New Tires 315/75r16

Volvo TGB and 30X (303/304/306) mods and resto work, news, resources and non-technical stuff
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m15256
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New Tires 315/75r16

Post by m15256 »

I'm finally getting new tires to replace the original Treborgs. Switching to an all terrain 315/75r16. The shop manual says the stock wheels are designed for either tube or tubeless tires. The parts manual does not list a tube. Has anyone here used tubes when switching to modern tires on the stock wheels?
Thanks for any input on the subject.
Tjerk
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by Tjerk »

Do the rims have safety ribs (humps)?
If not, it could cause the tubeless tyre to deflate if driven at low pressure.
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by VinceAtReal4x4s »

The stock wheels use tubeless just fine. Well proven. (Why install a tube?)
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m15256
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by m15256 »

I never thought about it much and assumed they were tubeless. The guy with the tire machine asked. So I did my research first and then threw the question out to you guys to see if I was missing something. We'll just put new valves in the wheels. Living on an island you always have to think everything through in advance and make contingency plans. Sometimes it takes an annoyingly long time to get stuff over on the boat.
Thanks,
Rick
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Garrycol
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by Garrycol »

Dont put tubes into tubeless tyres - for a start if you do get a puncture it is harder to repair as the tyre and wheel needs to come off - in many cases a tubless tyre can be repaired on the vehicle.

Also, tubless tyres have ribs on the inside of the carcass that wear through the tube causing failure.

If you have tubless on a safety rim then stay that way and do not put tubes in.

Garry
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by Green machine »

I’ve got a good friend that has a suspension, tire and wheel business for VW Vanagon’s. I asked him about the tube vs tubeless question for these wheels. He assured me that modern wheels it’s not a concern when properly inflated and when on the trail speeds are low enough it’s not an issue. He also told me that even though most 315/75/16 tires are recommended on rims 8” wide here there wasn’t much concern because these trucks don’t go fast enough!

I’m looking at Yokohama Geolanders mt g003’s or BFG mt’s. I have BFG’s on my other vehicle and want to try something else.
m15256
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by m15256 »

We took the truck up up Vermont for the Vermont Overland Birdwatching Safari last weekend. Drove this year instead of using a trailer. 200+ miles each way with the tires at 35 psi. On the trails which are mostly stones we aired down to 22 or so psi. and climbed over or through every obstacle. The new tires are great. It almost feels like power steering compared to the Trellborgs. The road noise has decreased a lot as well as the vibration. The VOBS weekend attracts a wide range of vehicles from all over the North East. My son and I had a great time and look forward to going back next year. The Volvo rims are just a little more narrow than the minimum recommended for that tire but it didn't seem to be any problem.
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Garrycol
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by Garrycol »

I would be wary about putting 315 wide tyres on less than 8" rims.

I have BFG KO2 MTs 315/75R16 on my LR Forward Control which has 8" wide rims - while they fit OK, they do balloon out a bit - on my vehicle I run 32psi on the highway as it seems the best compromise - offroad down to 10psi with no issues.

So OK with 8" wide rims but less than that may cause issues.

Here is a pic of mine - you can see just a little ballooning on 8" rims.
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Garry
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m15256
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by m15256 »

The tire choice relative to the stock wheels is an example of trying to make the best choice out of some less than perfect options. The original bias ply 280/85 16 Trellborgs are a size and design that we're never going to see in the International Tire Hall of Fame. A few years ago I found some replacements offered in that size but they were re treads and available mostly in Europe. I spent many nights with internet based tire comparison charts that compare various sizes to each other side by side. A 35/10.5/16 is very close to the original but offered only in an extremely aggressive mud tire. The tread looks like it would serve well on a river boat paddle wheel. I can"t afford to have custom wheels made. The 315 is not supposed to be installed on wheels less than 8" but given that the diameter is slightly less (.1") than the stock tire I didn't want to go for an even smaller tire. I'm not excited by the balloon effect but I sure do appreciate the new ride and handling so far.

Everyone else with a 303 must have gone through this same comparison. What did they decide on?

Rick
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by VinceAtReal4x4s »

The 315/75 is the best tire size for the stock 303. It has been well tested and proven. The ballooning is pretty mild compared to what I've seen on many other 4x4's. I was likely the first one to put that size through the trials on a 303 and thoroughly did so in Moab many years ago, even regularly dropping to 18psi for really rough trails. Never once a problem in 1000's of miles of road travel and years of off-roading.
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OUTBACK
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by OUTBACK »

Garrycol wrote: Wed Oct 02, 2019 12:44 am I would be wary about putting 315 wide tyres on less than 8" rims.

I have BFG KO2 MTs 315/75R16 on my LR Forward Control which has 8" wide rims - while they fit OK, they do balloon out a bit - on my vehicle I run 32psi on the highway as it seems the best compromise - offroad down to 10psi with no issues.

So OK with 8" wide rims but less than that may cause issues.

Here is a pic of mine - you can see just a little ballooning on 8" rims.

046.jpg

Garry
Are you running 3 wheel studs per wheel?
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Garrycol
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by Garrycol »

No my wheels run 6 wheels studs per wheel - I guess your comment comes from the fact that in my pic three lug nuts are visible due to their brown colour. On the 101 three of the lugnuts are of a standard style and you cannot see these as the are close to the same colour as the wheel. The wheel step (not shown) uses a different lug nut (three off) that allows the wheel step to be bolted on - these are the three you can see.
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Here is a pic with everything in place
049.jpg
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Garry
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2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
1971 Jaguar Series 3 E-Type Conv
1957 Landrover 88" Station Wagon
1957 Landrover 88"
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Re: New Tires 315/75r16

Post by OUTBACK »

Thanks
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