
Down here, where diesels are far more popular, everyone with a 300GD would choose 235/85/16. A lot less drag.
I changed to this size in my 2001 G300DT from the former 255/75/16 and even with twice the power of the 300GD you can feel the difference in sand or when claimbing
a) 15 inch alloy wheels (as seen above in my picture) were a factory option
BBS 15 inch alloy wheels were also a factory option
b) The main reasons are for additional ground clearance and looks
However, you are correct in thinking that any tire taller than 31-32 inches will feel sluggish on most stock W460s without a regear
6.17:1 ring and pinion gears can be fitted, if necessary
601 350 29 39 (Front)
602 350 28 39 (Rear)
EDIT: Added R&P info
Edited by geo 5/3/2017 6:48 AM
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kerry460
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: tasmania australia
Vehicle(s): 1984 300GD LWB WAGEN
Posts: 611
| RE: Opinion on tire size
just to clarify ,
i am actually running 255 x 85 x 16 ,
which is the same size as 10.5 x 33 .
kerry |
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emlmcb
Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2006
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vehicle(s): 1986 LWB 300GD / 1998 E320 / 1996 LWB G300TD
Posts: 119
| RE: Opinion on tire size
Thanks everyone for the answers.
As far as I can see, the choice in influenced by several conditions, like availaility of wheel and tire sizes, kind of terrain, availability of ring and pinion options to change rate on extreme changes of tire size and last but not least owner´s preference.
Down here, most of the 460´s are former military ones (either 230G or 240 GD) all of which were equiped with 16" wheels. Neither one has any power to spare, and ring and pinion sets to re gear are hard to get and very expensive, so staying with small diametre, narrow tires is the way to go.
Furthermore, there are many Land Rovers and mid size pickup trucks (Toyota by far the most popular) all of which have 16 inch wheels, so there are far more options of tires for this wheel size.
Some 460´s were either converted to 617 or even 617a engines and very few were imported as 300GD by individuals, but since 15" wheels with the G bolt pattern are almost unavailable here, most everyone stayed with the original 16" ones.
I presently drive one of the few (probably the only) G300DT in the country and it came with 16" alloy wheels and since all the guys I travel with have 460´s in order to favor interchangeability I stay with the tire size they all use (235/85/16), even when I guess I have enough power to be able to use larger ones.
Even when I live in east central Argentina, which is flat as a table, farming land, mud is never an option for my off roading.
My first choice is mountain or hill climbing where some extra torque and a very low low speed are always welcome (if I knew how to upload it,I could show a video in which I am towing uphill in a completely destroyed mining road 2 other G´s with transmisión problems).
My second choice, closer to home, are sand dunes. It is my experience (someone may think different) that a narrow tire with very low presure (10 to 12 psi) works better on sand that a wide one.
As I stated before, I think that you end up choosing what you like among what is available.
Ed
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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| Re: Opinion on tire size
I am finally putting on those 15's by the way. I'm actually reconsidering 33s. I might not clear my garage door (I'm at 32.1" right now and it is close).
Any recs for a good sand (and street) tire? |
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NOPEC
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Feb 2008
Location: Babylon, Long Island, NY
Vehicle(s): 1985 Mercedes 300GD
Posts: 374
| Re: Opinion on tire size
Reviving this old chat.
I have 16 inch steelie for a spare (no tire yet). I want to mount it backwards so I can get one of those lockable storage things. What is the widest tire that will fit that way? I'm sure someone has experience. Thanks. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Opinion on tire size
It depends on the rim width, stock sizes are 5,5" and 6" wide
Most tire sellers have guidelines for whether or they can mount a specific tire. Some will not mount a 235/85/16 on a 5.5" wide rim. You can check the specs on Tire Rack for starters for BFG or any tire you are interested in. It states recommended wheel width for any given tire size. |
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