Biggest tyre for a Classic?

[Animal Mother]

I've heard conflicting comments, and I'm sure this will be no different.
Can you fit A/T 235/85R16s on a RR Classic, with no lifts and no body mods. The tyres would be on 16x6 rostyle steel RR wheels.
Also comments on 215/85R16s would also be appreciated.

[justinC]

I have 235/85/16 on mine, but I would say that there would be body to tyre contact if I didn't have a 2" suspension lift and a 2.5" body lift.

215/85/16 would be worth a try though, but a flex test would show if you will clear everything.

JC

[Animal Mother]

215/85/16 would be worth a try though, but a flex test would show if you will clear everything.

JC

Flex test. Is this an articulation test that a tyre shop can do on my vehicle?

[justinC]

No, best done on a grassy bank, a Nissan Micra bonnet or some other obstacle.
Low range, first gear and drive up on an angle so the fron and rear axles are 'crossed up' as much as poss, and then hop out and have a look at the position of the wheels and see of they are clearing everything. A fork lift works well too....
JC

[Loanrangie]

215/85/16 is a good fit on rangie steels with no lift, i had these on my first rangie with no probs.

[Animal Mother]

Is the clearance and off road ability increase as good on 235/85s and 215/85s?

[justinC]

I think that 215's will be fine, but choosing the tread pattern for the terrain is more important than tyre size in this case. A 215/85 in a mudder will be better obviously for rocks etc than an all terrain type pattern, say MTR vs ATR...And pressures are critical for offroad performance, low and slow for rockwork, medium and easy for mud, (Most of the time)
you'll figure it out with practice and advice from those who have done it heaps. Go wheeling with others, learn from people though who know what they are doing, there are plenty of bad habits and practices out there.


JC

[Loanrangie]

the 235/85's will give you a bit more clearance under the diffs than the 215/85's but will require a lift and guard trimming.

[Animal Mother]

the 235/85's will give you a bit more clearance under the diffs than the 215/85's but will require a lift and guard trimming.

Is this a definate as I've heard otherwise. Its been very difficultto get a definate answer from someone who has tried to fit these tyres.

[ARangie]

235/85 16 MTR Hancooks
Needed a 2" suspension lift, mostly becaue the back tyres would get cut as soon as I hit a bump.
Inner guard trimmig will help but, you really need a body lift of at least 30mm and 50mm suspension lift.

Then if you need to go bigger again you need to trim the outer guards and fit offest rims, to maintain a desent turning radius.

Suspension lifts can be had with shockers for under a 1k as low as 0.8k

Body lift will take you about 12 cans of bundy to think about it. Not the same week. Some blocks, longer bolts, new rubbers, fiddle the brake lines, and a easy weekend, with a jack, some blocks of wood, and some sturdy tall car stands, not the cheap ones.

[Philip A]

In my experience on many club trips and personally,
You need at least a 1 inch body lift and preferably 2 inch for 235.85.
Suspension lift is irrelevant if you use all articulation, unless you do a suspension lift and then put longer bump stops on.

A 2 door is better than a 4 door at the rear, but a 2 door will rip the sidewall area of 235s on articulation at the rear of the rear wheel arches without a body lift.
On a four door it would be worse.

I have seen a four door with 245.75x16 and no lifts hit at the front of the rear wheel arches, so 235 will be worse. 245 is the same diameter as 215.85.

You can get away with 245.75 without any lifts and I recommend this over 215.85 as there are many more brands available. As I said you have to cut the front flange off the rear guards and also on a 4 door the bolt at the top of the inside of the wheel arch.

Regards Philip A

[Aquarangie]

I've got 255/85R16 BFG muddies (33.3 inch) with a 40mm body lift and 50mm spring lift. I also had to do a bit of 'angle grinder' surgery on the guards (cut about 50mm out of the guards). Got stock Vogue 16x7 alloys and std gearing as well

No hitting on guards once cut but they do run slightly inside the rear wheel arch on compression. It's only a slight rub mark and not hitting any suspension components, etc.. so I'm not too concerned about it

Pic below, not the best one I have but gives you and idea of what I'm on about.

Regards,

Trav

[justinC]

Hi Trav,
Are your mudders 33"?

JC

[cloughy]

Hi Trav,
Are your mudders 33"?

JC

I've got 255/85R16 BFG muddies (33.3 inch)

Regards,

Trav

[ARangie]

Correct a suslift may not help, but if you lower the shock mounts and then lengthen bump stops you can have downward artic, without rubbing, but it still helps to have the whole lot, 2"lift and the body lift of 30mm. Unless you drive around without recover gear, and drive only on softroader tracks.

[subaman]

I put 32 inch more like 33 inch mongerals under my rangie with the lra 2.5 inch body lift and some minor gaurd cuts. The rear is worse than the front but you definately need some clearance. My mate has 31inch mudds under his rangie no lift and it scrubs big on flex.

[Animal Mother]

Ok. Will a 2" body lift ONLY allow me to fit 235s?
If not, will a 2" body lift and inner guard trimming work?
If so, what needs to be trimmed and from where exactly? Will any of the trimming be visible? I don't want to butcher my truck u see!

[Philip A]

It should but nobody can tell you for sure as every brand of tyre has different dimensions. But you can be sure it will be tight.

Just suck it and see . You will soon find out, and with a 2inch lift the rubbing will not be too bad.
Regard sPhilip A

[Animal Mother]

Ok. Been doing some research and have found that 7.50-16 size tyres would give me a bigger diameter (same as 235s) and no rubbing.
Anyone had any experience with this tyre size?
Can you even get them in Oz?

[Scouse]

I run 7.50 x 16s on my RR.
I don't have any suspension/body lift & they rub on the front edges of the rear guards. I've folded in the flanges there which was OK with my 1/2 worn 7.50s.

I've just fitted new 7.50s & they rub more in the same spot as they're slightly taller. I've done a bit of panel beating for more clearance.