Yokohama 7.00R15, Y742S

[Erick Lihme]

Anybody have negitive comments about this tire? TireRack carries them, however, there are no reviews.

Yokohama Tires
http://www.yokohamatire.com/tbs_tire_detail.asp?tireID=62

Specs
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec....&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=1

There is little info out there. Suprisingly, these are radials. A narrow tire is best for the snow and shallow mud holes of the 'montana muck'. Montana Muck seems to stop anything. My brother's FJ40 locked all 4 with 33 x12.5's is entirely helpless in the stuff. Mostly, I'll be busting up to 12" of snow next year on a trail to a cabin. I wonder how they'd do in other trails, loose rock, sand etc.

Old school pattern, these are apparently of a hard compound, and wear nicely.
7.00R15; hieght: 29.8", tread width: 5.7"
235/85R15; hieght: 31.9", tread width: 6.7"

 

[Erick Lihme]

Okay, nobody says I should'nt so I'll give these a try. These are definately not a sand tire, and not for everyone, I just happen to like the old time Willy's pizza cutter look. No really, I believe the now standard mud tire would NOT do better in the snow, especially on a light truck. These could do both. Throwing wieght in the back makes a big difference, so it all about PSI. The guys with the plows around here tend to use something simular or undersized in diameter, such as a 215/75R15 on a fullsize. The patch is smaller given the smaller diameter for a given width.

 

[CRD4Liberty]

Have only run then on my VW bug, they worked great, actually it's a Type 3 wagon.

 

[Erick Lihme]

Type 3, isn't that the one with the pan motor? My brother had a 70's wagon with injection. It was a porsche motor. Didn't know what we had at the time.

Really glad to get feedback on this tire.. VW's are famous for doing well in the snow. A good part of that is the skinny tire, IMHO. FWD econo boxes do surprisingly well running 175/80R13's. Given the aspect ratio and small diameter to boot, they have the PSI on the snow that works, and a skinny profile which pushes less.

The light, RWD V'dub running 7.00-15, specifically these Yokohama's, is a good measure on how they might do on my much heavier truck. On the ice though, a wider, soft, and siped tire would do better, yet in only a few inches of snow, the 235/75R15's literally don't cut it on the 85'. I had to have a 1/2 a pallet of cement to make it. With that kinda weight, 1,200#, their traction on ice suffered. Too much momentum.

Thanks for the reply

 

[charlieaarons]

For your application and desires I'd recommend getting a set of 16" rims and putting either 7.50R16s, 235/85R16s (both available in a multiplicity of designs) or even 8.25R16 Michelin XZLs which are 34" tall and 9.0" wide, all steel construction, mud tread but very long-lasting. You can get them affordably from Dollar Tire very slightly used, Canadian Army take-offs from Mercedes Gelaendewagens. As long as you don't have an H55F (5spd) or aftermarket overdrive gearing won't be a problem with your 4.11s. RPMs will be 2500 at 60 mph.

Charlie

 

[Erick Lihme]

Agree the 235/85R16 or equivalent 7.50R16 for expedition travels has been recommended by those who do know best, and I'll get a set of those, probably in an A/T.

In addition to those which would be the best for that purpose, I can justify two other tire sets, 235/75R15 Michelins LTX M/S (Already have for the summer), and 7.00R15 Y742S (for snow busting in the winter). The difference in tire tread width between the 7.00 and 235/85R16's, as well as the 2" difference in height, make the 7.00's a much better special purpose and snow busting tire with it's tread design and significantly smaller patch. As for a Y742S tread pattern in a 235/85R16, I suspect these would dig far too well in the sand, where as an A/T would do best in the Southwest, my winter destination, where trails with sand can be the ultimate stopper.

In my limited experience, I've been stuck in a fully locked cruiser with 33 x 12.5's MTR's on a trail which turned into a wash with suuper soft sand. Scary in the middle of nowhere, especially without a winch and sand for 200 yards in every direction.

Of course I could be wrong and I'm all ears for logical argument for another approach. If you believe aired down 235/85R16 Y742S would do fine in the sand that would save me some bucks and pay for the locker. Because of a recent decision to buy an inexpensive E-locker, this might be a good compromise as the locker would help greatly in snow busting and all other situations, including sand.

Do you believe that the Y742S would dig in the sand no more or less than say a M/T? Come to think of it, I don't think it would!!!

Thanks for the help! :Wow1: I'm going for it!

As Will Rogers said to the effect, some learn by observation, and some learn by reading, all others must pee on the electric fence.

 

[charlieaarons]

7.50R16 XZLs for instance would be far better in the snow than a 7.00R15 due to increased ground clearance and longer contact patch. They'd be OK aired down in sand as well for something your weight.

Charlie

 

[Erick Lihme]

Those XZL's are supposed to be awesome. considering that tire tread pattern, a long patch is needed. I doubt there is one tire that can do it all better than a specialty tire. A WS-50 Blizack is hard to beat, however a studded tire can come close. Many sipe their mudders of similar basic design as the XZL's to trying to improve wet and snow handling characteristics. Typically guys with light weight trucks or trucks with empty beds around here are usually loaded with firewood. It's all an attempt to increase traction by increasing psi of the tire patch to get through a few inches to deep snow. It is the same principle which make chains so effective. Ground clearance in snow is needed to a point, however, maximizing traction to push snow around axles or out of the way much like a plow does with it's blade is primary.

Without the E-locker I want, the 7.00R15 would be my choice, however with the locker, I can compromise and run something like those awesome XZL's and save myself the price of set of specialty tires or most important, pay for the locker!. I'll have to call Dollar Tire in Edmonton and check it out. Hopefully they have something in the 7.50R16. With 4.30's those would tax the driveline as would 31x10.5R15 using 4.10's, pushing rpms down to about 2,302 in 5th in the W56 trans.

 

[Erick Lihme]

XZL failure

We may wish to check with Michelin to see if the XZL's are suitable for more than occassional use on-road. Check this passage out:

http://www.tobysavage.co.uk/Article texts/Sat Nav article.html

Kev’s tyresome problem.
Kev’s Camel Trophy 110 had just 20,000 miles on the clock when two of his Michelin XZL’s started throwing tread. We had little idea of their history except that they had competed in the Tierra Del Fuego Camel Trophy in 1998. We felt it odd that they had thrown their tread in such dramatic fashion however, and wrote to Michelin enclosing this photo.
Michelin’s reply was:
"The XZL’s are designed for a mixture of on and off
road usage, with about 80% of the operation being off-road. We note that the main portion of your mileage on these tyres was
on-road, and this may have resulted in some weakening of the casing,
which then showed itself at a later date, in the form of the splits
pictured.

"The XZL 4x4O/R tyres are a good selection for the usage described whilst on your field trips. However, they would not be our prime choice for the general road use whilst in the UK. We would recommend that you operate this Land Rover on an alternative set of tyres."

 

[Erick Lihme]

Charlie,
This is strange. I received an email notification, but there is no post on the board. I'm responding to a ghost post I guess. The contents of your post are below.

Now I understand, you think I have a real truck! We are talking about two different animals. I talking about using those tires on a 1985 4WD Pickup which has a curb weight of only 3,200 lbs or so, and won't carry a payload of more than 1,500 lbs. These are not unduly skinny for that truck. Aspect ratio is only 1% different than the 235/85R16, tread width is the same as the stock 2WD truck 195/75R14.

Erick


charlieaarons has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Yokohama 7.00R15, Y742S - in the General Vehicle Modifications forum of Expedition Portal Forums.

This thread is located at:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5600&goto=newpost

Here is the message that has just been posted:
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With 4.30's those would tax the driveline as would 31x10.5R15 using 4.10's, pushing rpms down to about 2,302 in 5th in the W56 trans.[/QUOTE]

W56 transmission? Isn't that the 6 spd for Dodges with Cummins diesels? If so you're really headed in the wrong direction even thinking about 7.00R15s. I'd run 9.00R16 XZLs if you want a "narrow tire" for a 3/4 ton diesel pickup. The 7.00R15 hasn't nearly enough load capacity and it'll be like a bicycle tire for a truck like that. I've run 9.00 and 11.00R16 XLs on a 88 diesel F350 crewcab in icy snowy Anchorage for years with good results.
Even 8.25R16 would too small for a diesel 3/4 ton Dodge 4X4 IMHO.

Charlie
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