Expo Member needs help - tires

[dhackney]

Sorry to impose on everybody, but I could really use some help from the community.

We've got six new stock Yokohama tires waiting for us in Chile, but we may need to put some new tires on before we can get back down there.

We lost one tire a few days ago when we split the sidewall. That puts us down to one spare.

We are heading to a remote area of Peru where I will have very limited access to the internet, so my ability to research potential replacement tires is going to be severely limited.

I am asking for members to help in researching possible alternatives to the stock tires, which are not generally available in South America, at least in the markets here we have been in.

Stock tire: Yokohama Y742S, LT235/85R16 (E), tread - all season; part # 74250; weight 49.46 lb;

I need tires that:
- Match or exceed the Yokohama weight capacity (load range E, 2,778 single / 3,042 dual)(all weights in pounds)
- Match or are as close as possible to the Yokohama width and diameter (section width 10.1, inflated width 9.3, inflated diameter 31.9, maximum width at rated speed/load 10.10, max diameter at recommended speed/load 29.6, loaded static radius 14.8, rim width 6.5)(all dimensions in inches)
- Have a reasonable semblance of a mud/snow tread

Data pages for the stock Yokohamas are at:

• http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14508
• http://www.hackneys.com/mitsu/docs/yokohama-michelin-comp.pdf
• http://www.hackneys.com/mitsu/docs/yokohama-Y742S-specs-web-page.pdf
• http://www.hackneys.com/mitsu/docs/yokohama-Y742S-main-web-page.pdf

Brands that we know are available here in Peru with good distribution include:

• Bridgestone/Firestone (everywhere)
• Goodyear (everywhere)
• Yokohama (limited)

I have seen no evidence of Michelin in the rural areas we have been in.

Countries we are likely to purchase the tires in, ranked in order of probability:
1. Peru
2. Ecuador
3. Columbia
4. Chile

Again, my apologies for imposing on everyone's time, but we would really appreciate any help you can provide.

I may not be able to get back to the forum for a few days, so please be patient with my responses.

thanks,
Doug

 

[Desertdude]

Doug, I sent your request in a PM to Redline or resident tire aficionado.

Stay tuned...

 

[dhackney]

New Sense of Urgency

When it rains...

We had a rear tire completely disintegrate today.

It blew just before sunset. We did a NASCAR worthy tire change and jumped back into the cab just as it was getting dark.

The only guy who stopped to help pulled over as I was putting the tools away. He told us it was a very dangerous stretch of road. We didn't get the feeling he was referring to road debris.

We turned around and crawled back down to Trujillo, Peru at 40-45 mph.

We now have zero spares and are grounded here until we can buy tires.

I will check the forum tomorrow before heading into find a tire store.

Doug

Posted via Inmarsat BGAN

 

[spencyg]

Goodyear Wrangler MT/R
http://www.customwheelsdirect.com/tires_brand/tire_detail.php?id=702

I'm not sure what kind of mileage you'll get out of it, but in a pinch it will be basically the exact same size as the unit you're currently running.

Couldn't find anything else that looked remotely close...

Spence

PS: FWIW My wife is in Peru right now studying Spanish in Cuzco. She was at the big lake last weekend and will be at Machu Pichu this weekend. Looks like a beautiful place though I'm not too elated to hear that there are particular roads which one absolutely shouldn't be blowing tires on....single white females in places like that make me nervous.

 

[Scott Brady]

Jorge and I are working on a solution

Douglas,

I am here with Jorge, and we are contacting Trujillo for resources.

At this point, the key will be to find any tread design 235/85 R16 with sufficient load capacity. We will be looking for two tires minimum, to freshen your spares.

Jorge has a contact in the city (the one he mentioned about the Amazon route), and we will have an update for you in a few hours.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Spares

Doug , Don’t know how much help this is. We Aussies can’t even spell “tyres” properly.

Bridgestone M773 swp II :
Size: LT235/85 R16
Load rating : E
Side wall style: BW
Article number : 152854
Approved rims: 6.0 – 7.0
Measured rim width: 6.5
Overall Diameter: 32.0
Overall section width: 9.5
Tread width: 6.5
Static load radius: 14.8
Minimum dual spacing: 10.8
Tread depth : 17
RPM: 651
RPK: 405
Tyre weight: 46

Got this off the Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire website. Am still looking for other alternatives so I’ll post ‘em if I find ‘em.

Regards John

 

[charlieaarons]

Bridgestone G530 7.50R16. Load range 122, about 3250 lb single. I'd guess 3000 dual; look on the sidewall. Tread like Michelin XZY. Same diameter as 235s, will fit on same rim. I'd guess you'd increase rear axle tire load rating by ~1000 lb.

Charlie

 

[Redline]

Sorry to hear of your tire problems. With Scott B. and his resources working on a solution I can't imagine my opinions or thoughts will be of much help but I will chime in anyway.

Firstly, assuming that LT235/85R16s are as available in S. America as they are here in N. America I think you should have a relatively easy time making a decision and finding tires that will fill the need. Virtually every 235/85R16 is a load-range-E tire (I'm sure you know this) with a single rating of 3042-lbs and a dual load rating of 2778-lbs @ 80-PSI.

I was going to ask more about your tread pattern preferences but I looked at the link for your Yokohamas (I really like the tread design) and think you want something pretty aggressive but not a total 'mudder' tire.

Doing some searching I didn't really find any commercial-type traction tires from Bridgestone/Firestone that I liked. I assume there are some but I didn't come up with any.

From Goodyear:

Unisteel G933 RSD Featuring Armor MAX Technology

Unisteel G971

Workhorse Extra Grip
One thing I like about this tire is that it's listed height is 32". That is a nice tall 235/85. Some are only 31.7-31.8 and I think your Yokohamas are tall (31.9"?)

I would also consider the Michelin XPS traction if you can find them down there, a commercial, all-steel design tire.

 

[DiploStrat]

This is easy.

Gang, you are making this too hard.

The tire you need is the 7.50x16. This is the old Landrover/Landcruiser size and is the most common tire in the third world. Trujillo should be lousy with them. (If not, a local dealer can get on put on a bus overnight from Lima.)

LT235/85x16 is merely the sexy new name. As noted, most of these tires are load range E, but I would be sure to specify 10 ply rating.

We run 7.50x16's and LT235/85x16's on all of our 'Cruisers. (The Japanese tend to use third world common sizes for obvious reasons.)

Good luck.

 

[dhackney]

Guys,

Thanks for the info. Hugely appreciated.

9:42AM local time, so we will be heading into Trujillo shortly.

I apologize for not including the quantity.

We will need eight (8) tires. We've got two left with any life, our former spares, and they are currently on the front. All the others are completely gone. Patagonia ate up most of them and the Peruvian chicken bus roads finished off what was left.

As Charlie reminded me during our build, because the Fuso is a "locker" transfer case, I need to run the same size tire front and rear, so I can't mix brands/sizes.

Regarding tread, we will take what we can get at this point. As Fred pointed out in a PM, the only place we really need an aggressive tread is the Amazon and we're so heavy we'll get stuck there anyway.

Spence, no worries with your wife. Assuming she follows SOP for travel, where she is and is going, a SWF is safe. The people in that area are very friendly and welcoming. We're out on the coast, along the Panamericana, which has a little more of a continuous border town feel about it.

I will post up what happens later today.

Thanks again for the help.

Doug

 

[DiploStrat]

Gimme a couple of hours ...

I will find you your tires - either in Trujillo or by express from Lima.

You don't happen to have a sat phone or US cell phone by any chance?

(I have friends in low places.)

 

[dhackney]

Fred,

We're at the Goodyear truck tire dealer in Trujillo now.

Check your email. You've got mail.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[DiploStrat]

!Todavia Nada!

Nuthin' yet, either in e-mail or from Lima.

But if you are at the Goodyear dealer, you should find something that will work. If they don't have something in Trujillo, they can put it on a bus from Lima or Callao.

(N.B. While it is nice to have all the tires match, unless your truck has full time 4x4, it is not a big deal in the real world - especially not front to back. If you are in 4x4, then something is slipping far more than a small size difference between tires. If your truck is part time 4x4, then it is not an issue at all. I would, however, try to match side to side, especially if you have a limited slip differential.)

Note: Just did some limited research on the web which indicates that your beast has locking front hubs. If that is correct, then you have part time 4x4 and don't need to worry about matching tires front to back at all. Should you not find tires that you really like, then only buy two or four and put them front or back, as appropriate - reserving the best of your last tires for spares.

Noting all of the tire problems we have had over the years, Ms. Monster insisted that I post the following in sympathy:

Good luck!

 

[locrwln]

Noting all of the tire problems we have had over the years, Ms. Monster insisted that I post the following:

Good luck!

Don't mean to do a thread hi-jack, but where is story or info on your trip and your rig? My wife and I both have owned trucks of those vintage, mine was a '72 Cheyenne Super 2wd, lwb, hers was a '69 stripper, 4wd swb, converted over to '72 front axle and auto (started out as a stick). We both really like those body style Blazers.:bowdown:

Jack

 

[DiploStrat]

No story ...

In October of 1974 I finished an assignment in Douala, Cameroon and was transferred to Guayaquil, Ecuador.

My then girlfriend and I decided to drive the first part of the way, arriving in England in December 1974.

In August of 1976, my now wife and I (and her sister and the dog) decided to go visit friends in La Paz, Bolivia, so we drove down and back, visiting most of the usual tourist sites.

Pictures are at: www.pbase.com/diplostrat