Finally i knocked an item off my Mods to do list.
i started looking for an offroad set off rims and tyres about 8 months ago now.
after lots and lots of research and working out what will suit me the best i actually picked up my new set off steel and rubber Friday arvo from Lindsey tyres Mount Evelyn.
( Dave is very helpful and very good prices ).
so i guess your thinking how hard is it to choose a set of off road tyres ?
well when your me it is, i started by looking at the things that it lacks with 285 75 16s pro comp ats on factory alloys
tread width could be slightly wider
rolling diameter could be slightly bigger
AT construction and durability when pushed in the bush
then i looked at the vehicle.
the front track is definitely wide enough
But the back unfortunately is a whole 100mm narrower than the front, so correcting that is on the list
so i guess about now your thinking easy 50mm wheel spacers and 35x12.5s
well not really, i did not want to go as big as 35 as i intent to do mostly touring and 35s will use more fuel and probably need alot more done to the cruiser to make them fit, including more lift which i also dont want as i can only just get my 79 in to 2.1m carparks now with my 2" lift, so it becomes a hassle with every day use of the vehicle,
and there is just way to much controversy surrounding wheel spacers and this specific vehicle and because it is also a daily i did not want to go down the path.
now i started with looking at Jungle trekker II tyres due to there wide variety of sizes available but after every review stating it shakes your teeth loose for the first 10min you drive it every time (due to being a bias tyre) i was starting to think again, then also the reviews that they are really really bad on wet rock due to the hard compound, signed that tyres fate for me .
once again looking towards setting up a tuff tourer not a Mud truck
so after a few months of checking every tyre manufactures web sites for tyre sizes i found the tyre for me and it ticked all the boxes
305x70x17 maxxis bighorn
as far as i know it is the only radial that comes with an OD in between a small 35 and a big 33 (864mm) 34" and the added width too. (well any brand that has a name i have heard of before)
this is where dave at lindseys helped, he deals through dynamic wheels, so he had a look at 17" steel rims with a 5x150 pattern ( which is fairly scarce being suited to only 5 stud cruisers as far as i know ). he found out that they make a 17x8 -0, 17x8 -13 and a 17x9 -25
seeing as the factory alloys are 16x7 -0
I decided on 17x8 -0 for the front and 17x9 -25 for the rear and a 17x8 -0 as a spear
as they are only are a 4WD only set i decided i will get 38mm spacer and if it needs to be used on the rear the spacer will be used as an emergency till the rear is fixed.
so after i picked up my new wheels i got home last night, i was like a young boy on xmass eve i just could not wait so i had to fit them...........
and after they were on they looked the part, i had to wait till today to see how they would fair at full stretch, which also went very well the rear is fine and the front needs minor bull bar trimming. while 1 rear wheel is at full stretch the opposite front will not pass 0 degs as it hitts the corner of the bar,
i am fairly sure its only an issue with the Toyo bars the ARB ones are cut higher up close in on the arch. any way ill be able to fix that my self so no big deal.
the front track is now only 25mm wider than the rear so it has corrected 75mm and now you cannot notice it by eye.
and of course a few photos
