GX tyre standard vs upgrade

[TimA Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimA]

Hi All,

New to forum and been busy reading all the posts. Sensational information!!! Absolutely fantastic site.

I plan on purchasing my first 4wd after going camping (and 4wding) with guys from work and riding passenger in all the 4wds there. Thought the Prado was best ride although I knew bugger all about 4wd really . Have my heart set on bying a early 2011 build GX (auto diesel - so the driving is shared) and been trawling the posts for any hints or problems.

My aim is to lease the Prado and pay the balloon after the lease and keep for 10+ years. I want to keep the luxury car tax down so will probably get stock vehicle (plus whatever comes under the LCT). Intended mods include 2"lift, ARB deluxe bar, winch, window tint, tow bar, mats, dual battery, tyres, cargo barrier just for starters. Hhhmmmm $$$$$$. :shock:

Intended trips include South West of WA (2011), Cape York (2013) & Kimberley. Others on the list will be Vic High Country, Tas, the magnificent Flinders Ranges (love this place - went there in March 2010 in a Mazda3 :mrgreen: and couldn't get through to lots of places as the rain twe have had his year made it too difficult for a standard 2wd - but at least I tried and KNOW I will turn back if conditions aren't right!!! Now I have to go back and finish what I didn't do last time

Concerns with the GX:

1. Mud flaps (this applies to more than the GX) - what a pain!!! Was out walking the other day and saw a GXL parked outside a shop. I checked out the mudflaps (hope nobody thought I was casing out the car) and have to agree they are not big enough. Decision already made to install extenders (or replace with something suitable) to protect body work unless Atoyot fix the problem first (am crossing fingers).

2. Tyres. Seems the OEM tyres don't cut it off road. There seems to still be limited choice with the aftermarket tyres - I am interested in good All Terrains - for the 6.5" rims. A check on the web and there are Coopers ST, MT ATZ 5-rib, Bridgestone D694 & Pirelli Scorpion ATR. What is the opinion of the people who have a GX and kept the 6.5" rims vs those who changed to 7.5" rims. What are the tyres you purchased like, how have they performed (especially off road), what about replacements (especially in remote locations). Would like to get feedback especially as it is about 1 year since GX was released and some people swapped the rims over to the GXL ones.

3. Anyone know if Atoyot plan to release a "Series 2"of the 150 next year?

4. Are there any other things to consider based on what I intend to use the vehicle for?

Will keep reading the posts to glean hints and mods for my new 4wd. Man, I am itching to have it now so I can make the most of Spring/Summer/Autumn .


Any feedback welcome,

Cheers,


Tim

[Crisp Image Member Find all posts View Profile Close Crisp Image]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

General make a tyre that looks like the BFG pattern in the size for the GX wheels.
Regards
Crisp Image

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

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

Tim,

I have just purchased a 150 series GX (pick it up tomorrow) and went through the same questions as you in regard to the wheels and tyres.

I currently have a 90 series RV model Prado which is equivalent to the GX, i.e. the base model. I bought this new in 2001 and didn't think about the tyres/wheels at the time. However, there are many times since that I have regretted not having the larger wheels that came on the GXL model and would have loved to change them but the cost to do this with the 90 series has always prevented it - as well as new rims and tyres you also need flares and need to replace the diff with the correct ratio gears (well you don't strictly need to but then you lose out on torque available at the wheels). My reason for wanting to change tyres was simply for more ground clearance which mainly becomes an issue when touring and the vehicle is loaded up.

Happily the 150 series does not suffer these problems - as the standard GX and GXL tyres are the same diameter the diff ratios are the same and the flared guards mean no additional flares are necessary. So if you are going to get a AT tyre fitted from new and you want larger diameter tyres then you are "only" up for the cost of the new rims plus a little for the changeover of the tyres. Going to 7.5" rims means you can fit 265/70 profile tyres. This is what I have done with mine - it is coming from the dealer fitted with Speedy Avalanche 17 x 7.5" rims and BFG 265/60/17 tyres.

I thought long and hard about this and given my experience with my 90 series where I have always regretted having the smaller tyres I decided bugger it I will spend the money up front when buying the vehicle. I also spoke to tyre dealers about the 245/70 17's that come standard on the GX's and these are not a common tyre, so would be more difficult to get in an out of the way place. I can assure you that if you do all of the trips that you say you are planning to do, at some stage you will damage a tyre and need to get it replaced while in the middle of nowhere.

I also have the mudflap issue on my mind but in reality I don't think that is a major issue and can be resolved relatively easily with some aftermarket mudflaps.

In regards to the "series 2" there was some talk of the engine getting some tweaks to give small power and torque increases. However I was reading the latest 4X4 Australia magazine a couple of days ago and they have a small article on this in which Toyota indicate Australia won't be getting this change. Apparently European models will be to meet new emissions standards. I guess there could be other cosmetic changes for a "series 2".

Ando

[TimA Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimA]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

Thanks for the responses.

Still unsure as to whether it is worth while to upgrade or not. Still have a few months before a decision is required.

Cheers,

Tim

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

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

TIm,

I note you had listed the Mickey Thompson ATZ 5 rib on your list. I have just changed out a set of these on my 90 series and although I have gotten reasonably good life from them I would not recommend them. The sidewalls on them seem really soft and they bag out a LOT. These tyres at 30psi look like other tyres at 20psi. I have always been reluctant to deflate them as far as I should for desert work and in rocky high country for fear of sidewall cuts and I have replaced two of them for this exact reason.

Also the tread on them seems to cut up quite a lot. They have never lost any big chunks like you sometimes see with Coopr ST's but lots and lots of little chips and cuts. My wife did a trip out through corner country a couple of months ago and I could not believe what the tyres looked like when she got back.

They are very quiet on the road, even for an AT tyre.

[penguin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close penguin]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

Andoland said "Happily the 150 series does not suffer these problems - as the standard GX and GXL tyres are the same diameter..."

My 150 GX has 245/70/17 tyres and I think the GXL uses 265/65x17. I wish Goodrich made my size :-(

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

My 150 GX has 245/70/17 tyres and I think the GXL uses 265/65x17. I wish Goodrich made my size

Pirelli ATR, Goodyear MT/R, Cooper ATR, ST, STT and BFG KM2 comes in 245/70R17.
Note that not all sizes are listed in the BFG website. BFG ATs are certainly available in the US in the GX size.

[dannyson Member Find all posts View Profile Close dannyson]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

YRE TEST - BRIDGESTONE Dueler H/T 840
A BRIDGE TOO FAR?
Bridgestone's Dueler H/T 840 Tyres Claim To Be A Great Compromise For 4x4 Owners Wanting A Good On-Road Tyre But Also Needing Off Road Capability. Steve Walker Puts Them To The Test....

The Goodrich all-terrain tyres displayed a higher level of tractability in the clay but you'd expect them to do that. The greater lateral stability provided by the knobbly tread meant that the Land Cruiser was propelled forward with less of the grip that there was being lost to the tyres zigzagging from side to side in the ruts. Having said that, as with the Bridgestones, there were still sections of track that proved impassable to the all-terrain tyred Land Cruiser.
The verdict that the BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres gave better off-road performance than the Bridgestone Dueler H/T 840s was always inescapable from the word go. The interesting thing was how close the roadgoing tyre from Bridgestone came to living with its altogether knarlier rival. Even if you do plan on putting your 4x4 to some tough offroad work, there's a good chance that the Bridgestone tyres could do the job. Really extreme stuff would be best avoided because getting stuck without a winch-equipped support vehicle in attendance is not something you want to make a habit of but the Dueler H/T 840 proved more capable than we would have imagined. Then you've got the added advantage of the tyre's performance in its preferred on-road environment. We wasted no time in switching back to the Bridgestones for the long motorway journey home.

Some extracts from a review I just found --- may be of some interest to some.....?

[TimA Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimA]

Re: GX tyre standard vs upgrade

Just noticed that BFG have an AT tyre for the GX

http://www.jaxquickfit.com.au/tyres/...im_diameter=17

The BFG site is down (has been for a few days since I started checking again).

But the choice of tyre for the GX is only about 1/4 that of the GXL. Seeing as my quote has come in I will get a requote with the GXL rims and BFG ATs from dealer.

Cheers.