SLROC Forum

I'm getting close to needing to replace my tyres on a def 90. When I bought it, it was on standard suspension and I put 235/85 16 tyres on with a diameter of 31.73 inches. I now have a 1 inch lift, would I be able to fit 285/75 16 tyres on with a diameter of 32.83 inches?

Would it need spacers?

Are there any other size options?

Dave. If you put the 285's on to your standard 7 inch rims you're steering lock will be horrendous as you'll need to adjust the bump stops massively to prevent the tyres from rubbing on the radius arms. So yes one option would be to fit wheel spacers and that would give you full steering lock again however you will then have to change your wheel arches for some wider ones as the tyres will sit way out past the standard ones by a couple of inches . Or you could put up with the crap steering lock and run the 285's without spacers and they will fit just under the wheel arches without falling foul of the law . Instead of wheel spacers you'd be much better to get a set of steel rims that have a large off-set but that means having to replace your existing steel ones. Furthermore you may get your tyres under the wheel arches just and I mean just with a one inch lift but you'll end up with very little room for articulation and your tyres will rub massively on both the inner wings and exterior wheel arches. So I would advise against it unless you decide to do a bigger lift ie a min of 2 inches and you would have to trim the arches a little too . I think you'd be better off staying with the tyre size you have or going with 265/75/16 and not worrying about the spacers. On my 90 I had a 4 inch lift which consisted of +2 inch springs , 2 inch spacers under the springs, 35 inch tyres on 15 inch rims which had a 3 inch off set and no wheel spacers and I still got full lock .

Thanks Piwi, the 265/75/16 is slightly smaller diameter (31.65 as opposed to 31.73) and are near enough the same price, what advantages/disadvantages woulod I get by putting them on?

i am running 265/75/16 with insa turbo special track style tread and the 235/85/16 drives past me every time 

cheers Bill

Dave

I honestly think its down to personal preference although there are arguments for either tyre. Both tyres are pretty much the same height which you wouldn't really notice the difference but the tyre width differ by 30mm . The 265's will have a larger footprint so you could argue greater traction however there is an argument for running a slightly thinner tyre as Bill mentioned as the thinner tyre is more likely to sink through sticky mud and gain traction from the hard stuff underneath. You may find fuel consumption will be slightly heavier with the 265's as well but it not significantly . If it were me I would go with the 265's as I prefer the looks of a wider tyre. Both are pretty good and really there is very little difference in them .