| Author | Message | ||
     Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 13 Registered: 11-2003 |
What is the best off road only tire for a stock height Disco 2? I will be doing most of my driving on the sandy white beaches of NW Florida, but I also plan to do a little bit of mud slinging. I am interested in input. Thanks! | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Senior Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 354 Registered: 05-2003 |
What white sandy beaches in north Florida? -Jim Just asking 'cause I live in N Fla. | ||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 1106 Registered: 09-2002 |
You won't find an off-road tire that does both mud and sand well. Tires suitable for sand has a more dense tread pattern so it can float over sand. If you try a mud tire on sand, you'll end up digging your self in. An AT tire is probably as close as you're going to get to accomplishing both but it won't excel at either one and most AT tires don't do well in mud. You can try to air down a mud tire to create a bigger foot print for sand but it's not a guarantee it will work that well. | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2003 |
The white sandy beaches of NW Florida. IE Destin. Please keep the insight coming it is very helpful. I am guessing I need a sand tire, so please advise me. | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 15 Registered: 11-2003 |
This is what I want to do.  | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) Senior Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 1029 Registered: 05-2003 |
Michael, That looks like great fun, but I'd stay off the beach and away from the salt water if I were you. It's bad news for vehicles. The salt air alone is difficult enough to deal with. As far as sand goes, how you get through it depends much on the consistency of it and how packed it is. This changes with the daily tides. You'll need to learn to "read" the sand or you are not going to have any fun at all. The beaches along the gulf are not easy to drive on like the beaches are on the east coast. If you are determined to do it, carry the gear onboard that you'd need to dig yourself out. Also, make sure that you've got solid frame mounted front and rear recovery points so that you can be recovered if necessary. Since you know the exact location of where you want to drive, it might be worth your time to contact the local PD to see what they run on their sand patrol/recovery vehicles. Good Luck, Jamie | ||
| Joey (Joey4420) Senior Member Username: Joey4420 Post Number: 609 Registered: 04-2003 |
I can't afford them and have no way to haul them, but the web site says they accel in all kinds of off road situations  http://www.mattracks.com/index.htm | ||
| Bazzle (Bazzle) Member Username: Bazzle Post Number: 100 Registered: 09-2003 |
Just put on a set of BFG all terrains 245 size Aired down to about 20 they work well on sand and muddy bits Bazzle | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 16 Registered: 11-2003 |
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?step=details&source=s ize&productType=TIRE&index=6&productCodeIndex=31389 http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?step=details&source=s ize&productType=TIRE&index=10&productCodeIndex=38894 http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?step=details&source=s ize&productType=TIRE&index=13&productCodeIndex=31164 Which one of these is the best? | ||
| Steve Sherman (Ssherman) Member Username: Ssherman Post Number: 155 Registered: 11-2002 |
Mike, I was real happy with the performance of my BFG AT KO's on the beaches here in NC, but I just switched over to the BFG MT KM's for playing in the mud/clay that we have around here. I've still got the AT's for sale if you're interested, but they're 265/75-16's....let me know. Steve PS. Have you received the wheels yet? | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 17 Registered: 11-2003 |
Yeah, and thanks Steve. They came in last night about 4 minutes after I got home. I think that the 265/75 would rub. I am also going to be driving on your beaches this fall, so maybe I will see you out. I am going to the outerbanks on a vacation. Do you have a CDL? I noticed in your profile that you have a 2001. If not has this been an issue on the beaches. My next mod after the tires is to get a CDL retro kit. | ||
| Steve Sherman (Ssherman) Member Username: Ssherman Post Number: 156 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yeah, you'll have some rubbing with the 265's on the steel wheels if your Disco is still stock. My transfer case has the stud on the top for the CDL, but I haven't fitted a permanent means of engaging it yet. The few times that I have used it, I would just use a 10mm wrench on it. It’s amazing the difference it makes to have it engaged, but I’ve never had the need for it on the beach. I’m leaning towards the electronic solenoid kit that GBR offers, but I’m still considering just making a linkage like Greg Davis. Let me know when you make it this way and maybe we can get a group together. Steve  | ||
| gordon german (Gordon) New Member Username: Gordon Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2004 |
Michael, We do a _lot_ of sand and mud driving here in Western Australia - in fact there's not much else - no real rock climbing to speak of (as you can see in the picture gallery!). The Bridgestone Sand Duellers are great on the dunes (245/75/16 or 265/70/16) but suck badly in mud. The BFG AT's (again I had them in both sizes) were not quite as good in the sand, but were a huge improvement in the forest mud down south. I now run BFG MT's - at 255/85/16 there's enough contact area to get good floatation, which compensates for the over-aggressive lug pattern when in sand. In the 245/75/16 size, I'm not sure if this would still be the case. As far as airing down in sand, the AT's were great, even down to 14psi. The MT's tend to separate from the rim at that pressure - I generally don't take them below 16psi. For both situations regularly, I'd go with the AT's in 245/75/16 or (better) 265/70/16 | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Senior Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 706 Registered: 11-2002 |
I have 245's BFG AT's and am in the sand all the time here (SC and NC-Outer Banks) I have never had to be pulled out, and I don't air down much. They aren't too good in the swamp clay that we have here, though. | ||
| Big Ed (Sandman) Member Username: Sandman Post Number: 66 Registered: 02-2004 |
SAND. Ahhh, I love sand. We have it all here. White beach sand, yellow desert sand, red sand dunes, black sand in the hills...I love it all! I'm currently running Yokohama M/Ts in the 275/70R16 variety. Wide-enough to float through the deep dry stuff (especially when aired down to 15 PSI) and with a lug pattern spaced just enough to "paddle" when the going gets tough. I'm NOT too impressed with A/Ts in the sand here. They tend to spin too much which gives you that sinking feeling (mostly because you are sinking). The key to getting your full potential from an M/T in the sand is width...both in size (275-285 or 10-11 inches) and sidewall deformation! It's got to bulge out the sidewall without coming off the rim. I get almost 12 inches of cross-sectional width in sand 1.5 inches deep with the Yoko M/Ts. SandMan | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 18 Registered: 11-2003 |
Let me change this to what is the best sand tire? | ||
| Big Ed (Sandman) Member Username: Sandman Post Number: 83 Registered: 02-2004 |
Paddle tires for sure...but they suck on the road! Overall, I'm VERY happy with my Yokohama M/Ts both on the road and in the sand. I have the 2" OME so the 275/70R16's fit nicely with minimal trimming. SandMan | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 1009 Registered: 08-2002 |
Easy... BFG MT and be done with it. If you want a more "road worthy" feel then go BFG AT, but they will not do as goo in either sand or mud IMHO. | ||
| Chris Browne (Chris_browne) Senior Member Username: Chris_browne Post Number: 670 Registered: 02-2003 |
You got 18 inch wheels? If so you'll need new rims! $$$$.... | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 19 Registered: 11-2003 |
I've got the rims, I just need the tires. And like I said it will be off road only I plan on keeping the 18s on for street duty and the 16s for beach duty. | ||
| Carl E. Cedeholm (Cederholm) Member Username: Cederholm Post Number: 199 Registered: 03-2002 |
Hmmm... I use to have the 18" wheels with the stock Goodyears and I was ALWAYS ahead of the pack on beach sand. ..The Goodyears were wide and flat, and they would float. Granted they were useless for much else. The guys will the mudders always dug holes for themselves. Now I have the 16" BFG ATs,great tire, ....all they want to do is dig. But I'm not a sand expert. Carl | ||
| Gus Moreno (Tepuy) New Member Username: Tepuy Post Number: 10 Registered: 01-2004 |
I would go for the BFG MT. They will do well on both. Gus | ||
| Chris Rosato (Zeeto) New Member Username: Zeeto Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2004 |
if you're worried about sidewalls don't go with the BFG MT. They have extremely thin sidewalls... Get some boggers, hehe | ||
| Greg Tearne (Gooddoggomez) Member Username: Gooddoggomez Post Number: 69 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thin side walls? Do you have the right BFG in mind when you state that? Gordon has just said that the MT's tend to pop off the rim at around 14psi, does that suggest a thin side wall? I have just had a weekend with my MT's down to 15psi on some of the most challenging sand on the east coast of Oz and they didn't let me down at all. I was very impressed with their performance. | ||
| Michael David Bell (Bell03disco2) New Member Username: Bell03disco2 Post Number: 20 Registered: 11-2003 |
So I would be good with the stock rims and tires aired down? That is the impression that I am getting. I should invest in some mud tires correct? Has anybody ever driven on the fine, not packed at all, sand of NW Florida? | ||
| Chris Rosato (Zeeto) New Member Username: Zeeto Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2004 |
yup, BFG MT's are known for thin sidewalls. may not make much difference if you're not on the rocks, or have a lot of trees to stab them though | ||
| Big Ed (Sandman) Member Username: Sandman Post Number: 87 Registered: 02-2004 |
Bell, I've got a few years experience in sand of all types. The MTs work great, as long as they are wide. The sidewalls are thinner (not weak) so when aired-down they bulge a bit increasing the float of the tire (good for mud and sand). Like I said, IMHO the Yokohama MTs I run here in the Arabian sand are excellent. They keep me going when the big boys sink their H2's!! SandMan |
