Posted by Charlie on Sunday, June 10, 2001 at 5:10PM :
In Reply to: radial tire size posted by Chip on Sunday, June 10, 2001 at 10:01AM :
Someone should write something up and put it on "Best of the Forum" as a reference.
If money is no object, get 11.00R16 Michelin XLs. They are 38.7" tall and will drop rpms 10% at a given mph relative to 9.00-16 NDs. They are excellent in mud and general offroad, good on dry pavement and rain, fair on ice, and excellent in fresh snow. They improve the ride due to their radial design and height.
9.00R16 XLs (36.1") are also made, and 9.00R16 XZLs (36.9") last long on pavement and are quieter at a slight cost in mud traction. Expect to pay $250-350 each for these new.
Dollar Tire in Edmonton Alberta is selling used versions of 9.00 and 11.00R16 XLs at $110-175 for the 11.00s and $65-130 for the 9.00s. Depending on tread left.
They also are selling used 325/85R16 XMLs, and extraordinary tire that's 38.7" tall and 13" wide, but needs an 8-10" wide rim. It would really ride nicely because it could be run at 20-25 psi at the M37s weight. It could probably be "squeezed" onto a 6.5" wide rim. I paid US$130 each for 75% tread tires.
Some of their 9.00 and 11.00 s must be 80-90% tread because of their quoted prices, which are in Canadian dollars.
Non-Michelins: if looking for radials I'd recommend 36X12.5R16 radial Swampers, or the new 37X12.5R16 SSR Swampers. Both call for 8" rims but the 36s have been successfully run on stock split rims, and the taller a wide tire is, the less stress on the sidewalls to squeeze a given width onto a given narrow rim.
Finally there's 305/85R16 Buckshot Mudders. They are the cheapest radial I know of at 36". Tires usually are an example of the aphorism "you get what you pay for". Many people including some of the Forum members have had good luck with Buckshots. But they have a 2 ply polyester casing (with 2 steel belts) and I have personally seen more than one Buckshot (33") casing coming apart with "hernias" in the sidewall.
I really think the Michelins at Dollar Tire (http://www.dollartire.com/Pages/UsedTires.html are the best deal at the moment for a quality tire, even if they were slightly used by the Canadian Defense Forces. Militaries usually take good care of their stuff.
Charlie
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