2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

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I currently run AT20 as that came with the car when I bought the car 2nd hand recently. There is still about 50% tread on it and I hear that they are good in the sand. I also bought a set of 2nd hand MTRs from a felloe PP member. I'm now contemplating on what I should do with regards to using the MTRs for play and the AT20 for road use.

We spend a lot of the time on the road and don't do a lot of heavy 4WDriving (yet). I'd much prefer to swap the tyres to MTRs when we do any sort of 4WDriving just for the extra reassurance it provides.

It costs $200 to swap tyres on my current alloy rims to go from AT20 to MTR then back to AT20. After 3 of these, I would have paid for 5 Toyota steelies already.

So the next question is whether to go with steel or alloy rims.

Steel rims CONS:
- Weight (heavier than alloys)
- Tapered nuts
Steel rims PROS:
- Cost
- Stronger than alloys

Toyota Alloy CONS:
- Cost
- Not as strong
Toyota Alloy PROS:
- Weight (lighter than steel)
- Retain use of nuts

As for the costs, there are a few sets that go through ebay and they don't seem too bad. A recent set of 5 Phoenix alloys went for $810. Another set of 4 steelies with near new tyres went for $1175.

As for the weight, I'm leaning towards alloys as they are about 10kg lighter. With 5 steel wheels, there's an added 50kg. When thinking ahead, if I were to carry a 2nd spare on the roof, I'd prefer lifting the alloy onto the roof.

Maybe I should just change to the MTRs and sell the AT20s.

What would you do (considering that we travel about 10 to 15K km a year on the Prado)?

[anthill Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close anthill]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

Interesting dilemma.

I just recently purchased some steelies. I should have put more thought into this, because I bought them from a 2003 GX owner who had upgraded to alloys.

I didn't realize until later that the steelies are 17x6" rims, not 17x7.5" like the alloys on my GXL. That said the tyres have a fair bit of wear left on them, so its not all bad.

My dilemma is... When my current Cooper ST's wear out, do I put on these steelies (which came with AT20s) for road use. Then put some MTR's onto the alloys. The problem I have with this is that the ugly rims are used for day use and the nice ones will get bumped and bashed off road.

I know the AT20's get a pretty bad write-up, but that seems to be limited to their off-road capability. So I think with a second set of MTR's, my air compressor and a rattle gun I should be ok.

BTW. All my offroad expeditions so far have been reasonably planned events, so I should have time to swap tires over. If I was to go away on holiday I would just take the MTR's.

Bottom line, is that I have decided to go down the two sets path. In addition there seems to be a reasonable market for AT20 tires on eBAY with a lot of people flogging them off for next to nothing so they can get all terrains.

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Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I have one other issue to consider and that is the tyre's life in terms of time. I think there is like a 5 or 6 year limit on tyres.

2x AT20 are 2005, 2x AT20 are 2007, 5th AT20 is 2003 and is emergency spare (nearly illegal)
5x MTR are 2007, with 4 having done 20K km. 5th MTR is brand new.

With my low mileage and tyre expiry, I think it would be better to change to the MTRs in the near future and run it fulltime. The AT20s can go to a good home.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

Plan C - Buy a camper trailer and put the AT20s on it

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I picked up 5 GXL wide steelies (not the skinny GX ones), including nuts and caps for $50 each. They are 4 weeks old. A workmate bought the up-spec GX and he got the factory alloys from the Aussie supplier. Will look at some nice M/T and save my alloys for the highway.

[Bankrupt Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bankrupt]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I'd get alloys if you're not going to be going super remote. I purchased Toyota steelies for my trip to the Kimberly but dreaded the thought of how I would get the steelie on/off the roof (they're 42kg as opposed to 30.5kg for an alloy with factory tyre)

I'm not saying that I'm lacking super hero strength...I'm just vertically challenged which makes it hard

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

What are the MTR's like on bitumen?

Most people who run muddies comment that their on-road handling is compromised, especially in the wet. If most of your kms are around town, running MTR's fulltime might not be such a good move.

Michael

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Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I haven't put the MTR's on yet. Still thinking when I should do it.

I'm heading down to Victor Harbor before Christmas with some overseas relatives. I though of taking a drive on Goolwa beach (1st time sand driving). I hear that the MTRs are awful on sand but the AT20s float better. I then visit my family in Sydney and we'll be heading to Barrington Tops while there. So the AT20s will get some more mileage then.

In Easter 2010 I'm planning on going to the Flinders and will probably swap to the MTRs before that trip.

Having bought the Prado, I'm very conscious of fuel use and tend to drive a bit more carefully than my V6 Tarago. So I'll be taking it easy when the MTR's go on.

[KybraBoss Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close KybraBoss]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I use steel rims for serious off road, after crunching a rock with alloys and had run out of spares (shredded on stakes) and couldnt get any sort of seal to hold the tyre.
At least with steel they will bend/warp/buckle what ever but if needed a couple of well placed wallops with a big hammer will straighten them out enough to seal up and get you home

[Wil Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wil]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

You have got to admit that pradogxlv6 has got a good point

Looking at ball park figures and assuming that at 10,000km a year you are timing out your tyres and replacing before 100% worn
Scenario 1
Grandtrex X 5 = $1500
Muddies X 5 = $2000
Spare rims X 5 = $1000

total = $4500

Scenario 2
All Terains X 5 = $1750
Locker X 1 = $2000

total = $3750

Interesting - Buying a locker is actually a cost saver! Crazy not to! Especially if you compare the difference in time and effort between changing 5 tyres compared to flicking a switch.

I think that I have just about talked myself into getting a locker!

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

Just got hit with a bill for $960 for a 16 inch steel rim and Bridgestone 694 tyre for my work Colorado. It's a govt fleet lease arrangement so I'm stuck with forking out the money from my meagre operating budget. Rang Holden to confirm rim price of $583! OUCH!

[LostDingo2 Find all posts View Profile Close LostDingo2]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

I just came back from SA with part of the trip @ Arkaroola/Gammon Ranges. The Grandtreks are terrible in the sharp rocks there and you won't go far before getting a puncture.

Was there last year as well with the Prado with less than 5k's on it and same thing....puntured the GranTreks easily. Any tire can get punctured easily there but I want as many belts and rubber between the tire and rocks! There were alot of MTR's there and everywhere else we went in SA...never saw so many Mickey's since coming from the USA in one area!

I want a set of six steelies and six MTR's I think.

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

Was there last year as well with the Prado with less than 5k's on it and same thing....puntured the GranTreks easily. Any tire can get punctured easily there but I want as many belts and rubber between the tire and rocks! There were alot of MTR's there and everywhere else we went in SA...never saw so many Mickey's since coming from the USA in one area!

I want a set of six steelies and six MTR's I think.

MT-Rs are made by Goodyear. MTZs are made by Coopers under then name of Mickey Thompson.

[LostDingo2 Find all posts View Profile Close LostDingo2]

Re: 2nd set of steel / alloy or just swap the tyres

Was there last year as well with the Prado with less than 5k's on it and same thing....puntured the GranTreks easily. Any tire can get punctured easily there but I want as many belts and rubber between the tire and rocks! There were alot of MTR's there and everywhere else we went in SA...never saw so many Mickey's since coming from the USA in one area!

I want a set of six steelies and six MTR's I think.

MT-Rs are made by Goodyear. MTZs are made by Coopers under then name of Mickey Thompson.

Apologies...I did mean MTZ's.... ops:

I had some MTR's on my last 4wd, never had a flat on it either....I do have good respect for the kevlar in the sharp rocks but they did tend to cup a bit so I am interested in chunking the Mickey's on and giving a go