New Bridgestone A/T D697 Tyre

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

I have tried a lot of options over three different sets of tyres and keep coming back to 36psl for comfort and wear.

Hutch- Prado 2012 petrol with the TJM Catologue.

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Would running them at 38 PSI cause uneven tyre wear? I've noticed a 1 mm difference in tread depth between the outermost blocks and the inner ones. I'm willing to concede this is just a user error with my less than scientific "gauge" (a piece of cardboard and a pencil) but I don't know of any other way to measure tread depth.

A truck driver friend suggested running at 42 around town and 45 when towing.
Have used this since new and as mentioned in my earlier post got 98000kms from the 694"s. Van tyres are at 55.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Have used this since new and as mentioned in my earlier post got 98000kms from the 694"s.

That's impressive Ks you got, I thought I did well getting 83,000kms from the grandcraps on the 95 series. As I mentioned though the D694s were made in Japan and the D697s are made in Indonesia, i just don't think the rubber compound is of the same density/hardness with the D697s.

I had a look at the info on the sidewall and the D697s I have are marked as having a max inflation pressure of 65 PSI, I don't think I'd be game to run them at such a high pressure though.

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Bridgestone dealer recommended 40PSI normal and 44PSI towing when I had mine fitted. No uneven wear showing as yet but have only done 1,500K's so time will tell.

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Forgot to mention they still had a fair bit of thread left but as I was traveling with van in tow decided to change over.

Also did rotation of 694's every 10000kms

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

I usually put in 38psi cold, l mean Victorian winter cold, and 42 -43 psi when towing the van.

[Guest Close Guest]

Yes outer edge seems to be wearing more. Not living in the hills. Do have lots of roundabouts and speed humps/ski jumps to negotiate. Haven't had the alignment done yet, waiting for springs to settle (they have only been on 2 weeks). Front and rear tyres wearing at same rate though so don't think it's an alignment issue.

Probably the roundabouts then, and going fast around them. Was an alignment done after the new tyres were put on by the dealer? Cos they swapped your bullbar and perhaps the difference in weight has required an alignment but it wasn't done.

It was a Bridgestone company rep who advised me to use the placard setting, not a tyre shop. These tyres were supplied by the dealer I bought the Prado from but they said they had them done at a Bridgestone tyre joint.

Either way it is still in his interest to get lots of tyres sold.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Was an alignment done after the new tyres were put on by the dealer? Cos they swapped your bullbar and perhaps the difference in weight has required an alignment but it wasn't done.

According to the paperwork/service receipt from the dealer an alignment was done. The bar was on before these tyres went on.

I'm waiting for a response from the Bridgestone rep, have requested an inspection of the tyres that was offered.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

That's impressive Ks you got, I thought I did well getting 83,000kms from the grandcraps on the 95 series. As I mentioned though the D694s were made in Japan and the D697s are made in Indonesia, i just don't think the rubber compound is of the same density/hardness with the D697s.

I had a look at the info on the sidewall and the D697s I have are marked as having a max inflation pressure of 65 PSI, I don't think I'd be game to run them at such a high pressure though.

I run 60psi (cold) with the 694 L/T's on my offroad van (single axle) for highway work, 40 psi for dirt work. These pressures were recommended to me by a Bridgestone expert at head office, and have not yet had any problems. Prado 694 L/T's at 40 psi for around town/highway unless towing the van, then up the pressures for that.

[tonykarter15 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tonykarter15]

I put on a new set of D697LT for my trip to Cape York last year. They were a great tyre, never struggled for grip in the mud and great on the sand.

I found running the tyre pressures at 40psi front, 39 rear works fine around time and when I put the van on the back, add approximately 5psi on the rear tyres alone. On corrugated roads, I found 28psi worked fine and 18psi on soft sand.

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

Just had my 497's fitted today by Bridgestone Enoggera. Paperwork they came with specify 40psi as the pressure.

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Paperwork they came with specify 40psi as the pressure.

What model Prado and what size tyre?

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

I paid a visit to Bridgestone's Vic State Office today. No less than the Technical Field Service Manager for Vic and Tas went over my fairly new D697s which I thought were wearing unevenly. Tread depths were checked, small variations but nothing of concern. Also took me over to one of the local freight companies to borrow their weighbridge so we could check the weight of each corner, axle, and the entire vehicle to ascertain the correct inflation pressures for the D697 LTs.

I'm told for the 265/60/R18 size I have and the weight of my vehicle that 300kPa at the front and rear with 350kPa in the rear if it's loaded is the appropriate inflation pressure. That translates to roughly 43 PSI and 50 PSI respectively. I'm told the 38 PSI I have been running them at is OK but not to go below 36 PSI. I might try taking them up to 40 PSI and see if the ride is still OK (as in not too harsh). I'm assuming they would wear more evenly then too.

I mentioned one tyre had been found to be quite under-inflated during my regular servo checks (not after a day's bush driving either). The tyre was removed from the rim while I waited and inspected for internal damage (they let me have a look while it was off); it was re-fitted and the wheel was re-balanced. No charge for any of this and I didn't even get my tyres from that store (they were dealer fitted, don't know who they sourced them from).

The TFSM even organised a ripper fitted and balanced price for a new D697 LT for me so I can replace the factory Grandtrek spare at a dealer closer to home when I'm ready (have to get my rim powder-coated first so it matches the rest).

I'm happier now that I have had the tyres checked with proper gauges, etc and nothing untoward was found, happy enough to go and buy another one anyway.

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

What model Prado and what size tyre?

Sorry, a bit late but 265/65/R17 150 GXL

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

OK, so pretty much the same pressures would apply. The table I was given shows a pressure of 250 kPa for a wheel weight of 820 kg and 300 kPa for a wheel weight of 930 kPa for your size tyre. The max pressure you should run at is at 450 kPa for your load rated tyre at 116s but I can't see you ever needing to do that unless the load over each wheel is 1250 kgs (as per the table) LOL.