Technical Ute question - Sheilas beware
 

As it is Easter I am contemplating the various projects I have on.

Ok I need to replace the back tyres on my ute fairly soon, (and may well replace all four).

Now. My tyres are 235/75/15.

At a ute show a month back, I noticed that every ute owner had larger wheels and certainly larger tyres which looked grouse,
and achieved higher ground clearance esp the guys with Toyota Hiliuxes. They were running 16 and 17 inch tyres.

Now if you physically increase the wheel size beyond stock you effect the speedo reading and the gearing, as you increase the
rolling radius of the wheel.....

In the UK, to improve handling on my car, I went from a 175/65/14 inch wheel to 195/55/15, but I used lower profile tyres to maintain the rolling radius....so.....

..these guys with huge tyres - what are they doing, or am I missing something here? How did they manage the upgrade? Or does the ute come with tyres like that and is configured that way?

Thanks

BM

Dearest Badge, I know I'm a Sheila and therefore know diddly-squat about utes, except that they should all have dog in the back, but why don't you just ask one of the guys with the bigger tyres.......??:)

didn't think to ask....does The Bloke know? Just interested, that's all, because I can't see how they're doing it. I might just well go for the regular tyres as I've got the wheels and it is cheaper.

BM

If you can control yourself till Tuesday, I'll ask the guys at work for you, they're paid to give out technical advice so I might as well get some use out of them!
Tell me exactly what sort of ute yours is, and I'll get back to you.....:)

er thanks! My sheila joke was to try to put people off reading a boring question. I am reticent to do the change, but now is the time to do it if I feel it is worth it...

1992 Mitsibish Triton Ute 2.5 Turbo Diesel 4x4

with 235/75/15 tyres on 15" wheels.

BM

No worries, I'll let you know what I come up with. :)

Badge so sorry to hear about your lack of inches:D

To get bigger wheels you have to get a modification permit to change the rims and then the tyre. I dont know why you'd bother tho 15 inches sounds quite reasonable to me. This will change the rolling diamater of your wheela so you will need to get your speedo checked.

My Ute only has 15's but the dog and tool box do add a certain amount of grunt and pulling power ;) Kelly tyres have a huge amount of tread, can almost give you another inch without all the bother

:D

Find this very funny that all your answers are from girls !! we're a helpful lot.

Jill :D

lol. Depends on where those inches are....MrsB says ...no I won't go there.. back to the story; I'm inclined not to bother, but was interested. If a permit is involved then I can't be bothered - also presumably you'd have to report the mod to the insurer....I still don't know what these guys are doing with their tachos, speedos, odometers though..and this interests me.

thanks for the tyre recommendation - I was quoted for 2 a wihle back - be buggered if I can remember it now - seemed reasonable at the time. The tyres were a kind of cross style - between 4x4 and road. I will look at Kelly. 1inch won't make much difference, I know this, as the car in the UK was moreorless the same after the mod..

Really, really appreciate it Dotty. Thanks

BM

Have to admit Badger that I think Dotty is right - althought the situation in Victoria might be different from here.
I'm sure I've heard the guys talking about needing a permit to change almost anything on vehicles, but I'm not sure enough to stick my neck out one way or the other!

Yep permit required. There's also a width limit on tyres. The cops defect fats on a regular basis.


if you know what i mean...

"Now if you physically increase the wheel size beyond stock you effect the speedo reading and the gearing, as you increase the
rolling radius of the wheel....."


Speed is from gear box on most modern Buses so wheel size wont affect this :)

But changing the size will affect speed / decrease / faster acceleration I think!

Sorry badge - f**k knows:D :D :D :D

Am laughing heartily at dotty's response, not because her info is wrong - how would I know, i don't have a clue about tyre widths and the like - but just because i have been pleasantly surprised by her knowledge - GOOD ON 'YA GAL!!!!!

Sorry badge, this response is of no help to you at all, all I can say is if you need a permit to have an extra inch or two, then it's wrong - the only permission you should need is from your missus!!!!!:D