Merc 1124 AF Michelin XZY 385/65/s22.5 versus 425/65/22.5

[Madoxen]

Another option I just found is Cooper tyres do a LM301 in 13r22.5 for heavy off road and a little on road with a tread pattern closer to that available on the 20 inch rims

 

[Toby3]

Hi, thanks all, looks like some good options. The sensible option seems to be to stick with 385/65/f22.5 in one of these. However bit of a nagging doubt that the top end manufacturers - Unicat, Actionmobil etc all still seem to sell their trucks with r20s. Appreciate r20s aren't that easily available, but can air down more and to Charlie's point with 2 spares and given tyres seem to last a while, is there much experience of people going through 2 - 3 tyres (ie to the point they get stranded with 2 spares)? Do R20's feel similar to R22.5s when at normal pressures on road ?

 

[charlieaarons]

Hi, thanks all, looks like some good options. The sensible option seems to be to stick with 385/65/f22.5 in one of these. However bit of a nagging doubt that the top end manufacturers - Unicat, Actionmobil etc all still seem to sell their trucks with r20s. Appreciate r20s aren't that easily available, but can air down more and to Charlie's point with 2 spares and given tyres seem to last a while, is there much experience of people going through 2 - 3 tyres (ie to the point they get stranded with 2 spares)? Do R20's feel similar to R22.5s when at normal pressures on road ?

I lost a tire in Baja in 2007 due to an aftermarket shock breaking in half and eating out the inner sidewall. I had only 1 spare (I had several spare OEM shocks) tire so I had to cut the Baja part short.
In Tucson a tire place found a used 395/85R20 XML with unknown provenance. It blew out at 10mph in Saline Valley.
That’s why I carry a second unmounted spare.
And the question of 20” bead retention: Mysteriously Mercedes forgot to install the ordered internal beadlocks in my original wheels. On the maiden trip I got stock in a very muddy place in Morocco in 2006. Using CTIS I got the pressure very low. I almost immediately experienced debeadment in an axle, I forget which. Fortunately we were with 2 other vehicles and Unicat people so it all got fixed. I got the beadlocks after I expressed outrage to Mercedes but didn’t install till I got Hutchinsons in 2015. Now I have no worries about bead retention.
Big XZLs ride well on the highway but have speed ratings of only 55-68mph. The new 395/85R20 XZL2 has full load speed rating at 68 and up to 75 with slightly lower load. And they exist in North America. Might get a set next year since Namibia and Botswana tend to be on the warm side.
For me any 22.5 would be quite unsatisfactory, even 445 XZL, since I use CTIS a lot when off pavement and pressure down to 15 psi in front and 32 in rear are a big part of getting unstuck without using winch. On highway I run 64 front, 95-100 rear.

 

[Joe917]

Are you planning South America? 20's are not available there, and yes we met two trucks desperate for replacement 20" tires. If not 20" rims are better for off road than 22.5. By off road I mean out in the desert dunes or a remote beach, not trails. As for Chinese tires, forget it, tires are too important to save on, go Japanese,American, French or German.