Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

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Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by heeple » 01 Dec 2016, 1:23 pm

What's the deal with fitting bigger tyres to your 4WD? Wider is obvious, but does bigger give you a longer contact patch when you're in mud or rough stuff?

Just wondering why people spend good money to go up a tyre but not wider.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by AusTac » 01 Dec 2016, 1:58 pm

Diff clearance is the biggest + with going up, have to think about wheel arch clearance ( lift ) gearing, brakes axles/driveshafts and stuff though too, its all a compromise
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Noisydad » 01 Dec 2016, 2:52 pm

Bigger diameter eats horsepower like you wouldn't believe and will make your speedo wrong and your missus cuss you.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by No1Mk3 » 01 Dec 2016, 2:54 pm

The other thing you must know, is how it affects your speedo! I moved to a light truck tyre on my cruiser some years ago and got booked for speeding, so check if your speedo works on wheel revs or engine/gearbox revs and make the appropriate allowance. Cheers.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Wes » 01 Dec 2016, 3:10 pm

It's the only way to raise the diff/axles like the guys said.

A suspension lift raises the body off of them, but diff stays at the same height.

If you go up 2" in tyre size you get a 1" lift over all (cause 1 inch is gained top and bottom of the tyre).
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by ebr love » 01 Dec 2016, 3:18 pm

Noisydad wrote:Bigger diameter eats horsepower like you wouldn't believe and will make your speedo wrong and your missus cuss you.


You get triple whammy on that too.

Decreased torque because you're trying to turn bigger wheels, worse fuel economy because of it, and decreased braking because the road has more torque on you.

Personally I think bigger wheels are a step backwards overall in most cases. If you absolutely positively had to have them you'd want to get the differential re-geared to suit the change and bring the speedo, power and economy back into shape, but that turns adding a new set of tyres into a lot of work/$$$$$$.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by gazza » 01 Dec 2016, 3:36 pm

Higher, deflated tyre is better in sand. Longer footprint with less bow wave They also cut through snow and even mud to hit the harder stuff below.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by albat » 01 Dec 2016, 5:21 pm

Before you do anything check your insurane policy re modifying your vehicle they are extremely dilligent on 4wd claims regarding checking road legality of the vehicle after an accident dont risk any mods without getting approval first.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by colsta » 01 Dec 2016, 5:55 pm

with the rules there on about bringing in nsw you will be able to run a 2inch suspension lift and 1 inch higher tyre all self certified so no need for an engineering certificate so most insurance companies won't have a problem with you modifying your car
By the way what car you got
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Arth » 02 Dec 2016, 9:53 am

I haven't checked the road rules but that seems to be the same for suspension in Victoria too I guess.

Just noticing everywhere seems to offer a 50mm lift max.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Varmtr » 03 Dec 2016, 2:09 pm

Depending on 4wd another way of raising the diffs besides bigger dia tyres is portal axles. Done by Marks Adaptors big $$$$.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Oldbloke » 03 Dec 2016, 10:51 pm

A lesser known compromise when raising any car, but in particular 4x4s is that when you raise it you also raise the centre of gravity. This increases the , likely hood of a roll over. 4x4s are at greater risk of a roll over than most cars for this reason, increasing wheel size further increases the risk.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by heeple » 04 Dec 2016, 4:13 pm

colsta wrote:By the way what car you got


Old Hilux mate but she is due to be replaced soon and I'm looking to go wagon now.

Probably a Prado or 70 series, I'll be sticking to Toyota either way.

Have a few coin saved aside for some aftermarket gears to toughen it up a bit off road as well, getting the ducks in a row :thumbsup:
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Aster » 04 Dec 2016, 4:36 pm

Varmtr wrote:Depending on 4wd another way of raising the diffs besides bigger dia tyres is portal axles. Done by Marks Adaptors big $$$$.


Ouch :o

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$19,750 for 70 Series Landcruiser. Half the price of the vehicle if you buy one that's a few years old second hand.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by AusTac » 04 Dec 2016, 4:40 pm

Get a ex army unimog, portals, self pressurising head lights, and something like a 2m fording height, practically unstoppable
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Varmtr » 05 Dec 2016, 1:22 pm

AusTac wrote:Get a ex army unimog, portals, self pressurising head lights, and something like a 2m fording height, practically unstoppable


Or a Tatra 813 8x8 :D
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by colsta » 05 Dec 2016, 1:45 pm

AusTac wrote:Get a ex army unimog, portals, self pressurising head lights, and something like a 2m fording height, practically unstoppable

they are a great bit of gear my mates got one he has got it bogged a few times last time we had to use a dozer to pull him out
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Khan » 05 Dec 2016, 2:13 pm

Jokes aside, a mog must need a heavy vehicle license, right?

Just wondering.
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by AusTac » 05 Dec 2016, 5:24 pm

Yeah Heavy Rigid, why thinking of buying one? :p

And a bogged mog... thats some serious sh^t whatever bogged that
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Re: Fitting bigger (not wider) tyres to your 4WD

Post by Sakoh » 08 Dec 2016, 9:33 am

I think that's called a lake.
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